Loan
Federal
Active
BDC Start-up Financing
Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
Loan Range
Up to $150,000
Ongoing
Difficulty
Easy
Payment
Advance Payment
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Financing share
100%
BDC Start-up Financing provides Up to $150,000. Loan of up to $150,000 for businesses that have been generating revenue for between 12 and 24 months. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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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
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Easy
Competition
Low
First-Timer
Friendly
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
Competition
Low
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Good
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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How to qualify
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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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.
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Success Profile
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Evaluation Criteria
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The pitfalls, the checklist and the reviewer notes are in the Playbook below. See what it includes ↓
What's in this Playbook
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
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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3 steps
7 docs
Application Steps
1
Submit a loan request online BDC's form opens with seven eligibility questions and each one can end the request. The first asks whether the financing is for a business acquisition, which routes you to BDC's Business Purchase or Transfer Loan instead. A later one asks how long the business has been generating revenues, and only "Between 12 and 24 months" continues. The last asks whether you have filed a consumer proposal or declared bankruptcy in the last 5 years. After the questions you describe your project and your business.
Required Documents 7
✓ Complete and up-to-date business information as listed in your business registry
✓ Names, email addresses, home address and mobile phone numbers for the company's owners, members of the board of directors, and shareholders
Eligible Expenses 7
Ineligible Expenses 5
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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5 partners
Compatible Programs
SR&ED Tax Credits
NRC-IRAP
Provincial Startup Grants
BDC Small Business Loan
Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP)
Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
Clawback Risk
Low Risk
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How BDC Start-up Financing Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| 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 |
| Futurpreneur Canada Startup Program | Up to $75,000 | Moderate | Loan | Ongoing |
Related Programs
Other programs you might be eligible for
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about BDC Start-up Financing
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Can I apply if I've only been in business for 11 months?
No. BDC's application asks how long the business has been generating revenues and only "Between 12 and 24 months" continues. There is a ceiling as well as a floor: at more than 24 months of revenue BDC stops the application and points you to its other business loans.
What's the typical loan amount for a new recipient?
Most recipients get $50,000–$150,000, up to the $150,000 program maximum. Approval depends on your financial evidence and business plan.
Do I need to pay back principal during the first year?
BDC offers interest-only payments for up to the first 12 months of the loan, so principal is deferred at the start. It publishes no interest rate, only that the rate is its current floating base rate plus a variance based on your personal and business information, so the monthly figure depends on the rate you are quoted.
Can I combine this with other grants?
Yes — stack with SR&ED, IRAP, provincial grants, or CDAP to reduce reliance on debt. For example, IRAP grants can cover R&D costs, lowering the amount needed from BDC.
What's the biggest reason for rejection?
Falling outside the revenue window. BDC's application continues only for a business generating revenue for between 12 and 24 months. It also ends the request if the financing is for a business acquisition, or if you filed a consumer proposal or declared bankruptcy in the last 5 years.
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Full Playbook: BDC Start-up Financing
3 steps · 7 docs · reviewer insights