The Social Enterprise Student Competition supports the next generation of social entrepreneurs by pairing students and recent graduates with business mentors to advise on social enterprise plans, turning student ideas into social enterprises.

Open to students and recent grads (three years from graduation) from all faculties of publicly funded Ontario colleges and universities, the Social Enterprise Student Competition is conducted in two rounds: the first an open call for preliminary business concepts and the second, 10 semi-finalists developing their ideas with a mentor and then pitching their business to a panel of judges in Toronto in March 2013.

Four awards of $20,000 CA will be provided to the winners in order to assist in the development of their social enterprises.

2013 Social Enterprise Student Competition Key Dates

• Call for video business concepts OPEN (November 2012)
• Video business concepts and entry forms DUE (January 7, 2013)
• Internal selection of 10 semi-finalists & students paired with mentors (January 21 –25, 2013)
• Launching Customer Development workshop (February 5, 2013 at 1:00 p.m.)
• Launching Customer Development workshop (February 13, 2013 at 1:00 p.m.)
• Business Strategy Fundamentals workshop (February 14, 2013 at 8:30 a.m.)
• Business Strategy Fundamentals workshop (February 14, 2013 at 1:30 p.m.)
• Three-minute Pitch (March 1, 2013 at 1:00 p.m.)
• Full business plans DUE (beginning of March 2013)*
• Pitch Competition (Mid to end of March 2013)*