Are you looking to start up, scale up, or buy a company? Get funded with Starter Company Plus!

The Starter Company Plus program provides entrepreneurs aged 18 and over with tailored advice, mentoring, and training to help you launch or expand your business. Additionally, you have the opportunity to receive a grant of up to $5,000.

Applications for the 2025 Starter Company Plus program are open now closed. We are accepting Expressions of Interest for the 2026 cohort. To be considered for the 2026 cohort, please submit the Expression of Interest form below. 

Expression of Interest

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. 

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.

Digital Main Street has a free digital guide to help businesses grow. 

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

• 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.

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.

• 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.

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.

ONTARIO MADE Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit

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.

Canada-Ontario Jobs Grant (COJG)

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.