Business Incubators & Accelerators in Nova Scotia – Directory of Startup Support Programs

Looking for startup support in Nova Scotia? This page lists business incubators and accelerators that serve entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses across the province. For each organization, we’ve included the names of the programs they offer, so you can quickly identify the right fit based on your stage, sector, or funding goals.

Whether you’re launching a tech startup in Halifax, building a cleantech venture in Cape Breton, or developing a social enterprise in the Annapolis Valley, this directory connects you with Nova Scotia’s leading innovation hubs.

✅ What Is a Business Incubator and Accelerator?

Business incubators are designed to help entrepreneurs take an idea and turn it into a viable business. They typically support early-stage founders with mentorship, business development guidance, workspace, and connections to funding or academic partners.

Business accelerators, on the other hand, focus on growth-stage companies — usually startups that already have traction and are preparing to scale. Accelerators often run structured, cohort-based programs that provide intensive mentorship, investor introductions, and sometimes direct funding in exchange for equity.

In Nova Scotia, many organizations are hybrids — offering both incubation and acceleration programs, often tailored to your sector, community, and growth stage.

✅ What These Programs Typically Offer

Most incubator and accelerator programs in Nova Scotia include a mix of the following services:

  • One-on-one mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs, academics, and investors
  • Structured training in business planning, finance, marketing, and pitch readiness
  • Access to coworking space, labs, and maker facilities, particularly through innovation centres and universities
  • Introductions to capital sources, including angel networks, venture funds, and provincial government grants
  • Sector-specific support, especially in ocean tech, clean tech, Indigenous entrepreneurship, agri-food, AI, health innovation, and social enterprise
  • Ecosystem events, including demo days, pitch nights, and networking mixers to build connections across Nova Scotia

Some programs offer equity-based funding (usually accelerators), while others provide non-dilutive support through public or educational partners.

✅ How to Choose a Program

Nova Scotia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is collaborative and geographically diverse. When reviewing the directory, consider the following:

  • Stage Fit – Are you pre-revenue, MVP-ready, or generating sales?
  • Location – Many programs serve specific regions such as Halifax, Cape Breton, Annapolis Valley, Yarmouth, or rural Nova Scotia
  • Sector Focus – Some specialize in high-growth sectors like ocean tech, bioeconomy, healthcare, or social innovation
  • Equity vs. Non-Equity – Consider whether you’re comfortable giving up equity or prefer non-dilutive support
  • Duration & Format – Programs vary from a few weeks to a full year and may be in-person, virtual, or hybrid

Nova Scotia stands out for its province-wide approach to entrepreneurship, where regional diversity and sectoral strengths intersect to create real opportunities for founders. This is a place where bold ideas are nurtured, and where support systems evolve to meet the changing needs of entrepreneurs.

✅ Directory: Incubators & Accelerators in Nova Scotia

Halifax Incubators and Accelerators

Creative Hub

Creative Hub is a collaborative space designed to support innovators, entrepreneurs, and creators through access to resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities. It fosters interdisciplinary collaboration across sectors such as arts, technology, and business. The hub serves as a launchpad for new ideas and startups in Nova Scotia’s innovation ecosystem.

Program offered:

Dal Innovates (Dalhousie University)

Dal Innovates is Dalhousie University’s flagship innovation and entrepreneurship initiative that helps students and researchers turn ideas into ventures. It offers programs, mentorship, and funding to support innovation in areas like health, sustainability, and social impact. The initiative connects academia with industry to solve real-world challenges.

Programs offered:

Invest Nova Scotia

Invest Nova Scotia is a government-led organization that funds and supports projects driving innovation, economic growth, and productivity in the province. It provides non-dilutive funding to startups, SMEs, and organizations in key sectors such as ocean tech, clean tech, and life sciences. The goal is to build a stronger, more resilient economy for all Nova Scotians.

Programs offered:

Invest Nova Scotia and Verschuren Centre

This collaboration between Invest Nova Scotia and the Verschuren Centre enables bio-based companies to scale through access to applied research, pilot facilities, and strategic funding. It supports innovation in sectors such as clean technology, biotech, and circular economy. Together, they accelerate commercialization and sustainability-focused growth in Atlantic Canada.

Program offered:

Invest Nova Scotia, Greenspring Bioinnovation Hub & Bioenterprise Canada Corporation

This partnership supports biotech and agri-food startups through funding, mentorship, and commercialization services. By leveraging the expertise of all three organizations, the initiative helps early-stage companies scale and access national and global markets. It’s designed to grow Nova Scotia’s bioeconomy and position the region as a hub for sustainable innovation.

Program offered:

Volta

Volta is a Halifax-based innovation hub that provides mentorship, workspace, and programming for tech startups. It supports entrepreneurs through community events, accelerator programs, and access to venture funding. Volta helps build a vibrant technology ecosystem in Atlantic Canada.

Programs offered:

Stellarton Incubators and Accelerators

IGNITE Atlantic

IGNITE Atlantic is a rural innovation hub with locations in Yarmouth and New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. It empowers entrepreneurs, students, and communities through programming, maker spaces, and mentorship opportunities. IGNITE bridges urban-rural gaps by supporting innovation and collaboration across diverse sectors.

Program offered: