Futurpreneur Canada Indigenous Startup Program (IESP)
Get up to $75,000 in startup capital to launch or buy a business, paired with mentorship. This is a repayable loan for Indigenous entrepreneurs aged 18 to 39, with fees applied at disbursement. Verified against the official source on July 2, 2026.
How we verify funding records →
“Up to $50,000 with a term over five years.”
Before you spend a dollar
Approval must precede spending; you must submit a viable business plan and cash flow before funds are disbursed.
At a glance
Subject to program rules, available funding, and approval. Confirm current details with the official program administrator.
Not sure if you qualify?
Get a free, 2-minute read on whether this program fits your business. No obligation.
Check your fit →Is this for you?
- You are an Indigenous entrepreneur (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit) between the ages of 18 and 39.
- You are starting a new venture or purchasing an existing business that has been operating for 24 months or less.
- You want access to startup capital and value the support of structured mentorship as you grow.
Probably not the right fit if
- You are 40 years old or older at the time of application.
- Your business involves gambling, adult content, or on-site alcohol sales that make up more than 49% of your revenue.
- You have been bankrupt in the last five years or have unpaid federal, provincial, or municipal taxes.
How much you'd realistically get
Up to $75,000 total loan, split between Futurpreneur and BDC.
What may be supported
- Starting a new business
- Buying an existing business
- General startup costs such as equipment, inventory, and initial operating expenses
What's excluded or restricted
- Refinancing existing debt.
- Businesses that place owners or customers in vulnerable situations (e.g., services involving intimate activities).
- Gambling (gaming) and contests (pay for a chance to win), including casinos, bingo halls, and racetracks.
- Businesses in which violence is encouraged or depicted.
- Racial, discriminatory, and exclusionary types of content or activities.
- Dating apps and websites that are 'hookup' sites.
- Editorial (opinion/news based) publications or content, including streaming apps, radio, television, or social media blogs deemed socially unacceptable or posing reputational risk.
- Establishments where alcohol consumption on-site exceeds (or is seen to exceed) 49% of total revenues.
- Night clubs, bars, lounges, cabarets, pool halls, video arcades, festivals, or events (including marketing activities) that may give rise to reputational risk.
- Businesses involved with nudity, sex products, services, or adult content (including singles events and mixers).
- Businesses involved with recreational tobacco and/or marijuana, including cultivation, recreational smoking, vapes, e-cigarettes, shisha/hookah lounges, and whole body cryotherapy.
- Businesses involved with or causing unregulated health risks (products/services must be compliant with all applicable regulations).
- Businesses where the applicant does not hold >50% controlling ownership.
- Businesses where the applicant acts merely as an agent or employee without majority control.
How applying works
Effort: involvedYou must produce a complete and viable business plan and a 24-month cash flow projection before applying.
- 01Sign up via the online form to connect with a dedicated team member, or submit the full application directly if your documents are ready.
- 02Prepare a complete and viable business plan and a 24-month cash flow projection.
- 03Agree to a personal credit check (hard inquiry).
- 04Submit the application and await approval before disbursing funds for startup costs.
Who to ask: https://futurpreneur.ca/en/contact/
Documents commonly required
- Complete and viable business plan
- 24-month cash flow projection
- Proof of Indigenous status (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit)
- Proof of Canadian citizenship or permanent residency
- Personal credit check authorization
How BBN Labs helps
- BBN builds your business website and online store with the loan funds, giving your new venture a credible digital home that attracts customers from day one.
- BBN sets up Local SEO and Google Business Profile so your shop appears in local searches, driving foot traffic to your storefront without extra ad spend.
- BBN designs your storefront signage and branding, coordinating with qualified partners to create a professional look that builds trust with your community.
- BBN helps you manage the application and deadlines so you don't lose the funding.
What to know before you count on it
- Fees apply at disbursement: a 1% loan management fee on the Futurpreneur portion and a $50 processing fee deducted from the BDC portion.
- Repayment starts with interest-only payments for the first year, then shifts to principal plus interest over the remaining four years.
- You must hold more than 50% controlling ownership and cannot act merely as an agent or employee.
- Early repayment of the BDC portion may incur an indemnity equal to three months' interest unless you repay 15% on the anniversary.
What are your odds?
Approval depends on the viability of your business plan, your credit history, and meeting strict eligibility criteria including age and Indigenous status.
Frequently asked questions
Is the loan taxable?
Loan proceeds are generally not taxable income, but interest payments may be tax-deductible; confirm with a tax professional.
Can I use this to refinance existing debt?
No, refinancing existing debt is explicitly excluded from this program.
What happens if I want to pay off the loan early?
The Futurpreneur portion has no early repayment penalty, but the BDC portion has specific prepayment rules including a potential indemnity fee.
Do I need to be a Canadian citizen?
Yes, you must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and physically reside in Canada.
What you can combine it with
This program is distinct from the Core Startup Program and Black Entrepreneur Startup Program; confirm on the official page if you can combine this with other grants or loans.
Get alerted when this changes
Programs open and close, budgets run out, rules change. We send one short email when something changes that matters for this program.
Record last updated June 20, 2026; last verified July 2, 2026 against the official source. Source: official program page.