Toronto’s INcubes accelerator program for startups has unveiled its new International Exchange Program (IIEP).
The IIEP was created to provide additional value for companies that graduate from the INcubes Accelerator Program. INcubes has partnered on a “friendship basis” with numerous hubs, accelerators and incubators from across the globe, in locations such as the UK, Australia, Hong Kong, South America, and the USA. Among INcubes’ partners are:
• Level39 – London, UK
· 1776 – Washington, DC, US
· Hatchery – New York, US
· NestGSV – Redwood City, CA, US
· NGIN Workplace – Cambridge, MA, US
· The Dec – Dallas, TX, US
· 1871 – Chicago, IL, US
· Venture Hive – Miami, Florida, US
· Cross Campus – Santa Monica, CA, USA
· 21212 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
· Project One – Sao Paulo, Brazil
· ATP Innovations – Sidney, Australia
· Cyberport – Hong Kong
The IIEP provides the opportunity for each of the INcubes graduate companies to visit any of partner its locations, work from the space or get referrals from partner hubs and accelerators to help the companies access the different local markets. Companies that graduate from any of the other partner locations can come to INcubes.
INcubes said in a release that it “looks for companies with global potential,” and many of its graduates are actively conducting business in other countries. The initiative is meant to provide graduates with a soft international landing as they expand globally, while giving international companies with a home base to work out of while they expand into the Canadian and North American markets.
“Being part of the INcubes international exchange program will allow our companies to branch out of our region into other areas of the world,” said Donna Harris, cofounder at Washington’s 1776.
Meanwhile Level39’s Claire Cockerton said the friendship agreement with INcubes “is driven by a shared ambition to enable high growth technology companies to achieve a foothold in local and global markets. It is crucial for accelerators to work cross-border and to create collaborative international networks, so that mentoring, networking events and talent pools that can be mutually drawn on by domestic technology companies as they look to expand internationally.”
Since December 2011, INcubes has received almost 2000 applications, built a network of over 120 mentors, and nurtured a portfolio of 20 Companies –over 80 percent of which are still active. INcubes also enjoyed its first exit last December, when Hovr.it, which was acquired by Slyce Inc.