On May 2, young Canadian entrepreneurs once again have the chance to apply for The Next Big Thing, a fellowship program spearheaded by serial entrepreneur Meredith Powell and Hootsuite CEO Ryan Holmes.
The program gives founders between 17-25 the chance to work out of Hootsuite’s Vancouver office while completing the eight-month intensive program, which is separated in two parts — The Venture Base Track, where entrepreneurs build the foundation of their business and learn technical skills, and the Growth & Investment Track, where ventures learn how to actually grow their business and secure funding.
“Through access to mentorship, access to education, and access to channels for capital, we can help compress the amount of time it takes to hit that home run,” said Holmes on why TNBT is so crucial for young entrepreneurs.
To date, TNBT has accelerated 22 startups. Since 2014, the company has supported 34 entrepreneurs who have launched 23 ventures, and have collectively raised $2.8 million in capital.
“It’s so important that we look at young entrepreneurs today and realize that that’s the future of our economy, and really never before have young people held more control over the future,” said Powell.
Applications from ventures beyond the idea stage are being accepted until June 30.
