CALGARY (March 11, 2013) – Two student teams from Okanagan College and University of Calgary have been named 2013 TD Entrepreneurship Challenge Regional Champions by national charitable organization Enactus Canada and proud program supporter TD Bank Group.
The TD Entrepreneurship Challenge is a national competition empowering post-secondary students to develop and deliver projects that teach relevant entrepreneurship skills to aspiring and existing entrepreneurs. Through this Challenge, 5,037 students have positively impacted 33,346 aspiring entrepreneurs and 7,686 small businesses.
“We are delighted to foster an entrepreneurial spirit in our post-secondary students through the TD Entrepreneurship Challenge,” says Frank McKenna, Deputy Chair, TD Bank Group. “Providing these students with comprehensive training and diverse challenges helps lay the ground work for their future success. All Canadians will benefit from their passion and drive to create and build new businesses.”
Student teams from across Western Canada showcased their projects to panels of industry professionals on March 8th in Calgary. The champion Enactus student teams stood out to judges because they provided aspiring and existing entrepreneurs with the skills, knowledge and community connections to realize their passion.
The following are the winning projects that are using entrepreneurial action to transform lives:
Okanagan College’s Shuswap Launch-A-Preneur is tackling the major issue of unemployment in Salmon Arm, B.C. While the national unemployment rate sits at seven percent, Salmon Arm is struggling with a 13 percent average. Through a business plan competition, Okanagan College is helping entrepreneurs launch new enterprises. More importantly, the project enjoys a 78 percent rate of success among competition finalists.
The Push Network project, initiated by the University of Calgary Enactus team, fosters entrepreneurship in students while providing resources to run their businesses. Through a four day event, 100 participants received individualized entrepreneurship programs and workshops. Through competitions judged by industry leaders and Angel investors, The Push Network has initiated 16 student start-ups and created 23 jobs.
“These teams are making a real difference in the lives of people in need through their entrepreneurship education projects”, says Nicole Almond, president of Enactus Canada “They are a perfect example of how our Enactus teams are enabling progress through entrepreneurial action.”
These teams will now move on to the national level of competition taking place May 6-8th at the 2013 Enactus Canada National Exposition in Toronto, Ontario.
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ABOUT ENACTUS CANADA: Enactus Canada is a community of student, academic and business leaders enabling progress through entrepreneurial action. Guided by academic advisors and business experts, more than 2,300 student leaders create and implement over 350 community empowerment projects and business ventures every year in communities coast to coast. As a global network of 39 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: Jody Lundrigan Director of Communications Enactus Canada E: jody@enactus.ca P: 416.304.1566 x 222 M: 416.346.0131