Maple Program 2020/2021 

Updated: July 8, 2020 

 
The Maple Program was created by Launch to aid international companies currently at Seed, Series A 
or higher with their growth and expansion to Canada and North America through providing a landing 
pad with resources, mentorship, networking, and business matchmaking to overcome the challenges 
that occur when moving a business and family to Canada. The program is designed to work with those 
going through the Canadian Start-up Visa Program or other business specific immigration processes 
such as Express Entry, BC Provincial Nomination Program, and/or Global Talent Stream. 
 
In order to apply for the Maple Program, teams must start the process by clicking on the C
​ HECK IF 
YOU'RE ELIGIBLE l​ ink on the​ ​Maple Program landing page​. 

Program Details 
The program is broken up into 5 phases, over an aggregate span of approximately 18 to 24 months. 
The 1st Phase is 2 months in nature and occurs over a series of virtual workshops and office hours. 
The 2nd Phase's timeline is dependent on the company's timeline, but is expected to be completed 
within 3 months following the completion of Phase 1. The 3rd Phase is also completed virtually online 
prior to the company's arrival into Canada and typically 2 to 3 months in length but is ​Optional and 
available for an additional fee​. The 4th Phase occurs at Launch Academy in Vancouver and spans 
over four months. The 5th Phase takes place over a 12 month period both virtually and in person and 
functions as a support system as companies solidify their operations in Canada. 

Program Features 
● Private workshops on immigration, incorporation in Canada, transferring IP to Canada, 
accounting and tax implications, and more 
● Lifestyle and landing pad support for your team members and families, including banking, 
insurance, and housing info 
● Office hours with some of the brightest minds in Startups 
● 1 on 1 mentorship with a dedicated lead mentor assigned based on your business needs 
● Business matchmaking for your company's needs 
● 4 months of dedicated space for the company at Launch, Vancouver's leading startup hub 
● Exclusive invitations to CxO Summits, gatherings of high level executives from the best 
startups in North America 
 ● 2 tickets to​ T
​ raction Conference​ - North America's Leading Growth Conference 

Evaluation Process 
Unlike other programs, Launch does not take in equity in the company, and our evaluation is focused 
on four key aspects, shown below in descending order of priority: 

1. Why does [the business] want to move to Canada? ​There must be proof of a valid business 
related reason for the move. 
2. Would [the applicant(s)] be an asset to Canada?​ Would your skill set be relevant to furthering 
innovation in Canada, and contribute to exciting new businesses? 
3. Would [the business] be an asset to Canada? I​ s the business something that is relevant and 
viable in Canada? Is there a track record or proof that the business can be sustainable and 
grow to create jobs in Canada? Is your company already in revenue? 
4. Is your business in one of the emerging technical areas that Launch Academy is looking to 
work with?​ The areas include ​Artificial Intelligence, VR/AR/MR, Blockchain, Financial 
Services, Data Science, Quantum Computing, Health Tech, CyberSecurity, a ​ nd ​SaaS. 

After we evaluate each candidate based on these key aspects, we then share our shortlisted 
candidates with a highly valued board of local industry leaders, Startup Visa alumni, and community 
partners to ensure that the companies we accept and recommend have the best possible chance at 
success here in Canada. 
 
Applicants should expect a reply of their application status within 6-8 weeks of applying. Although 
we try to get back to every applicant, due to the volume of applications, we do not specify specific 
reasons for rejections, and if you have not heard back from us beyond the 8 week time frame, you 
can consider your application refused. 

Program Fees 
Unlike other programs, Launch ​does not take equity​ in your company. Instead, there is a program fee 
starting at ​$28,000 USD o​ ver 24 months ​(plus applicable taxes, note all local foreign taxes will be the 
sole responsibility of the international company)​ for the program as well as $ ​ 4,000 USD (plus 
applicable taxes) for Office Space for your team for 4 months during Phase 4 in Vancouver​. Fees are 
broken down into 7 payments throughout the course of the program. Optional programs are available 
for additional support and access to additional resources. 
 
As Launch is a not for profit organization, all program proceeds will be reinvested back into building 
the Canadian tech and talent ecosystem. 
 
