York Entrepreneurship Development Institute

What York Entrepreneurship Development Institute does

York Entrepreneurship Development Institute (YEDI) is a Canadian registered charity founded in 2013 that delivers structured entrepreneurship education and incubation services through seven certificate programs (Incubator, Entrepreneurship Essentials, Not-For-Profit, Youth, International, Innovation Bridge, and Global Start-Up Missions) and a 12-month vocational diploma in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management. The organization operates two Canadian Business Acceleration Campuses — North York (907 Alness Street, over 80,000 sq ft) and Vaughan/Concord (7250 Keele Street, 65,000 sq ft) — and has a third campus under construction in Modiin, Israel. YEDI serves Canadian entrepreneurs tuition-free through charitable funding from CFIR, FedDev Ontario, OTF, and other donors, while international students pay tuition ($20,000 CAD for Entrepreneurship Essentials, $40,000 for the diploma, and $8,000-$10,250 USD for the International program). The organization is designated by the Government of Canada as both a Start-Up Visa Business Incubator and Venture Capital Fund, and operates an internal VC Fund providing up to $500,000 per venture to eligible graduates.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: tuition from international students and diploma participants, below-market facility rentals from the Business Acceleration Campuses (office space at $22-$28/sq ft, co-working at $200/month), and returns from the YEDI VC Fund. Distribution is primarily direct via online applications through yedi.ca and in-person sessions at the Canadian campuses, with global reach through the International Program, Global Start-Up Missions, and Start-Up Visa pathway. YEDI is consistently ranked among the World Top 5 Public/Private Business Accelerators by UBI Global since 2015, has been named Best Business Support Organization in Canada by CanadianSME in 2019 and 2021, and holds formal partnerships with Schulich Executive Education Centre, BDC, FedDev Ontario, Ontario Centre of Innovation, NACO, CVCA, NCCA, and JRCC. The YEDI VC Fund, the Entrepreneurship Research Centre, and the Academic Pathways program represent the organization's moves toward a vertically integrated founder support platform spanning education, workspace, capital, research, and academic progression.

Name

York Entrepreneurship Development Institute

Legal name

York Entrepreneurship Development Institute

Website

https://yedi.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

York Entrepreneurship Development Institute (YEDI) is a Canadian registered charity founded in 2013 that delivers tuition-free entrepreneurship education, incubation, and up to $500,000 in venture funding to Canadian entrepreneurs and international founders seeking to immigrate via Canada's Start-Up Visa Program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneurship Education & Business Incubation

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Business and Secretarial Schools (61141)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC), Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM), Marketing, Branding & Sales Skills (EDAMAHAG), Financial Literacy, Budgeting & Personal Finance (EDAMAHAE), Accelerator / Incubator-Backed ETA Programs (FSANALAD), Social Entrepreneurship & Impact Business (EDAMAHAK)

Keywords

• Entrepreneurship education
• Business incubation
• Startup accelerator
• Venture capital funding
• Business training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Program Fees: YEDI charges tuition for international students in certificate and diploma programs (e.g., $20,000 CAD for Entrepreneurship Essentials, $40,000 for the diploma program). Canadian citizens and permanent residents receive tuition-free access to most programs through funding from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation & Research (CFIR) and other donors. The organization is a registered Canadian charity.
2. Venture Capital Fund Returns: YEDI operates its own VC fund that provides up to $500,000 in funding to eligible graduate ventures. The fund acts as an intermediary between early-stage development and later-stage investment, with exits occurring when ventures reach milestones and receive follow-on investment from other investors.
3. Campus Facility Rentals: YEDI generates revenue through rental of Business Acceleration Campus facilities including office space ($22 per sq ft premium, $28 per sq ft at Improve Campus), co-working spaces ($200/month for Canadian students), and mailbox services ($25/month). Space is provided at below-market rates as part of the charitable mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

York Entrepreneurship Development Institute (YEDI) is a Canadian charitable organization that provides entrepreneurship education and business incubation services, including tuition-free certificate and diploma programs for Canadian entrepreneurs, paid programs for international participants, mentorship-driven start-up acceleration, designated Start-Up Visa Business Incubator support, and a YEDI VC Fund providing up to $500,000 in venture capital to ventures associated with its programs.

