FAST START – Fostering Entrepreneurial Innovation

Durham College, UOIT and partners’ FastStart program is living up to its name.
Launched only a few months ago, FastStart is already changing the culture of post-secondary education by harnessing the entrepreneurial spirit of students and providing them with access to an exciting world of possibilities.
The program, which was developed in partnership with Durham College (DC), University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), Fleming College and Trent University, was created to leverage existing networks, educational approaches and geographical location to increase students’ entrepreneurial skills and awareness while also helping them create solid business plans that take their products to market – quickly and successfully.
The four institutions work with Spark Centre and the Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster (GPIC) to enable students, and other youth in the community who possess an entrepreneurial spirit, to apply what they learn to their future careers, whether they are in startups, established businesses, social innovation or public service.
FastStart has already proved beneficial in connecting students with progressive industry leaders and mentors through a contest that was hosted in February. Applicants had to creatively demonstrate a desire to learn about entrepreneurship or share how they aspired to start their own business. A panel of experts selected 11 winners from DC and UOIT who won the opportunity to participate in the Starting Point Student Entrepreneurship Conference at St. Mary’s University in Halifax.
“It was truly an inspirational and life changing experience,” said Jordan Ella, a DC student who won $500 for being part of the team in Halifax that presented the best idea for solving student debt. “The conference opened my eyes to a world of opportunity that I had never considered. My plans for the future have been dramatically challenged after being so inspired during my time in Halifax.”
DC also recently launched the DC Summer Accelerator program, a new initiative to help students, local youth and alumni take their innovative ideas or business ventures to market faster while utilizing the professional services from an experienced support team.
In collaboration with Spark Centre, the program offers support and access to services so young entrepreneurs can turn their great ideas into tangible and marketable products.
“We are thrilled to launch the DC Summer Accelerator, the latest addition to our FastStart programming,” said Debbie McKee Demcyzk, director of the Office of Research Services and Innovation. “Teaming up with Spark Centre to provide expert advising and mentorship services, we will provide participants with a unique opportunity to kick-start their businesses. We’re confident that this will be a successful and in-demand program supporting young entrepreneurs.”
Funding for FastStart was provided through an $800,000 Government of Ontario grant being shared equally among all four post-secondary institutions under the province’s $5 million On-Campus Entrepreneurship Activities (OCEA) program, managed by Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE).
“Fostering the entrepreneurial spirit among students is a key component of Ontario’s Youth Jobs Strategy, through programs that help transfer their ideas and skills to the marketplace while creating rewarding careers,” said Reza Moridi, Ontario’s Minister of Research and Innovation, and Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. “By partnering with colleges and universities to support entrepreneurship, we are ensuring our province’s business leaders of tomorrow are getting the support they need to succeed today.”