(MISSISSAUGA, ON) March 10, 2023: Students at Toronto Metropolitan University, Durham College, and Fleming College have been named 2023 TD Entrepreneurship Challenge Regional Champions by Canada’s largest experiential learning platform, Enactus Canada, and proud program supporter, TD Bank Group
The team from Enactus Toronto Metropolitan University created The Shepreneur Project – an international female entrepreneurship bootcamp that helps address the needs of vulnerable women who are often overlooked as successful entrepreneurs. The bootcamp teaches the basics of entrepreneurship including financial literacy, customer acquisition, marketing, and more! In 2022, the team helped start 35 businesses, exposed 200 people to entrepreneurship, and helped 67 entrepreneurs better their business.
The Enactus team from Durham College started Project Founders Drive, which helps student entrepreneurs realize their dreams in operating a successful start up through a series of podcasts and business opportunities. The team created 18 jobs, helped young people start seven businesses, and exposed 780 people to entrepreneurship through collaborations with RBC Future Launch, Cooperative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada, and the Venture Development Institute.
Enactus Fleming College created Paddy Waste to Income to help farmers in Punjab and Uttarakhand, India turn rice paddy waste into opportunity. Once traditionally burned (resulting in air pollution and GHG emissions), this paddy waste is turned into feed for cattle, protecting crops, and providing bedding in dairy farms. This year alone, Enactus Fleming College has helped 21 entrepreneurs repurpose waste.
“Enactus students are the next-gen leaders of tomorrow.” says Allyson Hewitt, President of Enactus Canada. “Not only are they taking an entrepreneurial approach to address community issues, but they’re using social innovation to elevate Canadian entrepreneurs and it’s truly inspiring.”
The TD Entrepreneurship Challenge is a national competition empowering post-secondary students to deliver projects that teach entrepreneurial skills to aspiring and existing entrepreneurs. Since 2007, 21,699 Enactus students have dedicated over 1,000,000 hours to deliver more than 2,500 entrepreneurship projects that started 4,500 businesses while directly impacting the lives of over 23,000 entrepreneurs.
“I’d like to congratulate Toronto Metropolitan University, Durham College, and Fleming College for being named Regional Champions of the 2023 TD Entrepreneurship Challenge,” says Kate Lally, Senior Manager, Social Impact. “As part of our corporate citizenship platform, the TD Ready Commitment, we are proud to support Enactus Canada which is helping to shape the next generation of business leaders who are passionate about building a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow using their entrepreneurial skills. Through their ventures, these students are helping address key issues experienced by many individuals and in turn helping open doors to new opportunities in communities across Canada.”
Student teams demonstrated the impact of their entrepreneurial projects to panels of business executives on March 10 in Mississauga as part of the Enactus Canada Regional Exposition – Central Canada.
All three teams will now move on to the national level of competition taking place May 1-3, 2023 at the Enactus Canada National Exposition in Montreal.
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ABOUT ENACTUS CANADA: Enactus Canada, a national charity and the country’s largest post-secondary experiential learning platform, is shaping entrepreneurial leaders who are passionate about advancing the economic, social and environmental health of Canada. Guided by academic advisors and business experts, more than 3,000 post-secondary students led 188 community empowerment projects and business ventures last year in communities coast to coast, directly impacting over 30,000 lives.
As a global network of 33 countries, Enactus uses the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better, more sustainable world. For more information, visit enactus.ca.
Media Inquiries:
Jennifer Falzon
VP, Programs & Marketing
Enactus Canada
jen@enactus.ca | 416.315.2099
Enactus Toronto Metropolitan University celebrating at the 2023 Enactus Canada Regional Exposition – Central Canada
Enactus Durham College celebrating at the 2023 Enactus Canada Regional Exposition – Central Canada
Enactus Fleming College celebrating at the 2023 Enactus Canada Regional Exposition – Central Canada