SPARK New Brunswick focuses on start-ups with significant projects in their local community, but which often remain in the shadows.
Generate new ideas
SPARK NB is a province-wide competition across New Brunswick and is aimed at early-stage companies specializing in technology. Winners receive up to $25,000 plus advice from seasoned business professionals to help them pursue their ideas. SPARK NB's goal is to find and support promising, early-stage knowledge-based companies, and to encourage entrepreneurship across the province.
Sponsors
Sponsors participate in programming, including but not limited to the use of their startup professionals as speakers and judges; wide expanse of logo and message placement; regular social media promotions; and individual meetings with companies, judges and other sponsors. SPARK NB is supported by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.
Thank you for contributing to SPARK.
Eligibility
Entrants must present an innovative technology-based product or service.
SPARK NB will accept applications from companies with no revenue or with minimal revenue earned prior to the company's marketing efforts. In other words, if the company has started but only shows incremental revenue – for example, revenue from beta customers or through similar customer validation efforts – the SPARK jury will take those claims into consideration. consideration.
Funds awarded will be used to help complete prototypes or prepare for commercialization of the product or service.
Entrants must hold a controlling interest (51 percent or more) in the start-up company and plan to work full-time with the company in the province of New Brunswick.
SPARK NB has a particular interest in start-up companies in the information technology, life sciences, clean technologies and ocean technologies sectors. However, we accept proposals relating to any innovative project demonstrating significant market potential.
Established in New Brunswick
The head office is located in the province of New Brunswick and the company is registered, or will be registered, there. The funding granted will be disbursed only when the company is registered in the province.
Startup
Startup refers only to sales revenue and not the number of years in business. To qualify as a start-up business with SPARK NB, the company must have no income, or may have minimal income if it was earned prior to the company's marketing efforts. For example, the company might have made a negligible amount of sales as a result of its customer validation efforts, but not progressed commercially.
New knowledge-based product or service
The business project must be a unique technology product or service that cannot be easily replicated.
Previous attendees
If you have applied for participation in the past, you are invited and encouraged to participate again.
Chronology
November 25
Launch of the program
December 23
Entry deadline
December 30
“Qualified Candidates” are notified
January 2 to March 31
Spark training across the province
April 3 to 7
Presentations and judgments
April 10
Winners are notified
Spark Training Program
Participants will also attend an oral presentation workshop to prepare them for the final part of SPARK, which is their presentation to the jury. The training program is personalized for each of the groups in order to provide the support and advice that will be most useful to them. Participation in the training program will be taken into consideration when judging finalists.
Note: All training workshops will take place via Zoom. Although the workshops will be given online, they will be live and attendees will be able to ask questions and benefit from a great level of collaboration.
Step One – Business Plan Summary
All Applicants: Complete the Business Plan Summary Form below following the instructions provided under “Tips on Using This Form”. Submit your document through the link on the website no later than Friday, December 23, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. Atlantic Time.
Applicants will be notified on December 30, 2022 to continue participating in Venture Validation training sessions.
Step Two – Venture Validation
Applicants will attend 13 sessions via zoom and in person with the Venture Validation program. The sessions will take place on Thursday evenings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. from January 2 to March 31.
Step Three – Presentation
Entrants are required to participate in a pitch competition. Presentations will take place in front of the judging panel between April 3 and 7, 2023. Participants will have 10 minutes each to present an overview of their business, followed by a 10-minute question and answer period. A projector, a screen and a computer will be available in the presentation room. Finalists must provide an electronic copy of their presentation 24 hours prior to the scheduled time of their oral presentation.
Application
Your request to participate via the online form must be submitted to www.sparknb.ca no later than December 23, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. Atlantic Time.
Please answer the following questions as briefly as possible. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact Rick Nicholson at spark@nbcc.ca.
