entrepreneurship Archives - News@91��ɫ

Building on success, 91��ɫ launches The YSpace Network

Nichole Jankowski — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 20:09:45 +0000

New network connects Faculties with innovation and entrepreneurship resources

Canadian innovation is getting a major boost with 91��ɫ's exciting new initiative: The YSpace Network. The Network aims to build on the incredible momentum and success of YSpace, 91��ɫ's innovation hub, and further expand its capacity to support students, alumni and faculty across 91��ɫ's campuses, the Greater Toronto Area and around the globe. The initiative opens access to a sophisticated suite of innovation and entrepreneurship services to 91��ɫ’s Faculties, empowering collaboration and impact across disciplines.

Photos courtesy YSpace

"91��ɫ has built something special, something that is rapidly gaining momentum when it comes to inspiring our students, alumni and faculty to pursue their entrepreneurial aspirations," says Rhonda Lenton, President and Vice-Chancellor. "The YSpace Network will ensure we build on that momentum right across our campuses, while leveraging the expertise and communities of powerful Faculty-based startup programs such as Schulich Startups, IP Osgoode and the Lassonde School's BEST program."

The Network has been jointly created by YSpace and the Schulich School of Business, co-led by 91��ɫ's Director of Entrepreneurship & Innovation David Kwok and Schulich's Executive Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship Chris Carder, with strategic oversight and institutional support from the Office of the Vice President Research & Innovation. The announcement comes at a time when government and industry are calling on Canadian post-secondary institutions to do more to support innovation and drive economic growth, as featured in

The Lassonde School of Engineering is joining The YSpace Network, marking an exciting beginning for this university-wide collaboration. "Our school has a strong legacy of entrepreneurship thanks to the generosity of Doug Bergeron, whose support established the Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology (BEST) program and created the foundation for the success we're building on today. His investment and trust have enabled us to enter this exciting new phase, bringing new connections, resources and opportunities for students, alumni and faculty to commercialize their technologies, strengthen partnerships, and contribute to Canada's innovation economy," says Jane Goodyer, Dean of the Lassonde School of Engineering.

"YSpace was created to ignite innovation and empower the next generation of changemakers,” said Amir Asif, 91��ɫ’s Vice President, Research and Innovation. “In partnership with the Schulich School of Business, The YSpace Network is charting a bold path forward for 91��ɫ. This initiative expands our reach and deepens our impact by bridging research, entrepreneurship, and community to drive solutions to global challenges. Together, YSpace and Schulich’s Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship are shaping a powerful ecosystem where ideas become ventures, and ventures create lasting change. The YSpace Network embodies 91��ɫ’s vision for a more innovative, inclusive, and prosperous future.”

The YSpace Network is a milestone that builds on 91��ɫ's growing momentum as an entrepreneurship and innovation launch pad with a growing footprint in the GTA and beyond. The most recent PitchBook University Rankings had 91��ɫ's inaugural ranking breaking through in the top 100 globally, followed by news that 91��ɫ is ranked fourth in the Panache Ventures national Startup Formation Report.

How Faculties Can Engage with The YSpace Network

The YSpace Network is designed as an opt-in model that allows Faculties to participate at varying levels of engagement:

Affiliate Membership: open access to YSpace programming streams
Step-Up Implementations: pop-up programming, competitions and support
Full Hub Implementations: dedicated on-site hubs with embedded resources

Connect with us directly to explore how your Faculty can join The YSpace Network:

David Kwok, Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, YSpace – davekwok@yorku.ca

Chris Carder, Executive Director, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Schulich School of Business and Jay Smith & Laura Rapp Chair in Innovation & Entrepreneurship – ccarder@schulich.yorku.ca

About 91��ɫ

Media Contact: Nichole Jankowski, 91��ɫ Media Relations and External Communications, 647-995-5013, jankown@yorku.ca

The post Building on success, 91��ɫ launches The YSpace Network appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

Glendon’s GENIAL Initiative helps former student focus his passion for the game

sandramc — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 14:06:57 +0000

La version française suit la version anglaise.

Semi-pro player, trainer, coach and 91��ɫ, Glendon Campus alumnus now runs his own soccer academy for young players thanks to the GENIAL entrepreneurial incubator

Nolan Karuta knows what it takes to be successful in soccer and it’s more than fundamental skills, footwork and passing. It’s about having the right mindset coupled with a passion for the game. The same can be said for the entrepreneurial game of business.

Semi-professional soccer player Nolan Karuta

Karuta, a 2023 91��ɫ Glendon Campus graduate with a bilingual degree in business economics, is not short on passion. “I played soccer my whole life and stopped for a couple of years,” he says. “I came back to it when I went to 91��ɫ because they were known as the best soccer program in Canada. I played and trained with them and played semi-pro for about seven years.”

He wasn’t just passionate about playing soccer, he had an entrepreneurial spirit and an abundance of ideas for businesses, from preventing package theft at front doors to print-on-demand. “I was always kind of entrepreneurially minded. I was always ready to take a leap of faith,” says Karuta.

Nolan Karuta training young players

But discovering which business venture best suited his unique set of skills, strengths and connections came after graduation when he joined the entrepreneurial incubator of the Glendon ENtrepreneuriat et Innovation A L’international (GENIAL) Initiative at the suggestion of Glendon Associate Professor Angelo Dossou-Yovo. Through GENIAL, Karuta was able to focus his passion. “I think it's a great program, something that's really unique,” he says.

