Rise
with EDGE
Rise is primarily an online program for social entrepreneurs ready to scale their impact enterprises at an accelerated pace. With Rise, you’ll move forward with the guidance and coaching of seasoned entrepreneurs who are invested in your goals.
When AJ Rainford joined the Rise program in 2021, Cadence was a fledging startup at early revenue. Over the first year in Rise, the company accelerated forward, reaching $1.2 million in revenue by early 2022. In 2023, they’ve done $1.4 million in revenue and created 4 jobs.
This program, valued $10,000, is for you if:
You’re the founder of a registered social enterprise (non-profit, for-profit, or co-op)
Your product or service is already generating sales revenue
You’re committed to doing the work required to grow your financial sustainability and social impact.
You commit to provide regular updates about your venture.
Ready to Rise?
AJ Rainford launched Cadence’s Staffing Services in 2019 to provide social service personnel to agencies within the social service sectors for developmentally disabled people throughout communities in Central and Western Ontario. When he joined the Rise program in 2021, Cadence was a fledging startup at early revenue. Over the first year in Rise, the company accelerated forward, reaching $1.2 million in revenue by early 2022. This year, 2023, they’ve done $1.4 million in revenue and created 4 jobs. 
Darren Perlman and his co-founder Daniel Copeland brought their venture, Spotwork, to EDGE in early 2020 for help with their impact. They had just launched a platform to revolutionize often unfair temporary hiring business. Over the past 1.5 years, Spotwork has streamlined its impact to promote opportunities for inclusive hiring and addressed the growing skills gap. Along the way, they have acquired high-profile corporate clients to their platform and are currently upskilling over 35,000 users. Spotwork has developed into a sophisticated digital marketplace facilitating employers’ direct access to on-demand flexible teams. It also supports inclusive hiring by connecting jobs to skills and training opportunities for marginalized groups in the existing labour market (including newcomers, Indigenous community members, and persons with disabilities). 
When Maya Saggar of Impact Learning came to Rise, her company had been earning revenue from online courses and support materials. With the support of the Rise operating approach and coaching team, Maya shifted focus, rebranded the company, and drove revenue up by more than 320%, ensuring the fiscal sustainability of this purpose-led business. 
Since they joined the Rise program, Sunjit Khamba and Amanda Russell have worked tirelessly to grow their not-for-profit organization. JELLY Social is an initiative that empowers Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) professionals and allies to help each other prosper. With the support of Rise coaching team and support resources, they have grown to more than 4,000 members and established a foundation for their financial sustainability through memberships, advisory services and sponsorship. They have also added an earned revenue stream, leading to better financial sustainability. 
The Program
Program Value $10,000 | Program Cost $125/month + HST | February - September | 8 months | 2.5 hours/month |Online programming | In-person opening and closing sessions
Rise delivers an exceptional value of $10,000. It’s priced at $125/month to make it accessible to everyone. If this cost poses a barrier to participation, reach out to us at edge.programs@sheridancollege.ca to explore our inclusive pricing options.
What you get:
Rapid growth opportunity through customized coaching, resources and networks for your venture’s growth stage.
Individualized coaching focused on your most strategic next steps, valued at $1200.
Coach-led peer circles that grow your community of entrepreneurs who will brainstorm, problem-solve and share learning to help your venture succeed. Valued at $1200.
Advisory services from innovative Sheridan faculty to maximize impact and balance people, planet and profit. Valued at $1200.
$1000 credit to spend on services for your venture from a curated group of vendors.
Introductions to key contacts to strategically expand your network.
Support to access appropriate funding streams to grow your venture.
Priority access to coworking with a 50% deep discount and one (1) complimentary guest pass a month so you and your teams can work in a collaborative and productive environment. Valued at least $650.
Support to access student talent, faculty expertise, research capacity and funding, and many other benefits found on Sheridan's vibrant campuses.
Wellness support including office hours with a certified mindfulness coach to help you sustain your wellbeing while juggling the many demands of entrepreneurship.
Financial sustainability sessions to help you demystify the funding landscape, prepare for strategic funding opportunities and build your confidence in sales.
RiseConnect, a secure platform to access your benefits, perks, and services with sustainability resources, office hours with industry advisors, a service directory, and news updates to make your Rise experience seamless and efficient.
Community gatherings where you can make meaningful connections, share experiences and network with peers who are invested in your success.
What You'll Experience
Rise is a ‘doing program’ where participants actively work on achieving the goals they set to grow their impact and revenue.
Welcome and Orientation Session
Get to know the team, coaches and founders that will support you for the next eight months.
Venture Assessment and Growth Plan
Collaborate with our business coaches to map your organization's strengths and priorities. Then develop an action plan to ensure accelerated progress.
Support Team
Engage with our diverse set of seasoned consultants and entrepreneur mentors curated to help facilitate your success. Coaching sessions focus on practical problem solving customized to the requirements of your venture's growth stage.
Ongoing Business Development
Your Rise team keeps you focused and helps eliminate challenges that arise along the way. You can also book sessions with industry advisors who can address specific needs.
Community Support
Become part of the EDGE community and a dynamic cohort of fellow impact entrepreneurs at similar stages of growth.
Application Process
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and offers will be extended to successful applicants until all spots are filled.
Application Period
August 16 – January 19, 2025 (by 11:59 pm EST).
