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Early-Stage Summer Sprint

From Idea to World Stage

The Early-Stage Summer Sprint is a national accelerator designed to support early- stage business ventures and develop innovative social enterprises, community initiatives, and impact-driven ventures aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).   

The program has finished for this year. Congratulations to LimbRise from University of PEI. This venture will be competing at the Enactus World Cup in November. 

Program Details
June 15
6-week program starts
100% Virtual
Interactive sessions
 

Mentorship 

Support throughout sprint

Individual or team
All postsecondary students
SDG aligned
Impact-driven ventures

How it works:

  • Individuals and/or teams of up to three register below
  • Participants do not have to be part of an Enactus team to take part in the program
  • Participants will complete a six-week, virtual program with interactive workshops to gain experience in venture development, social innovation, and entrepreneurial leadership
  • Mentors will support teams throughout 
  • Registered Enactus Teams can enter the Early-Stage Competition  
  • Top teams will advance to virtual national final to a panel of judges 
  • One Enactus team will be selected for the opportunity to represent Canada at the Enactus World Cup in São Paulo, Brazil

Over the course of the six weeks, participants will explore: 

  • Week 1 – Problem Identification & Needs Assessment 
  • Week 2 – Ideation & Solution Design 
  • Week 3 – Building Innovation and Intervention mapping 
  • Week 4 & 5 – Prototyping, MVP Development & Testing 
  • Week 6 – Pitch Preparation  

Students will work individually or in teams of up to three to develop innovative solutions addressing social, environmental, or economic challenges in their communities. 

Registration is closed.

  • Open to all students enrolled at a Canadian postsecondary school  (Enactus and non-Enactus students)
  • Maximum of three students on a team
  • Schools can register multiple teams 
  • Projects must be in the early stages of development
  • Participation is open to: 
    • New ideas 
    • Early-stage ventures 
    • Community initiatives 
    • Existing projects with no measurable impact yet 
  • Projects should address a social, environmental, or economic challenge 
  • Teams must actively participate in workshops, mentorship sessions, program deliverables, and national finals if selected
  • Participants in the Sprint are not required to participate in the competition, but those competing in the Enactus Canada Early–Stage Competition must be registered with an active Enactus Canada team to be eligible  
Week 1

Problem Identification & Needs Assessment 

Week 2
Ideation & Solution Design
 
Week 3

Building Innovation and Intervention mapping 

Week 4-5

Prototyping, MVP Development & Testing 

Week 6
Pitch Preperation

Participant requirements

  • Open to all postsecondary students in Canada — both Enactus and non-Enactus students are welcome
  • Teams may include a maximum of three students; individual participation is also accepted
  • Institutes may submit multiple teams
  • Active participation required: workshops, mentorship sessions, program deliverables, and Virtual National Finals if selected
  • To compete in the national competition, students/teams must be registered with an active Enactus Canada team

Project requirements

  • Projects must be in the early stages of development
  • Must address a social, environmental, or economic challenge

Eligible project types include:

  • New ideas
  • Early-stage ventures
  • Community initiatives
  • Projects with no measurable impact yet
 
  •  ClinIQ, University of British Columbia: A healthcare platform designed to help patients get to the right care faster, while reducing the administrative load on physicians — built to work alongside the tools clinics already use.
     
  • EchoLoop, University of British Columbia: A sustainable materials innovation that gives textile waste a second life as a functional building product, with a strong eye toward real-world performance standards.
     
  • ForeSite, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology: A tech-driven solution to help predict and manage environmental risk, combining established science with modern data tools on a clear path from prototype to scale. 
     
  • GrainCycle, McGill University: A circular-economy venture turning a common industry byproduct into a new consumer product, with a business model designed around multiple revenue streams from a single waste problem.
     
  • LimbRise, University of Prince Edward Island: A recovery-focused innovation for knee injuries, designed to make mobility aids more comfortable and keep patients connected to care between clinical visits. Built on deep patient research and a clear path to market.