Dossou-Yovo, the management and entrepreneurship professor who developed the initiative in 2017, agrees. “It’s the only business incubator in Ontario that I’m aware of that focuses on the process of discovering business opportunities. In addition, we offer a bilingual program, both French and English, and that makes us different. We don’t just have participants develop a business model. At the outset, you really need to make sure you're starting the right business because there is no point developing a business model for a venture that would not gain any market traction or end up not surviving within one to three years.”

Associate Professor Angelo Dossou-Yovo

Through the process, Karuta soon realized what was there all along – a business that drew from his extensive knowledge, experience and skills at playing, teaching and coaching soccer. That was what first sparked the idea for to train young players in both English and French by focussing on technical fundamentals and defensive intelligence, a skill set he says is often overlooked in grassroots Canadian soccer.

“It seems natural in hindsight, but it took some time to realize it. I had a strong football (soccer) network, was a trainee, and coached and played with an ex-Arsenal player towards the end of my career. I thought, I can do this. Without the GENIAL Initiative I don’t think I would have had the same confidence. It helps develop resiliency and provide a support system,” says Karuta. With more than a decade of coaching experience, he continues to be asked by pro players to help coach, such as at FC Bayern Münich’s summer football (soccer) camps. He traveled with them for four weeks and underwent coaching from their philosophy under the Bayern world squad head coach Christopher Loch.

Dossou-Yovo acknowledges that Karuta had several earlier ideas, but this one was “really in line with his passion and is a testimony to the initiative, that it actually helps. We try to create an entrepreneurship mindset by focusing on the early stage of the life cycle of a business. We look at how to identify and develop business opportunities.” It begins with problem solving and learning how to discover and identify business opportunities that offer a higher probability of success.

“We're in the business of helping would-be entrepreneurs and those interested in entrepreneurship to develop entrepreneurship skills,” adds Dossou-Yovo. Within the bilingual GENIAL initiative is a 15-week Entrepreneurial Skills Passport Program, which recently started offering modules to professionals. Once they complete all the modules, they receive a digital badge. The initiative has also grown and now accepts francophone students from other universities and colleges.

A research program in entrepreneurship and innovation within GENIAL is now also developing a crowdsourcing platform to help test business ideas, what might work or not, and what are the opportunities. Something that is especially useful for participants that don’t have deep experience and knowledge in a particular business they’re interested in.

There is also an annual Student Entrepreneurship Competition where students can pitch their ideas, learn how to communicate the value of their business to potential partners and hopefully attract seed funding to launch and scale their business. Karuta took second place in the competition last year and won the public choice award.

This year’s competition was held on Oct. 2 and presented by Glendon GENIAL and Desjardins Financial Group, which has donated to this initiative and a second initiative, YSpace’s ELLA for women entrepreneurs, to expand both.

That gift helped not only with infrastructure needs for the GENIAL incubator and its Entrepreneurial Skills Passport program (ESP), but also resources for the experiential education component of the courses, specifically in social enterprise design, as well as the entrepreneurship project course. In addition, it allowed more modules to be added to the ESP program and provides seed funding to the student entrepreneurs.

The future vision for the Karuta Futbol Academy is to expand and have a non-profit affiliation to hold community pick-up events, drop-in clinics and have a more affordable price point for high level training. Karuta aims to have multiple hubs (North 91��ɫ, 91��ɫ Region, Durham, downtown Toronto) as part of a franchise model by 2026–2027.

Nolan Karuta training young players as part of his Futbol

Karuta continues to refer to what he learned through GENIAL to grow his academy training an increasing number of players ages 10 to 16. Beyond the skill level, Karuta is looking to see if the young players are teachable. “Can I develop a love of the game and help them be a better person?” That is most important. The rest of it, he says he can train. In fact, he loves working with some of the more challenging kids and helping them develop, not just their footwork, but as well-rounded athletes.

“With the youngest players, it’s more about developing skills, but as they get older, that changes and it becomes more about mindset and game IQ. You need the right mindset to succeed.”

L’initiative GENIAL de Glendon aide un diplômé à canaliser sa passion pour le sport

Ancien joueur semi-professionnel, un diplômé du campus Glendon de l’Université 91��ɫ devenu entraîneur dirige aujourd’hui une académie de soccer pour jeunes joueurs grâce à l’incubateur d’entreprises GENIAL.

Nolan Karuta sait que le succès au soccer ne se résume pas aux compétences fondamentales, au jeu de jambes et aux passes. Il faut également être doté du bon état d’esprit et être passionné par ce sport. Il en va de même pour le monde des affaires.

Semi-professional soccer player Nolan Karuta

Nolan, qui a obtenu en 2023 un diplôme bilingue en économie et commerce au campus Glendon de l’Université 91��ɫ, ne manque pas de passion. « J’ai joué au soccer toute ma vie en m’arrêtant seulement pendant quelques années, explique-t-il. Je m’y suis remis lorsque je suis arrivé à l’Université 91��ɫ, qui avait la réputation d’avoir le meilleur programme de soccer au Canada. Je me suis entraîné et j’ai joué en semi-professionnel pendant environ sept ans. »

Sa passion pour le soccer s’ajoutait à un fort esprit d’entreprise. Nolan avait en effet en tête de nombreux concepts d’entreprises comme la prévention du vol de colis laissés à la porte d’entrée ou l’impression sur demande. « J’ai toujours été animé par l’esprit d’entreprise. J’ai toujours été prêt à faire un saut dans l’inconnu », déclare Nolan.

