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Entrepreneur Program

Venture Catalyst

Come make your smart mistakes. Validate, establish or scale your startup in 2 months.

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In partnership with

Your break into tech

The Venture Catalyst Program at YSpace, in partnership with the Black Entrepreneurship Alliance (BEA), is designed for founders at every stage of develop, whether you’re shaping your first concept or have an MVP that’s ready for refinement.

Across 2 months, the program goes beyond validation: it helps you stress-test your business model, sharpen your go-to-market strategy, and strengthen early traction so your venture is built on a solid foundation.

Through expert mentorship, interactive workshops, and peer support, founders gain practical tools to drive early traction, avoid costly missteps, and prepare for long-term success. By the end of the program, you’ll walk away with clarity, confidence, and a stronger strategy to scale your venture.

Tuition

Free

Length

2

Months

Mode

Hybrid

Venture catalyst

How to apply

Who should apply?

You can apply to this program if you are:


  • An individual who identifies as Black (at least 50% Black-owned)
  • Located in Southern Ontario
  • At least 18 years old
  • In the early-stage ideation and validation phase, OR has an existing MVP that wants to build early traction
  • A founder with innovative tech ideas who is driven, coachable, collaborative, and has a strong growth mindset

Application steps

1

Interested individuals and companies can apply through our online application.*

2

If you’re a fit for the program, we’ll reach out to you for additional information and next steps.

3

Once accepted, you’ll be asked to complete an onboarding form to help us match you with a mentor.

*A maximum of 5-10 applicants will be chosen per cohort.

Upcoming session

Session dates:

October 22nd – November 28th, 2025

Showcase:

December 11th, 2025

Applications for the upcoming session are now closed. Please check back or subscribe to get notified about the next cohort.

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Program highlights

Concept Validation

Evaluate your concept and fall in love with solving the problem through a deep focus on the consumer.

Customer Development & Early Traction

Understand your target users and apply strategies to attract, retain, and engage them for sustained traction.

Business Modelling & Growth Metrics

Refine your revenue model, track the right metrics, and set milestones to strengthen your path to scale.

Proof-of-Concept

Create a minimum viable prototype without needing to be a technical expert. Learn to build for iterative development and launch.

MVP Refinement & Iteration

Build or evolve your MVP through feedback-driven development, usability testing, and feature prioritization.

Go-to-Market Strategy

Sharpen your positioning, channels, and launch strategy to accelerate adoption and growth.

Program Showcase

Present your final concept in front of investors and industry experts at our end-of-program Showcase.

Learnings

Beyond the classroom

Expert mentorship & peer support

Startup perks & resources

3-month YSpace membership

Flexible, hybrid learning

Program & Application FAQ

Learn more about the program or get in touch with us for other enquiries.

Get in touch

The Venture Catalyst Program, delivered by BEA and YSpace, is a free, two-month training and mentorship program for early-stage tech entrepreneurs.

The program supports founders who are validating an idea or have an existing MVP and are looking to build early traction. Through virtual workshops, expert guidance, peer support, and startup resources, founders strengthen their skills in customer development, leadership, and strategic goal-setting.

Founders also gain access to a network of industry professionals who can help support the growth and development of their ventures.

Applications are now closed for the upcoming session. Please check back or subscribe to get notified about the next cohort.

Nothing! All BEA programs are free and non-dilutive (i.e., we take no equity).

– Dedicated mentorship from Black tech founders with years of industry experience.
– Potential selection to have the opportunity to join the YSpace Virtual Membership Program for continued growth through our support system

– Our Venture Catalyst program is open to all Black-identifying individuals over the age of 18, located within Southern Ontario.
– The Venture Catalyst focuses on early-stage founders who are in the ideation phase and working to validate the feasibility of their concepts.
– We seek founders with innovative tech ideas who are driven, coachable, collaborative, and have a strong growth mindset.

The Venture Catalyst program is ideal for ventures in their early-stage ideation and validation phase, OR has an existing MVP that wants to build early traction.

Participants are expected to commit at least five hours per week for workshops, mentorship sessions, and venture development.

A maximum of 10-15 applicants will be chosen per cohort.