Please note that the Maple Program fees are not correlated to the success and failure of the 
company's immigration status, but rather for the programming and services provided to help 
companies acclimate to the North America Market. 
Ideal Program Candidates 
The ideal team of candidates should be well educated with at least a bachelor's degree in Business, 
Technology, or related. They should have had a wealth of experience either being part of past startups, 
or a pedigree of building successful businesses in the past. Some members of the team should have 
experience developing or managing technology products. 
 
They are currently running a startup in one of the following areas of emerging technology: A
​ rtificial 
Intelligence, VR/AR/MR, Blockchain, Financial Services, Data Science, Quantum Computing, Health 
Tech, CyberSecurity, a ​ nd ​SaaS. 
 
They either are self sustainable through revenue of their company (or a previous exit) or have already 
raised enough investment to sustain a runway beyond both the Maple Program fees (starting at 
$28,000 USD Dollars) and other business and immigration fees that will most likely occur during 
permanent move to Canada (approximately $40,000 USD Dollars). 
 

Additional Information 
Who is Launch? 
Launch is Vancouver's premier technology hub that helps entrepreneurs execute on their startups 
through education, mentorship, lean metrics and networking opportunities. Launch has established an 
environment where ideas are vetted, business models are tested and successes are celebrated. Since 
2012, Launch has incubated more than 3500 entrepreneurs from over 100 different countries, of which 
300 have grown their startups to Seed and Series A stage and raised over $300 Million in funding. 
 
Launch Academy is a Designated Entity for the Canadian Startup Visa Program and a Referral Partner 
for the Canadian Global Talent Stream Program. 

What is Start-up Visa? 

The​ ​Start-up Visa Program​ is a Canadian Government program started in 2012 for immigrant 
entrepreneurs with the skills and potential to build businesses in Canada that are innovative, can 
create jobs for Canadians, and can compete on a global scale. 
 
Launch is an approved designated organization of the Start-up Visa program and has the ability to 
support a company's application with a letter of support (a prerequisite of the program). Launch only 
recommends companies with a pre-existing relationship to Launch, through our various programs 
such as our Maple Program. Companies that do not have a prior relationship with Launch can apply for 
Maple, an acclimation program designed to work alongside the Start-up Visa process to help 
companies land in Canada and build a successful roadmap for North American expansion. 
 
Other than Launch, there are many other designated organizations across Canada that can also 
provide a letter of support. The full list can be viewed​ ​here​. 

What is Global Talent Stream? 

The Global Talent Stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program is a 24-month pilot program 
which aims to help innovative companies quickly access the highly skilled talent they need to scale-up 
and grow. 
The Global Talent Stream is available to: 

● Category A:​ Employers in Canada seeking to hire unique and specialized foreign workers and 
that have been referred to the Global Talent Stream by an ESDC Designated Partner because 
they are an innovative Canadian company seeking to scale-up and grow. 
● Category B:​ Firms in Canada that need to hire highly skilled foreign workers for occupations 
found on ESDC’s​ G
​ lobal Talent Occupations List​ because they have been determined to be in 
demand and for which there is insufficient domestic labour supply. 

Program Rundown 
Phase 1 - Webinars 
Location: Home Country → Online 
 
Phase 1 takes place virtually over the course of 6-8 weeks. The objective of this phase is for 
companies to be provided with the A-Zs of moving your company to Canada through a series of 
webinars. ​All companies must be present for every webinar. A ​ t the end of the phase, companies 
(along with the approval from Launch) will decide if they want to move ahead with their move to 
Canada and start building a roadmap in Phase 2. The following content is an example of the 
programming provided in Phase 1 (the sessions are subject to change). The fees for Phase 1 are 
$4,000 USD (plus applicable taxes, note all local foreign taxes will be the sole responsibility of the 
international company). 
 
