Venture for Canada Fellowship Institute

Short Description:

Funds from the McConnell Foundation will support Venture for Canada as it diversifies its program, works towards financial sustainability and increases its communications capacity.

Background of the Organization:

Venture for Canada aims to develop recent graduates’ entrepreneurial skills, and to contribute to the growth of Canada’s start-up ecosystem. It recruits, trains and supports recent graduates — called Fellows — in obtaining work at innovative start-ups and high potential small to medium-sized enterprises. Currently active in Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, it seeks to expand across Canada. Participating employers pay market-rate salaries to Fellows and a small fee to Venture for Canada.

Grant Description:

A grant from the Social Innovation Fund will enable Venture for Canada to increase its financial sustainability, diversify its program and augment its marketing and communication capacity.

Over the course of the next two years, it will:

• develop a digital platform to connect Fellows with partner start-ups (thereby increasing the number of placements and effectiveness)
• increase the percentage of revenue that it derives from fee-for-service
• license its materials and platform to larger organizations
• hire an Operations Coordinator