StartUP Sault Ste. Marie

What StartUP Sault Ste. Marie does

StartUP Sault Ste. Marie is a volunteer-driven non-profit organization headquartered in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, founded in early 2014 and formally incorporated in 2019. It operates as community #16 in the Startup Canada national network and functions as a grassroots connector and resource hub for local entrepreneurs rather than as a software or technology company. Its core offerings consist of community programs — Startup Drinks, Startup Talks, Startup Book Club, Startup Finance Bootcamp, Startup Pitch Night, the 30 Days to Startup Challenge, and the Startup Cafe Mentorship program — alongside resource tools such as the Startup Roadmap and the Sault Ste. Marie Ecosystem Infographic. Since inception the organization has hosted 70+ events and reached 1,200+ entrepreneurs and students.

The organization generates revenue through three modest streams: a pay-what-you-want membership program with tiers at $0, $10, $20, and $40 monthly; event ticket sales ranging from $5 to $15 for workshops and talks; and sponsorships and partnership dollars from Startup Canada, Northern Credit Union, BDC, and other community partners. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on Facebook, Twitter, a monthly email newsletter, an Eventbrite ticketing page, and direct referrals from partner organizations including SSMEDC, SSMIC, CDC, Millworks Centre for Entrepreneurship, and Sault College. There are no disclosed revenue figures and the entire operation is staffed by volunteers, including Founder and President Nevin Buconjic and Vice President Kathleen Heymans.

Strategically, StartUP Sault competes on community ecosystem position rather than proprietary technology or financial scale. It is one of more than 50 Startup Canada communities nationally and won the 2017 Startup Canada Entrepreneur Promotion Award (Ontario Region). Its competitive position rests on multi-stakeholder partnerships, the credibility of its national network affiliation, and accumulated community goodwill in a single mid-sized Canadian city — advantages that translate into local brand strength rather than scalable economics.

Name

StartUP Sault Ste. Marie

Legal name

StartUP Sault Ste. Marie

Website

https://startupsault.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

StartUP Sault Ste. Marie is a volunteer-driven non-profit founded in 2014 that connects entrepreneurs, side hustlers, students, and small business owners in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario through events, mentorship, and resource tools as part of the Startup Canada national network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneur Community Development

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK), Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF), Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

Keywords

• Entrepreneur community building
• Startup ecosystem support
• Small business networking events
• Entrepreneurship education programs
• Community-led startup hub

Headquarters

HQ city

Sault Sainte Marie

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Pay-what-you-want membership program with tiers (free, $10, $20, $40) providing access to exclusive events, programs, and online directory listing. Revenues support organizational growth and event hosting.
2. Event ticket sales: Low-cost event tickets ($5-$15) for workshops, Startup Talks, and other educational events. Includes refreshments and networking opportunities.
3. Sponsorships and partnerships: Sponsorship and partnership dollars from community partners and Startup Canada to support events and operational costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

StartUP Sault Ste. Marie is a volunteer-driven non-profit that builds a supportive startup community in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario by hosting regular entrepreneur events (Startup Drinks, Startup Talks, pitch nights, bootcamps, book clubs), running a pay-what-you-want membership program, and publishing online community resource tools (Startup Roadmap, Ecosystem Infographic). It connects local entrepreneurs with mentors, small business resources, and the national Startup Canada network.

Product overview

StartUP Sault Ste. Marie operates as a community organization rather than a software product company. Its offerings consist of entrepreneur support programs (Startup Drinks, Startup Book Club, Startup Talks, Startup Finance Bootcamp, Startup Pitch Night) and community resource tools (Startup Roadmap, Ecosystem Infographic). These programs serve the Idea, Launch, and Growth stages of entrepreneurship in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Startup Drinks

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,200+ entrepreneurs and students impacted since 2014
• +2 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

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Northern Credit UnioncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 April 2022Co-hosts Startup Talks events to celebrate and learn from entrepreneurial journeys. Provides venue support and promotional collaboration for quarterly events.
• Startup CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Parent national organization providing network membership, funding opportunities, access to best practices across 50+ communities, and national event participation. StartUP Sault is part of the Startup Canada Network.
• Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey community enterprise partner providing technology and science company support, business incubation space, accelerator hub, and YouLaunch program for students.
• Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation (SSMEDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides free business advisory services, workshops, and delivers Ontario government programs including Summer Company and Starter Company. Co-hosted 2018 Startup Canada Awards.
• Millworks Centre for EntrepreneurshipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts Startup Talks events and side hustle seminars. Mixed-use small business incubator providing office space and collaborative co-working space.
• Community Development Corporation of Sault Ste. Marie & Area (CDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides business counseling and business financing to entrepreneurs.
• Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsored Women's Success Luncheon and provides business financing resources to entrepreneurs.
• Sault CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPost-secondary institution partner supporting entrepreneurship education and student engagement.
• Social Enterprise Evolution (SEE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram of Algoma University's NORDIK Institute supporting social enterprise development in the Algoma District.
• Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal chamber partner supporting business community connection and resources.
• Northern Ontario AngelsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for inaugural Sault Startup Week providing investor connections for local entrepreneurs.
• Cavera Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided social media strategy session for Social Enterprise Superheroes Campaign winner.
• Village Media Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity enterprise partner; Jeff Elgie (CEO) featured as entrepreneur speaker at Startup Talks.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Founder Institute: Global pre-seed accelerator running cohort-based programs and founder training events. Comparable in delivering entrepreneurship education and peer community, though via a structured, paid program rather than grassroots events.
• Startup Grind: Global startup community running local chapter events featuring founder talks and networking. Closely analogous model to StartUP Sault's Startup Talks series, scaled across 600+ chapters worldwide.
• Communitech: Established Waterloo Region tech entrepreneurship hub offering events, mentorship, and founder programs. Comparable as a Canadian ecosystem builder, though it operates at much larger scale with paid staff and corporate sponsorships.
• MaRS Discovery District: Toronto-based innovation hub offering entrepreneurship programs, mentorship, and events. Comparable in mission (supporting founders and small businesses) but operates at vastly larger scale with paid staff, government funding, and corporate partnerships.
• Platform Calgary: Calgary-based innovation hub convening founders, investors, and corporates through events and programs. Comparable mission and event-based engagement model, at larger scale with paid staff and institutional backing.
• Startup Canada: National parent/umbrella network of which StartUP Sault is a member community (#16 of 50+). Directly comparable as it operates the same community-led entrepreneurship support model at national scale, connecting grassroots communities across Canada.

Direct peers

• Startup Edmonton: Grassroots community organization supporting entrepreneurs through events, mentorship, and workspace in Edmonton. Highly comparable — similar volunteer-driven model, programming mix (events, talks, bootcamps), and local ecosystem builder identity.
• Startup Halifax: Atlantic Canadian entrepreneurship community running events, meetups, and founder programming. Direct comparable as a regional Startup Canada network affiliate using the same volunteer-led model in a mid-sized Canadian city.

Regional players

• Innovation Factory (Hamilton): Southern Ontario entrepreneurship support organization providing events, mentorship, and incubation. Comparable as a regional Canadian ecosystem builder operating in a mid-sized Ontario city.
• Volta (Halifax): Atlantic Canadian entrepreneurship hub offering events, workspace, and founder programs. Comparable as a regional community builder, though anchored in Halifax rather than Northern Ontario.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/StartupSault
• Facebookfacebook.com/startupsault
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/startup-sault-ste-marie

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 StartUP Sault Ste. Marie