Young entrepreneurs from across Canada will frantically try to create a business in one weekend this June.
Startup Weekend is coming to Ottawa, organized by the American embassy, Imagine Space, a partnership between the embassy and the Ottawa Library, and non-profit organization UP Global. The event for business-minded young people is a 54-hour frenzy of networking, mentoring and learning.
“We would love to see Canadians from all over Canada come together and network together in an opportunity to create a more dynamic economy, and some interaction with their counterparts in the United States,” says Judith Bryan, public affairs officer at the American embassy.
Startup Weekend is a global organization with partnerships with Google, Amazon and Coca-Cola.
The embassy is funding all participants in order to bring in a diverse group of young people age 18 to 30.
Participants will be assigned mentors who are successful young people from the U.S. or Canada.
Teams will form around ideas and mentors will help provide guidance and advice leading up to the final presentations.
The goal of the weekend is to give participants business skills and to bolster confidence in young entrepreneurs.
“I hope they will go home and encourage others,” Bryan says.
In addition to building business sense, the weekend will promote the U.S. as a productive place to do business. It is also a way for the American Embassy to reach Canadians outside of traditional diplomacy.
“The embassy realized some time ago that they wanted to be able to reach the public,” says Kyle Johnson, public affairs specialist at the American embassy. “It’s a great way to reach audiences.”
Munashé Marongwe is a Carleton University student and the co-founder of Pushers Co., a production company and branding service for artists, and more recently, a clothing boutique.
Marongwe and a friend started the business in his second year of university, using information they found online.
Building a team and securing funding can all be big struggles for new entrepreneurs.
“I think reaching out to people that have started a business is a challenge, especially if you don’t know where to start,” Marongwe says.