Get up to $5,000 in assistance for sales and marketing, product development and business enhancement for your innovative technology or manufacturing business growth
If you are a business with an innovative product or service and looking to expand, Next Level can help. Oftentimes, businesses have difficulty accessing funding for growth and get stuck doing the same old thing. This program is designed to help businesses capitalize on market opportunities, expand, and grow.
The purpose of the Next Level program funding is to assist with innovative business growth. This support may be applicable to contracted expertise, services or direct costs in any of the following areas.
Next Level Growth Can Help Your Business!
- Purchase Equipment
- Expand to New Markets
- Conference & Tradeshows Costs ($1,000 max)
- Training & Certification Costs
Who is Eligible?
Revenue producing, innovative companies located within Northwestern Ontario. Funds for this program are limited therefore applications will be weighed on the following criteria:
- Registered business
- An innovative product that is manufacturing or technology-based that you have developed and own
- At revenue or have confirmed purchase orders and has a demonstrated growth rate of 10%
- Operating full time with at least one full-time employee
- Located in Northwestern Ontario
- Sales outside of Northwestern Ontario or can demonstrate the potential to expand sales outside of NWO.
- A business model and strategy that validates forecasted sales and employment growth
- Next Level Funding is not intended for businesses operating as distributors or resellers.
Innovative companies are defined for the purposes of the Next Level program as focusing on technology or manufacturing. Companies that fall outside of these categories but derive a significant portion of sales and profits from products or services recently introduced to the market may also be deemed eligible.
The following sectors are the preferred sectors for this program.
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Agri-Food
- Health/Bio-Sciences
- Clean Tech
- ICT/Digital
Requirements
Outcomes of the Next Level project must be geared towards growing sales, increasing employment levels, or decreasing costs.
The applicant is required to contribute 50% of the total project costs. Paid expenses occurring before the date of the application for Next Level funding will not be recognized as an eligible contribution.