| Starter Company Plus |
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Complete the Expression of Interest form below to let us know you're interested in the Starter Company Plus program. You'll be notified by email when the next Richmond Hill Starter Company Plus cohort opens for applications.
Expression of Interest
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Eligibility
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- 18 years of age or older
- A Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident
- Your business must be located within Richmond Hill municipal boundaries
- Has majority ownership of company
- Not currently enrolled in full-time education and not planning to return to school full-time
- Proposing starting a new company, expanding an existing company, or buying a business in Ontario (excluding franchises, distributorships, wholesale, trade, commissioned sales, multi-level marketing ventures, not-for-profit and/or charities, strictly pay-per-click businesses, and single events such as music concert, fundraiser, sporting tournament, etc.)
- Not controlled directly or indirectly by an individual who does not meet the eligibility criteria for the Starter Company Plus program
- Prepared to commit to a minimum average of 35 hours a week to run the business
- Prepared to commit to the monthly mentorship requirements for a minimum of 3 months
- Prepared to complete a mandatory Business Training program
- Not currently participating in any other (comparable) self-employment or entrepreneurship training or financing programs offered by government funded organizations
- Can demonstrate 25% cash or equivalent commitment to the business
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Information Video on Starter Company Plus
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The video below was recorded for a previous Starter Company Plus cohort. While some program details may change over time, most of the information about eligibility requirements and program expectations remains relevant. We encourage you to watch it to learn more about the Richmond Hill Starter Company Plus program and what participants can expect.
Starter Company Plus Information Video
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Creative Entrepreneurs
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Starter Company Plus supports entrepreneurs from all sectors. For the 2026 intake, a minimum of one spot will be awarded to an artistic/cultural entrepreneur. Thanks to a partnership with the Richmond Hill Cultural Centre, that participant will also receive access to a shared workspace for three months. All applicants are assessed using the same criteria, and creative entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply.
Details on the workspace:
 The workspace will be awarded to the selected artist entrepreneur who demonstrates readiness and intent to use it. This is a modest 60 square foot office space for short term use by artists. While compact and without windows, it provides a quiet, tucked-away spot to focus on administrative work with complimentary hardline internet (USBC connection).
This workspace is generously provided by the City of Richmond Hill’s Cultural Services and is separate from the Starter Company Plus funding.
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| Summer Company |
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Do you have an idea that you are super excited to bring to life or a business you are inspired start? Are you a student who is interested in learning what it would be like to be your own boss?
Get funded with Summer Company! Successful applicants get business education, 2 months of mentorship, and up to $3,000 in funding.
To apply, you need a launch-ready business idea, a free summer, and a short business plan. This program is available for full-time students between 15 - 29 years of age.
| Application Process |
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Intake for 2026 Summer Company program is closed. Intake for the 2027 cohort will re-open on Monday, January 25, 2027.
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| Eligibility |
- Enrolled in an Ontario high school, college, or university
- Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident
- 15 to 29 years old
- Not currently running a business
- Not currently employed and working more than 12 hours
- Not enrolled in summer school for more than 12 hours per week
- Not a past Summer Company grant recipient
- Commit to an average of 35 hours a week to run your business
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Information Video on Summer Company
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Still unsure about your eligibility or want a better idea of what the Summer Company program is all about? Watch this 16 minute video for a better sese of what the program will be like for you.
Summer Company Video
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| 2026 Summer Company Students |
| 2026 Summer Company Students |
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The 2026 Summer Company program has accepted 12 students aged 15-29 to help launch a summer business through hands-on business training, mentorship and grant funding up to $3,000. See below for student business profiles and links to their Instagram page.
| Participants and their Company |
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Adam Stern
Company: Mill Pond Outdoor Services
Description: Mill Pond Outdoor Services is a student-run team that delivers affordable, streak-free window cleaning, backed by fast quotes, flexible scheduling, and fully insured, ladder-free professional equipment.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/millpondoutdoorservices/
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Ryan Gareau
Company: Ivory Touch Detailing
Description: Ivory Touch Detailing is a mobile car detailing service providing premium interior and exterior cleaning, washing, waxing, and deep-detailing for luxury and high-end vehicles, delivering professional-grade service directly to customers' homes for maximum convenience.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivorytouch_detailing
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Zihu (Jerry) Tang
Company: Surpriz & Solve Studio
Description: Surpriz & Solve Studio creates AI-powered custom digital and physical photo puzzles, transforming personal memories into unique, high-quality keepsakes and gifts.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i_love_puzzle1
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Danial Mansouri
Company: Swim Star Richmond Hill
Description: Swim Star Richmond Hill specializes in offering private and group swimming lessons to children, pre-teens, teens, and young adults throughout the summer in Richmond Hill.
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Sohail Khushal
Company: Decalify
Description: Decalify specializes in the creation of custom decals for businesses and the general public. The business offers both in-house design services and the option for customers to provide their own designs.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bobbyhasinsta
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Daniil Antonov
Company: Seal Coat Co
Description: Seal Coat Co is a student-owned driveway sealcoating company operating in Richmond Hill.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daniil.antonov24
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Crystal Ge
Company: Pickle and Co.
