L-SPARK: Canadian Startup Accelerator:Build Smarter. Grow Faster.L-SPARK provides you with a team of expert mentors to get you from ideation to exit.
Our Programs
01.
SaaS Accelerator
Our B2B SaaS Accelerator lays the groundwork for your SaaS startup to scale.
We do this through expert mentorship that challenges you to perfect product-market-fit, refine your sales and marketing strategies, and by connecting you to the investor community as you prepare for fundraising.
This program helps small and medium-sized companies innovating in the patient care, remote monitoring, and medication management spaces grow their businesses and bring new products to market by integrating with Calian’s digital health platform to enable value-added functionality.
Companies also gain access to Calian’s sales and distribution channels and extensive customer base.
The BlackBerry IVY L-SPARK Accelerator works with companies that are developing solutions for connected vehicles.
Companies will gain access to BlackBerry’s Intelligent Vehicle Data Platform – BlackBerry IVY, enabling them to develop high-impact use cases and solutions leveraging in-vehicle data with a view to improving driver and passenger experiences.
One of many benefits of being part of an L-SPARK accelerator program is having access to a dedicated, knowledgeable mentor whose goal is to see you succeed.
Our mentors have years of experience across a range of industries. This allows us to provide you with bespoke advice and help you create and execute a customized plan.
Fundraising
L-SPARK’s mentors and expert advisors can provide guidance and direction when it comes to pitching your startup.
You will learn how to effectively prepare to pitch to investors and get ready to raise.
Support
We provide you with hands-on support through every stage of your journey.
Once you are a part of our L-SPARK family, everyone works together. From the executive level to our interns, each member of our team wants to see you succeed.
Startup Perks
As part of our accelerator program, you will gain exclusive access to discounts on key services like AWS, HubSpot, Zoom, and Stripe.
You will also gain access to our roster of kick ass corporate partners who are there to support you and your startup every step of the way.
Connection
Being a founder with limited resources can often be a true test of grit, determination, and flat out perseverance. Everyone expects you to have all the answers while you are cutting a new path with new technology.
Connecting with like-minded entrepreneurs, with similar experiences allows for shared inspiration and a support system you can lean on.
They get it. They relate. They are living it, just like you.
Network
We know a lot of people. We will introduce you.
Thanks to our global network of investors, service providers, execs, and startup founders, we help you build relationships and partnerships that take your startup to the next level.
Need an intro to an investor? Want to build a killer social calendar? Stuck between a rock and a hard place? We’ll bring the hammer.
L-SPARK is Fuelled by EntrepreneurshipMeet Our Portfolio Companies
The L-SPARK SaaS accelerator took Corfix from a great idea to a thriving and rapidly expanding tech company. Getting to work directly with industry leaders and visionaries gave us an arsenal of new proficiencies and the confidence to apply them.
In only six months they taught us everything we needed to know to grow our business, as we increased our MRR by 750% and tripled our team during their mentorship. The value of this program cannot be overstated, and will continue to manifest in our future success.
Shawn WattsCEO & Founder of Corfix
"Compass North was instrumental in helping me make some BIG decisions relating to my business and the development of the medical device I designed."Karen BrunetCEO of ActivKare
Often, the key to success is to surround yourself with experts in software development, sales, marketing, fundraising and more. The L-SPARK team has provided the depth and breadth of expertise to truly propel HILO to becoming the global leader in workplace engagement for the hybrid world. Their personal attention to our business, as well as hands-on oversight from an industry mentor, have been game-changers in moving HILO closer to realizing our goals.
David AbramsCEO & Co-Founder of HILO
L-SPARK was an instrumental source of honest scrutiny for our core assumptions around positioning, fundraising, and scaling the business. Our mentors’ advice and guidance were critical in reinforcing our base foundation so it could be built on at scale.
L-SPARK also provided linkages to a great network of industry experts, key technology players, and other fantastic start-ups, which has proven invaluable in our market exposure and business development initiatives."
Kelly CherniwchanCEO & Founder of Chata.ai
Great advice from warm and highly experienced mentors - they help us see what we don't see and connect us with incredibly useful resources.
Kathy ChengFounder & CEO of Nexxt Intelligence
L-SPARK was a game changer for Heyday. An amazing team, great mentors, awesome program.
Steve DesjarlaisCEO & Co-Founder of HeyDay.ai
L-SPARK mentors are sharp! The SaaS program is like an MBA on the spot, applied on your business. You will learn to automatize not just your product, but your scale up, your sales etc. More importantly, you will learn how to be a good leader.
Jean-Maxime LaroucheCEO & Co-Founder of Hippoc
"Being part of L-SPARK has changed everything for me personally and for Brokrete. The mentor team helped us structure the idea, challenge ourselves, be accountable and they gave us the specific tools and knowledge we needed to get to the next level. I learned more in this program than I’ve learned elsewhere and the value they bring to a technology company is unmatchable."
Jordan LatourelleCEO & Founder of Brokrete
"Thanks to our experience with L-SPARK, we were able to meet the needs of our investors. These requirements included knowing how to create a strong pitch deck, a succinct pitch, a sound financial plan, and a supporting growth strategy.
We used these skills while pitching to numerous Angel networks across Ontario, and were able to close a seed investment. This capital has been crucial for our continued growth, resulting in year-over-year revenue growth of 300%."
Adam AlloreCEO of Wavve Boating
Struggling to decide on how best to move forward, or eager to determine which internal processes are in need of optimization? Startup accelerators connect businesses with experienced mentors who can help them make informed, future-facing decisions. For instance, at L-SPARK, we can help you get in touch with experts within your industry and specific application, enabling you to leverage their guidance, lessons learned and more. Check out some of the mentors behind the magic here at L-SPARK.
Not only can a startup accelerator help you get to know experienced local mentors, but you’ll also be given the chance to develop new relationships within their circles. These can include prospective sponsors, key stakeholders and other individuals. In addition, startup accelerators have their own established, highly effective marketing setup in place, which you’re welcome to use. Our team knows firsthand how much work it takes, and we love to see our clients succeed, so more reach is never a bad thing.
Of course, the benefits of a startup accelerator don’t stop once you complete your time in the program! Even years after completing an accelerator program, you are often able to access special perks including discounts and other deals, as well as a breadth of founders, funders, and partners to connect with, and more. Think of these programs as the opening of a door into new possibilities for your business that never closes. You very well might make the right pitch to the right person – or vice-versa – that could take your operations further than anticipated. Of course, like all healthy relationships, it takes time and dedication to build one, but this investment is well worth it in terms of who you can meet, what you can save, and how efficiently you can move forward.
At L-SPARK we provide current companies and alumni with access to a treasure trove of goodies including custom-curated content, invites to exclusive events and more… This is yet another way to get to know other business professionals, sure, but it’s also a chance for you to refine and redefine your operating skillset, passing on knowledge to your team members. At L-SPARK we are dedicated to providing value to our network of founders through events and content.
Your mentor can help you thrive with the insights you share with them. Armed with that knowledge and all those exciting new connections, you’re better prepared to make the best possible decisions as a group for your startup. Discover the latest innovations and keep updated on best practices, graft that knowledge to the way you operate and make realistic refinements for smarter growth! And, don’t forget, you can always reach out to your mentor if you require further guidance.
Startup businesses are often overwhelmed by the many complications and challenges they may face – competitors, economic stability and marketing efficiency are only the beginning. By leveraging expert insights and paving the way for highly beneficial new connections, a startup accelerator does exactly what it says on the tin: it fast-tracks your knowledge accumulation, process refinement and journey towards greater success.
