Invest Nova Scotia is seeking applicants for this year's first cohort of its Accelerate startup program.

Accelerate offers companies four months of business and technical training and $40,000 of funding, as well as weekly one-on-one coaching sessions and monthly workshops on a range of investor readiness-related topics. Invest Nova Scotia is specifically looking for agtech, cleantech, healthtech, oceantech and software startups.

The program is completely virtual and aimed at companies that have already established market opportunities for products based on science or engineering-related intellectual property, as well as having completed or nearly completed a proof of concept or prototype.

“Invest Nova Scotia Accelerate is a milestone-based program that helps Nova Scotia startups get investment-ready,” says the provincial government agency on its website. “Resources are tailored to the cohorts to provide support where participants need it most.”

The application deadline is Feb. 2, and you can apply here. Shortlisted companies will hear back by Feb. 20 and be asked to pitch to be admitted into the final cohort. The successful entrepreneurs will find out on March 5, and the program begins April 1.