Enterprise Bridge Toronto: Community Bootcamp and Mentorship for Immigrant Entrepreneurs
Enterprise Bridge Toronto is a program designed to empower entrepreneurs through training, mentoring, consulting, and community connections that help create sustainable new businesses. This program is hosted by CERC Migration at Toronto Metropolitan University, in partnership with the University of Notre Dame’s Urban Poverty and Business Initiative (external link) (UPBI) to tackle urban poverty in Toronto through entrepreneurship. UPBI has identified 80 steps to sustainable success, and we guide participants through them to successfully complete the program.
Turn your entrepreneurial dream into reality!
About
The Enterprise Bridge program is open to all non-Canadian born individuals based in Toronto who either have a business idea or are in the early stages of entrepreneurship. This program offers comprehensive support, including training via bootcamps and special sessions, mentoring, consulting services, and networking opportunities. The program takes place over 8 months, and sustainable business ventures will be tracked for three years. The program starts with six compulsory bootcamp sessions, followed by professional mentorship and one-on-one consulting support.
Program Dates
Registration Opens: September 15, 2025
Registration Closes: October 15, 2025
Bootcamps: November 8, November 15, November 22, November 29, December 6, and December 13, 2025, from 10 AM to 2:30 PM (Location: In-person, downtown Toronto)
Professional Mentorship: January–April 2026
One-on-One Consulting: May–June 2026
Why participate?
- Learn the essential tools, concepts, and principles for launching and growing a sustainable business
- Receive a mentor who is a successful entrepreneur and has experience related to your business. You will receive a one-hour meeting with your mentor every other week. You need to complete 6 bootcamp sessions to be eligible for the mentoring phase
- Receive one-on-one consultation from fellow faculty, graduate and undergraduate students and other partners to help you solve particular problems such as setting up a bookkeeping system, registering businesses, developing a social media presence, and website improvements. Participants need to complete all six bootcamp sessions, and if you were mentored, you must have regularly interacted with your mentor to be eligible for consulting.
- Connect with other entrepreneurs in the community to help promote your business
- You will have access to the UPBI project’s resource website developed to support entrepreneurs.
Applications are closed. Thank you to all who have applied.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Applications are closed. Thank you to all who have applied.
The deadline to register is October 15, 2025. There are limited enrollment spots. Once capacity is reached, you will be placed on a waitlist and notified when a spot opens.
Applicants must be an immigrant to Canada, reside in Toronto, and either have a business idea or be an early-stage entrepreneur. Applicants must complete all six bootcamp sessions to be eligible for mentorship. To qualify for consulting, applicants must complete the bootcamps and, if mentored, have maintained regular interactions with your mentor.
No. Sessions are delivered in English, and it is recommend a CLB level 5 or above for full participation. However, no test certificate is required.
The value of this course is $1,000, but CERC Migration at TMU is subsidizing the full cost, so the program is free. Accepted participants are asked to pay a one-time fee of $25 to cover the cost of books and materials.
If applicants require financial accommodations to participate fully in this program, please contact Anil Dhakal at anil.dhakal@torontomu.ca.
All bootcamp sessions will be held in-person in downtown Toronto. To ensure the maximum benefit and successful participation in the program, applicants must attend all six bootcamp sessions.
For more information or questions, please email Anil Dhakal at anil.dhakal@torontomu.ca indicating Enterprise Bridge Toronto in the subject line.