Windsor-Essex is home to several organizations that specialize in assisting people to become entrepreneurs through education, programs, and supports. Workforce WindsorEssex consulted with these organizations to learn more about who they are, what they do, how they help, and what their strengths are.
Support organizations in Windsor-Essex provide the environment to test an idea before it is launched. Potential markets can be researched and tested in a secure, safe space. This helps to reduce the risk to entrepreneurs.
If you are considering becoming an entrepreneur, or want to learn more about it, contact any of these organizations for more information.
Community Futures Essex County Business Resource Centre
Who They Are
Community Futures Essex County assists businesses and social enterprises in Amherstburg, Essex, Kingsville, Leamington, Lakeshore, LaSalle, Pelee Island, and Tecumseh. It does not serve the City of Windsor. They are funded by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), and they are part of a network of 61 Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) in Ontario.
What They Do
Community Futures Essex County provides guidance, referrals, and financing to entrepreneurs looking to start, grow, or stabilize their business.
How They Help
The two main services offered by Community Futures Essex County are business loans and business development. Business loans are available for new or expanding businesses. These loans typically have more flexible terms than traditional loans. Business development is offered through one-on-one business consulting, assistance with business plans and financial concerns, skills training, networking, workshops, and referrals to other local organizations and service providers.
Community Futures Essex County’s strengths are their relationship-building with their clients. They know their community and get to know their clients so they can come up with the best solutions, or refer them to the best organization that can help meet their needs.
Downtown Accelerator
Who They Are
The Downtown Accelerator is an inclusive space where different industries and paths come together to develop and grow entrepreneurial ideas. The Accelerator recently moved to a new 55,000 square foot facility that includes a theatre, skate park, recording studio, arts incubator, meeting space, and co-working space.
What They Do
The Downtown Accelerator offers opportunities for partnerships, co-working, networking, business supports, and knowledge sharing. It is a membership-based organization with pricing options that fit the needs of small businesses and start-ups.
How They Help
Through seminars, mentoring, business plan assistance, legal assistance, and collaboration, people looking to start a small business can find the support and information they need. The Downtown Accelerator will help you test the feasibility of your idea through examining financial predictions and potential customers.
The Downtown Accelerator’s strengths are their network of entrepreneurs who are available to assist their clients. Their network has the knowledge and resources to assist clients and to connect them to support systems. The Downtown Accelerator believes that the key to building the culture of entrepreneurship and success stories is through working together and building trust and collaboration.
Entrepreneurship Practice and Innovation (EPI-Centre) at the University of Windsor
Who They Are
The Entrepreneurship Practice and Innovation (EPI- Centre) is the central location for entrepreneurial-related activities at the University of Windsor. They are located at the Joyce Entrepreneurship Centre on campus and serve any post-secondary student or recent graduate, not just those attending
the University of Windsor.
What They Do
The EPI-Centre hosts workshops, seminars, and events that assist students interested in entrepreneurship to learn more about the steps in the process of starting, launching, and growing your own business.
How They Help
The EPI-Centre offers programs and support through mentorship, workshops, funding opportunities, and networking events. They also offer a co-working space, cohort-based accelerator programs, a makerspace, event space, and competitions. Programs offered are for start-ups, social enterprises, and students wishing to learn about entrepreneurship. Whether you are in the early stages of your idea, unsure of your market, discovering who your customers are, or need to learn more about the process of starting a business, EPI-Centre can assist.
EPI-Centre’s strengths are helping people who have lots of ideas but are unsure how to turn them into a business. They specialize in assisting with ideation and ideas that are traditionally not as supported. They are nimble and adaptable, and have a passion for helping people succeed.
Futurpreneur Canada
Who They Are
Futurpreneur Canada is the only national, non-profit organization that provides mentorship, financing, and supports to youth aged 18 – 39. They have been supporting entrepreneurship for two decades.
What They Do
Futurpreneur offers specific resources for Black and Indigenous entrepreneurs. They also have programs for young people who wish to turn their side hustle into a small business. Supports offered include pre-launch coaching, online resources, financing, and mentoring.
How They Help
Futurpreneur offers financing of up to $20,000 and works with the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) to offer up to an additional $40,000. Their Side Hustle Program allows you to keep working full-time while working to start your business. Financial assistance up to $15,000 is available with three years to repay the loan. They will also connect you to a mentor who will work with you for up to two years. The mentor partnership is part of the loan process. You cannot avail of just one of these supports – both are provided. Futurpreneur also provides resources to assist from idea to launch to growth. The regional hub for Ontario is located in Toronto.
Genesis Entrepreneurship Centre at St. Clair College
Who They Are
The Genesis Entrepreneurship Centre is located at the Main Campus at St. Clair College and connects students, alumni, faculty, and the community.
What They Do
The Genesis Entrepreneurship Centre offers programs, support, and resources to assist guests who are interested in learning about or becoming an entrepreneur. Assistance offered is through one-on-one coaching, networking, and mentorship. Programs are available for people interested in careers in STEM. There is also a Women in STEM program that supports female students in male-dominated programs. The Genesis Entrepreneurship Centre supports early ideas and provides referrals out to other community support organizations that offer specialized services.
