Invest Ottawa
Invest Ottawa has a full range of programs and services for every type and stage of business. A few programs especially worth knowing about as a student:
Workshops — Invest Ottawa's event calendar is home to workshops, networking, and community events that support local entrepreneurs and companies, covering everything from customer discovery and intellectual property to Google Ads and social enterprise fundamentals. Most events are free or low-cost.
Starter Company Plus — A training program for entrepreneurs who have launched or are ready to launch a new business, covering the fundamentals of running a successful business through workshops and dedicated advisory services from an experienced mentor. Graduates pitch their business for a chance to be awarded a grant of up to $5,000.
- Summer Company — A program for students aged 15–29 that offers skills and knowledge to start up a successful business during the summer break. If accepted, you receive up to $3,000, mentorship, and interactive workshops for starting and running your own business. A great option for students looking to test a venture between semesters.
Impact Hub Ottawa
Impact Hub Ottawa is a community and coworking space located in downtown Ottawa for people working to create meaningful change in the world. Part of a global network of over 15,000 individuals and organizations across 100+ Impact Hubs worldwide, the Ottawa chapter serves as one of the city's most vibrant multi-sector communities and incubators for projects driving positive social and environmental change. Beyond the coworking space, Impact Hub runs programs specifically for newcomer entrepreneurs and women founders through its partnership with the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH), making it a welcoming entry point for founders from all backgrounds.
Immigrant Entrepreneur Canada (IEC)
Immigrant Entrepreneur Canada is a national non-profit supporting immigrant and newcomer entrepreneurs through business incubation, mentorship, and culturally relevant programs that drive inclusive economic growth across Canada. In under two years, IEC has supported over 2,200 immigrant entrepreneurs and helped launch dozens of ventures through their Retail Incubator Program, monthly community activation meetups, and mentorship initiatives, creating trusted spaces for connection, learning, and economic opportunity.
Government of Ontario Resources
Before launching any venture, it's worth bookmarking the province's official resources. The Government of Ontario offers a 10-step guide to starting a business in Ontario, and its 47 Small Business Enterprise Centres give entrepreneurs the information and expertise to help them get started and succeed. The site also provides guidance on business registration, tax requirements, licensing, and available grants — all in one place. Think of it as the foundational checklist every new founder should work through.
Futurpreneur Canada
Futurpreneur is the only national non-profit organization that provides young aspiring entrepreneurs across Canada with loan financing, mentorship, and resources they need to start or buy a business. The Core Startup Program provides up to $75,000 in collateral-free loan financing and up to two years of one-on-one mentorship, along with access to tools and networking opportunities across Canada. Futurpreneur also offers tailored streams for Black entrepreneurs (BESP) and Indigenous entrepreneurs (IESP), each led by teams with lived experience. For uOttawa students in the 18–39 age range who are ready to launch, Futurpreneur is one of the most accessible sources of startup capital in Canada.
Chnge Mker Hub
Chnge Mker Hub offers unique training and entrepreneurship skills development programs designed for the needs of Black founders, with workshops led by seasoned entrepreneurs, business advisors, and industry leaders. Based in Ottawa, the Hub provides Black entrepreneurs with business strategy, mindset coaching, and a supportive community, including culturally responsive mentorship that understands the specific barriers Black founders face. The Hub's space and community are open to all, not just program participants, making it easy to connect and get involved.
SheBoot
SheBoot is a national non-profit headquartered in Ottawa that prepares women founders across Canada to pitch their business and secure investment. Designed and delivered by women investors and entrepreneurs, SheBoot's annual training program arms technology and technology-enabled startups with investment-readiness skills paired with support services that prepare entrepreneurs to secure investment. The program includes a six-week bootcamp with interactive workshops and weekly pitch practices with investors, seven months of catered support from advisors and a coach, and a pitch competition where founders vie for a total of $300,000 in equity-based investment from 30 women angels. If you're a woman founder building a tech or tech-enabled startup, SheBoot is one of the most impactful programs in the country.
Three More Worth Knowing About
Beyond your list, here are a few additional external resources that frequently come up for uOttawa student founders:
Bayview Yards — Ottawa's innovation hub and one-stop business acceleration shop, Bayview Yards brings together organizations that provide services and support to entrepreneurs all under one roof, including Invest Ottawa as its anchor tenant. It's a great place to work, network, and access programming in person.
NRC IRAP (National Research Council Industrial Research Assistance Program) — Particularly relevant for science and engineering students, NRC IRAP provides advice, connections, and funding to help Canadian small and medium-sized businesses increase their innovation capacity and take ideas to market. Their industrial technology advisors can connect student-led ventures with funding and expert networks.
- Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) — As Canada's bank dedicated entirely to entrepreneurs, BDC offers financing, advisory services, and business resources tailored to startups at every stage. Their online tools and local Ottawa advisors are accessible to student founders just getting started.