Cependant, ce n’est qu’après l’obtention de son diplôme qu’il a découvert quel type d’entreprise correspondait le mieux à ses compétences, à ses atouts et à son précieux réseau. Il a rejoint l’incubateur entrepreneurial de l’initiative Glendon ENtrepreneuriat et Innovation À L’international (GENIAL) sur la suggestion d’Angelo Dossou-Yovo, professeur agrégé de gestion et d’entrepreneuriat à Glendon, et a pu canaliser sa passion. « Je pense que GENIAL est un excellent programme, quelque chose de vraiment unique », affirme Nolan.

Nolan Karuta training young players

M. Dossou-Yovo, qui a développé l’initiative en 2017, renchérit : « à ma connaissance, c’est le seul incubateur d’entreprises en Ontario axé sur le processus de découverte de possibilités commerciales. De plus, nous nous démarquons en offrant un programme bilingue, français et anglais. Les participant·e·s ne doivent pas se contenter d’élaborer un modèle d’entreprise. Dès le début, il faut s’assurer de se lancer dans la bonne activité, car c’est inutile d’élaborer un modèle commercial pour une jeune entreprise qui ne parviendrait pas à s’imposer sur le marché ou qui finirait par disparaître en un à trois ans. »

Durant ce processus, Nolan s’est vite rendu compte qu’il avait tout avantage à lancer une entreprise fondée sur ses connaissances poussées, son expérience et ses compétences en matière de pratique, d’enseignement et d’entraînement du soccer. L’idée de la a donc germé : elle forme de jeunes en anglais et en français tout en mettant l’accent sur les fondements techniques et l’intelligence défensive, un ensemble de compétences qui, selon lui, est souvent négligé dans le soccer canadien de base.

Associate Professor Angelo Dossou-Yovo

« Cela semble naturel avec le recul, mais il m’a fallu du temps pour m’en rendre compte. J’avais un réseau solide dans le domaine du soccer. J’avais été joueur et entraîneur et vers la fin de ma carrière semi-professionnelle, j’avais côtoyé un ancien joueur d’Arsenal. Je me suis dit que j’en étais capable. Sans l’initiative GENIAL, je ne crois pas que j’aurais eu autant d’assurance. GENIAL renforce la résilience et fournit un système de soutien », ajoute Nolan. Avec plus d’une décennie à son actif en tant qu’entraîneur, il continue d’être sollicité par des joueurs professionnels, notamment lors des camps d’été du FC Bayern de Munich. Il a voyagé avec les joueurs pendant quatre semaines et a suivi leur philosophie sous la houlette de Christopher Loch, l’entraîneur de l’équipe mondiale du Bayern.

Angelo Dossou-Yovo confirme que Nolan avait plusieurs idées initiales, mais que cette dernière « correspondait vraiment à sa passion et qu’elle témoigne de l’utilité de l’initiative GENIAL. Nous essayons de créer un état d’esprit entrepreneurial en nous concentrant sur les premières étapes du cycle de vie d’une entreprise. Nous examinons les moyens de définir et de développer des possibilités commerciales ». Cela commence par la résolution de problèmes et l’apprentissage de la manière de découvrir et de cerner les plus viables.

« Nous aidons les entrepreneurs potentiels et les personnes qui s’intéressent à l’entrepreneuriat à développer des compétences dans ce domaine », ajoute-t-il. Dans le cadre de l’initiative bilingue GENIAL, un programme de passeport de compétences entrepreneuriales d’une durée de 15 semaines a récemment commencé à proposer des modules aux professionnels. Une fois qu’ils ont terminé tous les modules, les participant·e·s reçoivent un badge numérique. L’initiative s’est développée et accueille maintenant des étudiant·e·s francophones d’autres universités et collèges.

Un programme de recherche sur l’entrepreneuriat et l’innovation au sein de GENIAL est en train de mettre au point une plateforme de production participative pour aider à tester les idées commerciales, ce qui pourrait fonctionner ou non, et quelles sont les possibilités. C’est particulièrement utile pour les participant·e·s qui n’ont pas d’expérience et de connaissances approfondies dans le domaine d’entreprise qui les intéresse.

Par ailleurs, un concours annuel de l’entrepreneuriat étudiant donne la chance aux étudiantes et étudiants de présenter leurs concepts, d’apprendre à communiquer la valeur de leur entreprise à des partenaires potentiels et, avec un peu de chance, d’obtenir un financement de départ pour lancer et développer leur entreprise. L’année dernière, Nolan a remporté la deuxième place du concours et le prix du choix du public.

Le concours de cette année, qui a eu lieu le 2 octobre, était présenté par GENIAL et le Groupe financier Desjardins, qui a fait un don à cette initiative et à une autre initiative pour les femmes entrepreneures, ELLA de YSpace, en vue de leur expansion.

Ce don a permis non seulement de répondre aux besoins en infrastructure de l’incubateur GENIAL et de son programme Passeport Compétences Entrepreneuriales (PCE), mais aussi de fournir des ressources pour la composante d’éducation expérientielle des cours, notamment pour la création d’entreprises à vocation sociale, ainsi que pour le cours sur les projets d’entrepreneuriat. Par ailleurs, il a permis d’ajouter d’autres modules au programme PCE et de fournir un financement de départ aux étudiant⸱e⸱s entrepreneur⸱e⸱s.

