Marshall Ring is, the Chief Executive Officer of Manitoba Technology Accelerator, Canada, and Ajay Sharma is the Chairman and the Managing Director of Abhinav Immigration Services in India.
Manitoba Technology Accelerator is a leading participant in the Start-up Visa Program of Canada. This program is designed for those looking to immigrate to Canada with their new or existing business. The SUV Program is an enterprise through the government, which means government requirements must be met. Marshall has been involved in company formation and commercializing early-stage technologies since the late 90s. He can reach many national markets, service providers, and investors.
Ajay Sharma is a Business Economist (Master, Batch of 1985, Delhi University) and Commerce Honours graduate (Batch of 1983, Delhi University). His strengths include consultancy and advisory services on Citizenship by investment programs, Start-up Visa Programs, and Residency visa programs for skilled professionals, Businessmen, and High net worth individuals.
Marshall Ring and Ajay Sharma are in conversation with Icy Tales on how their deepened strategic partnership with visa programs can help many.
Q) Tell us about MTA (Manitoba Technology Accelerator) and Canada Start-Up Visa Program.
Marshall Ring, MTA: Manitoba Technology Accelerator is a Winnipeg-based technology commercialization organization working as a business incubator towards turning the city into the startup capital of Western Canada. Towards this end, we are working on adding more to the 100 million-dollar companies based out of Winnipeg. MTA’s innovative products help in reaching early customers and developing their businesses.
Ajay Sharma, Abhinav Immigration Services: One of our important offerings in assisting the province’s economy is offering international entrepreneurs the opportunity to relocate to Canada through the Start-up Visa (SUV) program. MTA is a designated entity by the Canadian government for this program to attract the entrepreneurial class to Canada.
Q) What is its significance?
Marshall Ring, MTA: As a designated entity authorized by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), we are working with disruptive technology startups, offering them a permanent path to residency in Canada. The significance is that the SUV program is designed specifically for entrepreneurs with scientific or technology-oriented business ideas or early-stage companies.
Associating with MTA helps these entrepreneurs establish a new business or grow their existing company in a new environment, supported by business development experts from MTA who are invested in your success. In India, MTA is associated with Abhinav Immigration Services for the program. Both organizations ensure they don’t take shortcuts in immigration or make false promises.
Q) The overall purpose of the MTA Delegation to India?
Ajay Sharma, Abhinav Immigration: MTA has an association with Abhinav Immigration to communicate and educate the marketplace about the Canadian Start-Up Visa program. The idea behind the MTA delegation visit to India is to deepen the collaboration with Abhinav Immigration Services and use the opportunity to promote the Start-Up visa program through different marketing road shows across the main cities in India like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Delhi.
The MTA delegation is here to discuss why MTA is the gold standard for the SUV program in Canada. We look forward to helping more clients migrate to Canada using the Start-Up visa Route.
Q) Tell us how MTA is helping startups based in India to make their base in Canada. Also, how do you stand out among other incubators in the Canadian Startup Eco-System?
Marshall Ring, CEO MTA: At MTA, we pride ourselves on the gold standard for the Canadian SUV program. What we do to help Indian startups make Canada their base is by offering them speed, third-party screening, and one-on-one business advisory services. We work on a best-effort basis to send a letter of support back to the eligible applicants if the application is approved within 30 days.
The other thing we do is offer third-party screening. So, when we receive an application, we don’t just process it ourselves. We do a screen internally, and then we use a third-party screen. For this, we have lawyers, accountants, government officials, elected officials, and industry associations that review our applications. And they make a recommendation as to whether MTA should accept them or not.
In this way, we are already reaching out to our community to get their opinion on whether the applicant would be a good fit into the Canadian marketplace and fits the Canadian government’s criteria. The third reason we call ourselves the gold standard is our one-on-one business advisory services.
We give one on one business advisory services to our clients and record their progress month-on-month through what we call a monthly status report. And then, once the client hits a graduation period of 18 months, we can give that complete graduation package. This is what sets us aside.
Q) Is It only the technology-based startups welcomed in Canada or even other startups that may not be technology-based but based on unique business ideas? Otherwise, do they accept those kinds of startup business ideas also?
Ajay Sharma, Abhinav Immigration Services: The criteria for the SUV program are that you have to be an innovative company with the ability to scale and create jobs for Canadians. So, it’s different from what market sector you’re in. It is about you having that innovative piece of your business you’re trying to move into. We’ve got companies in Ed tech, health IT, and business process management, but all of them have a similarity of having some innovation they will apply.
Q) How many startups has MTA helped obtain legal status in Canada? What are the challenges?
Marshall Ring & Ajay Sharma: We’ve worked with over 750 start-up visa clients. Currently, we have about 450 active clients whom we are helping with their needs of setting up shop in Canada. Since MTA is a business advisor and not an immigration consultant, we have networks and collaborations that are set up to help our clients with their banking and legal requirements.
Though there is aggravation and time zone differences, all of our clients find the going easy when it comes to incorporating a business in Canada even while they hold an Indian passport. The record of their progress month-on-month that MTA undertakes helps them better understand how incorporating a start-up in Canada works.
Marshall Ring will visit Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Delhi during the tour, starting on 14th February and ending on 24th February 2023. Marshall has been involved in company formation and commercializing early-stage technologies since the late 90s. He can reach many national markets, service providers, and investors.
It will be thrilling how this collaboration benefits and what new aspects it brings to the development and dreams of many.
Last Updated on by Namrata123
