North Forge is a not-for-profit tech incubator and state-of-the-art fabrication lab that helps startups and entrepreneurs build and scale innovative businesses.

Where is North Forge located?

North Forge is headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with our main facility and FabLab located at 125 Adelaide Street. While our physical spaces are in Winnipeg, we offer programming and mentorship delivered virtually across Canada, making our support accessible to founders no matter where they’re located.

Who can join North Forge?

Anyone with an innovative idea or business in tech, advanced manufacturing, or STEM can apply to join our programs, regardless of stage or background.

Where can women entrepreneurs in Winnipeg find support?

At North Forge, women and gender-diverse founders plug into structured mentorship (Entrepreneurs-in-Residence and growth coaches), an online four-stage program, and community events designed to build skills and momentum. We also host women+ workshops and initiatives focused on confidence, resilience, and hands-on making. Learn more.

How do I start my business in Manitoba?

Apply to the North Forge Founders Program (applications accepted year-round). You’ll move through four stages, from Pathfinder (market validation) and Base Camp (business model + finance basics) to Ascent and North Star (MVP, traction, capital, growth coaching), with EIRs, mentors, and pitch training. We don’t take equity, and you’ll access a network of partners and services as you launch.

Where can I find a startup accelerator with fast application processes in Canada?

North Forge accepts applications year-round (no waiting for cohort windows) and delivers programming online. If you’re an immigrant founder pursuing Canada’s Start-up Visa, our SUV stream also advertises fast processing when documents are ready.

Businesses Built Here.

Supporting innovators through our Incubator and Fabrication Lab.

North Forge™ is an award-winning not-for-profit that helps people start and grow businesses through resources, programming, and mentorship, breaking down cost barriers and expanding access to an innovation ecosystem. We help validate ideas, build prototypes, launch companies, create jobs, and grow sustainable businesses from Manitoba to global markets.

No matter where you are in your innovation journey, there’s a place for you at North Forge. Build your business, create your prototype, explore your creativity through hands-on making, protect your intellectual property, or partner with us to drive community growth and economic impact.

Founders Program

Curated resources from ideation to acceleration, delivered online in 4 stages.

Our Expertise

FabLab

Build in one of North America's largest fabrication and rapid prototyping facilities.

ElevateIP

Safeguard your intellectual property before it becomes someone else's leverage.

Partner with us

Explore partnership opportunities and discover how we can create impact together.

Learn More

ElevateIP is back!

Applications are open on the portal from September 9 to October 7, 2026.

We have rebuilt ElevateIP from the ground up, and the new portal is the home of the entire program. It is where you register, where you apply, and where you work through every step that follows.

Whether you are just beginning to explore intellectual property or you are ready to protect an invention or brand, ElevateIP connects you with experienced professionals who can help you make informed decisions as your business grows.

Delivered in Manitoba & Saskatchewan by North Forge in partnership with Communitech and funded by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), ElevateIP helps innovative Canadian companies build a stronger foundation for long-term growth and success.

ElevateIP Portal

Building businesses.
Fuelling innovation. Strengthening communities.

Startups supported

655 Jobs created (FTE*)

1313

Capital raised

$45.5M

Revenue growth since joining North Forge

$42.8M

As Western Canada's leading innovation hub, North Forge fuels Canada's innovation economy by supporting innovators at every stage of the entrepreneurial journey. Through our unique online four-stage Founders Program, supported by experienced mentors, Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, award-winning growth coaches, our Incubator and Fabrication Lab, we equip innovators with the expertise, resources, and connections to create lasting economic impact.

Metrics updated as of July 1st, 2026
*FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) represents the total number of full-time jobs created, with part-time positions converted to a full-time basis (1 part-time job = 0.5 FTE)

View our Impact Report

Join an Open House Tour at The FabLab

Take a tour and discover how Manitoba entrepreneurs are starting businesses using resources from the Fabrication Lab. See 3D printing, laser cutting, computer-controlled routing, vacuum forming, and many other processes that can transform wood, plastic, steel, glass, fabric and more, into prototypes. Learn how you can transform your idea into a real product or business. Experienced members will be on hand to help you understand the equipment and explain what North Forge Fabrication Lab is all about.

Every Tuesday night 6 PM, 312 William Ave.

*Registration is required.

Join a FabLab Tour

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Women and Gender-Diverse Carpentry Workshop

This workshop offers an introduction to using tools with confidence, whether you’re exploring a potential career in the trades or simply gaining the skills to tackle projects on your own.

Sign Up!

Companies that have come through North Forge

Build What’s Next with North Forge

Partner with North Forge and put your organization at the centre of Manitoba’s innovation economy. Together, we can turn bold ideas into thriving companies, strengthen our entrepreneurial community, and create lasting economic impact.

Become a North Forge Partner

Innovation Manitoba

North Forge is proud to be the presenting sponsor of Innovation Manitoba, a coffee-table book and augmented reality series by Global Village Publishing that celebrates the entrepreneurs, companies, and breakthrough innovations shaping Manitoba's innovation ecosystem.

This is more than a publication, it is a legacy that captures the people and ideas driving our province forward.

If you're an innovative company interested in being part of this publication, reach out to our Director of Marketing and Communications, Kristine Derksen, to learn how you can be featured and help showcase Manitoba's innovation story.

Be Part of the Legacy