Canadian Imperial Advantage

What Canadian Imperial Advantage does

Canadian Imperial Advantage (CIA) is an Edmonton-based not-for-profit organization founded in 2019 that delivers entrepreneurial training, business advisory services, mentorship, and capital facilitation for underserved entrepreneurs in central and northern Alberta, with particular focus on Black, BIPOC, women, youth (ages 16-30), and newcomer segments. Its core offering is not a software product but a service portfolio that includes the Black Business Advancement Program (BBAP), the HER-Conomy women's entrepreneurship program (six cohorts, 300+ women-led businesses supported), the Youth Entrepreneurship Mentorship Program (YEMP), and the Canadian Imperial Advantage Entrepreneur Center (CIAEC), which bundles advisory, mentorship, training, virtual office, and access to capital. The organization reports facilitating over $26M in capital for entrepreneurs since 2019, supported by a Referral Partner Network spanning legal, accounting, and funding providers.

The business model blends non-dilutive grant funding with modest recurring commercial revenue. The principal confirmed inflow is a $2.8M federal grant from PrairiesCan awarded in February 2022 via the Black Entrepreneurship Program's National Ecosystem Fund; CIA was also named a delivery partner in a subsequent $5.6M PrairiesCan consortium announced in 2026. Commercial streams include a $100/year entrepreneur membership and a virtual office service at $30/month plus a $100 activation fee, alongside ancillary services such as digital marketing, accounting referrals, business registration, and office rental. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, with delivery through the Edmonton Entrepreneur Center, online programming, cohort-based curricula (HER-Conomy, YEMP), and signature events including the CEO Roundtable and Global DEN Summit. The leadership team is led by President Popoola Akande; headcount is in the 11-50 range, with no disclosed revenue figure.

Name

Canadian Imperial Advantage

Legal name

Canadian Imperial Advantage

Website

https://imperialadvantage.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Canadian Imperial Advantage is an Edmonton-based not-for-profit founded in 2019 that delivers business advisory, mentorship, and capital facilitation for underserved entrepreneurs in central and northern Alberta, with a focus on Black, BIPOC, women, youth, and newcomer founders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneurship Support Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Professional Organizations (81392), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Mentorship & Coaching (Career, Academic, Industry-Specific) (EDAMAKAA)

Keywords

• Entrepreneur support services
• Business advisory services
• Entrepreneurship mentorship programs
• Small business incubation
• Access to capital facilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding & Grants: Receives federal and provincial government funding to support entrepreneurship programs and access to capital initiatives for underserved communities.
2. Membership Fees: Annual membership available for entrepreneurs to access services, programs, and support.
3. Virtual Office Services: Virtual office fees from $30/month plus activation fee for business address and related services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Canadian Imperial Advantage is a not-for-profit organization that delivers business advisory, mentorship, training, access to capital facilitation, and virtual office services to underserved entrepreneurs in Alberta. The portfolio centers on targeted programs (HER-Conomy for women, YEMP for youth, Black Business Advancement Project) and standalone services (Start-up Suite, Digital Marketing Services, Office Rental Space, Referral Partner Network, Ask an Accountant) accessed through membership or direct engagement at its Edmonton Entrepreneur Center.

Product overview

Canadian Imperial Advantage is an Edmonton-based not-for-profit organization offering a comprehensive suite of business support services rather than a unified software product. The portfolio centers on business advisory and incubation services including Access to Capital (facilitating over $28M in funding since 2019), the Entrepreneur Center (CIAEC), and specialized programs like HER-Conomy for women entrepreneurs, YEMP for youth, and the Black Business Advancement Project. Additional services include Start-up Suite (business registration and virtual office), Digital Marketing Services, Ask an Accountant, Office Rental Space, Referral Partner Network, and the Global DEN Summit for international networking. These offerings are standalone programs and services rather than an integrated software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Black Business Advancement Project (BBAP): A program designed to help Black entrepreneurs and business owners gain access to capital and business support services.
• HER-Conomy
• Youth Entrepreneurship Mentorship Program (YEMP)
• Canadian Imperial Advantage Entrepreneur Center (CIAEC)