 
 
 
 
EXAMPLE SCHEDULE 

Phase 1  Schedule  Duration: 2 Months 

  Topic  Overview 

The Launch Team 

Meeting other members of the Maple Cohort 

Basic Scheduling 
   
Session 1  Welcome to Maple  Program Expectations 

     

Startup Visa Incorporation Requirements (what it 

is, how it works in Canada, and how it works in 
BC) 

Tax Basics 

    Intellectual Property Overview - why it matters 

Session 2  Incorporation and IP  and different issues 

     

Immigration Spectrum (Different Classifications, 

Immigration Timeline) 

Applying for Startup Visa Work Permit 

(Requirements, Preparation, Application) 

Applying for Permanent Resident Status 

   
Session 3  Immigration  Applying for Canadian Citizenship 

     

Canadian Personal Income Tax 

Business Structures (Proprietorship, Partnership, 

Trust, Branch of Foreign Corporation, Canadian 
Corporation, Unlimited Liability Company) 

   
Tax Filing Requirements 
Session 4  Accounting 
 Government Incentives 

Consideration for Expansion 

Asset Sale 

     

Funding Checklist 

Types of Funding 

Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) 

  Grants 
  Canadian Grants and 
Session 5  Opportunities  Accelerated Growth Services 

     

Neighbourhoods 

Public Expectations and School Catchments 

  Rental Agency Partners 

  Real Estate and the 
Session 6  Vancouver Rental Market  Requirements 

     

Setting up Personal and Commercial Bank 

Accounts 

Building up Canadian Credit 

   
Session 7  Banking in Canada  Transferring personal assets 

     

Designing your next steps regarding your 

Session 8  Roadmap Preparation  expansion or relocation 

 
Phase 2 - Roadmapping 
Location: Home Country → Online 
 
The objective of Phase 2 is for the companies to build out their Roadmap, incorporate their company, 
and settle on their immigration route. Launch will continue working together on planning and 
approving the Roadmap started in Phase 1. The Roadmap is intended to detail the company’s 
activities, milestones and objectives for their first 6 months of operations in Canada. 
 
Launch will work with the companies and any representation retained to provide guidance on 
incorporation, immigration options, and a Letter of Support once the Roadmap has been approved. 
Immigration options range from Canadian Start-up Visa Program or other business specific 
immigration processes such as Express Entry, BC Provincial Nomination Program, and/or Global 
Talent Stream. If justified, select companies will be given the option to participate in the Extended 
Liberty program that allows companies to defer their participation in the local Vancouver stage of the 
program until after they have received their Permanent Residency and/or have their Canadian 
operations established and are ready to onboard participants through the Global Talent Stream 
Program. 
 
The fees for Phase 2 start at $4,000 USD (plus applicable taxes, note all local foreign taxes will be the 
sole responsibility of the international company). 

Roadmap Approval 
The Maple Roadmap includes highlights of several essential decisions that are needed to be made 
during the company's journey to Canada, including their immigration route, incorporation structure, 
team set-up, overall timeline. Prior to Launch issuing any support to participating companies, the 
Roadmap must be approved by Launch. 

EXAMPLE SCHEDULE 

Phase 2  Schedule  Duration: 2 to 12 Months 

Stage 1  Topic  Overview 

Confirm selection of immigration path: Start-up 

Immigration Path  Visa, Global Skills, BC PNP, Express Entry 

   

 
Incorporation of Canadian  Work with legal partner to incorporate a new 
  company  Canadian entity 
 Needs to meet the ownership and share structure 
requirements of the chosen immigration path 

Needs to meet Canadian ownership requirements 

in order to qualify for various Canadian 
government support programs, grants, and 
subsidies. 

Needs to meet the future ownership and share 

structure needs respective to each company's 
own needs 

   

Immigration Work Visa  Work with immigration partner to start Work Visa 
Applications  Application and any supporting paperwork 

   

Detailed plan of work to be undertaken by 

company during first 4 months upon arrival in 
Vancouver for Phase 3 
Following Documents need to be filled out and 
submitted: Member Application Form, Timeline, 
Capitalization Table, Bank Statements, and 
official Roadmap Form 

Detailed timeline of arrival in Canada 

Specific objectives defined for Phase 4 

  Selection of Phase 4 Cohort start date at Launch: 

Roadmap Development  January, May or September 

   

