Introducing the Growth Catalyst | Class of 2020!

We are thrilled to introduce the six companies that will form the Growth Catalyst’s inaugural program cohort. These companies represent an exciting mix of fast-moving consumer goods, engineering, transportation, furniture design, and environmental monitoring.

The cohort will first meet on November 10, 2020, kicking off their journey to catalyze their next growth episode! In attending the program, company teams will gain access to the latest intelligence and tools to build ambitious growth strategies and execution plans. The program will be delivered virtually, where teams will receive monthly workshops delivered by business growth experts along with support from mentors in the Alberta innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem who have ‘been there and done it’.

As Dr. Simon Raby, Academic Director of the program comments:

By isolating the factors that catalyze new growth episodes in established companies, we have built an evidence-based curriculum targeting Alberta leaders ambitious for growth. Strategic Growth Teams, or SGTs as we call them, embark on an integrative learning and development journey that challenges them to think big and beyond their current problem spaces, searching out and acting on new growth opportunities.

The Growth Catalyst program is a pilot initiative, led by Mount Royal University’s Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, aimed at addressing the scale-up gap in Alberta.

“While half of all startups survive over 5 years, only 0.1% of small companies become midsize, and only 2% of mid-sized companies become large. Companies grow in ‘episodes’, which last on average three to six years, and only a few companies experience more than one growth episode”, said Khalid Abdul Razak, the Managing Director of the Growth Catalyst.

Razak continues: “The challenge every leader must embrace is how to catalyze growth, and our program aims to provide these leaders with a structured disciplined process to identify these growth opportunities and realize them.”

Meet the Cohort

4iiii — Empowering athletes with the tools they need to train for a personal best or podium finish.

4Seasons Transportation — Providing barrier-free transportation for children with physical and cognitive challenges.

Global Analyzer Systems — Delivering state-of-the-art Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems that assure our clients are compliant and regulatory pains vanish into thin air.

OneTwoSix Design — An industrial design agency that turns great ideas into beautiful and functional office products.

Righteous Gelato — Small batch and plant-based gelato, enriching people’s lives, one tiny spoonful at a time.

Standens — North America’s largest manufacturer of leaf springs, suspension, and agricultural components.

Diversity

The diversity of these cohorts is showcased in more aspects than one!

• Sector: Participant companies operate in different sectors. We’ve made a concerted effort to showcase the breadth of the Alberta entrepreneurial ecosystem by selecting companies that range from gelato to transportation.
• Age: We’ve welcomed both the new and the experienced. Our youngest company was founded in 2015 while our most tenured company was created in 1924!
• Leadership: Two of our six cohort teams are female-led.

More Information

If you are interested in learning more about these companies and the program or want to be the first to know about upcoming events, please visit our website at www.growthcatalyst.ca or sign up for the GC newsletter.

To apply for the next Growth Catalyst cohort in 2021, sign up for the newsletter to be notified when the next round of applications is open or submit an application to our open call.