C100 has launched a new program aimed at supporting the growth of later-stage Canadian technology companies.
The new Growth Program is designed to address challenges faced by fast-growing tech companies in Canada, such as the scarcity of risk-tolerant capital, a lack of senior talent capable of assisting with global expansion, and insufficient personalized mentoring for the founders of scaling firms.
“The leap from a promising young startup to a revenue-generating, global business is fraught with complex challenges.”
Like the C100 Fellows program, which is designed for early-stage entrepreneurs, the 12-month Growth Program will offer in-person and virtual workshops, customized mentoring for leadership teams, role-specific peer groups, and a network of service providers, funders, and experienced entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley.
“The leap from a promising young startup to a revenue-generating, global business is fraught with complex challenges,” Michael Buhr, C100 charter member and executive director, said in a statement. “Our new Growth Program will provide leadership teams access to the vast, deep, global experience of the C100 membership, offering them unique, critical expertise and resources needed to navigate the significant transformational stages they face.”
Founded in 2009, C100 is a global network of Canadian tech founders, operators, and investors aimed at supporting Canadian tech entrepreneurs.
The organization’s initial focus was to help early-stage Canadian-led startups, originally through its “48Hrs in the Valley” program, which gave a select group of Canadian entrepreneurs access to networking, mentoring, and business growth opportunities in Silicon Valley. In 2021, that program was rebranded to “48Hrs” and serves as the kickoff to what is now the C100 Fellows program.
In February 2024, C100 brought on Buhr as executive director to help the network expand beyond its early-stage roots. Speaking with BetaKit last month, Buhr said in the last 15 years, other organizations have cropped up to help fill the gap in early-stage support, and now many of the country’s young startups have graduated into large, successful companies currently or previously led by C100 members.
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With Buhr at the helm, C100’s focus has shifted away from opening new C100 chapters globally and returned to connecting Canadians with Silicon Valley.
At the time, Buhr said that as the new leader of C100, he planned to expand the organization’s existing events and programs to serve more growth-stage founders and better connect them with entrepreneurs in its network who have been there and done that before. “The intent is, how do we not only support the early-stage entrepreneurs but now, going forward, how do we continue that so that we can help you as a company figure out how to grow from $10 million revenue, to $100 million in revenue, to $100 billion in revenue,” he added.
In a statement, Mike Wessinger, co-founder of PointClickCare and C100 co-chair, called the Growth Program an “indispensable launchpad” for growth-stage leaders.
“Had we been able to tap into this program’s immense pool of experience and Silicon Valley connectivity during the foundational years of PointClickCare, I’m convinced we would have accelerated our path to global expansion,” Wessinger added.
Applications for the new Growth Program are open from April through June. Companies will be selected over July and August, and the program will officially launch in September.
Feature image courtesy C100.