Food & Bev - Food Incubator

Food Incubator

The YSpace Food Incubator is a bespoke and flexible membership program supporting scaling consumer packaged goods ventures. With a network of industry experts, entrepreneurs, and advisors, the membership is designed to help companies navigate the growth journey beyond the launch.

What to expect

Bi-weekly engagement with program advisor to gain business insights.

Establish and maintain focus and accountability with tangible goals.

Monthly Peer network of food entrepreneurs to discuss business challenges.

Access on-demand industry expert network to close critical knowledge gap.

Community

Join driven, collaborative and growth-oriented food entrepreneurs for monthly support and peer advice

Leadership development

Refine resilience and skills in peer circles and advisor check-ins

Growth frameworks

Develop and test growth tactics with expertise from experts and bespoke material as needed

Milestone driven

Establish accountability for tangible milestones to ensure growth

Timeline

Applications open

This program has an open intake throughout the year

Applications closed

Selected ventures have a max incubation period of two years

Application process

Step: One

Companies apply online via the application form linked below.

If you have any questions about the application process, email us at yspace@yorku.ca

Apply

Step: Two

Selected applicants will be contacted by the YSpace team to schedule an interview to meet with leadership team to review the business pitch, goals, current needs, and fit with YSpace.

Pitch sessions take place on a monthly rolling basis. You’ll be notified within two weeks after the pitch of your application status.

Step: Three

Accepted companies will be offered a two-month trial access to the Food Incubator, including all elements.

Step: Four

Once accepted, companies will be offered a two-month free membership, with access to resources and support for growth.

* Please note there is a fee per month for the engagement.

YSpace members will have access to a variety of tailored services which include a network of industry experts, go-to-market strategies, as well as community events to create a vibrant active hub.

Program eligibility

Food or beverage product launched in the market already with early sales in e-commerce, retail or food service
Differentiated products that meet a clear need in the market with growth potential
Driven, coachable and collaborative founders with a growth mindset
Leader(s) has/have a clear view of goals for the next 6 months

Frequently asked

We are looking for Full-Time Founders who are driven, coachable and committed to growing. The ideal company has either launched or are established with a specific focus on market traction and unlocking their roadmap to scale.

The program is focused on businesses within the Consumer-Packaged Goods industry focused on food, beverage and supplement space. Currently, pet, alcohol and cannibis products are not supported.

We do not take any equity in the company. There is a monthly fee past the first two months which helps us support the entrepreneurs.

The program is open to everyone in the community, as long as they are dedicated founders who are willing to put in the dedicated time to grow the venture.

The Food Incubator is a bespoke, flexible program designed for businesses who need support to tackle specific issues. Typically, the company stage is not a fit for the Food Accelerator. The Food Accelerator is a structured 5-month program designed for companies in the early stages of mass retail growth with a need to develop a comprehensive program.

There are three (3) key components within the program:

Monthly founder peer accountability connects
Bi-weekly YSpace Advisor check-ins
Office hours with a private network of investors, industry experts, and growth consultants

Apply

Please use the link below to access our application form.

Apply now

Newsletter signup

YSpace is committed to working with emerging technology, agrifood, products and services. Get in touch today to find out how you can become a part of our community.

Contact us

For more information, please contact us at
yspace@yorku.ca
416-736-2100 ext. 44940