Launch Team signs off on the Roadmap and 

agrees to work with company to execute against 
Roadmap Approval  Roadmap in Phase 4 

   

 
Immigration Support by  Submission of documentation to IRCC for 
Launch  respective Immigration path chosen by company. 
 Supporting documents provided to company and 
company's immigration partner as needed for 
submission of Work Visa applications 

Phase 3 - Pre-Arrival (OPTIONAL) 

Location: Home Country → Online 
 
Phase 3 is an ​Optional Phase available for an additional fee​ and takes place online prior to the team’s 
arrival in Vancouver and is accessible for the remaining duration of the program. During this phase, the 
team is provided resources that will help with future fundraising activities in North America. Resources 
to help with marketing and promotion of the company through media channels and public relations 
channels will also be provided.  
 
As the company progresses through the immigration process, the company is provided access to the 
Launch LEAP Program. This program will give the company an opportunity to build out their Lean 
Canvas and gather resources that may be requested by Immigration Canada for companies that do 
not have advanced traction and market success. 
 
An additional module is made available for team members that have families and/or spouses that 
would like additional information and resources that will aid in their family transition to Canada. 
 
The fees for Phase 3 is $4,000 USD (plus applicable taxes, note all local foreign taxes will be the sole 
responsibility of the international company). 

EXAMPLE SCHEDULE 

Phase 3  Schedule  Duration: 2 to 3 Months 

Stage 2  Topic  Overview 

nine key building blocks for launching, funding 

and growing a successful startup arranged in 
sequential steps to get you started right away 
Lean Canvas Module  and let you know what you need to do next 

   

Details and instructions for setting up AngelList 

profiles, Eligible Business Corporation status, 

  Fundraising Module 
 Information and background investor landscape 
in Canada and USA 

Support with developing pitch decks 

   

Curated video series from Traction Conference 

  Resources and content for growth and marketing 

Traction & Growth Module  strategies 

   

Understanding Public Relations and Media 

Relations in North America 

Pitch strategies and resources 

Social media strategies and resources 

 
Public Relations Module  Tips on leveraging Launch Network 

   

Soft Landing Orientation 

Government spousal and child support benefits 

Finding the right school for your child 

Finding a career within a new city 

  Talking about the various local shops available 

Spouse and Children 
Program  Options for transit/driving 

 
Phase 4 - LandingPad 
Location: Vancouver 
 
Phase 4 takes place in Vancouver at our offices where you will spend 4 months with us to prepare your 
company for Canadian market. The objective of Phase 4 is to help the companies get acclimated to 
the Canadian climate and build out their business network and to stay within compliance with the 
legislative requirements for Permanent Residency under the business immigration programs. 

● At the time you receive your permanent residence: 

○ you provide active and ongoing management of this business f​ rom within Canada 
○ an essential part of the operations of the business happens i​ n Canada 

 
Phase 4 must be done in a consecutive manner and it starts each year in January, May, or September. 
 
The fees for Phase 4 are $5,000 USD (plus applicable taxes, note all local foreign taxes will be the sole 
responsibility of the international company) per month per company and includes office space for 1 
member. Additional members may be added at $500 USD (plus applicable taxes) per person per 
month subject to availability of space. 

EXAMPLE SCHEDULE 

Phase 4  Schedule  Duration: 4 Months 

Month 1  Topic  Overview 

Residential 
Accommodations  Found a place to live for the next 4 months 

   

Apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) 

9 digit number that you need to work in Canada 

  or to have access to government programs and 
Social Insurance Number  benefits. 

   

Corporate Banking  Open a bank account 

     
 Apply for Medical Services Plan (processing time 
is 3 months) 

health insurance program managed by the 

government for people who live in British 
Columbia, Canada. MSP pays for things like 
doctor's appointments, appointments with 
  specialist doctors like psychiatrists, and hospital 
Medical Services  stays you may need to treat a medical problem. 

