STAGE 2: STARTING YOUR BUSINESS

The CYBF Program

You have the idea, the passion and the confidence that entrepreneurship is the right career for you. Now what? Now, you need to create a solid business plan, get the right financing, get matched with an outstanding mentor and launch the business. Follow these steps to learn how to put your ideas in motion.
Your Success is our Business…

The Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) is a national charity providing pre-launch coaching, business resources, start-up financing and mentoring to help you start your own successful business. If you are 18-34 and have a business idea...we can help!

When thinking of starting a new business or during the start-up process, entrepreneurs have lots of questions. CYBF helps young entrepreneurs through the planning stages by providing Pre-Launch Coaching. Through the assistance of our Community Partners and CYBF’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence, direct support and guidance are available.

Along with the one-on-one pre-launch coaching, entrepreneurs can benefit from the information found in our Online Business Resource Centre. Need help writing a business plan? Want to know more about skilled trades in your province? Want links to government resources? We make all of these resources available to you.

Entrepreneurs need money - that's no secret. CYBF lends young entrepreneurs up to $15,000* for their start-up. We support businesses of all kinds – skilled trades, retail stores, services, and everything in between. CYBF does not require security for its loans – CYBF lends based on character and a great business plan.

Along with your CYBF loan you will benefit from our mandatory world-class mentoring program. Every entrepreneur is hand-matched with an experienced business mentor for 2 years to allow knowledge sharing and ensure a higher business success rate. A mentor is an invaluable resource with years of business experience – and you get his or her assistance free for 2 years with your CYBF loan!

The CYBF program is designed to support you from the beginning of your entrepreneurial journey right to the end.

*CYBF lends up to $15,000. However, additional financing may be available through the CYBF-BDC Start-Up Financing Program, where you can get up to an additional $15,000. Plus, CYBF offers up to $10,000 for Expansion Financing. For more details, please see CYBF-BDC Start-Up Financing Program and CYBF Expansion Financing.


The Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) is the ‘go to’ place for youth entrepreneurship. As a national charity, we are dedicated to growing our nation’s economy one young entrepreneur at a time. We look at character not collateral, when providing youth, age 18-34, with pre-launch coaching, business resources, start-up financing and mentoring, to help them launch and sustain a successful entrepreneurial business.

Driving Canada's Business Success By Helping Youth Help Themselves