Startup Canada is a national non-profit organization that aims to strengthen entrepreneurship in Canada by supporting local startup communities. It has launched a program to create a network of vibrant, grassroots startup communities across Canada. The program will connect entrepreneurs to mentors, resources and events in their communities to help startups grow. It will also help communities collaborate and share best practices. The program provides supports like branding, online tools and participation in national events to help communities succeed and have impact. The vision is for every Canadian community to have an active startup community.

2. 1. OVERVIEW

3. 1.1 ABOUT STARTUP CANADA
Startup Canada is a national not-for-profit, volunteer-run and entrepreneur-led grassroots movement
that launched in May 2012 to strengthen Canada’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and culture and to be
a voice for entrepreneurs in Canada.
As Canada’s entrepreneurship network, Startup Canada is a leader and catalyst of the entrepreneurship
movement in Canada and abroad. Startup Canada has a network of more than 60,000 supporters and
300 volunteers; has facilitated the mentorship of over 20,000 entrepreneurs; and, operates
programming in 20 entrepreneur-led Startup Communities across Canada.
OUR PROGRAMS OUR FLAGSHIP EVENTS OUR POLICY EFFORTS
Startup Connect Startup Canada Awards Startup Canada Task Force
Startup Communities Startup Canada Summit Community & Provincial Startup Days
Startup Culture Startup Canada Day on the Hill Parliamentary Events

4. 1.2 ABOUT STARTUP COMMUNITIES
Healthy and vibrant entrepreneurial communities at a local level are the heart of supporting and driving
the growth of startups.
Startup Canada Communities is a pan-Canadian network to provide entrepreneurs with a single
doorway to enter their local entrepreneur community to access mentors, space, funding and support to
start and grow their businesses and to connect with other startup founders online and on the ground.
This initiative is a response to the call-to-action from more than 20,000 entrepreneurs in 40
communities who made their voices heard during the Startup Canada National Tour last year, calling for
stronger, more connected and more active local startup communities to accelerate entrepreneur
success.
In May 2013, Startup Canada launched 15 pilot communities as the first wave of its national network.
This pilot has built the framework and infrastructure to support the roll-out of Startup Communities
across Canada in 2014.

5. 1.3 ABOUT STARTUP COMMUNITIES
Startup Canada Communities is laying the foundations of a national infrastructure of hyper-connected and
vibrant grassroots startup communities for entrepreneurs to tap into to start and scale their ventures.
The macro objectives of the Startup Communities program are to:
1. Cultivate a culture of entrepreneurship and a pay-it-forward mentality within the community
2. Bring together the entrepreneurship community with a common vision and strategy with entrepreneurs
leading the way
3. Increase the number of startups and the growth and success of startups
4. Increase jobs, revenues and the desire and propensity of entrepreneurs to grow and keep their startups
in the community
5. Increase visibility and public awareness of entrepreneurs on a local and national scale
6. Increase access to and effectiveness of entrepreneur support services
7. Remove redundancies and identify and fill gaps in support available
8. Increase local connectivity to the national and global startup networks, support and infrastructure

6. 1.4 VISION
Our vision is that one day, every community in
Canada will have a ‘Startup Community’ and that
this network will be as mainstream and
recognizable as community centres and libraries –
a Pan-Canadian entrepreneur community and
acceleration network to advance the success of
Canadian entrepreneurs.

7. 1.5 VALUES
Startup Communities are guided by core values that all communities must
embrace to be effective in cultivating entrepreneurship:
1. Startup Communities are led by entrepreneurs
2. Community leaders act as connecting agents between the enterprise support
actors and entrepreneurs
3. Leaders must have a long-term vision and plan
4. The community must be inclusive to anyone who wants to belong to it (not just
tech)
5. The community must have continual activities that engage the entire
entrepreneurial stack

8. 2. THE STARTUP COMMUNITIES PROGRAM

9. Startup Communities: Startup Canada creates, connects and
supports vibrant, local entrepreneurial communities across Canada
that run regular events, operate co-working hubs, and connect
support and service providers to entrepreneurs to accelerate their
success and create a vibrant local entrepreneurial culture.
• National network of local entrepreneur communities that:
• Run regular programming – e.g. networking, learning and pitch-style events;
• Facilitate Community Enterprise Partnerships (CEPs) - composed of local service providers; and,
• Initiate critical local projects to fill ecosystem gaps – e.g. co-working spaces, maker spaces,
accelerator funds, etc.
• Startup Canada supports communities through:
• The provision of an official model, branding and networked websites;
• Access to a dedicated support team and world-leading advisors;
• Learning tools, sessions and peer mentorship;
• National promotions, publicity and advocacy opportunities;
• Impact measurement tools, dashboards and reports; and,
• Participation in major Startup Canada events, programs and delegations.
2.1 STARTUP CANADA COMMUNITIES 101
Building grassroots entrepreneurship communities

10. Startup Communities: Startup Canada creates, connects and
supports vibrant, local entrepreneurial communities across Canada
that run regular events, operate co-working hubs, and connect
support and service providers to entrepreneurs to accelerate their
success and create a vibrant local entrepreneurial culture.
2.2 OVERVIEW

11. St. John’s Fredericton Quebec City Montreal Ottawa
York Peel Niagara Sault Ste Marie Waterloo
Winnipeg Calgary Edmonton Smithers Prince George
Nanaimo Langford Lethbridge Kingston Penticton

