startGBC launched their first ever summer camp for entrepreneurs interested in learning more about how they can start their own business. Over the course of two weeks – from August 13 to August 24 – we accepted 15 entrepreneurs who were ready to start their entrepreneurial journeys. From entrepreneurs interested in starting businesses in the food industry, to entrepreneurs who were interested in starting a social enterprise, each day of workshops were filled with knowledge meant to challenge their pre-existing beliefs on how their businesses should be and make their existing business idea better. From workshops on ideation, market validation, value proposition, business model canvas, to lessons on pitching, financial literacy, patents and intellectual property, marketing and sales, and public relations, each entrepreneur was given the chance to think deeply on how they can improve different areas of their business.
The Summer Camp wasn’t just in-class lessons though. On August 17, 2018, the cohort was able to attend the CNE Garage Pitch Competition to witness what an entrepreneurial pitch in real life looks like. For many entrepreneurs, funding is the biggest obstacle when starting a business. As taught in the Summer Camp, competitions are a great way to win funding. By attending the pitch competition, our entrepreneurs were able to take the pitching knowledge they learned the day before and understand how that knowledge was applied to the actual pitches they got to watch, helping them better understand what an effective and ineffective pitch looks like in a real competition.
Understanding what resources are available to you is also very important as an entrepreneur. On August 23, 2018, our cohort was able to visit the many spaces in Toronto that provide support to entrepreneurs. With trips to Enterprise Toronto, the Centre for Social Innovation, the DMZ (Digital Media Zone), and MaRs Discovery District, our cohort learned about the many ways they can receive help as they start their entrepreneurial journeys. A special thank you to Sandra, Neda, Kimberly, Haseeb and Sherif!
In the end, our entrepreneurs ended off the Summer Camp by pitching their refined business ideas to a panel of judges from the entrepreneurial ecosystem, receiving feedback on areas of improvement and praise on areas of strength. We would like to take this moment to congratulate all of the entrepreneurs who have successfully completed the startGBC Entrepreneur Discovery Summer Camp! We hope the time you dedicated has helped you further develop your business idea to achieve ultimate success.
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