About

ONSIDE is a community accelerator empowering rural and underrepresented groups through inclusive innovation-driven entrepreneurship (i+IDE) and collective impact. We amplify disruptive ideas and mobilize collaboration to turn ideas into impact for a more prosperous and entrepreneurial future.

We were born out of a two-year engagement, with the MIT REAP (Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program) championed by Dalhousie University and funded by the private sector. The REAP program provided the space for participants from Nova Scotia to understand the drivers of a successful ecosystem, identify Nova Scotia’s comparative advantage and collectively accomplish its “must-win battle” – the Ocean Super Cluster. ONSIDE aims to continue those efforts and bring to bear the learnings and experiences from MIT REAP, and share them with Nova Scotians more directly and continuously.

We are currently leading the Start Now Incubator, an initiative rooted in our inclusive innovation research and experience that aims to support rural, indigenous, and diverse intersectional women entrepreneurs across Canada. Though this work we help women to gain the skills and networks necessary to actively participate in an innovative and entrepreneurial economy, generating prosperity and social benefit.

Our Vision

A prosperous Nova Scotia driven by inclusive innovation, entrepreneurship and comparative advantage.

Our Mission: Convene, Connect, Catalyze

We convene individuals and organizations to build trust and quality partnerships which are essential for the advancement of innovation-driven entrepreneurship.

We connect stakeholder efforts, facilitate learning, and share best practices to bring awareness and amplify the power of inclusive innovation-driven entrepreneurship.
We catalyze innovation-driven entrepreneurship by mobilizing resources, stirring action and creating awareness.

Deep Dive : Theory of Change Summary

Intended Impact Statement: Rooted in our deep commitment to inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship, underrepresented and immigrant women in Nova Scotia and throughout will Canada have the skills, access to resources and networks enabling their increased participation in the innovation economy, and Ecosystem Stakeholders are implementing solutions to foster inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship.

If we support Underrepresented and Immigrant women entrepreneurs in our region and across Canada to…
- Develop entrepreneurial skills, capacity and networks
And we improve the conditions for inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship by…
- Generating data and insights on inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship
- Amplifying inclusive innovation stories and narratives
- Testing and prototyping ideas to make inclusive innovation more tangible
And we bring the entrepreneurs and specific Ecosystem Stakeholders together through….
- Events and peer to peer learning opportunities
- Conversations about ways to collectively advance practice
Then…
- Underrepresented and Immigrant women in Nova Scotia and across Canada will more actively participate in and benefit from the innovation economy
- Ecosystem Stakeholders will more readily implement solutions to foster inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship
Leading to…
- Underrepresented entrepreneurs in Canada meaningfully participating in and shaping a prosperous innovation economy of the future.