Innovation Guelph — Rhyze Up! Program

Q: How much funding can be received?

Innovation Guelph — Rhyze Up! Program Funds up to 10000% of admissible expenses.

Q: What is the deadline to apply?

The program is accepting continuous intake

Q: Is the Innovation Guelph — Rhyze Up! Program a grant, loan, or tax credit?

Innovation Guelph — Rhyze Up! Program is a Grant and Funding

Q: Who are the financial supporters of the Innovation Guelph — Rhyze Up! Program?

Innovation Guelph — Rhyze Up! Program is funded by Innovation Guelph

Q: Who is eligible for the Innovation Guelph — Rhyze Up! Program program?

To be eligible for the Innovation Guelph — Rhyze Up! Program program, you must: • Be women-led or women-owned or nonbinary-led or nonbinary-owned. • Must be incorporated in Canada. • Employ fewer than 500 staff and generate a minimum of $200,000 in annual recurring revenue (ARR).

Q: Who can I contact for more information about the Innovation Guelph — Rhyze Up! Program?

You can contact Innovation Guelph.

Q: Where is the Innovation Guelph — Rhyze Up! Program available?

The Innovation Guelph — Rhyze Up! Program program is available the province of Ontario.

Q: Are startups eligible for the Innovation Guelph — Rhyze Up! Program program?

Yes, startups are eligible to apply for the Innovation Guelph — Rhyze Up! Program program.

Last Update: July 22, 2025

ON, Canada

Expertise and leadership to assist women entrepreneurs

At a glance

Eligible Funding

From $200,000 to $10,000

Timeline

Unspecified

Financing Type

Grant and Funding

Expert Advice

Eligible Industries

All industries

Funds Providers

Innovation Guelph

Program status

Open

Overview

Access experts and leadership coaching to boost your business momentum and help you identify an effective path to scaling up.

Financing terms and conditions

The Rhyze Up! Program offers financial support to assist women-founded or nonbinary-founded companies in scaling their businesses effectively. The program includes both direct financial assistance and in-kind services tailored to growth goals.

Financial support ranges from $5,000 to $10,000 for business scale-up services.
Phase 1: Discovery provides up to 15 hours of mentorship, fully funded at an over $2,000 value for select qualified applicants.
Phase 2: Traction includes a $5,000 subsidy for approved projects, requiring a client contribution of $1,400.
Fully funded one-on-one leadership coaching sessions are available throughout the program.

Activities funded

Engagement in the Discovery Phase, providing up to 15 hours of mentorship to explore growth options.
Participation in the Traction Phase, wherein companies access funding to address key challenges identified by working with industry specialists.
1:1 leadership coaching sessions offered throughout the duration of the program.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 100,000

Development of a new line of eco-friendly packaging solutions

$ 45,000

Enhancing the digital marketing strategy for a local art gallery

$ 75,000

Market expansion of organic skin care products in major Canadian cities

$ 150,000

Product development for a new line of electric bikes with enhanced battery life

$ 125,000

Integration of advanced analytics technology in retail operations

$ 60,000

Sales strategy enhancement for a local organic grocery store chain

Eligibility

The Rhyze® Up! program has specific eligibility criteria that companies must meet to apply.

The company must be women-led, women-owned, or nonbinary-led, or nonbinary-owned.
The company must be incorporated in Canada.
The company must employ less than five hundred staff.
The company must generate a minimum of $200,000 in annual recurring revenue (ARR).
The founder must not be a consultant or solo entrepreneur with a service or retail outlet focused on selling locally, and/or unable or unwilling to scale.

Who is eligible?

The Rhyze Up! national accelerator is specifically tailored for women-founded or co-founded companies and nonbinary-led or owned companies across Canada. Participants must be incorporated in Canada, employ less than 500 staff, and generate at least $200,000 in annual recurring revenue. The program targets companies led by women or nonbinary individuals who are poised to scale their businesses beyond local markets, rather than consultants or sole entrepreneurs with a local retail focus.

Who is not eligible

While the Rhyze® Up! Program is designed to be inclusive, there are specific restrictions regarding the status and main activity of the companies eligible for the grant. These restrictions ensure alignment with the program's goal of supporting scalable, women-led businesses.

Consultants or solo entrepreneurs with a focus on local service or retail outlets.
Businesses unable or unwilling to pursue scaling opportunities.

Eligible expenses

The Rhyze Up! Program offers support for women-led and nonbinary-led businesses to scale up through a variety of targeted project activities. These activities are designed to facilitate significant business growth and improve leadership skills.

Mentorship sessions to identify pathways to business growth.
Funding support for projects addressing growth challenges identified during mentorship.
Leadership coaching to enhance personal and professional development.

Eligible geographic areas

This program is open to companies incorporated anywhere in Canada, as it focuses on supporting women entrepreneurs nationwide.

All provinces and territories in Canada.

Selection criteria

There are evaluation and selection criteria for the Rhyze® Up! program. Companies must meet the following requirements:

Be women-led, women-owned, nonbinary-led, or nonbinary-owned
Incorporated in Canada
Employ less than five hundred staff
Generating a minimum of $200,000 in annual recurring revenue (ARR)
Founder cannot be a consultant or solo entrepreneur with a service or retail outlet focused on selling locally, and/or unable or unwilling to scale
Other eligibility criteria may be used to determine companies who would be the best fit for the program

How to apply

Application Form

Access the application form by clicking on "Apply Now" on the program website.
Provide detailed information about yourself and your company, ensuring all fields are completed accurately.

Review and Submission

Review your completed application to ensure all information is correct and complete.
Submit the application electronically through the program's online platform.

Acknowledgement of Receipt

Receive an email confirmation from Boundless Accelerator acknowledging the receipt of your application.
Keep this confirmation for your records.

Follow-up

Wait for a response from Boundless Accelerator. They will contact you within two business days regarding the status of your application.

Additional information

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

The Rhyze® Up! program is supported in part by the National Research Council Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP).

Apply to this program

Frequently Asked Questions about the Innovation Guelph — Rhyze Up! Program Program

Here are answers to the most common questions about the Innovation Guelph — Rhyze Up! Program. This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.

What is the Innovation Guelph — Rhyze Up! Program?

How much funding can be received?

What expenses are eligible under Innovation Guelph — Rhyze Up! Program?

The Rhyze Up! Program is designed to accelerate the growth and profitability of women-led or nonbinary-led companies through several key service areas. Eligible activities focus on mentorship, funding, and leadership coaching to facilitate business scale-up. Engagement in the Discovery Phase, providing up to 15 hours of mentorship to explore growth options. Participation in the Traction Phase, wherein companies access funding to address key challenges identified by working with industry specialists. 1:1 leadership coaching sessions offered throughout the duration of the program.