JOLT Opens Recruitment for Canada's Most Innovative Startups

New partners join the JOLT Network to help develop globally competitive companies

TORONTO, Feb. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ - JOLT, a leading technology accelerator, announced today that it's accepting applications for its summer 2014 cohort. JOLT is looking for startups that are tackling the Internet of Things and reshaping industries such as digital health, retail, finance, media and entertainment.

JOLT also announced that it has expanded its reach and network of partners to include some of the leading creative, design and technology firms in Canada, including:

• Clarity - an online marketplace that connects entrepreneurs with top advisors & industry experts from around the world.
  
  
• BNOTIONS - a world-class Mobile Strategy, Data & Analytics Innovation Firm.
  
  
• Scalability - provides professional back office services that allow startups to focus on growing their business without growing their back office.
  
  
• Idea Couture - an award-winning, global strategic innovation and experience design firm.
  
  
• Bonspiel! Theatre - a group of Toronto improvisers and writers, Second City alumni and critically acclaimed actors, Canadian Comedy Award winners and CTV news personalities.

"When we launched JOLT, our goal was to create an open network of diverse individuals and partners that our entrepreneurs could learn from," says Sue McGill, JOLT's Executive Director.  "We're grateful to be surrounded by such high caliber partners who devote time, energy and expertise to our startups that are trying to make big and meaningful changes in the world and often in the face of skeptics," McGill says.

"We're thrilled to participate in this year's JOLT program," says Alkarim Nasser, Managing Partner at BNOTIONS. "Programs like JOLT provide needed support and mentorship that drive big ideas. We look forward to sharing our expertise and resources that have helped our clients succeed in the emerging technology field with this next cohort of Toronto's future success stories," Nasser says.

JOLT, which focuses on accelerating high growth mobile and web startups, is based at MaRS Discovery District.  Since its launch in July 2012, JOLT has invested $610K in seventeen startups that have successfully raised over $5.2M of additional financing. Five of the seventeen JOLT companies have raised over $500K of follow-on financing.

To learn more about the program and to apply, visit www.jolt.marsdd.com/apply-to-jolt/.

About MaRS
MaRS Discovery District (@MaRSDD) is a mission-driven innovation centre located in Toronto. MaRS works with partners to catalyze, accelerate and amplify innovation. MaRS supports entrepreneurs building Canada's next generation of growth companies. MaRS' ventures have created over 4,000 jobs and, in the last three years alone, they have raised over $750 million in capital and earned over $375 million in revenue.

About JOLT
JOLT (@joltco) is a Toronto-based technology accelerator dedicated to building high-growth Canadian web and mobile companies. JOLT offers these selected companies working space in the MaRS Commons, seed financing and mentorship, as well as access to seasoned partners and some of the top angel and venture capital investors in the industry. By combining the expertise of its numerous partners in the creative arts, design and technology sectors with MaRS' business-building experience, JOLT provides the selected companies with business validation, streamlined market entry and a greater opportunity for success.

SOURCE MaRS Discovery District