After the success of the Durham College (DC) Summer Accelerator Program, FastStart DC, along with the Spark Centre is pleased to announce it will also be offering a Fall Accelerator.

The program is designed to help students and graduates take their innovative ideas or business ventures to market faster while utilizing the professional services from an experienced support team. Over the course of 11 weeks, participants will develop their businesses, meet with industry professionals and participate in seminars and pitch competitions.

“We are very excited to be offering the Accelerator program again,” said Debbie McKee Demczyk, director, DC’s Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. “After the success of the summer incubator, we knew we wanted to give more students and alumni the opportunity to access the many benefits of participating in a program like this. These include a faster entry to market for their business, reduced start-up costs and providing a focused work environment for them to learn in alongside seasoned professionals.”

The Summer Accelerator was the first time the program was offered and 10 business ideas were chosen to be a part of the incubator. DC alumnus Robert Biggar and his brother William, who created the travel-industry focused business Ideal Compass, were one of the participating teams. They also took home the $1,000 top score prize at the program’s finale event held in August.

“I felt the Summer Accelerator was a great opportunity,” said William. “It’s good to hear the program is being offered again in the fall and I strongly encourage anyone seriously considering opening their own business to apply. The information you learn while participating is priceless.”

The application deadline for students and alumni interested in participating in DC’s Fall Accelerator is Monday, September 28. Applications can be submitted via the FastStart website, with the program beginning on Monday, October 5 and running until Friday, December 11.