La vision d’avenir de la Karuta Futbol Academy est de s’agrandir et d’avoir une affiliation à but non lucratif afin d’organiser des parties communautaires improvisées, des cliniques sans inscription préalable et de proposer des formations de haut niveau à des prix plus abordables. Nolan aimerait avoir plusieurs centres d’activités (North 91��ɫ, région de 91��ɫ, Durham, centre-ville de Toronto) dans le cadre d’un modèle de franchise d’ici 2026-2027.

Nolan Karuta training young players as part of his Karuta Futbol Academy

Il continue de se référer à ce qu’il a appris grâce à GENIAL pour développer son académie en formant un nombre croissant de joueurs âgés de 10 à 16 ans. Au-delà du niveau de compétence, Nolan Karuta cherche à savoir si les jeunes de l’académie sont capables d’apprendre. « Puis-je leur faire aimer le jeu et les aider à devenir de meilleures personnes? » C’est le plus important. Pour le reste, il peut les entraîner. En fait, il adore travailler avec certains des enfants en difficulté et les aider à développer, non seulement leur jeu de jambes, mais aussi leur personnalité d’athlète.

« Avec les plus jeunes, l’accent est davantage mis sur l’élaboration des compétences, mais à mesure qu’ils grandissent, cela évolue et l’accent est davantage mis sur l’état d’esprit et l’intelligence de jeu. Il est essentiel d’avoir le bon état d’esprit pour réussir. »

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Richmond Hill and 91��ɫ forge new partnership

sandramc — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 21:00:56 +0000

New MOU agreement supports City’s business development,
environmental sustainability, continuous improvement and innovation initiatives

Richmond Hill, Feb. 3, 2025 – Earlier today, Richmond Hill Mayor David West and 91��ɫ President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), to set a path forward on shared goals to benefit both Richmond Hill residents and businesses.

Richmond Hill Mayor David West and 91��ɫ President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton sign a five-year Memorandum of Understanding

The MOU will provide a number of new opportunities for the City of Richmond Hill and 91��ɫ faculty and students with a focus on new research projects that support business and entrepreneurship; new experiential learning opportunities at the City for 91��ɫ students; professional development and training opportunities for staff within the City; and additional education opportunities for the community.

In addition, the MOU will support local economic development initiatives including continued collaboration related to 91��ɫ’s Food Business Incubator and ELLA Women Accelerator programs.

Richmond Hill has a long history of welcoming 91��ɫ graduates and faculty to the community. This new partnership builds on shared goals of community building, business development, environmental sustainability and continuous improvement and innovation for which the City and 91��ɫ each pursue a wide range of initiatives and projects.

Quotes

“I am truly excited about this opportunity to further collaborate with 91��ɫ. 91��ɫ is a top international teaching and research university and a driving force for positive change in our Region. By deepening our partnership, we are bringing a lot of smart people together to work on developing shared projects that will ultimately benefit our community as a whole. I am looking forward to this next chapter and seeing where it takes us!”

- David West, Mayor of Richmond Hill

"91��ɫ and Richmond Hill have a long history of partnering to create opportunities for the communities we serve. With a shared focus on advancing sustainability, societal well-being and economic prosperity, we are well-positioned to create meaningful change. I want to thank the City of Richmond Hill for partnering with us. I am confident that together, we can realize a more sustainable, equitable and prosperous future for us all.”

- Rhonda Lenton, President and Vice-Chancellor, 91��ɫ

About the City of Richmond Hill

Richmond Hill is home to more than 200,000 residents and almost 5,000 businesses.
The City offers access to world-leading professional services, top-notch incubators and research facilities and over 20 universities and colleges within a one-hour drive.
Smart people from all over the world come to Richmond Hill to build and grow innovative businesses. The City is home to over 4,500 companies, many of whom are designing and developing the next generation of cutting-edge products.
Richmond Hill is part of Canada’s largest technology cluster and a pioneer in the four key business sectors (Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, Health Industry, Finance and Insurance, and Information and Cultural Industries).
Richmond Hill is a leader in environmental management and sustainability. Its forward-thinking Environment Strategy and Community Energy and Emissions Plan help guide the City and community’s environmental efforts and tackle climate change issues from various angles.
The City is committed to working with innovative and engaged citizens, as well as key government and private sector partners, to build a sustainable, resilient, low-carbon city.

About 91��ɫ

91��ɫ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university with three campuses in the Greater Toronto Area including Keele and Markham, in the heart 91��ɫ Region, one of the most diverse and dynamic urban communities in the province.
91��ɫ's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.
We are committed to ensuring that our students have an array of opportunities inside and outside the classroom to hone the skills they need for success including co-op and other forms of work-integrated learning.
We also provide transnational learning activities both online with international partner institutions and through exchanges and courses offered at our Las Nubes Campus in Costa Rica and/or summer programs.
Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we are committed to providing the talent, research and innovation to help solve societal challenges and drive positive change for the communities we serve.

Media Contacts

Sandra McLean Senior Writer and External Communications Specialist, 91��ɫ
Sandramc@yorku.ca

Candice Debi
Director, Communications, City of Richmond Hill
Candice.Debi@RichmondHill.ca

Kate Davey
Communications Coordinator, Office of the Mayor
Kate.Davey@RichmondHill.ca

The post Richmond Hill and 91��ɫ forge new partnership appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

Glendon’s GENIAL initiative helps Ontario francophone students and communities excel

sandramc — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 17:57:49 +0000

La version française suit la version anglaise.

