Notman House is a home for young entrepreneurs

CTV Montreal: What's On: Helping startups grow Emma Williams explains how the Notman House helps new companies get funding and grow

Entrepreneurs looking to launch new companies are being invited to meet at the Notman House in downtown Montreal.

The hub for startups has been in operation for several years, building a reputation for helping small businesses.

"We've got 21 offices that are filled with young companies that are testing out a brand new idea to see if it's going to work," said Notman's new director, Emma Williams.

The idea is for people at startup companies to share space and ideas, and work together to improve.

"They come to a space like this where they can work with their neighbours, they can meet investors, they can meet people who coming in off the street, students, fellow entrepreneurs and really help their idea develop and grow," said Williams.

The building was acquired several years ago by the Osmo Foundation with the specific goal of helping new companies.

Williams became director of the Notman House in April after working at FounderFuel, a venture capital firm, for two years.

She hopes that companies trying to grow will come to the Notman House, at Sherbrooke St. and Clark St., to bounce ideas around and learn from others who have already had some success.

"Everyone has to start somewhere and we're hoping that a lot of Montreal's next huge companies start out here," said Williams.

Notman House hosts a weekly barbecue lunch on Fridays, and later this month hosts the Next 36 tour, where three dozen innovators will get up to $50,000 in seed money for their startup companies.