Canada has no shortage of entrepreneurs with bright ideas. However, few start-ups turn into global-scale firms. Wilfrid Laurier University’s Lazaridis Institute for the Management of Technology Enterprises is working to change this. The Lazaridis ScaleUp Program strengthens tech companies’ ability to navigate the challenges and opportunities faced by rapidly growing businesses. At the heart of the program is the international network of experienced business leaders and subject matter experts.
The 40 companies involved in the first four cohorts of the program, one of which focused exclusively on woman-led companies, accessed more than $375 million in capital and created more than 1,100 jobs over two years. Importantly, though nearly half of small and medium-sized firms fail within five years, all have so far survived. The fifth cohort of the program is currently in session.
