BDC Start-up Financing
Compared with the 242 other application forms we have read
- Scored mainly on whether you can afford it and pay it back. 42 lead with that.
- States real length limits, about 375 words in total. Only 64 tell you how long to write.
- What does not disqualify you: No down payment required. 119 record an exemption like this.
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Loan of up to $150,000 for businesses that have been generating revenue for between 12 and 24 months. Designed specifically for early-stage companies with interest-only payments for up to the first 12 months, giving founders cash flow breathing room during initial growth. Can be used for launch costs, assets, marketing, working capital, or franchise purchases.
Eligibility Requirements
- Business must be based in Canada
- Generating revenue for between 12 and 24 months. BDC's application asks how long the business has been generating revenues and only "Between 12 and 24 months" continues; a business past 24 months is told to see BDC's other financing solutions and the application stops there
- Must be generating revenues
- Good personal credit history, and all shareholders must have reached the age of majority in their province or territory of residence
- Business must demonstrate realistic market and sales potential
- BDC names twelve industries and activities it will not finance: charitable, religious and fraternal organizations; unions, political, lobbying and advocacy organizations; government ownership; private schools; medical and personal care, nursing and rehabilitation centres; market speculation activities; residential properties; marijuana or cannabis products and services; virtual currency and NFTs; financial services or similar activities; bars, lounges or similar establishments; and gambling operations
- No consumer proposal filed and no bankruptcy declared in the last 5 years. This is the last of the seven eligibility questions on BDC's application, and only "No" continues
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $150,000
- Type
- Loan
- Level
- Federal
- Financing share
- Up to 100% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Very accessible — simple application
Low competition — good odds of approval
Easy — minimal documentation
How to qualify
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipInterest-only payments for up to the first 12 months are the reason to pick this over BDC's standard Small Business Loan, and they matter most if revenue is climbing but cash flow is not yet positive.
Success Profile
Evaluation Criteria
How BDC Start-up Financing judges your application
What the reviewer scores, what gets applications rejected, and what to write.
Distilled from 6+ source documents on bdc.ca, condensed into one brief. Sources as of 2026-09-03.
6 of the sources
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What BDC Start-up Financing favours
Your plan, potential and experience over banking ratios◦
“We go beyond banking ratios when reviewing your project. We look at your business plan and its overall potential as well as your experience.”
The form
Eligibility
- 1Business acquisitionselectionno limit
- 2Authorizationselectionno limit
- 3Age of majorityselectionno limit
- 4Canadian businessselectionno limit
- 5Activitiesselectionno limit
- 6Revenue generationselectionno limit
- 7Financeselectionno limit
Your loan request
- 8How much are you looking to borrow?short answerno limit
- 9When would you like the funds to be available?selectionno limit
- 10Tell us about your project and how the loan will be usedwritten answer · 500 characters
Your business
- 11Tell us about your businesstableno limit
- 12About your business (narrative)written answer · 1,500 characters
Describe the nature of your business's activities. What is your role in the business? What is its net profit? Do you have experience in your business's industry? If so, explain. Are there key associates or employees in your business? If so, tell us about them.
You and your contacts
- 13How can we reach you?tableno limit
- 14Personal financial standing (narrative)written answer · 250 characters
- 15How did you hear about BDC?selectionno limit
bar = length the funder allows, from its stated limits
Judged against
- 1
Is the plan and the use of funds solid?
Show them Itemise what the loan buys, say why now, and show the projections that repay it.◦
In the funder’s words · 2
- Clear purpose: Loans are intended for growth projects like expansion, equipment, technology, or working capital.
- Commitment to growth: A solid business plan and realistic projections are key to approval.
- 2
Can the business and owner repay?
What to show, and the funder’s 2 criteria behind it in Premium
- 3
Does the owner have the experience?
What to show them in Premium
- 4
Does the business fit this product?
What to show them in Premium
9 questions the reviewer answers about you, in Premium.
Where applicants fail
“If you have less than 12 months of operations, you can reach out to one of our partners.”
“No. Applicants must meet BDC's eligibility requirements before applying. All applications undergo a due diligence review before any loan offer is made.”
“Even if you start with little money, lenders and programs will expect you to show commitment—through experience, a strong plan, and some personal investment.”
Premium · the rest of this brief
See all 30 rules that can reject you and every criterion you are judged on. Then we draft your application for you.
18 more rules that can reject you · 2 more criteria · 8 more prompts
Do you pass?
Each one can rule you out. Tick the ones you meet.
Your business
Based in Canada
Location — Based in Canada
12 months of operations
Time in business — 12 months +
Not a charity or religious group
Charitable, religious, and fraternal organizations
Not a union or political group
Unions, political/lobbying, and advocacy organizations
Not government-owned
Government ownership
Not a private school
Private schools
Not medical or personal care
Medical and personal care, nursing, and rehabilitation centres
No market speculation
Market speculation activities
Not residential property
Residential properties
Not financial services
Financial services or similar activities
Not a bar or lounge
Bars, lounges, or similar establishments
Not gambling operations
Gambling operations
1 thing this funder says you do NOT need, in Premium.
Documents to attach
Ticks are kept on this device.
The money
Minimum amountHigher than $10,000
Enter an amount higher than $10,000 without a period, comma, or dollar sign.
Maximum loanUp to $150,000
Get up to $150,000
Interest-only periodFirst 12 months interest-only
Take a break on us and pay only interest for up to the first 12 months of the loan.
Interest rateFloating base rate + variance
Current floating base rate + variance based on your personal and business information = interest rate.
Repayment scheduleMatched to cash flow cycle
Match your loan and payments to your cash flow cycle to protect your day-to-day cash and benefit from a longer amortization period.
Collateral and guaranteeDepends on loan type
Collateral is dependent on the type of loan you select.
Early repaymentDepends on product and agreement
Early repayment options are available, but they depend on your specific product and loan agreement.
What it pays for · 6
- Purchase assets
- Pay start-up fees
- Buy a franchise
- Invest in marketing
- Create a website
- Hire a consultant
From application to money
- Submit the loan requestSubmit loan request and business details
- Talk to a representativeCall to discuss project and documents
- Loan offer sentLoan offer sent after review
- Accept and signAccept offer and sign documents
- Track in Client SpaceTrack loan in Client Space 24/7
In the funder’s words · 5
- Submit the loan request
- Check your eligibility, tell us about your project and provide information about your business.
- Talk to a representative
- We will call you to discuss your project in depth, including the documents needed for our analysis.
- Loan offer sent
- This depends on several factors, including the number of loan requests we receive and how quickly you provide us with all the necessary information.
- Accept and sign
- Accept the loan offer and sign the related documents, if the business qualifies for a loan.
- Track in Client Space
- If your loan is approved and you accept the offer, you'll be able to keep track of your loan directly from your Client Space account, 24/7.
Quoted lines are word for word from the source documents; lines marked ◦ are our reading of them.
Everything you need to secure BDC Start-up Financing
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 7-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 3-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 5-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what lenders look for
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 7
Eligible Expenses 7
Ineligible Expenses 5
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Low RiskHow BDC Start-up Financing Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDC Start-up Financing | Up to $150,000 | Easy | Advance Payment | Ongoing |
| BDC Small Business Loan | Up to $350,000 | Easy | Advance Payment | Ongoing |
| Black Entrepreneurship Program | Up to $250,000 | Moderate | Loan | Ongoing |
| Canada Small Business Financing Program | Up to $1.15 million | Easy | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing |
| Investissement Québec — Project Finan... | Varies | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about BDC Start-up Financing