Carleton University’s Canada-India Acceleration Program to Help Skill Female EntrepreneursCollaboration with Accenture to expedite and scale international growth for women-led Canadian companies
OTTAWA; August 25th, 2019 – Carleton University today launched the first phase of a program through its Canada-India Acceleration Program (CIAP) to empower female entrepreneurs and scale Canadian businesses in untapped markets across India.
The CIAP is teaming with Accenture to facilitate the first phase of the 2019 Intensive ScaleCamp program, where participants will be able to understand options for seed funding, gain access to internship opportunities through Carleton University’s employer network, gain access to material resources and mentorship from global entrepreneurs, incubators and corporations. CIAP’s five-day program will be held in Toronto from Sunday, August 25 until Thursday, August 29 for nine Canadian companies led by women.
“What excites me most is seeing academia and industry coming together to truly support women-led Canadian businesses and help continue to shape the entrepreneurial landscape in Canada,” said Michael Weatherhead, CIAP Program Manager.
Accenture will help deliver a world-class experience with the goal of connecting the women-led companies with leading experts to further sharpen their skills and equip the entrepreneurs with a strong growth mindset to help them take their business to international markets successfully.
“With digital disruption affecting companies from every industry, it’s crucial to equip entrepreneurs with the knowledge and tools they need to further their growth and stay relevant,” said Iliana Oris Valiente, a Managing Director at Accenture who leads the Canada Innovation Hub. “Our collaboration with CIAP will equip these women with the skills to better navigate challenges and opportunities as they scale their business globally from Canada.”
During the five-day CIAP program, the female entrepreneurs will be deeply involved in learning how to use practical approaches to enter emerging markets, customer discovery, go-to-market strategies, fundraising for investment, navigate sales and marketing channels, and operating models. At the end of the 2019 ScaleCamp, entrepreneurs will be prepared to enter the second phase of the CIAP program in India.
About CIAP
The Canada-India Acceleration Program (CIAP) is a Carleton University, government-funded initiative designed to help female entrepreneurs break into new markets, make impactful connections, learn valuable skills and spur venture growth. The CIAP strives to position Canadian start-ups in emerging markets like India, creating more expertise and growth opportunities. Visit www.ciaccelerate.com for more.
About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology, and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions — underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network — Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With 482,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.