Launch Your Business

As a steward of development and economic vitality in Canandaigua, the CLDC is here to support entrepreneurship and the launch of new local businesses. Build a strong, sustainable foundation for your venture starting with the below resources:

 

Translate Your Idea Into Action

MENTORSHIP & TRAINING RESOURCES FOR START-UPS

You’ve got a great idea - now how do you give it wings? Canandaigua, Ontario County, and New York State offer a suite of low and no-cost resources to help you transform your idea into a validated, actionable business plan:

  • The Brockport Small Business Development Center (SBDC) serves Canandaigua-area small business owners and entrepreneurs with quality business counseling, training, and market research - at no cost. Mentors at the SBDC can help you refine your business plan, identify funding and financing resources, and navigate initial licensing and regulatory requirements. You can make an appointment with an SBDC mentor here.

  • SCORE of Greater Rochester offers Canandaigua-area entrepreneurs a vast network of business mentors that can provide start-ups with expert, topical guidance at no cost. Find a mentor with the experience you’re looking for here. SCORE also offers a wide range of no-cost workshops, available through local in-person training, live webinars, and on-demand recorded webinars and podcasts. You can browse upcoming workshops here. 

  • Business Mentor NY is a web-based, hands-on mentoring program available at no cost to New York State-based entrepreneurs and established small businesses that employ 100 or fewer employees. You can set up a profile and find a mentor here.

  • The Ontario County Chamber of Commerce is a membership organization with an enduring focus on developing local talent and strengthening the regional economy. With more than 500 businesses within their membership, the Chamber offers a key network of local businesses to collaborate with. The Chamber hosts a variety of live and virtual programming to help members build skills and relationships. 

  • Canandaigua Business Improvement District For Businesses within the BID’s catchment area in Downtown Canandaigua, the BID coordinates programming and peer working groups to promote and improve downtown for residents, property owners, merchants and visitors, alike.

 

The Start-up Fundamentals

CHOOSE A BUSINESS STRUCTURE AND ESTABLISH YOUR BUSINESS ENTITY

Once you’ve refined your business plan, you’ll need to determine your business structure – a decision that has important legal, tax, and financial implications, and which informs your filing obligations. We strongly recommend consulting with an attorney and a CPA, potentially through SBDC and/or SCORE, to ensure that you’re making an informed decision.

If you’re a corporation, limited partnership, or limited liability company you’ll need to file a Certificate of Assumed Name with the New York  Department of State. Instructions for completing this form can be found here. All other entities, such as general partnerships, sole proprietorships, and limited liability partnerships that want to operate in Canandaigua, can file the certificate directly with the Ontario County Clerk. The process is easy and low-cost. You can obtain the required forms at the Ontario County Clerk’s office for $1, and file the certificate for $25.

New York Business Express is a fantastic resource for determining additional regulations, tax and insurance requirements, and employer responsibilities that will apply to your business. Their Business Wizard is a ten-minute tool that produces a custom checklist for your business – check it out!

 

Secure Startup Capital

FINANCING & FUNDING RESOURCES FOR YOUR NEW BUSINESS

You’re likely already thinking about the financial support you’ll need to get your business up and running. Whether you’re borrowing or raising money, there are a number of different local resources available to early-stage businesses.

TRADITIONAL LENDERS

Canandaigua is home to a number of community-centered banks and credit unions that provide commercial banking and small business lending.


LOCAL BUSINESS LOAN PROGRAMS

  • City of Canandaigua Small Business Development Loan Program: New and existing small businesses that locate or expand in the City of Canandaigua are eligible for low-interest loans of $5,000-$50,000 to finance property acquisition, construction, or infrastructure improvements, as well as the purchase of equipment, fixtures, and furnishings, or leasehold improvements. Contact us [Link to CLDC contact page] to discuss your specific needs.


TAX INCENTIVES

  • Empire State Development Start-up NY Program @ Finger Lakes Community College: The Start-up NY program offers eligible new and expanding businesses with an opportunity to operate tax-free for 10 years on or near eligible university or college campuses in New York State. Partnering with these institutions also provides businesses with direct access to advanced research laboratories, development resources, and experts in key industries. Canandaigua’s Finger Lakes Community College has designated 2,200 square feet of vacant space on campus and 148,021 square feet of vacant space off-campus for eligible businesses in viticulture and wine technology; biotechnology; information technology and computer science; and advanced manufacturing/machining. 

GRANT FUNDING FOR UPSTATE NY BUSINESSES

  • FuzeHub Jeff Lawrence Innovation Fund: Supports a set of activities designed to spur technology development and commercialization across New York State, including Manufacturing Grants, a Commercialization Competition, and other activities to accelerate small to medium-sized manufacturing and technology companies.

  • Cornell Center for Materials Research Jumpstart Program: Through collaborations with Cornell University experts and with matching funds from New York state, the JumpStart program helps New York-Based small businesses solve identifiable problems related to materials.

  • Cornell Center for Materials Research Invest-NY program: Provides New York State-based businesses with a fast and flexible way to conduct an R&D project with a Cornell faculty member, or to pursue the development of a system/technology/prototype beyond proof-of-concept, leading to scale-up and manufacturing. The program provides 25% of matching funds to complement other resources such as FuzeHub or SBIR funding (not to exceed $12,500 per project).

  • Grow-NY Food and Agriculture Competition: A business competition focused on growing an enduring food and agriculture innovation cluster in the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, and Central New York regions. Finalists pitch their business ideas for a chance to win up to $1 million, and winning companies are required to execute bold plans to grow jobs, connect with local industry partners, and contribute to a thriving Upstate economy.

CROWDFUNDING

  • Kickstarter: Distinctly different from traditional venture capital funding, Kickstarter is a crowdsourced fundraising platform for creative projects and new businesses. Anyone can become a “backer” for a project by pledging funds to bring it to life.