New Brunswickers with the SPARK of a business idea can apply for funding to help it grow.

SPARK Something

SPARK NB is a province-wide competition for early stage innovation companies across New Brunswick. Winners can receive up to $25,000 and guidance from seasoned business professionals to put their ideas into action. The goal of SPARK NB is to find and support high potential, early stage knowledge-based companies, and encourage entrepreneurial activity across the province.

Using the training modules from Envision Saint John’s Venture Validation Program and NBCC’s existing entrepreneurship support structures, participants will be immersed in 13 weeks of training that involves working through discovering opportunity, idea validation, business planning and finance. SPARK NB 2023 will be held across New Brunswick with emphasis placed on rural areas.

Supporters

Sponsors participate in the programming — including showcasing their start-up professionals as speakers and judges; extensive logo placement & messaging; regular social media push-outs; and, one-on-one engagement with the companies, judges and other sponsors. SPARK NB is supported by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

Thank you for making SPARK possible:

SPARKNB Sponsors, Blue Crocus Solutions, SPARKMB

Eligibility

Entrants must have a new knowledge-based product or service.

SPARK NB will accept applications from companies with zero or minimal revenue, if that revenue was obtained prior to the company commercially scaling up. In other words, if a company has launched, but is showing “pre-scale-up” revenue only — for example, revenue derived from beta clients or similar customer validation efforts — the SPARK judging panel will consider those applicants.

Funds awarded will be used to support the completion of prototypes or preparation for taking the product or service to market.

Entrants must be the majority owner(s) (51 per cent or more) of the start-up, and plan to work full-time with the business in the province.

SPARK NB is especially interested in start-ups from the agricultural technology, life sciences, clean technology and ocean technology sectors. However, we welcome submissions for any innovation with high-growth potential.

Based in New Brunswick

Your head office must be physically located in New Brunswick and the business is or will be registered there. No award funding will be disbursed until the business is registered in the province.

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 NB, 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.

Timeline

December 13

Program Launch

January 9

Submission Deadline

January 10

“Qualified Applicants” Notified

January 16 - April 14

Spark Training- Venture Validation Program

August 17 - April 21

Pitches and Judging

April 17

Winners Notified

SPARK Training Program

The applicants will participate in Pitch Training, to prepare for the final round of Spark when they will pitch to the judging committee. The training program is tailored to each cohort to provide the support and guidance they need the most. Participation in the training program will be considered in the evaluation of the finalists.

Note: Unless stated otherwise, all training sessions will be delivered via Zoom on Thursdays at 6:00 pm AT.

Although sessions will be a combination of in-person and online, they will be live. All sessions will be available virtually for those who cannot attend in-person. Participants who are available will be able to ask “live” questions and benefit from a high level of engagement.

Round One – Business Summary

All Applicants: Complete the business summary form below, using the instructions provided at “Pointers on using the form”. Submit your application by Friday, January 09, 2023 at 11:59 pm ADT.

Qualified Applicants will be notified by January 10, 2023, to continue with the Venture Validation Program.

Round Two – Venture Validation

Applicants will attend 13 sessions via zoom and in-person with the The Venture Validation Program. Sessions will be held on Monday evenings from 6pm-9pm from January 16 to April 14, 2023.

Round Three – Pitch

Participants will make their pitches to the judging panel between August 17 to April 21, 2023. They will have 10 minutes each to present their business overview, followed by a question and answer session of up to 15 minutes. All presentations will be delivered via Zoom. Finalists must provide an electronic copy of their presentation 24 hours prior to their scheduled pitch time.

Winners will be notified by April 17, 2023, and a public announcement will follow soon afterward. Feedback will be provided to all shortlisted applicants upon request.