Dell Salutes Entrepreneurs : Centre for Entrepreneurs Launches in Canada

Coincident with Small Business Week, Dell is announcing plans to introduce its Centre for Entrepreneurs program in Canada at The Art of Entrepreneurship in Toronto on October 7th, 2014. The Dell program has already launched in the U.S., the U.K., Ireland, the Netherlands and France.

“For Dell, supporting entrepreneurs isn’t just a business strategy, but a corporate philosophy. Since its launch in the United States, the Dell Centre for Entrepreneurs has been a true testament to the collaborative win-win of startups and corporations partnering for growth,” said Kevin Peesker, President, Dell Canada Inc. “Entrepreneurs power our economy, drive innovation and create jobs. We’re excited to be taking big steps forward to expand this program into Canada.”

For Dell, supporting entrepreneurs isn’t just a business strategy, but a corporate philosophy.

The Dell Centre for Entrepreneurs initiatives includes the Dell Founders 50, targeted to entrepreneurs leading recently funded companies who view technology as a critical “backbone” to business success and have immediate technology needs to scale quickly.

The Founders 50 is an exclusive global group of founders and CEOs of emerging companies that are poised for rapid growth. All the companies utilize a strong technology infrastructure and have established themselves as innovative and disruptive forces in their respective industries.

Dell  identified 50 companies as the key startups and founders to watch in the Spring 2014 cohort and the Fall 2014 cohort which was announced in August boosts it first Canadian member, Cloud Dynamics.  We are now accepting applicants from Canadian start-ups for future cohorts. To view the criteria and apply please visit www.dell.ca/entrepreneurs.

All of them are on the verge of making it big and Dell is putting its power behind them to further accelerate their business objectives through:

o  Technology – Access to consulting resources to plan and architect businesses’ growing technology needs to address scale.

o  Capital – Access to efficient credit financing through Dell Financial Services (DFS) Qualifying entrepreneurs can receive up to 10% of their funded amount.

o  Network – Support through Dell’s internal and external network, including connections with partners, advisors and robust entrepreneurial ecosystem to open opportunities to explore new partnerships and channels that could support or grow a company’s revenue.

o  Knowledge –   Expert driven webinars, think tanks and comprehensive learning series.  Exclusive monthly calls with top thought leaders in topics ranging from PR to securing funding.

Building relationships

The Centre for Entrepreneurs and Dell Founders 50 initiatives have helped Dell develop mutually beneficial relationships with fast-growth entrepreneurs during their crucial early stages. Catherine Graham, president and co-owner of Toronto-based RIGHTSLEEVE and co-founder and CEO of commonsku is a member of the Entrepreneur-in-Residence Global Advisory Board which serves as a collective voice for entrepreneurs worldwide and lends strategic insight into Dell’s entrepreneurial initiatives. The global board also includes a curated group of influential entrepreneurs and experts from around the world including Ashish J. Thakkar, founder of pan-African multi-sector investment group Mara Group and winner of 2013 Young Entrepreneur of the Year award at the World Entrepreneurship Forum; Ido Leffler, co-founder of Yes To Inc., the No. 2 natural beauty brand in the U.S; Marcelo Sales, founding partner of 21212, a digital business accelerator headquartered in Rio de Janeiro and New York City; and  Elizabeth Gore, resident entrepreneur at the United Nations Foundation.

“Having started my first company at the age of 15 selling computers in Africa, I have first-hand experience building a business from scratch and understand the challenges that face young entrepreneurs in getting ahead. I admire the work that Dell is doing to empower entrepreneurs and feel honored to join their Global Advisory Board to help shape the way we support young business leaders globally,” said Ashish J. Thakkar, founder, Mara Group. “Entrepreneurs are the innovators and job creators of tomorrow, so we should do all we can to support and nurture their growth, particularly in developing nations like Africa.”

Within the Dell Centre for Entrepreneurs, Dell offers a number of initiatives all aimed to help empower, support and fuel the growth of innovation, via entrepreneurs and small business owners.

o   Centre for Entrepreneurs online resources: Designed by and for entrepreneurs, the online hub is a one-stop shop for the resources, expertise and technology solutions founders at all stages need to start, run and grow a business.

o   Dell Founders 50: The Dell Founders Club 50 is a curated group of entrepreneurs leading companies that view technology as a critical “backbone” to business success, and have immediate technology needs in order to scale quickly. The program focuses squarely on business acceleration, targeted towards CEOs and founders who are game changers in their industries and that are poised for massive growth.

o   Partnerships: The Centre for Entrepreneurs is proud to be aligned with groups and individuals that are both trailblazers and thought leaders within the entrepreneurial space, including leading accelerators, incubators and venture capitalists. Through workshops, office hours, demo days, networking events and conferences, we work with the following organizations to support entrepreneurs around technology, network, capital, and knowledge:

§  Key partners include Extreme StartUps, DEMO, 1871, Capital Factory, the Angel Capital Association, 1776, Chicago Innovation Awards, Tech Cocktail, Techstars, YEC, TechWeek, Mass Challenge, Entrepreneurs’ Organization, and Young StartUp Ventures

On the World Stage

Dell’s commitment to entrepreneurs is shaped at the highest level of the company. Recently appointed as the United Nations Foundation’s first-ever Global Advocate for Entrepreneurship, Michael Dell will work closely with the Foundation to extend its work advancing key priorities of the United Nations.  The vision for the role of the Global Advocate for Entrepreneurship aligns with Dell’s efforts to engage with global entrepreneurs for positive social impact, and with UN programs embracing innovation and entrepreneurship.

This is a unique moment in which key global trends are aligning to create new opportunities to leverage the power of entrepreneurship and innovation in the effort to reduce poverty, increase health, and improve lives around the world.

The Founders 50...emerging companies that are poised for rapid growth.

This allows Dell to champion entrepreneurs while underscoring:

o   That the entrepreneurial spirit that defined the early days of Dell has lived on throughout the company’s history.

o   Dell has always been about breaking down barriers – finding a better way to create technology, get it in the hands of customers, and enable them to achieve their goals.

Want to know more about Dell’s Centre for Entrepreneurs? Visit us at www.dell.ca/entrepreneurs. A community tailored for women entrepreneurs can be found at www.dell.com/women.