On Monday, Waterloo Ventures (UW’s entrepreneurship hub) and the Accelerator Centre (AC) announced their partnership to launch the Global Impact Creator pilot program. The AC is a Waterloo-based startup incubator, which works to support the work of student entrepreneurs. According to the AC’s press release, the pilot program is aimed at helping UW faculty, students, and recent graduates “explore global entrepreneurship opportunities.” In particular, the program will work to develop solutions within rural Canadian or global geographies, with outlined focus areas in human, animal, and planetary health.

Applications to participate are open from now until July 31, with the program itself scheduled to run from September 2024 to March 2025. Once underway, the AC will work with five to seven participants, who will “research, develop, and pilot solutions.” Tabatha Laverty, the AC’s vice-president of marketing and external relations, said that the program is ultimately geared towards those who are interested in exploring entrepreneurships that have a “social impact lens,” which she described as “entrepreneurship in the interest of making the world a better place.”

The program will combine entrepreneurship opportunities from the AC as well as support from UW researchers and resources. Laverty said that the program would be a great fit for UW community members looking to get involved in entrepreneurship, as the program will take a structured, introductory approach towards getting started. In addition to networking and research opportunities, participants will receive a $12,000 stipend for the program. In March 2025, participants will present their work at a culminating showcase hosted at the AC.

Looking into the future, Laverty said that both the AC and Waterloo Ventures are interested in continuing to offer these kinds of opportunities for beginner entrepreneurs. For those with further questions about program eligibility and how it might fit into academic or co-op plans, Laverty encouraged reaching out to Sarrah Lal, the director of innovation for Waterloo Ventures.