Description: Pickle and Co. is a small-batch artisan pickle company producing handcrafted pickles in 500 mL mason jars using a traditional hot-water bath canning process. The company offers premium flavours such as mango, watermelon, and carrot pickles, with plans to grow into a consumer packaged goods (CPG) brand.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pickleandco.ca
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Artemis Sadeghi
Company: Orola
Description: Orola is an oral wellness brand focused on helping consumers maintain oral health between dental cleanings and protect tooth enamel, the hard outer layer that gives smiles their brightness.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artemis.sss
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Naomi Lampkin-Zienius
Company: Reliable Naomi
Description: Reliable Naomi provides high-quality seasonal lawn mowing and edge trimming services for residential properties in the local community.
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Ziyan (Kathleen) Xu
Company: KAETHERIA JEWELLERY
Description: KAETHERIA is a small-scale personalized jewelry business focused on emotional well-being, self-expression, and meaningful customization.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaetheriajewellery
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Soha Osman
Company: Dulce
Description: Dulce is a small-batch beverage syrup business that creates handcrafted syrups designed to enhance matcha, coffee, tea, and other specialty drinks.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dulce.syrups
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Lillian Shen
Company: Honey Hook Studio
Description: Honey Hook Studio is a specialty yarn business offering thin velvet yarn in aesthetic pastel colour palettes, eco-friendly materials, and beginner-friendly crochet kits paired with exclusive original crochet patterns.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilly_gurumi
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| Centre for Local Innovation and Collaboration (CLIC) |
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The City of Richmond Hill has partnered with OCAD University to launch the Centre for Local Innovation and Collaboration (CLIC)! Funded by eCampus Ontario and Centennial College, this unique, design-driven centre for innovation is part of a broad-based approach to accelerating business growth and innovation.
CLIC exists to explore opportunities for local businesses to gain access to applied research and to leverage human-centered design expertise.
For more information visit our Centre for Local Innovation and Collaboration page.
| Eligibility |
- 18 years of age or older
- A Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- An Ontario registered business
- Under 50 employees
- Over 50% of staff located in Ontario
- Prepared to work with OCAD researchers
- Intention to leverage creative technology, human-centered design, and applied research to create products/services that improve the lives of Ontario residents
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| Digital Main Street |
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Digital Main Street has a free digital guide to help businesses grow.
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| My Main Street |
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My Main Street, a $15-million investment, supports main street businesses across Ontario. Funded by the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), My Main Street is being delivered through two new streams:
- Business Sustainability Stream
- This stream will assist brick-and-mortar businesses located on main streets across southern Ontario. Funding will support productivity enhancements through direct-to-business non-repayable contributions of up to $20,000. Funding will be made available to businesses that employ between 1 and 50 staff and provide a solid business case describing how the funding will strengthen their existing capacity and support their growth.
- Community Activator
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This stream assists community not-for-profit projects focused on high-impact placemaking activities. Support is provided in the form of non-repayable contributions of up to $250,000. Funded projects will include initiatives such as events and festivals, community enhancements and streetscape improvements.
For more information, application guide, and to apply for any of these two programs, please visit MyMainstreet.ca page.
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| Digitalization Competence Centre |
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Digitalization Competence Centre (DCC) is a Government of Ontario initiative led by Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) to drive digital modernization of Ontario small and medium enterprises (SMEs). There are three program streams to support SMEs in the adoption and implementation of digital technology:
- Digital Modernization and Adoption Plan (DMAP) - supports SMEs to understand and implement their organization's technology needs; up to $15,000 to develop a digital adoption plan.
- Technology Demonstration Program (TDP) - for companies that completed DMAP project and are looking to implement digital technology laid out in DMAP; up to $150,000 available.
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Retail Modernization Project Grant (RMPG) offers support of up to $5,000 to Ontario-based retail businesses to invest in cutting-edge technology to drive sales, boost efficiency, and improve customer experience.
For more information and to apply, visit Digitalization Competence Centre program page.
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| Freshworks for Startups |
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Freshworks is a leading maker of cloud-based customer and employee engagement software. With this innovative partnership, Richmond Hill startups can receive 90% off the first year on the Freshworks suite of products and priority access to the Freshworks startup program including events, resources, workshops, mentoring and much more.
To learn more about the program and apply please email Richmond Hill Small Business Enterprise Centre.
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ONTARIO MADE Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit
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The Ontario Made Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit is a 10% refundable Corporate Income Tax credit for eligible corporations on qualifying investments in buildings, machinery and equipment for use in manufacturing or processing in the province. An eligible corporation could receive a tax credit of up to $2 million a year.
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Canada-Ontario Jobs Grant (COJG)
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The Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG) provides funding to help businesses train their employees and update their skills. This helps employers ensure their workforce has the right skills to adapt to a changing economy. The grant supports eligible training costs up to a maximum of $10,000 per trainee, with additional flexibility for small employers.
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