The entrepreneurially driven initiative teaches non-business participants the foundational skills for identifying opportunities and developing innovative solutions to start a new business.

Gabrielle Cooper-Saint-Cyr had already finished her BA in international studies at 91��ɫ’s Glendon College and was part way into a degree in translation services when she saw a poster for Glendon ENtrepreneuriat et Innovation A L’international (GENIAL) initiative on the hallway wall opposite her class.

“I thought this seems like the exact thing that I'm looking for. And it was already ongoing on campus, which was easily accessible,” she says.

At the time, Cooper-Saint-Cyr was trying to figure out how as a non-business student she could get the entrepreneurial skills and guidance needed to propel her work as a freelance translator forward. The GENIAL initiative did so much more. It gave her the confidence and know how to start her own translation business, not just do it off the side of her desk.

From left, 91��ɫ VP Research and Innovation Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation David Kwok, Special Projects Manager, YSpace Marlina Ramchandran, Glendon Principal Marco Fiola, Glendon Associate Professor Angelo Dossou-Yovo, and Glendon Associate Principal Audrey Pyee at the Student Entrepreneurship Competition.jpg

GENIAL, a bilingual initiative, offers Glendon students, Faculties and Ontario francophones training, extracurricular activities, and a research program in entrepreneurship and innovation.

The fact that the GENIAL entrepreneurial incubator was open to everyone regardless of their degree and was in Cooper-Saint-Cyr’s first language, French, as well as English was a huge bonus for her.

“It’s especially nice if you’re working and living in Ontario as there aren’t always French resources available and not everything is bilingual. It also helps establish a better sense of community,” she says. “Translation is not like a traditional company that you're creating, so it was a bit more complicated, but any questions I had was easily answered.”

Cooper-Saint-Cyr is one of the winners of last year’s business pitch Student Entrepreneurship Competition presented by Glendon GENIAL and Desjardins Financial Group, which donated more than $775,000 to this initiative and a second initiative, YSpace’s ELLA for women entrepreneurs, to expand both accelerators. That gift helped not only with infrastructure needs for the GENIAL incubator and its Entrepreneurial Skills Passport program (ESP), but also resources for the experiential education component of the courses, specifically in social enterprise design, as well as the entrepreneurship project course. In addition, it allowed more modules to be added to the ESP program and provides seed funding to the student entrepreneurs.

“It really helped us get to the next level,” says Associate Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship Angelo Dossou-Yovo, who launched the GENIAL initiative in 2017. So far 64 students have gained entrepreneurial knowledge through the ESP program.

This year’s competition on Sept. 26 will again offer students, interested in developing their entrepreneurial spirit, the opportunity to pitch their venture project and get seed funding.

Dossou-Yovo joined 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Glendon as a business faculty member in its four-year dual degree program, which offers students the ability to combine two years of studies at Glendon with two additional ones at the Emlyon Business School in France to earn an International Bachelor of Arts (iBA) in International Studies and a Global Bachelor in Business Administration (GBBA).

CEO of Desjardins Guy Cormier (L) with 91��ɫ President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton

But when he saw the tremendous interest liberal arts students showed in attaining entrepreneurial skills, he realized there was an opportunity to offer something unique to the francophone and bilingual community.

“In this initiative we try to create an entrepreneurship mindset by focusing on the early stage of the life cycle of a business. We look at how to identify and develop business opportunities. How to know when something is worth spending time, money and resources on in the long run. The starting point is solving problems, and how to discover and identify opportunities, but also how to test them and make sure that you come up with something with a higher probability of success,” says Dossou-Yovo.

“We're in the business of helping would-be entrepreneurs and those interested in entrepreneurship to develop entrepreneurship skills they can leverage later on either to create a business or to look for a job in organizations where intrapreneurship skills are needed.”

Within the GENIAL initiative is the 15-week Entrepreneurial Skills Passport Program, a series of workshops, entrepreneurial activities, and presentations, where Cooper-Saint-Cyr developed the skills to start her translation business years before she originally intended. Despite not having a business background, she felt she was in the right place.

“I received a lot of help throughout. There wasn't ever a point where I was like ‘Oh, this is something I should rethink doing’ because I kept getting the help I needed, which is great. If you're going to go into a program of that sort you want to feel like you're on par with all the other students and can learn at the same pace.”

The final piece, the pitch competition, teaches students to communicate the value of their business to potential partners and to hopefully attract seed funding to launch and scale their business.

Although Cooper-Saint-Cyr wasn’t sure what to expect when she started, she says, “it definitely went beyond my hopes.” By the end of a few months, including some time off to concentrate on her other studies, she had already registered her company and lined up several contracts.

“That was amazing. They know what they're doing for one, but they also know when to push and when to allow you to take a step back. They are great in helping you push forward when you have your doubts.”

She is now looking to expand her business and offer more services.

“I think that's a success story,” says Dossou-Yovo. “You know, that wouldn't be possible if she did not have access to the GENIAL initiative while being student at Glendon.”

It’s also another way organizations like Desjardins are stepping up to help 91��ɫ create positive change now and into the future.