Products and services

• HER-Conomy A four-week structured program designed to empower women entrepreneurs with skills, mentorship, and resources. Entering its sixth cohort, it has supported more than 300 women-led businesses and is targeted at women starting or growing a business.
• Youth Entrepreneurship Mentorship Program (YEMP) A program bringing together young aspiring business leaders (ages 16-30) with tools, knowledge, mentorship, hands-on workshops, and networking opportunities to turn innovative ideas into successful enterprises.
• Black Business Advancement Project (BBAP) A program designed to help Black entrepreneurs and business owners gain access to capital and business support services, with mentoring, networking, financial planning, and business training.
• Access to Capital A central service that connects entrepreneurs with funding options including loans, grants, and equity funding. Over the past five years, CIA has facilitated more than $28M in capital, with funding for starting a business, acquiring a business, commercial real estate, debt refinancing, equipment, export, general business, inventory, location expansion, M&A, marketing, partner buyouts, and working capital.
• Entrepreneur Center (CIAEC) A one-stop center for business incubation, growth, and innovation offering access to capital, business advisory support, start-up suite, mentorship, training, and virtual office services at the Edmonton headquarters.
• CEO Roundtable A networking program for business owners providing peer learning and strategic connections among entrepreneur peers.
• Global DEN Summit A premier event bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, and thought leaders from around the world to foster global partnerships and create international networking opportunities.
• Start-up Suite A service offering business registration and incorporation support, licenses and permits, business plan creation, market research, and virtual business address solutions for new entrepreneurs.
• Virtual Office Services A subscription service from $30/month plus a $100 one-time activation fee providing a professional business address, mail handling, phone number, and access to meeting spaces without requiring physical office space.
• Digital Marketing Services Growth advisory services helping businesses develop digital marketing strategies including social media, SEO, and email marketing.
• Office Rental Space Flexible office space rental for meetings, interviews, or business purposes available hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly.
• Ask an Accountant Accounting services including bookkeeping, tax accounting, chartered accounting, forensic accounting, financial controller services, accounting audit, bank reconciliation, and payroll processing.
• Referral Partner Network A network providing members with access to legal, accounting, capital and funding, government programs, and business services through trusted referral partners.
• Launchpad (Free Business Advisory) Free business advisory services connecting entrepreneurs with mentors to guide them through ideation, planning, funding, and implementation.
• Membership Program An annual membership program offering access to CIA's programs and services for entrepreneurs from ideation through start-up to growth, priced at $100 + GST per year.

Quantifiable outcome

• 802+ businesses served, $28M+ in capital facilitated, 300+ women-led businesses supported through HER-Conomy
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major.

• Council for the Advancement of African Canadians (Africa Centre)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 June 2026One of five organizations delivering $5.6M in federal funding from PrairiesCan for Black entrepreneurship support in Alberta. Provides training, mentorship, business advisory services, and capital readiness support.
• The Nod FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 June 2026One of five organizations delivering $5.6M in federal funding from PrairiesCan for Black entrepreneurship support in Alberta.
• BIPOC FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 June 2026One of five organizations delivering $5.6M in federal funding from PrairiesCan for Black entrepreneurship support in Alberta. Also received $2.6M separate funding for business accelerator program.
• Black Canadian Women in Action SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 June 2026One of five organizations delivering $5.6M in federal funding from PrairiesCan for Black entrepreneurship support in Alberta.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Futurpreneur Canada: National non-profit providing financing, mentorship, and business resources to young Canadian entrepreneurs (ages 18-39). Directly comparable to CIA's YEMP program in serving aspiring business owners with wraparound support.
• Startup Canada: National entrepreneurship support organization offering programs, events, and resources to Canadian entrepreneurs. Comparable in mission to support and grow Canadian entrepreneurship, particularly among diverse founders.
• Africa Centre (Council for the Advancement of African Canadians): One of five delivery partners sharing the $5.6M PrairiesCan Black entrepreneurship funding alongside CIA. Provides community and entrepreneurship programs for African-Canadian communities in Alberta.
• WEOC (Women's Enterprise Organizations of Canada): National network of women's entrepreneurship support organizations across Canada. Directly comparable to CIA's HER-Conomy program in providing programs and capital access specifically for women entrepreneurs.
• Black Entrepreneurship Program (PrairiesCan): Federal funding ecosystem that channels money to organizations like CIA for Black entrepreneurship support. CIA is one of its delivery partners, making it both a peer and a stakeholder relationship.

Broad incumbents

• MaRS Discovery District: Toronto-based innovation hub supporting entrepreneurs through advisory, programs, and capital connections. A broader incumbent operating an entrepreneurship support ecosystem comparable in function but at significantly greater scale.
• Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC): Crown corporation providing financing, advisory, and capital to Canadian entrepreneurs and SMBs. A much larger incumbent operating across the same entrepreneurship support space with broader program offerings.
• DMZ (Ryerson/Toronto Metropolitan University): Leading Canadian startup incubator offering mentorship, programming, and capital connections. Operates a broader entrepreneurship support platform comparable in mission to CIA's Entrepreneur Center.
• SVB Canada / Silicon Valley Bank: Banking and capital provider to Canadian startups and SMBs. While a financial institution rather than non-profit, SVB operates in the same access-to-capital ecosystem that CIA facilitates for its entrepreneur members.

Regional players

• Platform Calgary: Calgary-based innovation hub and entrepreneurship support organization serving Alberta. Operates in an adjacent geography to CIA with similar mission of supporting founders and startups, though more tech-focused.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CIAdvantage
• Facebookfacebook.com/CIAdvantage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-imperial-advantage

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Canadian Imperial Advantage