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Our Mission
To build a more inclusive, innovation-driven economy by giving founders the tools, skills, and networks they need to launch, grow, and scale, fearlessly and globally.
Mentor, Investor & Serial Entrepreneur
Rob Golfi
Rob Golfi’s story begins in Niagara Falls, where he grew up as the son of hardworking Italian immigrant parents.
In his early 20s, he worked long hours at General Motors, using his steady income to invest in his first properties.
By applying bold “no-money-down” strategies, Rob built a portfolio quickly, proving his knack for risk-taking and vision.
Through his 20s and 30s, he tried multiple ventures, beauty supply, direct mail, publishing, import-export—many of which struggled in tough economies.
These setbacks didn’t break him; instead, they shaped his hunger for a business where effort always equaled results.
That drive led him to real estate, where he became licensed in 1997 and began building his future.
Over the next two decades, Rob scaled The Golfi Team into one of Canada’s most successful real estate operations.
His team has sold more than 5,000 homes, generated over $3B in lifetime sales, and achieved top RE/MAX rankings worldwide.
Alongside his business, Rob grew a powerful brand presence across radio, TV, podcasts, and billboards.
But success alone wasn’t enough—Rob wanted to give back.
He saw that Niagara and Ontario were full of entrepreneurs with great ideas but little access to resources, networks, or mentors.
This inspired him to co-create Innovation Launchpad, alongside partners in consulting, marketing, and workspaces.
Together, they built a hub where startups and SMEs could find funding guidance, coworking spaces, mentorship, and global exposure.
For Rob, the Launchpad is more than a project—it’s about building the ecosystem he wished existed when he was starting out.
His goal is clear: to empower the next generation of founders to grow boldly and leave a lasting legacy in Niagara and beyond.
About Us
We Don’t Just Support Businesses, We Launch Them!
At Innovation Launchpad, we believe every bold idea deserves a chance to thrive. We exist to ignite the potential of entrepreneurs, startups, and small-to-medium enterprises across Ontario and beyond. Backed by trusted partners and powered by a community of innovators, we provide more than just services, we deliver an ecosystem designed to help you succeed.
What Sets Us Apart
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Expert-Led Coaching & Mentorship: Learn directly from those who’ve scaled companies.
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Global Innovation Networks: Partnerships with NFTE, MIT Solve, UN SDGs, Keiretsu, and more.
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Workspaces Across Ontario: Access to five Bright Workspace hubs (Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Grimsby, Hamilton, Burlington).
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Funding & Grant Navigation: Hands-on guidance to secure provincial/federal grants.
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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI): We believe inclusivity drives better business outcomes.
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Pitch Days & Hackathons: Real exposure to investors and industry leaders.
Who We Serve
- Early-stage startups
- Women-led and BIPOC-led businesses
- Newcomer and 2SLGBTQ+ entrepreneurs
- SMEs ready to scale
- Corporate innovation teams
- Nonprofits with scalable solutions
What We Offer
Why Join Innovation Launchpad?
When you become part of Innovation Launchpad, you’re not just accessing services — you’re joining a movement. A community that believes in building legacies, creating opportunities, and shaping the future of business together.
Innovation Launchpad is where ideas take flight, businesses grow, and entrepreneurs find their wings.
FAQs
Do you have any questions? We are here with the answers!
Innovation Launchpad is an ecosystem built to support entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs by providing concierge-style business services, networking opportunities, funding support, and access to co-working and learning resources.
Unlike traditional accelerators, we don’t just train you — we partner with you. Through our concierge model, strategic partnerships, and inclusive community, we provide hands-on support, curated connections, and visibility opportunities tailored to your growth stage.
We welcome startups, small businesses, and entrepreneurs from all industries, including tech, health, retail, and services. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling globally, there’s a place for you in our community.
We provide access to funding alerts, business strategy sessions, networking events, training workshops, marketing support, and collaborative workspaces. Our goal is to simplify the entrepreneurial journey and help you focus on growth.
We serve a wide range of industries, including technology, health & wellness, retail & e-commerce, and professional services. Our expertise lies in helping businesses adapt, innovate, and expand.
We proudly partner with Bright Workspaces for co-working solutions, Katapult Consulting Services for business registration and funding support, Innovara Marketing Inc. for digital growth.
Our community is built on transparency, collaboration, and results. With dozens of startups supported, strong partner networks, and proven success stories, we are committed to helping you achieve measurable growth.
We offer tiered membership plans (Gold, Platinum, Diamond) starting as low as $150/month. Each plan includes access to networking events, resources, mentorship, and concierge services tailored to your business needs.
We operate across Ontario with physical hubs in Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Burlington, Hamilton, and Grimsby, plus hybrid/virtual options for entrepreneurs everywhere.
You can explore our membership plans on our website, book a consultation, or attend one of our upcoming events. Joining Innovation Launchpad is simple — and could be the best investment you make in your business this year.