L’initiative GENIAL de Glendon aide la population étudiante et les communautés francophones de l’Ontario à exceller

**Cette démarche axée sur l’entrepreneuriat inculque aux personnes qui débutent en affaires les compétences f*ondamentales qui leur permettront d’identifier des occasions et de concevoir des approches inédites pour créer leur entreprise.***

Ayant déjà à son actif un baccalauréat en études internationales du Collège universitaire Glendon de l’Université 91��ɫ, Gabrielle Cooper-Saint-Cyr préparait un diplôme en traduction lorsqu’elle a remarqué une affiche GENIAL (Glendon ENtrepreneuriat et Innovation À L’international) sur le mur en face de sa classe.

« Je me suis dit que c’était exactement ce que je cherchais. Le projet était déjà en cours sur mon campus, alors c’était très facile d’y accéder. », explique-t-elle.

À l’époque, Mme Cooper-Saint-Cyr cherchait à développer ses compétences entrepreneuriales en tant qu’étudiante non formée dans ce domaine afin de mieux gérer sa future carrière de traductrice autonome. GENIAL a fait beaucoup plus pour elle : en plus de lui fournir les compétences techniques et la confiance nécessaires, l’initiative l’a encouragée à fonder une entreprise de traduction.

GENIAL est une initiative bilingue qui offre à la population étudiante de Glendon, aux facultés et aux francophones de l’Ontario une formation, des activités para-universitaires et un programme de recherche en entrepreneuriat et en innovation.

Le fait que l’incubateur entrepreneurial GENIAL soit ouvert à tout le monde — peu importe leur diplôme —, et qu’il soit offert en français (la langue maternelle de Mme Cooper-Saint-Cyr) ainsi qu’en anglais était un énorme atout.

« C’est particulièrement utile si vous travaillez et vivez en Ontario, car tout n’est pas bilingue et des ressources ne sont pas toujours offertes en français, explique-t-elle. De plus, le programme renforce notre sentiment d’appartenance à la communauté. Une entreprise de traduction diffère beaucoup d’une entreprise traditionnelle. Je n’ai toutefois eu aucun mal à obtenir des réponses satisfaisantes à mes questions. »

Mme Cooper-Saint-Cyr faisait partie des étudiants et étudiantes ayant remporté la compétition entrepreneuriale de l’année précédente, organisée par GENIAL et commanditée par le groupe Desjardins, qui avait contribué plus de 775 000 $ à cette initiative ainsi qu’à l’initiative ELLA de YSpace — qui est consacrée aux femmes entrepreneures —, afin de renforcer ces deux accélérateurs. Ce don a permis non seulement de répondre aux besoins en infrastructure de l’incubateur GENIAL et de son programme Passeport Compétences entrepreneuriales (PCE), mais aussi de fournir des ressources pour la composante d’éducation expérientielle des cours, notamment pour la création d’entreprises à vocation sociale, ainsi que pour le cours sur les projets d’entrepreneuriat. De plus, il a permis d’ajouter des modules au programme PCE et de fournir un financement d’amorçage aux étudiant⸱e⸱s entrepreneur⸱e⸱s.

« Nous avons pu passer à la vitesse supérieure », déclare Angelo Dossou-Yovo, professeur agrégé de gestion et d’entrepreneuriat et fondateur de l’initiative GENIAL en 2017. À ce jour, 64 étudiantes et étudiants ont acquis des connaissances en entrepreneuriat grâce au programme PCE.

Cette année encore, la compétition du 26 septembre offrira aux étudiantes et étudiants désireux de développer leur esprit d’entrepreneuriat la possibilité de présenter leur projet et d’obtenir un financement d’amorçage.

À son arrivée à Glendon, M. Dossou-Yovo enseignait le commerce dans le cadre du programme de double diplôme en quatre ans du collège universitaire, qui donne aux étudiant⸱e⸱s la possibilité de combiner deux années d’études à Glendon avec deux années à l’École de commerce emlyon en France afin d’obtenir un baccalauréat international ès arts (i.B.A.) en études internationales et un baccalauréat en administration des affaires (B.A.A.).

Cependant, quand il a réalisé l’engouement des jeunes universitaires pour le développement de compétences entrepreneuriales, il a souhaité lancer un projet unique en son genre pour la population francophone et bilingue.

« Dans le cadre de cette initiative, nous tentons de développer un esprit d’entreprise en nous concentrant sur les premières étapes du cycle de vie d’une entreprise. Nous examinons les moyens de définir et de développer des occasions d’affaires, c’est-à-dire savoir si un projet vaut la peine qu’on y consacre du temps, de l’argent et des ressources à long terme. Tout commence par la résolution de problèmes, la recherche, l’évaluation et la validation de possibilités commerciales pour maximiser les chances de réussite », explique M. Dossou-Yovo.

« Nous aidons les entrepreneur⸱e⸱s en herbe et les personnes intéressées par l’entrepreneuriat à développer des compétences entrepreneuriales qu’elles pourront exploiter plus tard, soit pour créer une entreprise, soit pour chercher un emploi dans des organisations où les compétences entrepreneuriales sont nécessaires. »

Grâce au programme Passeport Compétences entrepreneuriales de 15 semaines proposées dans le cadre du projet GENIAL, Mme Cooper-Saint-Cyr a pu développer les compétences nécessaires pour créer sa propre entreprise de traduction. Cela s’est fait bien bien plus tôt que prévu. Bien qu’elle n’ait pas de formation commerciale, elle s’est sentie au bon endroit.

