Our Program

Lab2Market Launch is a 12-week summer accelerator that brings together members of the entrepreneurial ecosystem from across Canada to turn ideas into viable businesses.

The program is designed for ambitious entrepreneurial students and research teams who are committed to forming, building, and growing technology-based ventures. Participants benefit from local innovation hubs while also receiving access to the broader network and credibility of the national Lab2Market program.

Lab2Market Launch is offered at no cost to participants, with teams receiving tailored instruction, mentorship, and coaching from successful entrepreneurs & industry experts, a simulated board of directors, and up to a $10,000 stipend and $5,000 for research costs per participant, and up to $3,000 in milestone payments per team.

June - August
Accelerate and refine your venture through workshops on monthly themes including user problem, product value and business model. Get insights and support from a range of successful entrepreneurs & industry experts from across-Canada who have been there, and can guide you through your idea development and testing stages while helping you build resilience. Leave with a solid business case that is presentation-ready for funding rounds.

September
After the program wraps with a Pitch Day to relevant ecosystem contacts, use your newfound momentum and network to push your venture to new heights. The Lab2Market ecosystem will be cheering you on.

Eligibility

Lab2Market Launch is open to students, researchers, and recent graduates in the STEM field of study who have a technology-based idea. The program is run nationally and is currently hosted in Atlantic Canada and Ontario.

• Minimum of 2 founder-level team members who plan to participate in the program (no more than three co-founders) 

• At least one participating team member must be a current student, postdoctoral student, or recent graduate (i.e., applying to Lab2Market within two years of graduating from their academic program.)

• Teams should have completed at least 50 initial customer discovery interviews and be able to provide evidence to support their claims

• The program is funded in part through the Mitacs Business Strategy Internship (BSI) program. As a result, each applicant must be eligible for Mitacs funding and participate full-time to qualify for the stipend. 

• Founders are expected to commit a minimum of 30 hours each per week to their start up throughout this program in addition to up to 3-5 hours a week of programming time and must present at the in-person Pitch Day event in September

• Teams must have some understanding of the entrepreneurial process and must demonstrate familiarity with common frameworks including Disciplined Entrepreneurship, Lean Startup, Business Model Canvas, and the like.

• Teams must disclose in their application all sources of funding that the team has received.

• Be advised that we are looking for teams that can significantly gain from the program — meaning we will not always prioritize those that are closest to being full-fledged companies.
  

Still have questions? Email us at launch@lab2market.ca to request more information.