LiftOff

What LiftOff does

LiftOff by CCAWR is a Black-led incubator and accelerator program operated by the Caribbean Canadian Association of Waterloo Region (CCAWR), a registered Canadian non-profit. Founded in 2021 and headquartered at the SDG Idea Factory, 2 King St W, Kitchener, Ontario, LiftOff serves Black early-stage and growth-stage entrepreneurs across Waterloo Region and Wellington County through a 12-month cohort-based program structured into four phases: Ideation and Market Validation, Build and Launch, Position for Success, and Transition to Community. Participation in the preceding six-week LiftOff Bootcamp is now mandatory, and a parallel Newcomer Accelerator is offered for immigrant entrepreneurs. The program delivers one-on-one coaching, mentorship from subject matter experts, business support, IP and funding guidance, and pitch opportunities; alumni brands span food and beverage, beauty and wellness, media, mental health, real estate, and fintech (e.g., Taste Jamaica, Caribbean Kitchen, weDStll, Digimillennials, Inner Compass Wellbeing, Africa's Urban Habitat, Vanessa's Cuisine, Expedier). Supporting ecosystem services include the LiftOff Marketplace for alumni businesses, recurring showcase events (Launchers, Pitch Showdown, C.H.A.T.S.), and facility rentals at SDG Idea Factory ($30 CAD hourly / $140 CAD full-day). LiftOff is not a technology company — there is no proprietary software, API, or AI capability. The business model is grant-funded rather than revenue-funded: primary capital inflows are a $3 million contribution from the Government of Canada through FedDev Ontario's Black Entrepreneurship Program Ecosystem Fund (August 2021) and a $2.9 million National Ecosystem Fund grant (2022), supplemented by donations (e.g., $10,000 from Co-operators Advisors Community Fund), corporate sponsorships (Libro Credit Union, TD Bank), and modest facility rental income. Reach extends to 10 completed cohorts of roughly 12 entrepreneurs each and 80+ Black business owners supported within the first 1.5 years of operation, against a stated target of 120 entrepreneurs including 60 women-led businesses. Partnerships with Communitech, Conestoga College, Laurier Women Entrepreneurship Centre, UW Velocity, Waterloo Region Small Business Centre, and the Region of Waterloo anchor program delivery.

Name

LiftOff

Legal name

LiftOff by CCAWR

Website

https://liftoffbyccawr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LiftOff by CCAWR is a Black-led, non-profit incubator and accelerator in Kitchener, Ontario, delivering a 12-month cohort-based program of coaching, mentorship, and pitch support to Black early-stage and growth-stage entrepreneurs across Waterloo Region and Wellington County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Incubator and Accelerator Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

Keywords

• Business incubator services
• Entrepreneurship accelerator programs
• Black entrepreneurship support
• Small business mentorship
• Workspace rental services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kitchener

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: LiftOff is primarily funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), with a $3 million contribution to establish the program.
2. Donations: The program accepts donations to drive change within the Black entrepreneurial ecosystem.
3. Office Space Rentals: Revenue generated from renting office space at the SDG Idea Factory location. Hourly rental at $30 CAD and full-day rental at $140 CAD.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

LiftOff by CCAWR delivers a 12-month Black-led incubator and accelerator program for Black early-stage and growth entrepreneurs in Waterloo Region and Wellington County. The core service bundle includes structured cohort-based coaching, mentorship from subject matter experts, business support, and pitch opportunities, with a mandatory LiftOff Bootcamp and a Newcomer Accelerator Program as entry points. Ancillary revenue-generating offerings include office space rentals at the SDG Idea Factory and an online marketplace for alumni businesses.

Product overview

LiftOff by CCAWR is a Black-led incubator and accelerator ecosystem offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and services. The core offerings include the Black Entrepreneurship Program (a 12-month incubator/accelerator with four phases), the LiftOff Bootcamp (a mandatory 6-week pre-program), and the Newcomer Accelerator. These programs are supported by ancillary services including office space rentals at the SDG Idea Factory, the LiftOff Marketplace for alumni businesses, mentorship matching, and recurring events such as Launchers and C.H.A.T.S. events. The ecosystem is designed to take entrepreneurs from ideation through market validation, launch, scaling, and transition to independent operation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SDG Idea Factory: A workspace and office rental facility operated by LiftOff/LiftOff by CCAWR at 2 King Street West, Kitchener, offering flexible workspaces, meeting rooms, collaborative areas, printing services, and internet access for entrepreneurs and small businesses.
• LiftOff Black Entrepreneurship Program
• LiftOff Bootcamp
• LiftOff Marketplace