   

Apply for British Columbia Identity Card (BC ID) 

Identity Card  and/or a British Columbia Driver's license 

   

Work with Launch to produce content used to 

Introduction to Local  introduce company to the local community 
Community  through the Launch network 

   

Work with immigration partner to finalize and 

Permanent Residency  submit the Permanent Residency application 

   

Work towards outcomes and goals detailed in 

Execute against Roadmap  Roadmap 

   

Participate in workshops, office hours with 

Maple Programming  mentors, AMAs, and other monthly programming 

Month 2  Topic  Overview 

Work towards outcomes and goals detailed in 

Execute against Roadmap  Roadmap 

   
 
 Participate in workshops, office hours with 
Maple Programming  mentors, AMAs, and other monthly programming 

   

Month 1 Tasks  Carry over of tasks not completed in Month 1 

Month 3  Topic  Overview 

Start building a plan for post maple (will you stay 

or go back to home country, what is the plan for 
founders and family to come to vancouver? 
where will they stay? Are you hiring) 

Will you stay or go back to home country 

What is the plan for co-founders, non essential 

team members, and respective families to come 
to vancouver? 

Will you be hiring any new team members 

locally? 
 
Phase 5 Planning  Where will your new office be located? 

   

Government Programs  Meet with IRAP representative before end of July 

   

Work towards outcomes and goals detailed in 

Execute against Roadmap  Roadmap 

   

Participate in workshops, office hours with 

  Maple Programming  mentors, AMAs, and other monthly programming 

Month 4  Topic  Overview 

Phase 5 Planning  Phase 5 plans are finalized 

   
 
 Start transition to new office 
 
New Office  Off boarding from Launch facilities 

   

Work towards outcomes and goals detailed in 

Execute against Roadmap  Roadmap 

   

Participate in workshops, office hours with 

Maple Programming  mentors, AMAs, and other monthly programming 

Phase 5 - LaunchPad 
Location: Vancouver 
 
Phase 5 takes place in Vancouver virtually and in person at our offices where you will have access to 
our LaunchPad program for 12 months and support from the Launch Team as Permanent Residency 
applications are being processed. The objective of Phase 5 is to provide continued support as needed 
while companies get acclimated to the Canadian climate, build out their business network, await 
finalization of their Permanent Residency applications, and to stay within compliance with the 
legislative requirements for Permanent Residency under the business immigration programs. 

● At the time you receive your permanent residence: 

○ you provide active and ongoing management of this business f​ rom within Canada 
○ an essential part of the operations of the business happens i​ n Canada 

Phase 5 must be done in a consecutive manner immediately after Phase 4. 

 
The fee for Phase 5 is $4,000 (plus applicable taxes, note all local foreign taxes will be the sole 
responsibility of the international company). 

Launchpad 
Utilizing our network of global mentors and resources, LaunchPad content will include topics such as 
International Scaling, Global Marketing, Hiring, Growth Hacking, and Fundraising. Our guests within our 
program will include business leaders, investors, mentors, government resources, and more. 
LaunchPad members will benefit from over $300,000 in startup Perks. 
 

EXAMPLE SCHEDULE 

Phase 5  Schedule  Duration: 12 Months 

  Topic  Overview 

LaunchPad  12 month membership in LaunchPad Program 

   

Permanent Residency  Continued support for up to 12 months as needed 

  Application  until PR is approved or rejected 
 

Maple Application 
If you are interested in learning more and/or apply, please click on the ​CHECK IF YOU'RE ELIGIBLE l​ ink 
on the​ ​Maple Program landing page​. Note that the program is free to apply and successful 
applications will be judged by our panel of independent judges for acceptance into our program. 
 
Please note that for the Maple Program, we only work with companies that already have a product in 
the market, are financially stable, have already raised funding either internally or externally, and/or 
already have revenues, and are focused on the expansion of an existing business into North America 
through Canada. Launch prefers to work with companies in emerging technology areas that include 
Artificial Intelligence, VR/AR/MR, Blockchain, Financial Services, Data Science, Quantum Computing, 
Health Tech, CyberSecurity, and SaaS. 
 
More information can be found on our website​ l​ aunchacademy.ca/maple​ and​ F ​ AQ​ in case you have 
any specific questions about our Maple program. You may also email us directly at 
info@launchacademy.ca with any specific questions.