How They Help
Programs offered include webinars on using LinkedIn, personal branding, cash flow management, Canva, Design Thinking, and doing business online. The Genesis Entrepreneurship Centre offers a workspace where entrepreneurs can network with other members of the St. Clair and greater Windsor-Essex community, access resources, and get assistance with writing their business plan.
The Genesis Entrepreneurship Centre’s strengths are their connections in the community, opportunities for networking, the variety of workshops they offer, and access to college programs.
Invest WindsorEssex
WHO THEY ARE
Invest WindsorEssex is a not-for-profit organization supported by the City of Windsor and County of Essex. They are responsible for advancing economic development to grow and sustain prosperity in the region. They provide support to business owners through their Business Retention and Expansion team.
WHAT THEY DO
As the lead economic development organization in the region, theyprovide confidential and expert assistance to companies and entrepreneurs in all sectors. Their focus is to develop and execute strategies to retain, expand, attract and help start up new businesses in the Windsor-Essex region.
HOW THEY HELP
The Business Retention and Expansion team can support with finding commercial and industrial property in the region. They host networking events for anyone looking to connect with other business owners and investors to access opportunities to accelerate your business. They also provide consultation and advisory services for those looking to build a sustainable business expansion plan.
Junior Achievement Southwestern Ontario
Who They Are
Junior Achievement Canada is Canada’s largest youth business education organization. Since 1955, they have provided youth with programs in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Over 150,00 youth participate in their programs each year. They have 14 locations across Canada. Their Southwestern Ontario location is in London with a regional office in Chatham that serves the Windsor-Essex area.
What They Do
Junior Achievement offers programs to youth in elementary, middle, and secondary school. These programs introduce students to entrepreneurship as early as grade 3. Students in grades 3 – 6 are given the opportunity to run a retail business. They receive guidance from the local business community to assist them through experiential blended learning and game-based technology. Programs also provide mentorship opportunities for students.
How They Help
Junior Achievement currently offers 15 programs to assist students from grades 3 – 12 learn more about entrepreneurship through hands-on experience of running their own business. These programs teach basic business ideas like management, financial literacy, marketing, and production. They are delivered in school, through business camps, and other specialized programs.
Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
WHO THEY ARE
The Ontario Ministry department responsible for supporting businesses through hiring supports, economic development initiatives, and export and investment services.
WHAT THEY DO
The ministry delivers a range of programs, services and tools to help businesses innovate and compete in today’s fast-changing global economy. They also manage a network of international trade and investment offices in key markets around the world and organize international business missions to increase export and investment opportunities for Ontario’s companies.
HOW THEY HELP
They offer hiring incentives for employers and provide grants and training for students and young entrepreneurs. They also provide investment services and information to increase business growth across the province.
Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre
Who They Are
The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre is a division of Invest WindsorEssex. It was started in 1992 and is one of 54 small business centres in Ontario. It assists clients in starting and growing their idea into a business. There are two locations
– in Windsor and Essex.
What They Do
The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre provides information, services, advice, and consultations to assist entrepreneurs in starting their business. Some programs, such as consulting and training, have no application process.
How They Help
The resources and programs offered by the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Centre include training, workshops, mentoring, networking opportunities, and referrals to other regional programs and service providers. Topics covered are business regulations and licensing, accounting, taxes, marketing, business plan support, real estate, legal support, and human resources.
Startup Central
Who They Are
Startup Central is a business incubation centre offered through Kadri Law, an immigration law firm located in Windsor. They
offer resources, insights, and professional services to help newcomers to launch and grow a business in Canada.
What They Do
Dedicated office space at Startup Central gives entrepreneurs a collaborative workspace to help them launch their business. On-site programs offered include management training, mentorship, and workshops. Their incubator services focus on women and minority entrepreneurs.
How They Help
Services for start-ups and entrepreneurs include business advising and consulting, HR staffing and guidance, business plan development, and marketing and communications. They also offer referrals, guidance, and advice in legal, tax, accounting, and finance. They have partnered with Entrepreneur Village to provide additional support to entrepreneurs.
WEtech Alliance
Who They Are
WEtech Alliance was started in 2011. It is one of 17 Regional Innovation Centres in Ontario and serves the Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent regions. WEtech Alliance provides several services and supports to technology and innovation entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses.
What They Do
Services and supports offered include Business Advisors, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, and mentors who provide their expertise and advice. These programs and services help business acceleration in the area and engage with young people to build the technology community and talent pipeline. WEtech has a network that is regional, provincial, national, and international.
How They Help
WEtech Alliance Client Perks provides clients discounts on services they may use as they start and grow their business. Other online resources include a toolkit library, entrepreneurship support network, blog, podcasts, and newsletter. Their website also provides information on news and events happening in the area. Regardless of what stage your idea is in, WEtech has the expertise and resources to assist. Not ready to start your own venture but would like to work with a tech business in the area? WEtech can refer you to start-up organizations that are hiring. They also have a job board on their website.
WEtech’s strengths are their expertise in the technology ecosystem, not just in Windsor-Essex but beyond the region. Their network of government, resources, industry organizations, and businesses provide the opportunity for bridge-building.