Products and services

• Black Entrepreneurship Program A 12-month incubator and accelerator program for Black early-stage and growth entrepreneurs in Waterloo Region and Wellington County. Provides one-on-one coaching from a venture coach, mentorship from subject matter experts (5-15 hours monthly), business support, and pitch opportunities, structured across four phases: Ideation and Market Validation, Build and Launch, Position for Success, and Transition to Community. Program participation is free.
• LiftOff Bootcamp A six-week intensive program designed to validate business ideas, develop solutions, and build a successful venture with personalized coaching and mentorship. Completion of this bootcamp is mandatory for consideration in Cohort 10 of the main Black Entrepreneurship Program.
• Newcomer Accelerator Program A specialized program supporting newcomer entrepreneurs in starting and growing their businesses in Canada. Provides targeted support for Black immigrants navigating the Canadian business landscape, building professional networks, and accessing specialized support.
• Office Space Rentals (SDG Idea Factory) Modern and flexible workspace at the SDG Idea Factory (2 King St W, Kitchener, ON), offering flexible workspaces, printing services, meeting rooms, internet access, and collaborative areas. Targeted at entrepreneurs, freelancers, startups, and small businesses. Rental options include hourly ($30 CAD) and full-day ($140 CAD) bookings.
• LiftOff Marketplace An online marketplace showcasing products and services from LiftOff program alumni and member businesses, enabling program entrepreneurs to reach customers and grow their sales.
• Mentorship Program Connects entrepreneurs with subject matter expert mentors who provide up to 5-15 hours monthly of mentorship, including one-on-one sessions, workshop facilitation, and collaborative support with venture coaches. Designed for experienced professionals who want to mentor Black entrepreneurs in the program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80+ Black entrepreneurs supported within first 1.5 years of operation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CommunitechcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in developing and delivering the LiftOff program, providing access to the broader Waterloo Region tech ecosystem and entrepreneurial support network.
• Conestoga College (Entrepreneurship Collective)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing entrepreneurial ecosystem support, research capabilities, and access to student resources for LiftOff entrepreneurs.
• Waterloo Region Small Business CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner providing small business support services and resources to LiftOff entrepreneurs.
• Laurier Women Entrepreneurship CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner specializing in women's entrepreneurship, providing targeted support for women-led businesses within the LiftOff program.
• UW VelocitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Waterloo's incubator providing startup support, mentorship, and ecosystem access for LiftOff entrepreneurs.
• Caribbean Canadian Association of Waterloo Region (CCAWR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization and founder of the LiftOff program. CCAWR has operated since 1975 promoting the social, cultural, and economic interests of Waterloo Region's Caribbean community and extended its mission to the wider Black community through LiftOff.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Futurpreneur Canada: Canadian non-profit that provides financing, mentorship, and resources to young entrepreneurs (ages 18-39). Most directly comparable to LiftOff as a Canadian non-profit entrepreneurship support organization with a structured cohort-style program and government/corporate funding.
• Black Innovation Alliance: U.S.-based coalition of Black-led innovation and entrepreneurship hubs. Comparable in mission (supporting Black founders through ecosystem-building) though operates as a network rather than a single program.
• Women's Entrepreneurship Organizations of Canada (WEOC): Federation of Canadian women's entrepreneurship support organizations providing similar coaching, mentorship, and ecosystem access — analogous structure to LiftOff's Black entrepreneurship focus, just for women founders.

Broad incumbents

• DMZ (Toronto Metropolitan University): One of Canada's largest startup incubators, now including dedicated BIPOC founder programs. Serves a much broader tech-startup audience but increasingly overlaps with LiftOff's mission to support underrepresented founders.
• MaRS Discovery District: Toronto-based innovation hub providing startup support services, mentorship, and ecosystem access. A much larger and more established incumbent that competes for the same Waterloo Region entrepreneur mindshare and government/corporate EDI funding.

Regional players

• Communitech: Waterloo Region tech ecosystem hub and active LiftOff partner. Not a direct competitor but operates overlapping entrepreneur-support programming in the same geography, making it the most relevant regional peer for benchmarking partnership dynamics.
• Innovation Factory (Hamilton): Regional innovation center serving Hamilton-Halton entrepreneurs with similar incubation, mentorship, and ecosystem programming. Comparable model targeting a different but adjacent Ontario geography.
• Platform Calgary: Calgary-based innovation hub offering startup programs, mentorship, and ecosystem support. Comparable in being a regional entrepreneurship platform, though serving a Western Canadian market rather than Ontario.
• Velocity (University of Waterloo): University of Waterloo's flagship startup incubator and a current LiftOff partner. Same Waterloo Region ecosystem but targets UW-affiliated student/alumni founders rather than the broader Black community.

Emerging players

• Black Founders Network: Canadian initiative focused on supporting Black tech founders through community, mentorship, and capital connections. An emerging peer operating at the national level with overlapping target audience and program design.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/liftoff_ccawr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@liftoffbyccawr4559
• Facebookfacebook.com/liftoffbyccawr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/liftoff-by-ccawr
• Instagraminstagram.com/liftoff_ccawr
• TikToktiktok.com/@liftoffwaterloo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about LiftOff