Innovative tech companies that have a product ready to bring to market have until July 15 to apply for the next cohort of the LevelUP business accelerator program — which will be the last cohort offered free of charge.
Launched earlier this year by Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas, the first cohort of the program saw 13 tech companies participate in the 12-week program, which provided mentorship, workshops, networking opportunities, and access to funding, culminating in a competition where participants pitched for a $10,000 prize.
Latchmi Raghunanan, co-founder of Maman Biomedical Inc., won the $10,000 prize for her company’s products that are disrupting the in vitro fertilization (IVF) sector.
“Winning the LevelUP pitch competition allowed us to accelerate and move forward,” Raghunanan says in a media release. “On top of the $10,000 we won, the program gave us the knowledge and tools to successfully raise $30,000 in funding and increase our visibility and credibility in a very short period of time.”
The second cohort of LevelUP will begin on August 14. The program is open to Ontario-based entrepreneurs in sectors including agricultural technology (“agtech”), health care, clean technology (“cleantech”), and digital information technology. Companies must have either developed a minimum viable product or are in the process of deploying it.
The 12-week program focuses on validating business ideas and preparing businesses for funding and is guided by industry experts who equip participants with practical knowledge, hands-on experience, and essential business skills.
Program highlights include learning about branding, revenue models, go-to-market plans, customer acquisition, and funding and exit strategies.
LevelUP wraps up with a pitch competition in November where participants have a chance to win a $10,000 cash prize, made possible by program sponsors like Prima IP, a firm specializing in all aspects of intellectual property from patents to trademarks.
This is the last cohort of LevelUP that will be fully funded and available to participants at no cost. For more information and to apply by July 15, visit innovationcluster.ca/programs/business-accelerator/.
