Futurpreneur and the Government of Manitoba team up to support small businesses

Today, Futurpreneur Canada is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Government of Manitoba that will allow us to further our mission of helping young entrepreneurs launch and sustain successful businesses across the province.

The partnership will provide Futurpreneur with $750,000 in new funding over three years, creating an estimated 150 new youth-led businesses and 400 jobs across the province. 

“We’re very grateful for this support from the Government of Manitoba as we increase our efforts to help diverse, young (age 18-39) entrepreneurs launch successful businesses across the province,” says Futurpreneur CEO Karen Greve Young. 

“The businesses we support with our loan financing, mentorship and specialized resources are pillars of their communities, contributing to local economic growth and prosperity, while also creating jobs and fostering the vitality of main streets in communities large and small. Their success will be critical to Canada’s inclusive economic recovery in the months and years ahead.”

The funding is part of the province’s #RestartMB program, which is geared toward boosting the province’s economy in the wake of COVID-19.

This investment will allow Futurpreneur to support even more young entrepreneurs in Manitoba by providing the financing, mentorship and resources they need to succeed, helping them join the ranks of other Futurpreneur-supported businesses in the province—all of whom have seen significant growth despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic:

Wolseley Kombucha (pictured)
After finishing Futurpreneur’s Rock My Business program and signing up for our Start-Up program, Michelle Leclair opened a taproom (Winnipeg’s first-ever “kombuchery”) for her organic kombucha business in January 2020. When COVID-19 hit, Leclair pivoted to online sales. Since then, her business has grown so much, she has plans to expand to other provinces and build a larger production space in the coming months. 

Brows By G
Giovanna Minenna started her eyebrow business from a chair in her condo. After appearing on Dragon’s Den, signing up for Futurpreneur’s Start-Up program and participating in our Growth Accelerator program, Minenna and her husband William Russell have expanded the business to two locations with 25 employees and offer training programs across Canada. Now, they’re expanding even further with Futurpreneur’s support, developing a new Browluxe line of microblading products.

Bit Space Development
This Winnipeg-based VR firm recently ranked among the top-10 world’s best virtual-reality- and augmented-reality-development companies. Bit Space has carved out a niche in the construction and manufacturing industries, creating virtual training solutions that safely and remotely prepare workers for hazardous situations. 

Felicheeta Artistry
Makeup artist Felicita Ovadje has long been a fixture in Winnipeg’s beauty community. Her studio, dedicated to championing diversity in the beauty industry and showcasing brands owned by and catering to people of colour, launched its flagship brick and mortar location in Winnipeg in September 2020, and offers online sales as well.

Community Gym
Billing itself as an inclusive, approachable gym, Community, founded by Aime Seier, opened its doors in the spring of 2019. Within two days of the COVID-19 lockdown, the gym brought fitness classes online; less than two weeks later, they developed an online stationary bike and weight rental service, delivering gear straight to gym members’ homes. This fall, they’ve dramatically expanded their class offerings and even launched a collaboration with Lululemon. 

Trainfo
Trainfo’s mission is to solve railroad safety issues by providing real–time updates on railroad crossings and blockages to road users and rail companies. Steady growth since their launch in 2016 has allowed them to shift their focus to the U.S. market and grow their team accordingly. Despite the impact of COVID-19, Trainfo is on track to hire over two dozen team members by year’s end. 

Want to learn more about how Futurpreneur can help launch your dream business? Click here.