Onsite management expertise

Onsite experts help guide start ups through business planning and the definition of a sales and marketing strategy, provide accounting and finance expertise, as well as offer advice on  technology licensing, human resources, legal and statutory requirements, as well as capital financing and investor relations. Expertise flows through the AC on a daily basis, and start ups receive constant exposure to the ‘Waterloo Region’s best of the best’ including technology CEOs, academic researchers, start up veterans, and other professionals.

Mentorship

Mentors from the local technology and business community help smooth the pathway to commercial success, providing strategic counsel to help start ups develop their management team and professional skills. Executives-in-Residence bring collective CEO and CTO wisdom and experience to the AC’s clients.  

Administration and infrastructure

Busy start ups need to bring their technology to market. As clients of the AC, they can focus on the business at hand, confident in the knowledge that the Accelerator Centre will take care of the administrative details.  Start ups are provided with a turnkey business infrastructure, administrative services, shared reception, meeting facilities and below market rate business services such as book keeping and payroll. 

Education

The Accelerator Centre’s educational workshops, lunch and learns, client and CEO roundtable sessions and other training programs are designed to help start ups mature, move to market more quickly and navigate potential pitfalls. The AC also works closely with academic partners including the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Guelph and Conestoga College to deliver advanced education programs to clients.

Networking

Our workplace environment, services and programs are all geared toward networking. AC staff, mentors and advisors have deep connections into the technology and financial community.  Education programs, social events and client activities offer connection to fellow start ups, and to potential business partners.  Our modern, open spaces and our WiFi enabled environment are designed to facilitate peer to peer collaboration.  

Research support

Vital partnerships with leading academic institutions provide start ups with research support and resources, key ingredients in accelerating commercialization.