What

We harness the power of disruptive ideas and collective impact to accelerate an inclusive innovation-driven entrepreneurial ecosystem in Nova Scotia.

How

We believe that if we bring people together, share knowledge, inspire and link great initiatives, we can co-create a prosperous region.

Why

We believe that fostering inclusive innovation-driven entrepreneurship has the power to transform our economic and social future.

We are building a Canada-wide community and network of Diverse and Intersectional Women Entrepreneurs at the Start Now Incubator. Join us to learn the skills and innovative mindset that can take your business further, build the peer networks that can support you along your journey, and find the resources you need to grow your business. 

ONSIDE’s Approach

To accelerate innovation-driven entrepreneurship, these core behaviours guide our work:

Entrepreneur-focused

Entrepreneurs are the engine of growth in our economy. Their efforts improve the quality of our lives, increase productivity, create jobs and conditions for a prosperous society. Entrepreneurs are at the centre of our work.

Collective Impact

No one organization has all the answers. Fostering  innovation-driven entrepreneurship takes multiple players. That is why we approach all our work through a collective impact lens.

Inclusion

It is well known that diversity of thought and experience drive innovation. To have a truly productive and dynamic economy, we need all hands on deck. Inclusion of under-represented groups and locations is not a nice-to-have, it is a must. 

Open and Transparent

The value of trust cannot be underestimated. To continue being the trusted players that we are in the innovation ecosystem, we are intentional about being open and transparent about our motivation, activities, and outcomes.

Measurable Action

One of the principles of collective impact is shared measurement across stakeholder groups. Moreover, to make sense of our work and track progress, our actions have to be measurable through both quantitative and (or) qualitative means.

Amplification

There are many wonderful things happening in the innovation-driven entrepreneurial ecosystem. As a backbone organization, ONSIDE aims to work with others to amplify this activity, share best practices, and highlight successes.