YouLaunch, a youth entrepreneurship program at the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre, said its first year has been “wildly successful.”
Since launching in 2015, the program has reached 3,000 youth, worked with seven startups, helped aspiring entrepreneurs access close to $100,000 to start their businesses, and helped create 10 jobs in Sault Ste. Marie.
The program’s mandate is to provide youth entrepreneurs with connections to business development resources, mentors, networking events, funding opportunities and other support services in Sault Ste. Marie and the Algoma District.
In its inaugural year, YouLaunch offered workshops, guest speakers, and professional development and networking events for youth, in addition to Global Entrepreneurship Week and Small Business Week activities.
Successful partnerships to date include North Origin Games Inc., a software development studio; Heuristext, an online literacy tool; and Scoutr, an online platform looking to improve the overall experience of athletes and teams.
“We support clients of all ages, across many industries, and areas of expertise through various business development initiatives such as marketing and fundraising strategies, business model and modernization plans, accessing public and private investments, talent acquisition, networking and IT,” said Gerry Bugyra, business development manager at the innovation centre, in a release.
“In particular, our YouLaunch program is very unique from other youth entrepreneurship programs in the province in that it is a team of three people, each targeting different cohorts of youth and distinct partnerships with our local college and university.”
Funding support for the program comes from MaRS Discovery District, Ontario Centres of Excellence, Algoma University and Sault College.