« J’ai reçu beaucoup d’aide tout au long du processus. Je n’ai jamais remis mon choix en question parce que j’ai continué à recevoir le support nécessaire, ce qui était formidable. Quand on s’engage dans un tel programme, on veut avoir l’impression d’être sur un pied d’égalité et d’apprendre au même rythme que tout le monde. »

La dernière étape, la compétition « pitch publique », permet aux jeunes entrepreneurs et entrepreneures d’apprendre à présenter les atouts de leur entreprise auprès de futurs partenaires, dans l’espoir d’obtenir un financement pour en accélérer le développement.

Même si Mme Cooper-Saint-Cyr ne savait pas trop à quoi s’attendre lorsqu’elle a commencé, elle affirme que les résultats ont dépassé toutes ses espérances. Au bout de quelques mois seulement — avec quelques interruptions pour se consacrer à ses études —, elle a fondé son entreprise et obtenu plusieurs contrats.

« C’était incroyable. Ils s’y prennent très bien et ils savent quand il faut pousser et quand on peut prendre un peu de recul. Ils nous aident à continuer d’avancer quand on a des doutes. »

Mme Cooper-Saint-Cyr cherche maintenant à développer son entreprise et à bonifier son offre de services.

« Je pense, déclare M. Dossou-Yovo, que c’est un bel exemple de réussite qui n’aurait pas été possible sans l’accès à l’initiative GENIAL durant ses études à Glendon. »

C’est aussi une autre façon pour des organisations comme Desjardins d’aider 91��ɫ à susciter des changements positifs aujourd’hui et à l’avenir.

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More than $1M in funding approved to support women entrepreneurs and attract international businesses to 91��ɫ Region

sandramc — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 13:10:42 +0000

TORONTO, Feb. 15, 2024 – 91��ɫ and the Treefrog Accelerator have partnered with (91��ɫ Region) to give businesses led by international talent and women entrepreneurs a JumpSTART in 91��ɫ Region with .

91��ɫ Regional Council has committed $1.08 million in funding from the 91��ɫ Region Innovation Investment Fund over three years for Project JumpSTART to continue strengthening 91��ɫ Region’s business economy through fostering innovation with a focus on international and women-led tech entrepreneurs.

Wayne Emmerson

"Economic vitality remains a for 91��ɫ Regional Council and it is integral our local businesses have resources to help them succeed,” said 91��ɫ Region Chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson. "Additional funding provided through 91��ɫ Region’s Innovation Fund will empower growing businesses, attract international entrepreneurs and support foreign direct investment, strengthening 91��ɫ Region as a thriving hub for talent and opportunity.”

Project JumpSTART is a partnership between 91��ɫ’s YSpace, the and the . The Towns of East Gwillimbury, Georgina and Newmarket are also collaborators in this initiative.

Rhonda Lenton

“This initiative builds on 91��ɫ’s long-standing partnership with 91��ɫ Region to combine skills, knowledge and resources to support and bring new small businesses, innovators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers as well as economic prosperity to the region,” says 91��ɫ President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton. “With just over 17 per cent of Canadian businesses owned by women in the private sector, JumpSTART will bring much needed support for women entrepreneurs, help reduce the notable gender disparities in Canada’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and help to attract international entrepreneurs to choose 91��ɫ Region.”

Project JumpSTART will leverage the funding to expand 91��ɫ’s YSpace ELLA Program and Treefrog Inc.’s , to achieve the following:

Increase local employment and economic growth by attracting new innovation and tech-centric businesses to establish operations in 91��ɫ Region
Promote equity and diversity in entrepreneurship by supporting international and female-founders to settle locally
Expand business and entrepreneurship guidance, resources and increase innovation support capacity for the northern six municipalities, a historically underserved area of 91��ɫ Region, operating out of hubs at the Treefrog Accelerator, YSpace Georgina and YSpace Markham
Continued focus on foreign direct investment and soft-landing for technology businesses and entrepreneurs

Participants will have access to workshops and mentorship opportunities as well as the potential for specialized training through the , in addition to insights from Schulich-prepared market readiness reports that will help ease the transition into the region. Women in particular can tap into networking and collaboration opportunities.

YSpace is a pan-91��ɫ innovation hub that supports startups and entrepreneurs with some 784 technology, food and beverage, women-led and Black-led ventures supported. YSpace businesses have generated $205 million in revenue, created 1,302 jobs and 1,092 work integrated opportunities since 2018.

Accelerate Newmarket is a consortium of the Newmarket Chamber of Commerce, Schulich School of Business, YSpace and Treefrog Inc. Through this partnership from 2021 to 2023, the Treefrog Accelerator, through Accelerate Newmarket has supported 370 ventures which have collectively raised more than $30 million.

91��ɫ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for meaningful life and career paths. 91��ɫ's Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s campus in Costa Rica offers students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs, while at the Markham Campus, innovation, technology, entrepreneurship and industry collaboration are built into every program. 91��ɫ’s new School of Medicine, the first Canadian medical school to focus on community-based primary health-care education, will welcome its first cohort in September 2028 (subject to accreditation). 91��ɫ was recently named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for the 14th consecutive year. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contact: Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ Media Relations,  sandramc@yorku.ca

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Trade Minister launches $1.8 M women entrepreneurship program

roshanp — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 21:34:14 +0000

91��ɫ’s ELLA program kicks off in advance of International Women’s Day

TORONTO, March 3, 2020 – An accelerator program supporting 54 women entrepreneurs from 91��ɫ Region and the Greater Toronto Area is being unveiled at a launch event tonight featuring Canada’s International Trade Minister Mary Ng.

