London Small Business Centre

06/04/2026

Starting at just 11 years old with his own lawn care business, this small-town entrepreneur has grown that early drive into Mill Pond Painters, a residential painting company and now making its mark across the Dorchester–London corridor with quality craftsmanship and a strong reputation.

With the support from the London Small Business Centre and the Starter Company Plus Program, Charlie Quance has built a solid foundation and a goal of transforming a one-person operation into a skilled crew. He is setting the stage for rapid growth through smart planning, hands-on experience, and a commitment to doing every job right.

Read Charlie’s story and get inspired by his journey of resilience and entrepreneurship.
https://sbcentre.ca/client-showcase/2026-client-showcase/

06/02/2026

🚀 Day 1 of the Summer Company Program has officially started!

On May 29, our student entrepreneurs learned from industry experts, connected with peers, and gained valuable insight into what to expect throughout the summer. It was the perfect start to a journey of growth, innovation, and entrepreneurship. 🙌

We’re excited to support the next generation of business leaders as they launch and run their own business. 🌟

06/01/2026

Got a business idea and ready to take the next step?

Our upcoming webinar will help you understand business structures and walk you through registering your business name—clearly and confidently.

📅 June 10, 2026
🕑 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
💻 Virtual (link sent by email)

We’ll cover:
✅ Sole proprietorship vs. incorporation
✅ What those terms really mean
✅ Which structure may work best for your venture
✅ How to register your business

Sign up today: https://ow.ly/vBPr50Z5Kfr

Presented by Ownr

05/27/2026

It has been a fun and fulfilling day at the Southwest Food Summit 2026: Exploring New Paths to Market! 🙌

Thank you to everyone who joined, it was an exciting opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and strengthen Southwestern Ontario’s growing food and beverage ecosystem. From inspiring conversations and expert insights to new partnerships and meaningful networking, the day demonstrated the power of bringing entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and support organizations together.

A special congratulations once again to the Forest City Microgreens, recipient of the Flourish Award - Best New Product 2026.

Thank you to our keynote speaker, panelists, partners, exhibitors, local food producers, and attendees for making this second edition such a fantastic success. The energy, enthusiasm, and collaboration throughout the day truly showcased the strength and spirit of our region’s vibrant food innovation community!

Thank you to our sponsors:
🌱 FCC / FAC (Title Sponsor)
🌱 Express Employment Professionals (Influencer Sponsor)
🌱 Fanshawe Centre for Research & Innovation (CRI) (Flourish Award Sponsor)
🌱 Winston Wilmont (Flourish Award Sponsor)
🌱 True Leaves Consulting (Flourish Award Sponsor)

In partnership with:
🌱 Foodpreneur Advantage
🌱 Fanshawe College
🌱 London Economic Development Corporation (LEDC)
🌱 TheGroveWFD
🌱 Eye Candy Design: CPG Branding & Packaging
🌱 True Leaves Consulting

05/20/2026

Thinking about starting your own business?
Join our virtual Starting a Small Business seminar on May 28th and learn the key steps to turn your idea into action.
Start your entrepreneurial journey from wherever you are!

Sign up today: https://sbcentre.ca/virtual-starting-a-small-business-seminar-2/on

05/15/2026

Today’s announcement about the expansion of The Grove marks an exciting step forward for innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic growth in the London region.
As part of this growing ecosystem, the London Small Business Centre is proud to support scaling Food & Beverage CPG (consumer packaged goods) companies in Ontario — businesses that sit at the intersection of manufacturing, agriculture, entrepreneurship, innovation, and local economic resilience.

For the past years, through the Foodpreneur Advantage and other initiatives, we have worked alongside food and beverage entrepreneurs to help them launch, grow, and scale their businesses. From start-up guidance to scale-up support, we’ve helped businesses navigate regulatory requirements, strengthen operations, connect with regional and national buyers and distributors, prepare for retail opportunities, and build strong foundations for sustainable growth.

These businesses often source locally, helping strengthen farm incomes, rural economies, and regional food systems. Yet, scaling remains one of the most challenging and under-supported stages of business growth.

We’re excited to continue growing alongside our partners at The Grove, including the London Economic Development Corporation (LEDC), Western Fair District, and Fanshawe Centre for Research & Innovation (CRI), to expand opportunities for entrepreneurs building the next generation of innovative food and consumer product businesses in Ontario.

FedDev Ontario
London Economic Development Corporation
The Grove at Western Fair District
Western Fair District

05/14/2026

Food and beverage entrepreneurs: this is your chance to connect, learn, and explore new opportunities to grow your business.

The London Small Business Centre is proud to partner with London Economic Development Corporation, Foodpreneur Advantage, Fanshawe Centre for Research & Innovation, Eye Candy Design, True Leaves Consulting, and Western Fair Association for the SW Food Summit 2026: Exploring New Paths to Market.

This one-day summit will bring together manufacturers, entrepreneurs, and industry partners for valuable conversations around innovation, market expansion, and the future of the food and beverage sector.

📅 Tuesday, May 26, 2026
📍 The Grove at Western Fair District
🎟️ Tickets start at $25 for food and beverage manufacturers

Register today: https://heyor.ca/z7JZKV

Exploring New Paths to Market

05/06/2026

From concept to a growing, science-driven business, SciTech Animal Health is making a real impact in the dairy industry with innovative solutions that support herd health and farm performance.

With support from the London Small Business Centre, they’ve built a strong foundation, navigated complex regulations, and are now moving toward scaling their products across Canada and beyond.

Read their story and get inspired by their journey of resilience and innovation.
https://ow.ly/mYTR50YVgUL

04/29/2026

Tyson Hamilton started his summer business as a way to address a market need: the lack of local in-person flight review services. Through his participation with Summer Company, Tyson built a website, purchased a testing drone, and received accounting and tech advice that helped accelerate his growth.

Good news: there’s still time to apply for the 2026 cohort.
The deadline has been extended to May 15th!

Learn more: https://sbcentre.ca/programs/summer-company/

04/23/2026

Join us on May 26, 2026, from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM at The Grove at Western Fair Association for the SW Food Summit 2026, where Southwest Ontario’s food and beverage ecosystem comes together for a day of insight, innovation, and opportunity!

Hear from keynote speaker Kirk Homenick, President of Naturally Homegrown Foods Ltd., and learn how he built globally recognized brands like Hardbite Chips and Poptastic Popcorn through innovation, sustainability, and smart strategy.

Plus, don’t miss your chance to enter the Flourish Award for Best New Product 2026. With over $30,000 in prizes, it’s a major opportunity to elevate your brand.

Thank you to our sponsors:
🌱 Farm Credit Canada (Title Sponsor)
🌱 Express Employment Professionals (Influencer Sponsor)
🌱 Fanshawe College (Flourish Award Sponsor)
🌱 Winston Wilmont (Flourish Award Sponsor)
🌱 True Leaves Consulting (Flourish Award Sponsor)

In partnership with:
🌱 Foodpreneur Advantage
🌱 Fanshawe College
🌱 London Economic Development Corporation
🌱 The Grove at Western Fair District
🌱 Eye Candy Design
🌱 True Leaves Consulting

Learn more and register here: https://www.ledc.com/event/sw-food-summit-2026