Product overview

York Entrepreneurship Development Institute (YEDI) is an education and incubation platform offering a multi-tiered portfolio of programs. The core offerings include seven certificate programs (Incubator, Entrepreneurship Essentials, Not-For-Profit, Youth, International, Innovation Bridge, and Global Start-Up Missions) ranging from 2 weeks to 18 weeks, plus two diploma programs (Entrepreneurship & Small Business Management and Academic Pathways) with the main diploma being a 12-month vocational program. YEDI also operates Ventures in Residence through its Business Acceleration Program and Letter of Support Pathway, a VC Fund offering up to $500,000 in investment, and an independent Entrepreneurship Research Centre. Programs are tuition-free for Canadians through scholarships while international students pay fees. All programs culminate in certification or credentials, with pathways to further education and immigration support through Canada's Start-Up Visa Program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Incubator (Certificate Program) A 16-week, tuition-free entrepreneurship certificate program for Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents, providing mentorship and a structured environment to launch a start-up.
• Entrepreneurship Essentials Certificate Program An 18-week entrepreneurship certificate program for Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents covering the core fundamentals of starting and running a business.
• Not-For-Profit Certificate Program A 16-week certificate program designed for leaders and managers of Canadian non-profit organizations, covering legal frameworks, governance, and operations for the non-profit sector.
• Youth Program A 4-month entrepreneurship program for Canadian youth aged 15–29, providing early-stage entrepreneurship exposure and mentorship.
• International Program A 2-week English-language program offered by YEDI as part of its international entrepreneurship training portfolio.
• Innovation Bridge Program A mentorship- and roundtable-driven program for individuals aged 18–35, connecting young entrepreneurs with experienced mentors and structured learning events.
• Global Start-Up Missions Two-week global entrepreneurship missions (including delivery in Israel) that expose participants to international start-up ecosystems and cross-border business development.
• Entrepreneurship & Small Business Management Diploma A 12-month diploma program for students and entrepreneurs pursuing formal credentials in entrepreneurship and small business management.
• Academic Pathways A diploma-to-master's pathway offered through YEDI's Academic Partnerships, allowing graduates to progress toward a master's degree in entrepreneurship or a related field.
• Business Acceleration Program A campus-based acceleration offering that combines co-working space at YEDI's Business Acceleration Campus with mentorship and business resources for entrepreneurs.
• Pathway to Letter of Support (Start-Up Visa Program) A YEDI service pathway for international entrepreneurs to obtain a Letter of Support from a designated Canadian business incubator under the Government of Canada's Start-Up Visa Program, supporting an application for Canadian permanent residence.
• YEDI VC Fund A venture capital fund operated by YEDI that provides up to $500,000 in funding to ventures associated with its programs, generating investment income and supporting founder growth.
• Entrepreneurship Research Centre (ERC) A research unit at YEDI that produces applied research and supports the institute's curriculum and entrepreneurship studies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to $500,000 in VC funding available to eligible graduate ventures
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Schulich Executive Education Centre (SEEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic business unit at Schulich School of Business, one of the world's top business schools. SEEC provides instructors for YEDI's Youth program and shares expertise in management education for entrepreneurs. YEDI's Youth program uses SEEC instructors for formal academic lectures. Partnership integrates theory and practice in entrepreneurship education.
• Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOCI focuses on transforming Ontario research into commercial technologies and services. Supports commercialization of academic IP, industry-academic collaborations, and emerging technology adoption. YEDI International Program connects participants with OCI among other organizations supporting small business growth.
• National Communication Coaching Association of Canada (NCCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNationally registered not-for-profit organization providing networking, professional development, and certification for communication coaches. YEDI partners with NCCA to provide entrepreneurs with business communications training for clear, confident messaging and pitching. NCCA helps with business branding, writing, and pitch presentations.
• Jewish Russian Community Centre (JRCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJRCC has extensive experience in the not-for-profit sector and community organization with a track record in growing and incubating not-for-profit projects. Inspired by Jewish values of communal responsibility, JRCC brings expertise and supportive resources for not-for-profits at YEDI.
• 3V CommunicationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing organizational branding, writing, communication tactics, and pitch presentation support for not-for-profit program participants.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Global accelerator operating industry- and geography-specific programs with dedicated VC fund. Comparable to YEDI for the cohort-based mentorship model, accelerator-to-VC pipeline, and emphasis on demo-day investor events, though at much larger scale and with broader geographic and sector focus.
• Y Combinator: Silicon Valley-based pre-seed accelerator and venture fund. Comparable to YEDI for the structured cohort model, demo-day investor-format (YEDI's Venture Fair), and embedded venture capital, though at vastly greater scale and with a global, technology-centric focus.
• Impact Hub: Global network of impact-focused entrepreneurship hubs offering co-working, programs, and community for mission-driven founders. Comparable to YEDI's Not-For-Profit and Social Venture programs for the focus on social-impact entrepreneurship and community-driven cohort model.

Direct peers

• Next Canada: Canadian non-profit accelerator running programs like Next Founders and Next 36. Comparable to YEDI as a Canadian non-profit entrepreneurship organization with a multi-program portfolio, mentorship-driven model, and a focus on founder development for Canadian ventures.
• MaRS Discovery District: Toronto-based innovation hub offering entrepreneurship programs, venture services, and curated startup support. Comparable to YEDI as a major Canadian entrepreneurship support organization, with overlapping audience of Canadian and international founders and a similar portfolio of programs and capital-connection services.
• Creative Destruction Lab (CDL): Toronto-based accelerator affiliated with the Rotman School of Management. Comparable to YEDI for university-linked accelerator position, objective-based mentorship cohorts, and connections to Canadian venture capital, though CDL focuses specifically on science- and technology-based companies.
• DMZ (Toronto Metropolitan University): Top-ranked university-linked business accelerator based in Toronto. Directly comparable to YEDI given UBI Global ranking overlap, university affiliation (TMU), and shared target audience of Canadian and international entrepreneurs seeking startup incubation and follow-on capital.
• Founder Institute: Global pre-seed accelerator operating a 14-week cohort-based program with virtual and in-person chapters. Comparable to YEDI for the structured cohort-based curriculum, mentorship model, and emphasis on early-stage founders preparing for fundraising.

Regional players

• Innovation Factory (Hamilton): Hamilton, Ontario-based accelerator supporting early-stage technology and innovation ventures. Comparable to YEDI as a Canadian regional accelerator with similar cohort-based programs, government funding partnerships, and a focus on Ontario-based startup development.

Emerging players

• Startup Sandbox: Canada-based university-affiliated startup support offering consultation, programs, and accelerator services. Comparable to YEDI for the university-linked accelerator model and the focus on early-stage founders preparing for investment and growth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/YEDInstitute
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCuXQP9fuyDlgo3Ai5cq9Njg
• Facebookfacebook.com/YEDInstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/york-entrepreneurship-development-institute-yedi-
• Instagraminstagram.com/yedinstitute
• TikToktiktok.com/@yedinstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments6 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about York Entrepreneurship Development Institute