(Entrepreneurial Leadership & Learning Alliance) – a program created by women, for women – starts tonight, just days before on March 8.

The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade and Member of Parliament for Markham–Thornhill, is speaking at the event, along with 91��ɫ President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton and Jenise Lee, Founder of PurPicks and CertClean who is a 91��ɫ alumna.

Many of the 54 women entrepreneurs in ELLA are attending the kick-off event for the program, which supports existing women entrepreneurs by providing them with one-on-one mentoring with top entrepreneurs, hands-on workshops, leadership training, and a community of experts, peers and supporters.

The federal government is providing $1.8 million in funding for ELLA, led by 91��ɫ’s , in partnership with the small business enterprise centres of Markham, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, and 91��ɫ Region. The program will also have several corporate partners; Shopify has signed on as the premier partner in support of ELLA.

“Initiatives like 91��ɫ’s ELLA program help women entrepreneurs gain the knowledge, tools, and connections they need to start and grow their businesses,” said Ng. “Our government is also working to advance these goals through Canada’s first-ever Women Entrepreneurship Strategy. Together, we will ensure women-led businesses in the 91��ɫ region – and across the country – have access to the supports they need to start up, scale up, and access new markets.”

Launching ELLA during the same week as International Women’s Day is fitting, given the global need for opportunities and conditions for women to thrive and succeed.

“The ELLA program for women business owners is an example of 91��ɫ’s focus on new educational approaches – like entrepreneurship and work-integrated learning – that equip our graduates to thrive in the competitive global knowledge economy,” said Lenton. “It is especially important that we give women access to the skills, supports and tools needed to build their businesses as part of our work to build a more gender-equal world.”

The ten-month training and support program is tailored to help the 54 women who are participating to accelerate their business growth. They will be given access to a network of other women founders, top experts, mentors and supporters. Tonight’s event marks the first time that the participants are in one room, along with supporters.

In Canada, women entrepreneurs account for only 16 per cent of business owners. For Sarah Howe, Director of Innovation 91��ɫ, the statistics are evidence that women business owners need to be supported. ELLA is especially targeted to women entrepreneurs in 91��ɫ Region because the community is considered underserved, given the region’s large geographically-disbursed population, with some rural and remote areas.

Each of the 54 women entrepreneurs owns 50 per cent or more of their business, has a business with sales and initial traction, and lives in 91��ɫ Region or can travel to 91��ɫ Region for the training and workshops.

“This program is meant for women founders who are ready to hustle and grow their business,” explained Howe. “These women will get access to a community of other women founders, mentor and experts who can give them solid business advice and more connections, everyone from better suppliers to more investors.”

When 91��ɫ alumna Stephanie Florio and her brother realized that students were still applying to jobs by printing a stack of resumes and walking around the mall to hand them out store by store, it sparked an idea.

Florio co-founded , a mobile recruitment app believed to be the first-of-its-kind to help students find part-time, seasonal and entry-level jobs more easily. It also makes the hiring process more efficient for employers.

“The app has similar functionality to Tinder. Once job seekers create their profiles, they swipe right to apply to jobs and swipe left to ignore jobs,” said Florio, a 30-year-old Woodbridge resident. “I joined ELLA to continue to learn and grow my business.”

Another participant is Zuly Matallana, owner of TIARA Bliss Inc. The Vaughan woman created , a reinvented, patented shower cap that blocks water and humidity. She’s had a successful pitch on CBC’s Dragon's Den, was chosen as a 2019 gift pick by Good Morning America and is currently developing new products.

Cherrie-Marie Chiu is the executive director of whose not-for-profit foundation was born after her brother Christopher was diagnosed with ALS. An ELLA participant from Markham, Chiu’s charity raises awareness and funds to support ALS research to find a cure.

NOTE: Please direct media interview requests to the contact below. Photographs of the event are available on request.

91��ɫ champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni.

91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact: Vanessa Thompson, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 647-654-9452, vthomps@yorku.ca

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Program for women entrepreneurs to launch before International Women’s Day

roshanp — Thu, 27 Feb 2020 16:39:08 +0000

TORONTO, February 27, 2020 – A federally-funded program tailored to give 54 women entrepreneurs from 91��ɫ Region and the Greater Toronto Area the tools and connections needed to grow their businesses will launch at an event next Tuesday, March 3.

91��ɫ President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton will be joined by the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade and Member of Parliament for Markham–Thornhill, along with many of the 54 women business owners who are participants in the program. The launch event will showcase how the program will help women entrepreneurs.

WHAT: ELLA launch and funding announcement

WHEN: Tuesday, March 3 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: Second Student Centre, in the second-floor conference centre, at 91��ɫ’s Keele campus (see #102 on this ).

SPEAKERS:

Rhonda L. Lenton, 91��ɫ President and Vice-Chancellor

Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade and Member of Parliament for Markham–Thornhill

Jenise Lee, Founder of PurPicks and CertClean, 91��ɫ alumna (MBA ’12)

Sarah Howe, Director of Innovation 91��ɫ

NOTE:

Program participants available for media interviews include a Woodbridge woman who created a mobile app to help students find jobs, a Vaughan resident who invented a unique shower cap, and a Markham woman who set up a non-profit for ALS research.

Members of the media should RSVP to the contact below.