Investigating the value proposition of an immigrant business incubator program

Abstract

The research report focuses on assessing the need for and potential impact of a business incubator program for Canadian immigrants. Canada is a global leader in affirmative immigration policies for skilled foreign workers, and immigrants form a significant portion of the Canadian workforce, but they tend to face higher unemployment rates than Canadian-born individuals. Despite this, immigrants are more likely to start their own businesses, representing a major economic and job creation opportunity. The Immigrant Idea and Innovation Centre (IIIC) is a business incubator and accelerator being established in Hamilton, Ontario, to provide needed business incubation and acceleration services to immigrant entrepreneurs. The research aims to evaluate the need for the IIIC's services and propose its value. The research questions address the economic opportunities provided by immigrant entrepreneurs, the challenges and barriers they face in starting and accelerating a business, and how an immigrant business incubator can help overcome these challenges.