North American Opportunities for International Companies

About the program

Canada Catalyst is a specialized program designed to support international companies developing HardTech products and DeepTech enterprise software solutions as they establish and scale their businesses in Canada.

Leveraging ventureLAB’s market expertise, tailored advisory, state-of-the-art labs, and a strong industry network, Canada Catalyst serves as a launchpad for international companies aiming to enter the Canadian market and scale beyond borders.

Applications open for 2026 SUV Intake

Apply by Oct 30, 2025

Land

Connect

Grow

BENEFITSOF The program

LAND

Supporting companies with comprehensive business resources and tools to assist in establishing your presence and operations in Canada. Access to world-class prototype and testing hardware lab and ventureLAB's Innovation Space.

CONNECT

With our strong associations with various academic institutions, we are uniquely positioned to facilitate introductions and assist you in fulfilling your talent acquisition requirements. Our vast network of partners and investors offers unparalleled opportunities for collaboration, funding, and market expansion.

GROW

Personalized one-on-one business advisory services and Intellectual Property (IP) strategy, to navigate the Canadian business landscape effectively and foster your growth.

BENEFITSOF The program

Land

  • Access to innovation space
  • Access to Hardware Lab and AI Compute
  • Resources and workshops

Connect

  • Talent Acquisition
  • Ecosystem Partners connect
  • Marketing and PR opportunities

Grow

  • Access to innovation space
  • Access to Hardware Lab and AI Compute
  • Resources and workshops

BENEFITSOF The program

LAND

building

Access to ventureLAB Innovation Space

server

Access to Hardware Lab and AI Compute

users

Resources and workshops

CONNECT

user-check

Talent Acquisition

chart-network

Ecosystem Partners Connect

bullhorn

Marketing and PR Opportunities

GROW

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Personalized Business Advisory

lightbulb-on

IP Portfolio Guidance

user-chart

Investment Readiness

$12M+
Prototype & Testing Labs
50,000
Sq. Ft. Innovation Space
4,300+
Companies Supported
7,300+
Jobs Created by our Companies
$480M+
Invested in our Companies

Canada Catalyst START-UP VISA

The Start-up Visa program helps global HardTech and DeepTech founders gain permanent residency in Canada while building a strong foundation to validate and scale their business. Through tailored guidance, sector-specific support, and access to strategic partners, mentors, and infrastructure, founders are empowered to grow their company in Canada, with a credible Canadian partner backing their immigration and business journey.

Program Structure:
Phase 1: Launch Prep (3 months)
Phase 2: Venture Journey (9 months)

The Letter of Support is issued during Phase 1, and applicants are expected to submit their PR application by the end of this phase.

Fees:
$85,000 CAD
Payable in three installments:
$35,000 upon selection
$35,000 before program
$15,000 after receiving the Letter of Support

Up to 5 founders can apply


Apply by Oct 30, 2025
  • Support for innovative international companies aiming to establish a footprint, broaden their reach, and attract top talent in Canada.
  • Market Expertise: Leveraging extensive knowledge of the Canadian market
  • Top Talent Pool: Tap into exceptional talent from leading Canadian institutions
  • Support Network: Dedicated advisory to provide strategic insights to accelerate your business growth
  • Cutting-Edge Facilities: Access to ventureLAB Innovation Space and $11 million Hardware Lab
  • An innovative technology company developing hardware or enterprise software solutions with a focus on DeepTech
  • Meets the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) requirements
  • Have a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and proof of concept with product/ service tested in the home market
  • Earned at least $100K CAD in revenue in the last 12 months
  • If not already incorporated, plan to incorporate and operate the business from Canada and transfer the IP ownership to Canadian corporate

Canada Catalyst SOFT LANDING

The Soft Landing program offers a low-risk, high-impact way for global HardTech and DeepTech companies to explore and establish a presence in Canada. Without the need for immediate relocation, companies gain market insights, go-to-market (GTM) support, and direct connections to customers, investors, and partners, building real traction in a new market.

