Innovate Eastman Member Dog-Eh! Receives Futurpreneur Canada Funding
Amanda Wattie and Frank Fuchs, owners and founders of Dog-Eh!, had a vision. That vision stemmed from the love they had for animals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they had the idea to start creating human-grade dog supplements.
The founders were originally referred to Innovate Eastman from Futurpreneur. After joining the Innovate Eastman Startup Program, three months of hard work on the part of the two founders, and hours of mentorship, guidance, business planning and direction from the Innovate Eastman team and community partners, Dog-Eh just received $60,000 of start-up funding from Futurpreneur and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). Innovate Eastman is the strategic partner of Futurpreneur and allows eligible Innovate Eastman member companies to access up to $20,000 in Futurpreneur fast-track funding. “This achievement for Dog-Eh! is another excellent example of how the [Innovate Eastman] team can assist young entrepreneurs to expedite their business start-up and contribute to the diversification of our economy. It highlights the importance of our strategic partnerships with organizations like Futurpreneur,” said Blair Skinner, Mayor of the Local Government District of Pinawa.
“At Futurpreneur, we are always committed to providing accessible funding and mentorship opportunities for young aspiring entrepreneurs,” says Caroline Ksiazek, Futurpreneur’s Regional Team Lead, Business Development, for Ontario, Manitoba & Saskatchewan. “We are thrilled to be able to champion Dog-Eh! and help its founders contribute to Manitoba’s vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
Futurpreneur, is Canada’s only national, non-profit organization providing financing, mentorship and resources to aspiring entrepreneurs aged 18-39. Innovate Eastman is a non-profit, Manitoba business and technology incubator that helps entrepreneurs to build and grow their business. Innovate Eastman gives its member entrepreneurs access to a variety of key advisors and strategic partnerships, such as the fast- track funding partnership mentioned above.
Dog-Eh! currently has a number of different high quality supplement products available for your pup. Check out the product section on their website for more details. Dog-Eh is a fun, modern, Canadian brand that puts your dog’s health at the centre of everything they do. A bit about the founders – Frank is based in Manitoba and Amanda in Ontario. When asked about their Innovate Eastman experience, Frank said that “working with [Innovate Eastman] has greatly accelerated our start-up phase. Dog-Eh! is so appreciative for their support during our funding stage and their invaluable connections that will aid in our future success. Amanda and I are very excited to secure funding as it allows Dog-Eh! to launch three dog supplements simultaneously: Joint, Metabolism, and Skin & Coat Plus which would not be possible without this funding. The dog supplements are our first step in promoting better dog health so you can make the most out of every day with your dog and we plan to expand our product line in the future”.
Do you have a new business, growing business or even a business idea? If so, check out Innovate Eastman and Futurpreneur and reach out with any questions you have about the program. Maybe your idea could be the next one to get funded and get noticed, just like Dog-Eh! and the hard-working entrepreneurs that have got the venture to where it is today!
