OCE’s Talent offerings are focused on helping Ontario’s college and university students and recent graduates develop entrepreneurial and business skills.

Under the Industry Academic Collaboration Program (IACP), the Talent program’s pillars include:

1. Entrepreneurship Fellowships support the development of an Ontario student or graduating student (within the last three years) to create an innovative start-up with an economic impact in Ontario.
• Martin Walmsley Fellowship for Entrepreneurship Fellowships facilitate the transition of OCE-funded university-based research into innovative business ventures.
• OCE-OBI Entrepreneurial Fellowships fund and support scientists (e.g., neurotechnology, science or engineering) in entrepreneurial/commercialization opportunities with the goal of establishing neuroscience-related companies in Ontario.
2. First Job provides salary sharing for Ontario companies that hire new master’s or PhD graduates for R&D positions. Contact the Program Manager for more information.
3. Connections links undergraduate university and college students in engineering, science and technology programs to technology-based companies to work on real-world projects. Contact the Program Manager for more information.

Complementing the IACP’s talent offerings is Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) Experiential Learning Program:

• Experiential Learning Program is designed to help students across Ontario get the training and experience they need to turn their ideas into market-ready products and services, by learning and doing. The program supports Ontario postsecondary institutions to manage and grow established project- and experience-based programs for young entrepreneurs that will accelerate and further enhance the quality of new ventures and industry collaborations arising from Ontario academic institutions.