Duration: 3 months (hybrid format) including 1 month in-person

Fees: $15,000 CAD

Up to 2 founders or CxOs can apply
  • Specialized Program: Tailored for international hardware and enterprise software growth stage tech companies
  • Three-Month Duration: A rapid entry and expansion approach
  • Top Talent Pool: Tap into exceptional talent from leading Canadian institutions
  • Cutting-Edge Facilities: Access to ventureLAB Innovation Space and $11 million Hardware Lab
  • Curated Business Resources: Premium services and resources to establish your presence in Canada
  • Market Expertise: Leveraging extensive knowledge of the Canadian market
  • An innovate scaling technology company developing hardware or enterprise software solutions with a focus on DeepTech
  • A working product with paying clients to showcase market traction in the home country
  • Earned at least $150K CAD in revenue in the last 12 months
  • If not already incorporated in Ontario, have plans to establish a long-term presence in Southern Ontario

Learn more about Canada Catalyst

Learn more about Canada Catalyst

Process Steps

01
APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Submit your application to begin the process.

02
APPLICATION SCREENING

Upon filling out the application form, the team screens through the application form to assess the eligibility.

03
REVIEW PANEL

Eligible companies are invited to a review panel to understand the business in greater detail, including expansion into the Canadian market.

04
DUE DILIGENCE

Companies proceeding forward will be requested to provide necessary documentation for the purpose of due diligence.

05
PROGRAM ACCEPTANCE

Upon selection, companies will receive the program agreement and will be prompted to submit the applicable fees.

06
LETTER OF SUPPORT
(START-UP VISA ONLY)

Companies selected for the start-up visa program will be provided with a Letter of Support in 6-8 weeks, after successful completion of the trial/ probationary period

In fast steps

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Application Process

1

APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Founders can either use this link or the form right below to submit their applications.

2

APPLICATION SCREENING

Upon filling out the application form, the team screens through the application form to assess the eligibility.

3

REVIEW PANEL

Eligible companies are invited to a review panel to understand the business in greater detail, including expansion into the Canadian market.

4

DUE DILIGENCE

Companies proceeding forward will be requested to provide necessary documentation for the purpose of due diligence.

Application Form

Sound like your company? Submit an application.

“ventureLAB and Canada Catalyst has helped us connect to some industry leaders and they’ve put us in touch and helped us network to the rightful individuals in the semiconductor space; plus they’ve also provided us an ecosystem for finessing our product.”

Dinesh Prasanna
,
Senior Vice President of Products and Innovation of Caliber Interconnects

“ventureLAB has a very professional system to support us from marketing, sales, financing, and legal standpoints. This helps us with our soft landing in Canada and we are very appreciative of the services they have provided to us.”

Griffon Lin
,
Business Development Director, Golden Layout

“ventureLAB [for us] is a strategic partner; respected, they have a great team, great infrastructure, great facilities, and they have the experience.”

Rubens Fernando Mendrone
,
CEO and Founder of Linda Lifetech

Meet the Advisors

Want to find out more?

Reach out to us directly

Contact Us

Partnershipwith York Region

ventureLAB™, in partnership with York Region, have launched Canada Catalyst's Soft Landing Program to ensure that international companies are enabled to go global by growing and scaling in one of the fastest growing Canadian tech ecosystems.

York Region is Canada’s second-largest tech hub, home to a mosaic of cultures where 50% of residents are foreign-born; providing a diverse and skilled workforce for your business to tap into. It is home to Canada’s most ethnically diverse community with more than 180 different spoken languages in the Greater Toronto Area. 

Learn more about Ontario’s York Region by clicking here.  

Our Partners

Frequently
Asked Questions

Interested? Submit an application.

About
venturelab™

Powering hardtech founders to build and scale globally competitive ventures that advance Canada's knowledge-based economy.

ventureLAB™ is a leading global founder community for hardware technology and enterprise software companies in Canada. Located at the heart of Ontario’s innovation corridor in York Region, ventureLAB is part of one of the biggest and most diverse tech communities in Canada. Our initiatives focused on raising capital, talent retention, commercializing technology and IP, and customer acquisition have enabled thousands of companies to create over 7,300 jobs and raise more than $480 million in investment capital.

ventureLAB™ is a leading global founder community for hardware technology and enterprise software companies in Canada. Located at the heart of Ontario’s innovation corridor in York Region, ventureLAB is part of one of the biggest and most diverse tech communities in Canada. Our initiatives focused on raising capital, talent retention, commercializing technology and IP, and customer acquisition have enabled thousands of companies to create over 5,000 jobs and raise more than $340 million in investment capital. At ventureLAB, we grow globally competitive tech titans that build-to-scale in Canada, for global markets.

Aboutventurelab™

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