Laurier’s Lazaridis Institute begins nation-wide search for Canada’s highest-potential tech companies

May 6, 2019
For Immediate Release

Waterloo – The Lazaridis Institute for the Management of Technology Enterprises at Wilfrid Laurier University is searching for Canada’s most promising tech companies to join the fifth cohort of its ScaleUp Program. In partnership with innovation centres across Canada, the institute will identify the fast-growing companies best positioned to benefit from this very selective program — the first national program of its kind in the country.

“The Lazaridis ScaleUp Program helps high-potential entrepreneurs grow their companies to globally competitive size. No two companies follow the same path to scale; founders and their teams need customized support,” said Kim Morouney, managing director, Lazaridis Institute. “We provide that support through our expert ecosystem — a network of people responsible for the success of companies like UBER, Shopify, SurveyMonkey, Fitbit, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Nest, Apple, PointClickCare, Facebook, Yelp, Canada Goose, Adobe, Eventbrite and dozens more.”

The Lazaridis ScaleUp Program, now in its fourth year, provides each company with the equivalent of $100,000 in programming and mentorship. By tailoring to their specific challenges, the program helps companies build the scalable and repeatable processes they need to ignite and sustain growth.

“Seven companies have returned from $10M to $100M on that $100K investment — an average of $29M — in under two years,” said Morouney. “Factor in revenue growth and job creation and you get an idea of the economic benefit you can create with the right support at the right time.”

The experts in the Lazaridis network, representing some of the world’s most influential and innovative companies, bring their knowledge and experience to bear in a series of intensive workshops, designed to help founders transform their companies from start-up to scale-up. Workshops focus on finances and funding, product, sales and marketing, people, leadership, metrics and global growth.

Program workshops take place in six cities across North America, over the course of six months. In addition to programming, every company receives a full year of mentorship — one-on-one guidance and support from the industry’s top experts, investors and founders.  

From May through June, from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Victoria, B.C., the Lazaridis Institute will travel to 14 Canadian cities, hosting information sessions and providing companies the opportunity to talk to mentors from the expert network.

“This tour is our opportunity to connect with tech ecosystems across the nation. We partner with innovation centres to support local companies, share resources, and figure out how to work together to make entrepreneurs globally competitive,” said Morouney. “Our goals are the same: to help founders build talent and rapidly scale their businesses — right here in Canada.”

Workshops for the fifth cohort of the Lazaridis ScaleUp Program kick off October 2019. Applications for the program close July 5.

“Canadian tech, Canadian talent. The time is right for Canadian tech entrepreneurs to take the world stage. We’re doing everything we can to make that happen,” said Morouney.

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About the Lazaridis ScaleUp Program

Located in the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics on Wilfrid Laurier University's Waterloo campus, the Lazaridis Institute is rapidly becoming a global authority in the management of high growth technology companies. The Lazaridis ScaleUp Program helps Canada’s most promising growth-stage tech companies build their businesses to globally competitive size. The program addresses constraints to growth with a customized approach, heavily oriented toward execution. Program facilitators, representing some of the world’s most influential and innovative companies, bring their knowledge and experience to bear in intensive two-day workshops focusing on the challenges cohort companies are facing as they scale. Program mentors share their expertise and their networks with the cohort companies, providing guidance and connections over the course of the year. Well before the year is finished, companies see significant changes and make measurable progress on their journey to global success. For more information, visit lazaridisinstitute.wlu.ca/programs.