12. Startup Communities: Startup Canada creates, connects and
supports vibrant, local entrepreneurial communities across Canada
that run regular events, operate co-working hubs, and connect
support and service providers to entrepreneurs to accelerate their
success and create a vibrant local entrepreneurial culture.
(1) LEADERS - ENTREPRENEUR / TEAM OF ENTREPRENEURS
A group of entrepreneurs need to come together to commit to community development and mobilization.
(2) FEEDERS - INSTITUTIONAL PARTNER(S)
Organizations(s) or firm(s) commit to working to support the entrepreneur leaders - with space, funding, administration support, etc. – to
enable the entrepreneurs to bring to life activities and mobilize the community.
(3) COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE PARTNERS
Stakeholders in the community that provide support, resources, training, mentorship, space, events and money to entrepreneurs in the
community participate in quarterly CEP meetings to enhance multilateral communications, collaboration and alignment, and participate
in and promote ‘Startup Community’ events.
(4) PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES
Startup Community Leaders with the support of Feeders and Partners ignite and unite regular grassroots community events – e.g.
Monthly Startup Drinks, quarterly Demo events, bi-Annual Startup Weekends, Awards, etc. Overtime the Community will mobilize to fill
gaps and remove redundancies – e.g. many communities mature run co-working spaces, pre-launch accelerators, training, mentorship
and funds.
(5) ONLINE AND OFFLINE PRESENCE
Startup Community Leaders with the support of Feeders and Partners bring together their local community online presence to connect
and promote events, startups and support in the community as a one-stop-shop for local entrepreneur community.
2.3 WHAT MAKES A STARTUP COMMUNITY
Building grassroots entrepreneurship communities

13. Startup Communities: Startup Canada creates, connects and
supports vibrant, local entrepreneurial communities across Canada
that run regular events, operate co-working hubs, and connect
support and service providers to entrepreneurs to accelerate their
success and create a vibrant local entrepreneurial culture.
1. Adhere to the ‘Startup Community Values’
2. Build a team of at least 3 entrepreneur leaders (pulling together those already engaged
in community building);
3. Secure at least one feeder institutional partner;
4. Build a Community Enterprise Partnership (CEP) with at least 3 partners to begin with
set quarterly meetings;
5. Develop at least a basic schedule of grassroots activities that will unite the community;
6. Appoint an individual / individuals to manage the online presence – e.g. Community
website, social media, etc.
7. Participate in Monthly National Working Group Meetings
8. Participate in Quarterly Community Health Check Surveys
9. Participate in major national strategic programming – e.g. Day on the Hill, Startup
Communities Summit
10. Pay an annual program fee to support the sustainability of the national volunteer-run
network (varies based on community size).
2.4 BASIC REQUIREMENTS TO JOIN
Building grassroots entrepreneurship communities

14. 3. PROGRAM BENEFITS

15. 1. Monthly working group meetings
2. Startup Canada Team office hours
3. The provision of 2-3 Guidance Documents / Template a Month
4. Private Facebook Group for Community Leaders to Facilitate Best
Practice Sharing
5. Monthly Learning online with a global advisors and / or expert
6. National profiles and recognition through Startup Canada’s online,
social media and mainstream communications channels
7. National communications update and policy briefings
3.1 COMMUNITY SUPPORT

16. 3.2 COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE
1. Full Community branding
2. Full access to the PILOT Startup Community website with webmaster
support
3. Support with converting the online presence to the Startup Connect
Platform in Spring / Summer 2014
4. Access to Startup Community Dashboards for communications and
reporting purposes
5. Feedback and support with establishing Community Enterprise
Partnerships (CEPs)

17. 3.3 IMPACT MEASUREMENT & REPORTING
1. Impact Measurement
2. Annual Startup Communities Report
3. Bi-Annual Health Check Reports
4. Quarterly Impact Reports and Recommendations
5. Living Community Dashboards for Motivation,
Communications and Reporting Purposes

18. 3.4 NATIONAL PLATFORM AND PROGRAMMING
1. Startup Canada Awards for Startup Communities and Champions (March
– June across Canada)
2. Startup Canada Summit (September – Edmonton)
3. Startup Canada Day on the Hill (November)
4. National Program Role Out (Summer)
• Constituency Week
• Full-day Bootcamp (Fundraising opportunity)
• Canadian Mentorship Challenge
5. Optional – Delegation to Boulder Colorado
6. Optional – Participation in Global City Pilot Program

19. 3.5 PROGRAMMING OVERVIEW

20. 3.6 PROGRAM ADVISORS

21. • Increase Relevance and Value – Build awareness, trust, understanding and engagement of
entrepreneurs in the community
• Increase Funding Opportunities – Quarterly reports and dashboards, prepared by Startup Canada,
highlighting the communities’ progress will provide you with a valuable resource when meeting with
government, investors and other stakeholders
• Gain National Recognition – Increased visibility on the national stage for your leadership in supporting
a grassroots startup community in your city
• Develop Community – Gain access to a standardized maturity model to assess the state the your
entrepreneurship community for benchmarking and planning and map the stakeholders in your
startup community
• Reduced Duplication of Efforts – Consolidate services and clearly carve out your role in the community
as a facilitator, enabler and catalyst
• Attract New Talent – Greater access to up and coming entrepreneurs within your community will help
to feed your programming pipeline as well as access your counterparts across Canada
3.7 PROGRAM BENEFITS