Deadline: January 28,2026
Applications are open for the York Entrepreneurship Development Institute (YEDI) Incubator 2026. The York Entrepreneurship Development Institute (YEDI) Incubator Certificate Program offers an intensive pathway for Canadian entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into viable, market-ready ventures.
Accepted students undergo a free, intensive 16-week program, including formal academic lectures by YEDI instructors, workshop-based training in entrepreneurship, and mentorship by key industry leaders. At the end of the incubator, entrepreneurs will have a professionally developed business plan, an executive summary, and a proper business model that is ready to pitch and potentially bring to the market. Upon successful program completion, participants receive a formal certification from YEDI.
Program Components
- Sessions: Selected entrepreneurs participate in sessions facilitated by YEDI professors and instructors, providing a solid foundation in business theory and economics. Theory examined includes: entrepreneurship, marketing and sales strategy, business development and growth, finance, and communication skills.
- Venture Fair: The Venture Fair provides a concrete opportunity for participants to showcase their business plan, models, and milestones to an investor audience, as well as create industry partnerships that will take their venture to the next step in development and success.
- Mentorship: Entrepreneurs will be matched with subject matter experts across diverse industries. The YEDI Program Coordinator will ensure that volunteer mentors from pertinent sectors are available for valuable insight, problem-solving, and networking opportunities.
- Peer Clusters & Milestones: Entrepreneurs often benefit by sharing best practices, challenges, and accomplishments with one another. The YEDI Director coordinates regular entrepreneur cluster meetings to facilitate constructive feedback, group exercises, and peer-support. Participants are also expected to complete bi-weekly milestone deliverables that are assigned to guide the business development process. Each milestone and achieved goal will form a component of the final proof-of-concept, with which the entrepreneur will graduate the program.
- Funding: Upon program completion, graduates are eligible to apply for seed funding and/or VC funding through YEDI’s Venture Capital fund. Funding is intended for early-stage opportunities in the start-up validation stage, when the scientific, technical and commercial merit, as well as the feasibility of the applicant’s product or service has been determined.
Eligibility
- Applicant is the founder; co-founder(s) will be considered
- Any adult age or background
- A unique and innovative idea that is in raw, seed, early, or growth stage
- Applicant(s) is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
Application
YEDI accepts 15 entrepreneurs per cohort. An Expert Committee comprised of industry experts and partners will be responsible for evaluating applications based on set criteria.
For more information, visit YEDI Incubator.
