The Ontario provincial government announced this October it would be providing $2.9 million to help universities and colleges in eastern Ontario “build on world-class innovation and entrepreneurial initiatives,” according to a statement made by the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
Capital Entrepreneurs is connected to Algonquin College, Carleton University, and the University of Ottawa (U of O).
“The funding from the province will allow us to increase the frequency and reach of our message [to] make more youths aware of the programs taking place in the region broadly and at uOttawa specifically. It will also allow us to put more companies and budding entrepreneurs through our program offerings such as Startup Garage,” said Sean Flanigan, Assistant Director of Tech Partnerships in the Technology Transfer and Business Enterprise department of U of O.
Startup Garage is “an initiative of the Ottawa Technology Transfer Network (OTTN) to foster and support student entrepreneurship in the Ottawa area,” according to their website.
“The program offers student-lead ventures the opportunity to accelerate their business by working full time over the course of three months during the summer,” the website says.
“Universities are here to do two things: research and education. By providing an environment for students to learn not only the course material but a way to put their education to work is a natural extension,” he said. “Universities [are] about experimentation and it should be no different with entrepreneurship.”
“There is a tremendous tolerance for business and social risk/experimentation with youths in the 18-24 year age bracket which coincides with an abundance of creativity and ingenuity that is a hotbed for new product or service ideas,” Flanigan said.
