Great Cape Breton Businesses Start with a Story.

Spark Cape Breton Applications Now Open

Spark Nova Scotia is here to activate early stage rural innovation where it starts.

Spark is about regular people in rural and coastal communities doing remarkable things. Many Nova Scotians have brave new business ideas and compelling stories to share. Spark wants to discover and support these early, high-potential, knowledge-based businesses, while inspiring entrepreneurial activity across the province. Winners of the competition receive up to $50,000 plus guidance from top business professionals to help turn their stories into successful enterprises.

Young people discussing agricultural technology

Spark Nova Scotia is tailored for three regions — Cape Breton, NS North and NS Southwest — with three competitions running concurrently. Each region functions independently, with its own applicant pool and local judges. All applicants take advantage of the province-wide Spark Training Program together, to hone their business skills and sharpen their final submissions.

Your business idea could spark success.

Tell the story behind your idea for a new, knowledge-based product or service.

Spark is searching for Nova Scotia’s newest innovations with high-growth potential. We love to see startups in life sciences, ag tech, clean tech and ocean tech, but we want to hear all of your stories.

Funds will be awarded for things like prototype completion and resources needed to take your product or service to market. Tell us what you need.

Eligibility

Based in Nova Scotia

Your head office must be physically located in one of the three Spark regions and the business is or will be registered there. No award funding will be disbursed until the business is registered in the respective region. Entrants must apply in the region where the business is physically located. The regions include:

Spark Southwest – Lunenburg County, Queens County, Shelburne County, Yarmouth County, Digby County, Annapolis County, Kings County, West Hants County.
Spark North – Guysborough County, Antigonish County, Pictou County, Cumberland County, Colchester County, East Hants County, Rural Halifax County (excludes Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford)
Spark Cape Breton – all of Cape Breton Island

Start-up

Start-up refers only to sales revenue and not to the number of years in business. To qualify as a start-up for Spark, your company may have zero or minimal revenue, if that revenue was obtained prior to the company commercially scaling up. For example, a company may have a small amount of sales based upon customer validation efforts, but will not have commercially scaled up yet.

New knowledge-based product or service

The business proposition must be a unique technology or innovative product or service that cannot be easily duplicated.

Previous applicants

If you have applied for Spark in the past, you are very welcome and encouraged to apply again. Only previous Spark winners would not be eligible.

Winners receive up to $50,000 in funding.

Timeline – Spark Cape Breton

Monday, March 20, 2023
Registration Opens

Training

Friday, March 31, 2023
Training Registration Closes

Tuesday, April 4, 2023
How to Present Your Business Model 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Applying

Monday, April 17, 2023
Application Deadline

Judging

Wednesday, May 10, 2023
Final Pitch Competition 10:00 a.m – 2:00 p.m.

How To Apply

Spark is made possible through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), and presented through the Nova Scotia Association of Community Business Development Corporations (CBDC).

Spark Nova Scotia Sponsors