Grant
Municipal
Between Intakes
Invest Ottawa — Summer Company Program
Invest Ottawa (delivering Province of Ontario's Summer Company program)
Maximum Funding
Up to $3,000
Annual spring intake — currently closed; join waitlist for next cohort
Difficulty
Easy
Payment
Milestone-Based
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
Varies
Invest Ottawa — Summer Company Program provides Up to $3,000 ($1,500 upfront + $1,500 on completion). Provides Ottawa-area student entrepreneurs aged 15–29 with up to $3,000 in grant funding to launch and operate a summer business. Annual spring intake — currently closed; join waitlist for next cohort.
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
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Program Description
Provides Ottawa-area student entrepreneurs aged 15–29 with up to $3,000 in grant funding to launch and operate a summer business. Combines $1,500 upfront seed funding with $1,500 upon completion, alongside workshops, mentorship, and peer support.
Eligibility Requirements
- Student aged 15–29 years old (secondary or post-secondary)
- Must be a returning student — not graduating permanently at end of the program
- Must be launching a new business (not an existing family business)
- Must commit to operating the business for a minimum of 35 hours per week during the summer
- Business must be located in the Ottawa area (Invest Ottawa delivery territory)
- Cannot work at another job, or attend school, for more than 12 hours per week during the program, and cannot have previously participated in Ontario Summer Company
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Easy
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Friendly
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $3,000 ($1,500 upfront + $1,500 on completion)
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Municipal
- Deadline
- Annual spring intake — currently closed; join waitlist for next cohort
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Between Intakes
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win Invest Ottawa — Summer Company Program
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 6 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 5-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 7-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 3-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
$19 covers this one program. $39/mo covers every program, plus the workspace that walks you through each application.
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
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Insider TipThe business plan is the core of your application — develop it thoroughly before applying.
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See what trips up most applicants for this program — and how to avoid it.
Rejection Pitfalls 6
- Graduating permanently and not returning to school
+5 more pitfalls
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See the most common reasons applications get rejected — before you submit yours.
Success Profile
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See what successful applicants for this program actually look like.
Evaluation Criteria
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Don’t lose this one to a preventable rejection
6 reasons applications get rejected, what winners look like, and exactly what reviewers score on
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
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7 steps
5 docs
Application Steps
1
Join the waitlist or monitor for intake opening Visit investottawa.ca/summer-company/ and join the waitlist. Invest Ottawa notifies waitlist members when the spring intake opens, typically March–May.
Required Documents 5
✓ Completed application form
✓ Business plan (developed during or before the application process)
Eligible Expenses 6
Ineligible Expenses 4
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
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3 partners
Compatible Programs
Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
Clawback Risk
Low Risk
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How Invest Ottawa — Summer Company Program Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invest Ottawa — Summer Company Program | Up to $3,000 | Easy | Milestone-Based | Annual spring intake —... |
| Hamilton Starter Company Plus | Up to $5,000, | Moderate | Milestone-Based | Waitlist applications... |
| Futurpreneur Canada Startup Program | Up to $75,000 | Moderate | Loan | Ongoing |
| Ontario Job Grant (formerly Canada-On... | Up to $10,000 per employee | Easy | Varies | Ongoing — year-round... |
| Ontario Innovation Tax Credit | Up to 8% tax credit | Moderate | Tax Credit Offset | 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 Invest Ottawa — Summer Company Program
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Can a student who is graduating this year apply for Summer Company?
No. The program requires that you be a returning student — you must plan to return to school after the summer. Students graduating permanently are not eligible.
Can I use Summer Company to run my family's existing business?
No. The program requires a new business idea separate from any existing family business. You must be launching and operating your own independent venture.
What happens if I don't complete all the workshop requirements?
The second $1,500 instalment is contingent on completing all mandatory workshops and submitting a final business report. If you don't meet the completion requirements, the second payment is withheld.
Is the Summer Company grant taxable income for a student?
Generally yes — the grant is considered business income. However, eligible business expenses incurred during the summer offset the taxable amount, and most students have low enough total income that tax payable is minimal.
Can I apply to Summer Company and another Ontario self-employment program at the same time?
No. You cannot participate in Summer Company concurrently with another Ontario self-employment program. Sequential participation (Summer Company one year, Starter Company Plus later) is permitted.
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Full Playbook: Invest Ottawa — Summer Company Program
7 steps · 5 docs · reviewer insights