Review
Applicants will be screened based on eligibility criteria and may be invited for a meeting with EDGE.
Candidate Selection
Selected candidates will be notified by the first week of February, 2025 (via email) and will need to confirm their spots by February 12th, 2025.
Onboarding
Confirmed participants will receive an onboarding package and be required to attend an in-person session on February 18, 2025, at the EDGE hub in Mississauga.
This program is for you if:
You’re the founder of a registered social enterprise (non-profit, for-profit, or co-op).
Your product or service is already generating sales revenue.
You’re committed to doing the work required to grow.
You commit to providing regular updates about your venture to support reporting requirements. This might include metrics like job creation, sales, your overall impact etc.
Eligibility
Operating History
Minimum one (1) year of operational history at time of application.
Business Development Phase
This program caters to ventures that have market or user validation, some sales revenue, and annual revenues of less than $1M.
Proof of Viability
Businesses must demonstrate existing revenue, customer base, and/or external funding (grants, loans or equity investments).
Revenue and Funding Plans
Ventures must have intentions to increase revenue or raise capital within the next 6 - 12 months.
Leadership Expertise
The leadership team should possess relevant expertise and be responsive to feedback.
Demonstrated Impact
The venture must show positive impact on our communities - whether social, environmental or cultural.
Rise welcomes and prioritizes applications from members of equity-deserving communities.
Rise Coaches
To accelerate your growth, you need to surround yourself with people who know what to do, can connect you to the people and organizations that will be instrumental to your growth, and have a proven history of building successful organizations. That is what Rise offers to its participants.
Frequently Asked Questions
You must qualify to join the Rise program; we accept impact-focused businesses social enterprises, non profits and charities with founders ready and willing to do the work to grow impact and revenue. Click on any of the ‘Apply Now’ buttons on this page to apply online.
To benefit from participation in the Rise program, you will need to be:
- Ready to follow the direction of the coaching and advisory teams
- Able to provide information on the status of your business
- Willing to focus on the support offered by EDGE without getting distracted by the guidance of other advisors and supporters
We will help you build the path that fits your unique venture from a business model, operational structure and financial resources point of view. And then we will help you grow your venture.
If you want that focused support, let’s talk. Reach out to us at (905) 615-7955 or email us at edge.programs@sheridancollege.ca.
The Rise program fees cover the cost of monthly coaching and advisory services from seasoned impact entrepreneurs with the knowledge, training and deep practical experience to help you identify your growth path. The level of this support is simply unprecedented in the impact entrepreneurship community. And the results show.
The value is also unbelievably strong – if you were to hire this help outside of EDGE, you would pay as much as 8x that price.
Rise is an eight-month program; once accepted into the program there will be no refunds.
The Rise program offers a comprehensive package valued at $10,000, including individualized coaching, peer circles, advisory services, a service directory, financial sustainability sessions, and more.
All Rise participants receive a $1000 credit to access suitable services and professionals that contribute to the growth of their ventures, thereby enriching their resources and capabilities. They can select service providers from the EDGE service directory and communicate their preferences to EDGE, specifying the allocation of their credit and the amounts they intend to spend with each vendor.
Participants enjoy priority access to the EDGE coworking space with a 50% deep discount, fostering a collaborative and productive environment essential for individual and teamwork. For more information, please email us at edge.programs@sheridancollege.ca
Participants experience ongoing business development, engage with a support team, and share achievements at interim milestones within a dynamic cohort of fellow impact entrepreneurs, fostering community support and growth.
Priced at $125/month, Rise is designed to be accessible, offering an exceptional $10,000 value for participants dedicated to advancing their personal and professional development. If this cost poses a barrier to participation, please get in touch with us at edge.programs@sheridancollege.ca to explore our inclusive pricing options.
Participants are introduced to key contacts through curated networking sessions, events, and personalized introductions facilitated by the Rise program team.
While the core program spans eight months, participants become part of the EDGE community, providing ongoing support and connections beyond the formal duration. You will continue to access various services offered during the program. You will receive this information toward the end of your 8-month program.
The Rise program is open to ventures in various industries, focusing on impact. We welcome founders committed to growth and making a positive impact.
RiseConnect is designed for accessibility across devices, ensuring participants can conveniently access their benefits, perks, and services, even on mobile platforms.
We welcome for-profit ventures, provided they have some demonstrated impact. We do not require your venture to be a certified social enterprise. We believe that Social Enterprises comprise ventures with a social, environmental or cultural impact goal at the center of their venture. We want to work with action-oriented ventures, adapting traditional business models to create a greater impact.
Besides having a demonstrated impact, Rise is the program for you if:
· Your venture can demonstrate existing revenue, customer base, and external funding (grants, loans, equity investments)
· Your venture intends to increase revenue or raise capital within the next 6-12 months
We understand that individual circumstances may vary, and we want to ensure that our program is accessible to anyone who is interested and eligible. If this fee presents a barrier to your application, we often ask folks to refer to this sliding scale model to determine for themselves their financial privilege. If you’re in Tier 1 or 2 – it’d make sense that you need some accommodation. We have included a section in our form where you can state any fee-related accommodations you may need.
We want all qualified participants to be able to join this program if they can find value in this program. We expect that everyone participating will make some form of contribution.
Once we receive your application, we will carefully review it and be in touch to discuss personalized pricing options that align with your needs.
Program Partners
