GROW Accelerator

Accelerate your growth potential from startup to scale-up

GROW is back and reimagined...

Designed to meet founders where they are, GROW is a 6-month accelerator built to support 18 early-stage startups across both urban and rural regions in Southwestern Ontario, each year. This accelerator is tailored for companies that have found product-market fit, developed an IP strategy, landed their first customers, and has generated revenue.

You’ll team up with GROWth experts in B2B/B2C sales, marketing, finance, and IP, and dive deep into how to navigate the daily struggles and hurdles of startup life. Alongside fellow innovators, you’ll build a roadmap to scale—backed by curated programming, strategic advisory support, and up to $10,000 in matched funding.

Ambitious? Absolutely. Let’s get growing.

Business people sitting around and talking at a networking event

Eligibility criteria

You are an early-stage company headquartered in Elgin, Middlesex, Oxford, Lambton, or Huron county
You have a scalable product or service
Your founder/owner is working full-time in the business
You have one or two leadership team members available to attend at least 75% of workshop sessions
We are especially excited to support tech companies in AI, Cybersecurity, MedTech, Digital Health, AgriTech, Clean Growth, and Zero Emission Vehicles
Have questions? Please email Erika Oakes

Accelerator overview

The GROW Accelerator includes four streams, encompassing companies based in London, ON (Urban), Lambton, Huron, Elgin, Middlesex, and Oxford counties (Rural), and women-led ventures from London and across the rural counties. To support each founder’s unique GROWth journey, GROW offers:

Six interactive workshop sessions (at least three in person) led by industry experts
6+ hours of 1:1 advisory with our Venture Growth team
Up to four hours with a dedicated Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR)
A final in-person celebration to mark the cohort’s achievements

Matched funding

If selected, you may receive up to $10,000 in non-dilutive funding, with the following match requirements:

Standard Match: 1:1 (e.g., $10,000 from TechAlliance requires $10,000 from the company)
Under-funded Founders: 75% match requirement (e.g., $10,000 from TechAlliance requires $7,500 from the company)

Join the next cohort

Applications will be assessed and selected founders will be notified and assigned to one of four streams.

Applications for Cohort 1 (August 2025 - February 2026) are now open. Applications close July 28, 2025.

Apply here

Get insights and knowledge from industry experts for your journey to growth

Our coaches and experts will guide participants towards the next level of business success. Their knowledge and experience allow them to provide valuable insights, strategic direction, and personalized guidance tailored to each startup's unique needs. These coaches and experts act as catalysts, empowering startups to unlock their full potential, accelerate growth, and achieve remarkable milestones in their entrepreneurial journey.