Maria Plazas
InvestorProgram Coordinator at The Forge Business Incubator
Greater Hamilton (Burlington) Metropolitan Area
About
Program Coordinator for The Forge and MILO with over a decade of experience in Canada's entrepreneurship ecosystem across government, non-profit, and post-secondary institutions. She holds a Bachelor of Public Relations from Humber College.
Experience
- McMaster UniversityProgram Coordinatorcurrent2025 — present
- Fractional SuiteFractional Chief Marketing Officer | Founder (Part-time)current2024 — presentCanada
- Conestoga CollegeProgram Manager - Conestoga Entrepreneurship Collective2022 — 2025Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
- Futurpreneur CanadaBusiness Development Manager2020 — 2022
- YWCA HamiltonBusiness Advisor - Women's Enterprise Centre2019 — 2020Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Halton RegionProgram Assistant - Small Business Centre2017 — 2019Oakville, ontario
- Halton RegionSmall Business Centre - Intern2017Oakville
Education
- McMaster UniversityMaster of Business Administration - MBA, Business/Commerce2026 — 2029
- Forum for International Trade Training (FITT)Diploma in International Trade, International Business/Trade/Commerce2021 — 2022
- First Nations University of Canada4 Seasons of Reconciliation, Reconciliation Education2022
- University of TorontoCertificate of Entrepreneurship2019 — 2020
- Humber CollegeBachelor's of Public Relations - Class of 2017, Public Relations2013 — 2017
- Robert Gordon UniversitySummer Study Abroad - Entrepreneurship Program, Business2016
- JAMK University of Applied SciencesCreativity and Communications in Business, Summer School2015
- University of TorontoCanadian Studies, French2011 — 2013
Skills & more
SpanishFrenchEntrepreneurshipMarket ResearchNew Product ValidationPitchingInnovationCustomer SupportEvent CoordinationCustomer-Focused ServiceProgram CoordinationVendor support
+12 more
Content DevelopmentMicrosoft Dynamics CRMProgram DevelopmentBusiness AnalysisTraining FacilitationStrategic PartnershipsPeople ManagementWebsite UpdatingIssues De-escalationOrganization SkillsPublic SpeakingTeamworkLanguages French · Spanish
- FITTskills Feasibility of International Trade — Forum for International Trade Training (FITT)
- FITTskills International Market Entry Strategies — Forum for International Trade Training (FITT)
- FITTskills International Trade Finance — Forum for International Trade Training (FITT)
- FITT Certificate in International Trade — Forum for International Trade Training (FITT)
- FITTskills International Sales and Marketing — Forum for International Trade Training (FITT)
- Standard First Aid, CPR and AED — St. John Ambulance Canada | Ambulance Saint-Jean
- Bringing in the Bystander Training — Humber College
- SafeTALK — Humber College
- Emotional Intelligence Certificate - First Year Experience — Humber College
- Toastmasters Youth Leadership Training — Toastmasters International
From Maria's professional profile.
Colleagues at The Forge Business Incubator
Brittany Sostar
Forge Makerspace Lead at The Forge Business Incubator
Lauren Brown
Business Incubator Manager at The Forge Business Incubator
Leigh Wilson
Interim Director at The Forge Business Incubator
Manil Jadawala
Program Coordinator Intern – Business Incubator at The Forge Business Incubator
Marissa Principato
Marketing & Events Manager at The Forge Business Incubator
Mariya Leslie
Manager of Student Entrepreneurship at The Forge Business Incubator
Nora Habashy
Communications Assistant at The Forge Business Incubator
Zijian Chu
Program Coordinator Intern – Startup Survivor at The Forge Business Incubator
Frequently asked questions
- Where does Maria Plazas work?
- Maria Plazas is Program Coordinator at The Forge Business Incubator.
Same school
Also attended McMaster University75
Mark HatfieldInvestor at Ten ElevenEricInvestment Analyst at UpHonest CapitalJulia ZhouPresident and Co-Founder at CaladanPaige DickieVice-President at Radical VenturesKarim LakhaniInvestor at Blue Tulip VenturesAdam JarczynInvestor at Ripple Ventures
+ 69 more
Also attended Humber College11
Julie WeberCOO and General Partner at HelmJaclyn LucaExecutive Assistant at Klass CapitalDianna Lai ReadMarketing at Leaders FundJesse RashotteExecutive Director at Angel One Investor NetworkAdrian BarberCo-Chair, Board of Directors at Angel One Investor NetworkBrittany HannonWeb & Graphic Designer at Futuresight
+ 5 more
Also attended Robert Gordon University7
Kamilya Al-ShaibaniHead of Finance and Admin at Phaze VenturesNayan GalaHead of Investor Relations & Partnerships at EdenBaseDavid YoungInvestment Manager at The FSE GroupDonna CooperMarketing & Communications Manager at The FSE GroupRoy SmithState Manager - WA, SA & NT at Radium CapitalEmeka ChukwurehScout at HoaQ
+ 1 more
Also attended JAMK University of Applied Sciences1
Shared employers
Also worked at McMaster University23
Himanshu GuptaCo-founder at WeRize at PICUS CAPITALPaige DickieVice-President at Radical VenturesDanielle KarakasAnalyst at Lumira VenturesNicholas BrathwaiteFounding Managing Partner at Celesta CapitalMohamed SolimanCo-Founding & Managing Partner at Ventioneers CapitalTimothy SunSenior Product Manager at Highline Beta
+ 17 more
Also worked at Conestoga College7
Sandra CastleManager, Platform & Projects at Graphite VenturesRob KreteDesign Lead at AtomicMelissa DurrellVP of Marketing & Communications at Roseview Global IncubatorSam PurdyProduct Development - Hardware & Home Improvement at Roseview Global IncubatorCatalina OchoaDirector, Finance at Waterloo Accelerator CentreMichelle ChretienBoard of Directors; AVP Research Partnerships & Commercialization at Toronto Metropolitan University at Waterloo Accelerator Centre
+ 1 more
