Futurpreneur Canada and the Business Development Bank of Canada partner to support mentorship for small business
Organizations present moMENTum, a stand-alone mentoring program for young entrepreneurs
Applications open for third annual BDC Mentorship Award, presented by Futurpreneur Canada
For immediate release
TORONTO – (February 2, 2016) – Futurpreneur Canada and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) are pleased to announce that they are growing their partnership with the launch of moMENTum, a mentoring-only program providing six-months of mentoring to aspiring entrepreneurs.
The organizations have already partnered on a number of mentoring initiatives, including the BDC Mentorship Award, which will be presented by Futurpreneur Canada for the third consecutive year in May, and a series of mentorship crash courses, which provide mentors and entrepreneurs with resources to facilitate a successful mentoring relationship.
“At BDC, we know how important young entrepreneurs are to the future of this country and we understand the challenges they are facing. Access to mentoring and financing are key to their success,” said Michel Bergeron, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Public Affairs, BDC. “We are honoured to have such an impactful, long-standing relationship with Futurpreneur Canada aimed at supporting the next generation of Canadian entrepreneurs. Their ideas, energy and hard work are essential for ensuring the success of Canada’s economy in the years to come.”
“BDC has supported us in the development of tools to build a strong mentorship offering, including learning resources and recognition opportunities, so it’s a natural fit to partner with them on our latest mentoring program,” said Julia Deans, CEO, Futurpreneur Canada. “We’ve heard directly from entrepreneurs that they’re looking for more mentorship opportunities. We know how critical mentoring is to success for new business owners, so we’re thrilled to launch a program that directly answers this need.”
Futurpreneur Canada is now accepting applications on a monthly basis from aspiring young entrepreneurs aged 18-39 who are launching a business and would like to be paired with a mentor on a six-month basis.
For current entrepreneurs who would like to thank an influential mentor, applications are now open for the 2016 BDC Mentorship Award, which honours a Canadian business mentor who is credited by their mentees and peers for having provided valuable advice and support to entrepreneurs.
In addition to mentor programming, Futurpreneur Canada and BDC partner to make it easier for aspiring young business owners to secure financing. Young entrepreneurs who qualify for up to $15,000 in financing from Futurpreneur Canada can receive up to $30,000 in additional financing from BDC.
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About Futurpreneur Canada
Futurpreneur Canada (formerly the Canadian Youth Business Foundation, or CYBF) has been fueling the entrepreneurial passions of Canada’s young enterprise for nearly two decades. We are the only national, non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to aspiring business owners aged 18-39. Our internationally recognized mentoring program hand matches young entrepreneurs with a business expert from a network of more than 2,800 volunteer mentors. Futurpreneur Canada is a founding member of the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance, the Canadian member of Youth Business International, and the Canadian host of Global Entrepreneurship Week. staging.futurpreneur.ca. Facebook: Futurpreneur Twitter: @Futurpreneur
About BDC
BDC is the only bank that invests solely in entrepreneurs. With more than 100 business centres and over 32,000 clients across Canada, it offers loans, investments and consulting services. BDC’s mission is to support Canadian entrepreneurship with a focus on small and medium-sized enterprises. For more information, visit www.bdc.ca.
For interview opportunities and media inquiries, please contact:
Meghan Paton
Manager, Public Relations and Social Media
Futurpreneur Canada
416-408-2923 x 2207
mpaton@futurpreneur.ca
Maria Constantinescu
Senior Advisor, Public Relations
BDC
1-844-625-8321
mediainfo@bdc.ca
