SYDNEY, NS: The 2022 Spark Nova Scotia innovation competition — with five training sessions starting August 18, 2022 — is open to help founders tell the stories behind their ideas to vie for up to $50,000 in funding.
Registration is open for training and competition, in that order. Training is accessible to all founders, even if their business is still an idea. After training, which includes the popular “Storytelling & Presenting” session, founders have until September 19, 2022 to put their learnings to use by applying for the competition.“Nova Scotians really identify with the stories that lead entrepreneurs to innovative solutions,” said Erinn Smith, Executive Director of the Nova Scotia Association of Community Business Development Corporations (CBDCs). “Business success stories are the engines behind so many of our growing communities, and that’s why Spark wants to activate more of them.”Spark is focused on rural, coastal and academic communities, and divided among three regions—Cape Breton, Northern NS and Southwestern NS—each with distinct pitch competitions, judges and funding pools. Founders in these communities can win up to $50,000 for their innovative business ideas, to help turn them into viable businesses. Last year, 45 trainees and 31 applicants resulted in 18 finalists who advanced into pitch training. Independent judges from among sponsors, government and local businesses selected 10 winners in total.“Many of the 2021 winners are writing the next chapters in their success stories already,” said Ms. Smith.
| “Anyone with a business idea should register for training. It’s free and it just might spark something.” |
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ABOUT: Spark Nova Scotia is an initiative of Nova Scotia’s CBDCs, funded by ACOA, emphasizing community- based business learning. The competition focuses on rural Nova Scotia communities to ensure support and programming for startups outside the metropolitan Halifax area. Sponsors are Cox & Palmer, Grant Thornton, OKR Financial, Innovacorp and Nova Scotia Business Inc.
CONTACT: Sandra Goodwin: 1 (902) 441-5476; Sandra@SparkNovaScotia.com.