Deadline Date: May 31, 2026
The Innovator Program 2026 is now accepting applications to support the scaling of Black-led STEM ventures that are preparing for high growth and external capital investment.
The program focuses on supporting Black-led ventures in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), accelerating revenue-generating startups with high growth potential, providing executive in residence coaching support from experienced executives, investors, and domain experts, offering access to co-working spaces across the GTA through LAUFT, enabling access to a partnered STEM facility supporting advanced manufacturing, biotech, textile computing, and advanced materials, delivering scale-up support through universities and colleges in strategic planning, financial modeling, market research, and operations, providing technical development tracks through Node for product development and go-to-market execution, offering media and PR training with CityTv News, hosting a Demo Day for investor and ecosystem visibility, creating a pathway to the Black Innovation Zone (BIZ), providing procurement training for government contracts, and supporting intellectual property protection and commercialization through IPON partnerships.
The Innovator Program is a flagship initiative by Nobellum that focuses on the development and scaling of Black-owned businesses in STEM industries. By 2025, the organization has already supported over 100 Black-owned STEM ventures, and the 2026 Growth Stream continues this mission by targeting startups that are actively preparing to raise external capital and scale their operations.
The program is designed for founders who are ready to expand their ventures through structured mentorship, infrastructure support, and access to a broad network of industry and investment partners. It provides a combination of strategic coaching, technical resources, and visibility opportunities to strengthen both business and leadership capabilities.
Eligible ventures must be Black-led with at least one Black founder and operate within a STEM-related industry. The business must be incorporated either federally or provincially in Canada. Additionally, ventures must meet financial or intellectual property criteria, including generating over $100,000 CAD in annual sales revenue or owning intellectual property with a company valuation exceeding $3 million CAD.
The program also connects participants to significant ecosystem resources, including access to a national coalition of Black-led investors and accelerators through the Black Innovation Zone, representing a major portion of the Black innovation community. This creates opportunities for founders to build meaningful partnerships and access funding pathways.
With combined support across coaching, technical development, infrastructure access, media exposure, and investment readiness, the Innovator Program 2026 Growth Stream is structured to accelerate venture growth and strengthen long-term scalability in the STEM sector.
For more information, visit Nobellum.
