Intuit, in partnership with Highline Beta launch “Intuit Prosperity Accelerator™: Toronto” to advance financial prosperity

Intuit, a global technology platform that helps consumers and small businesses overcome their most important financial challenges, in partnership with Highline Beta, launch the Intuit Prosperity Accelerator: Toronto, an equity-free challenge-based program focused on advancing financial prosperity of Canadian consumers and small businesses.

About the Program

Building on the success of the previous two cohorts including the Intuit Prosperity Accelerator: AI, Intuit, in partnership with Highline Beta launched the Intuit Prosperity Accelerator: Toronto to continue advancing innovation while improving the financial prosperity of Canadian consumers and small businesses.

“Many businesses are facing economic challenges that have a direct impact on their ability to innovate and develop solutions for the future. We want to share our resources and innovation methods with startups who are close to breakthroughs, preparing for their next round of funding, or require technology resources to take their business to the next level. Now, more than ever, our support can have a huge impact on a growing startup’s future.”
– David Marquis, Vice President and Canada Country Manager at Intuit

The Intuit Prosperity Accelerator: Toronto is an equity-free challenge-based program that will work with startups in Toronto’s and surrounding area’s burgeoning tech ecosystem. The program will give startups access to a corporate and investor mentorship network, dedicated coaching, and the opportunity for follow-on investment from Highline Beta.

“We are very excited about this collaboration with Intuit which continues to show consistent success in helping entrepreneurs take their business to the next level. In such uncertain times, when resources are constrained, supporting start-ups to help propel their progress becomes paramount.”
– Hussam Ayyad, Chief Accelerator Officer at Highline Beta

Who Should Apply

We are looking for technology companies from Toronto and the surrounding area that are dedicated to solving the most pressing financial problems for small businesses and/or consumers.

You should apply to Intuit Prosperity Accelerator: Toronto if you…

Are a seed-stage startup with a product in market (or are a little earlier or later stage)
Are within the GTA region and can easily benefit from regular in-person programming in Toronto (or are headquartered within Canada but can make in-person programming in Toronto work)
Have a cross-functional team with in-house technological capabilities
Have a driven, coachable, and collaborative leadership team that is ‘customer-obsessed’
Have a solution that aligns with one or more of the program challenge areas outlined below, as well as aligns with Intuit’s mission and values

Challenge Areas

Intuit worked with Highline Beta to understand the key challenges that consumers and small businesses were facing. At a high level they identified the following 6 challenges:

Consumers
Mortgage & Rent Costs: Startups that are helping Canadians adapt to an elevated interest rate environment.

Savings & Investment: Startups that help Canadians better manage savings and investments.

Debt & Income Stability: Startups that empower Canadians to become debt-free faster.

Small Businesses
Rising Cost of Goods: Startups that help small businesses manage disruption and rising costs.

Attracting & Retaining Labor: Startups that help small businesses win the war for talent.

Juggling Multiple Businesses: Startups that help self-employed Canadians manage multiple businesses.

For further details around the challenges startups can visit the 2023 Program Challenge areas section here.

What Will Startups Get

Successful applicants will get the opportunity to collaborate with Intuit, a global financial technology platform that powers prosperity using TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks, and Mailchimp.

Additionally, they will get access to dedicated coaches that will help them experiment and grow their business by using Intuit’s proven design thinking methodology, Design 4 Delight (D4D) that has helped to create world class products.

“The Innovation Catalysts are phenomenal at applying the Design for Delight process to help us make our product the best that it can be.”
-Zeze Peters, Founder & CEO at Beam.city

Lastly, they will have the opportunity to be considered for follow-on funding from Highline Beta.

Location & Timeline

The program starts at the beginning of February 2023 and runs until June 2023 in a hybrid format (virtual and in-person events). There will be an in-person Demo Day event in June 2023.

How to Apply

Applications are now open until January 13, 2023. To learn more and apply, startups can click here.