The following companies/organizations are Investors of the Cape Breton Partnership and offer services specific to business development.

Cape Breton University

At Cape Breton University, we push the boundaries of innovation and thought leadership to create a global academic experience and build a sustainable future for our island. Surrounded by pristine natural landscape, vibrant culture, and welcoming communities, Cape Breton University (CBU) is home to nearly 7,000 students from more than 70 countries around the world. We are committed to the future of Cape Breton Island, innovative economic development and sustainability programs, and Indigenous learning leadership. CBU offers a comprehensive set of liberal arts, science, business, health and professional programs. As a university that is dedicated to excellence in teaching and learning, CBU provides students with the advantage of outstanding experiential learning and undergraduate research opportunities in a supportive academic environment. Our programs, in diverse fields of study, consistently rank well above the national averages in faculty-student interaction and service learning. Our people, our cultures, and our strong sense of community make Cape Breton University a special place.

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1250 Grand Lake Rd. Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada B1M 1A2

+1 888-959-9995

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Cape Breton University Library – Business Resources

Cape Breton University provides a variety of free research to business seeking to find information on starting and growing their companies. Some of the research that can be accessed at CBU includes: Canadian social and economic data Company information Industry information Country information

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Laura Syms

MLIS

902-563-1994

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CBCL Ltd.

CBCL Limited provides professional consulting engineering and environmental services in the Municipal Services, Water & Wastewater, Buildings, Industry & Manufacturing, Energy & Power, Oil & Gas, Marine, Transportation & Bridges and Environment & Planning sectors.

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Richard Morykot

Manager

(902) 539-1330

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CBDC – Coastal Business

Established in 1985, Coastal Business CBDC’s principal goals continue to be the provision of quality financial and advisory assistance to new and expanding business within our community.  To achieve these goals Coastal Business provides access to capital for qualifying small and medium size enterprises.  In addition it provides advisory assistance, training and general counseling to better ensure the success of the assisted businesses. Financial assistance is available in the form of loans, loan guarantees and equity financing to existing and aspiring entrepreneurs. Business counselling, help & advice is available to small businesses. We help businesses to succeed and therefore we give high priority to the advisory role of our mandate. Entrepreneurship development and training to individuals and small business owners/managers is available in many of our offices. Technical assistance usually takes the form of guidance and coaching, and sometimes advocating on behalf of our clients to other lending establishments or regulatory agencies.

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Patricia MacNeil

Executive Director

292 Charlotte Street Suite 100 Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 1C7

(902) 539-4332

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Centre for Entrepreneurship Education & Development (CEED)

CEED offers entrepreneurs of all ages and stages a wide variety of hands-on learning opportunities. In Cape Breton, programs are delivered both in-person at Navigate Startup House and virtually via Adobe Connect. CEED’s experiential programming is designed to ensure the participant leaves with relevant skills that can be immediately employed in the launch or growth of a business. The following programs are available:

Building Financial Models
Value Proposition Design
Business Model Canvas
Pricing Your Product or Service

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Kim Desveaux

Navigate 37 Nepean Street, Sydney

(902)-217-2092

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Collegio Technologies Inc.

Collegio is focused on providing educational opportunities to organizations and entrepreneurs. They provide digital skills training to help you and your business succeed in today’s competitive landscape. If you want to learn how to update your WordPress site, launch an e-commerce venture, utilize search engine optimization techniques, or polish up on your React skills, they can provide you with training opportunities to help you thrive in the digital age. They can teach you how!

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37 Nepean St. Sydney NS B1P 6A7


East Coast Credit Union

At East Coast Credit Union, members are customers and owners. It’s a better relationship that ensures your needs come first. East Coast Credit Union members take control of their own financial future. As an owner with East Coast, members have access to all of our products and services. Chequing/savings accounts, loans, mortgages, MasterCard® & Choice Rewards products, RRSPs, RESPs, GICs, retirement planning and so much more. Members have access to accounts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through ATM & Internet banking or for those who prefer a little face-to-face you can stop by the branch during regular business hours.

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Corporate Office 257 Main Street Antigonish, Nova Scotia B2G 2C1

1 (902) 747-3142

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Ethical Swag

Ethical Swag makes sure your promotional products do what they were intended to do – Get you remembered for all the right reasons! We only work with suppliers that have passed audits related to social compliance, environmental impact, product safety, supply chain security and product quality. Your logo + our products = higher recall and connection to your brand. We are refining the way people experience brands with transparency and cool products!

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902-549-3773

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Export Development Canada

Export Development Canada is Canada’s export credit agency. Their job is to support and develop Canada’s export trade by helping Canadian companies respond to international business opportunities. They’re a self-financing, Crown corporation that operates at arm’s length from the Government. They provide insurance and financial services, bonding products and small business solutions to Canadian exporters and investors and their international buyers. They also support Canadian direct investment abroad and investment into Canada. In 2016, they helped more than 7,150 Canadian companies do business in over 200 countries. The majority of these companies were small business, and more than 30 per cent of this business was conducted in fast-growing emerging markets. Using their financial products and services, their customers’ export sales and investments totaled almost $99 billion. They estimate that this helped generate $63.9 billion of Canada’s GDP, contributed more than 4 cents for every dollar earned and helped sustain 525,400 jobs.

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1605-1969 Upper Water St. Tower 2 Halifax Nova Scotia B3J 3R7

(902) 450-7610

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Grant Thronton

Grant Thornton—a leading Canadian accounting and business advisory firm – and the largest accounting firm in Atlantic Canada – providing audit, tax and advisory services to private and public organizations.  To complement our technical knowledge and expertise, we have professionals who are dedicated to developing in-depth industry knowledge. Together with the Quebec firm Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton LLP, we have approximately 4,000 people in offices across Canada. Grant Thornton LLP is a Canadian member of Grant Thornton International Ltd (Grant Thornton International). Grant Thornton International and the member firms are not a worldwide partnership. Services are delivered by the member firms independently.

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Suite 200 - 500 George St Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 4K6

(902) 562-558

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Innovation Mobilization Program

Industry can collaborate with Springboard network members in order to access funding (applications for the IM Program must be submitted by a Springboard Atlantic member to qualify for funding). Funding categories include:

Industry Engagement:connects skilled professionals in academia with like-minded contacts in industry to drive new collaborations and support research commercialization in Atlantic Canada.
Proof of Concept:support for developing early stage ideas, from a lab bench to a working prototype or equivalent (e.g. software beta).
Patent and Legal:support for the assessment and protection of ideas with commercial potential. All forms of intellectual property are eligible e.g. patents, industry designs, copyright, trademarking etc.
Marketing Support:validate the commercial potential of an idea. This funding supports market assessment and prototype development.

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902-421-5678

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Insolvency for Business

Help for businesses when filing for bankruptcy or making a proposal.

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Inspired to Hire

Find online tips and tool to help you reach, recruit, hire, and retain younger workers.

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Intellectual Property Office

Intellectual property is the legal right to ideas, inventions and creations in the industrial, scientific, literary and artistic fields. It also covers symbols, names, images, designs and models used in business. Without realizing it, your business may be creating IP assets that should be protected.

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Invest Nova Scotia

Invest Nova Scotia enables the bold. With strategic investments, we support community-based projects that spark innovation and collaboration and build stronger, more competitive sectors and regions.

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Invest Nova Scotia – Export Growth Program

The Export Growth Program supports businesses looking to increase their export sales outside of Nova Scotia. The program provides financial incentives for projects that assist a business’ ability to overcome barriers to export growth. This includes: Supporting travel to marketassociated with visiting a client, potential partner, or investor in another market, or inviting a foreign client and/or potential partner to visit the Nova Scotia operation; and Mitigating trade show/conference costsby funding floor space, conference fees, travel and accommodation costs. The Export Growth Program contributes up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum of $15,000 CAD for a business to: Travel to a market outside of Nova Scotia to attend a trade show, conference or to visit clients, potential partners or investors; Have foreign clients, potential partners or investors visit the business’ Nova Scotia facilities for the first time.

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902.424.5054

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Invest Nova Scotia – Forum for International Trade Training (FITT)

The Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) offers the only national professional designation that recognizes an individuals’ experience in international trade. The Certified International Trade Professional (CITP) designation is the highest level of professional accreditation for international business and trade professionals in Canada. A CITP must meet rigorous education, training, and experience requirements and make a commitment to adhere to the Standards of Ethical Conduct established by FITT.

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Jessica McCall

902-424-5448

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Invest Nova Scotia – Innovation Rebate Program

The Innovation Rebate Program supports Nova Scotia businesses looking to increase their global competitiveness. The program provides financial incentives on projects that enable a company to increase innovation capacity through private-sector capital investments or adoption of new technologies and business processes. The Innovation Rebate Program will work as a rebate against a company’s direct costs. An Eligible Project may include: implementation of new or significantly improved production processes or waste stream processing; investment in production capacity to enter new markets and/or produce new products; and establishment of new production facilities in Nova Scotia. An Eligible Project must have a total budgeted Nova Scotia investment (excluding tax) of not less than $2,000,000. The maximum amount of Eligible Project Costs to which the Innovation Rebate Program rebate will be applied is $15,000,000.

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Wanda MacLean


902-227-7144

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Invest Nova Scotia – Innovation Rebate Program

The Innovation Rebate Program (IRP) provides financial incentives for projects that assist Nova Scotia companies as they scale to increase their competitiveness.

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Wanda MacLean

902.227.7144

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Invest Nova Scotia – Nova Scotia First Fund

The Nova Scotia First Fund targets emerging venture-grade technology companies with high growth potential and attractive risk-return prospects. We co-invest with institutional, private sector and angel investors from across Canada and beyond.

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Bob Pelley

902-564-2951 (ext 1)

902-577-2689

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