Startup Canada is Launching a National Challenge to Mentor 10,000 Enterprising Canadians

By Andrea Wahbe on Oct 16, 2012 / Categories: CDMN News, Featured

The Startup Canada National Tour may be over but there are many more events and programs, based on feedback gathered from entrepreneurs across the country, planned for the near future. The next initiative will take place during Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) on November 12 – 18, 2012. To celebrate this annual event, Startup Canada, in partnership with CATAAlliance and the Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF), is launching a national challenge to mentor 10,000 enterprising Canadians.

“We’ve heard from entrepreneurs of all ages, startup stages and business sectors from coast to coast – mentorship is an essential ingredient for building a more collaborative and sustainable entrepreneurial nation,” said Victoria Lennox, Co-Founder of Startup Canada. “We’re issuing this challenge to the nation’s entrepreneur and enterprise support communities in the hopes it will spark long-term mentorship programs at local levels. Mentorship’s transfer of knowledge and ideas is valuable for everyone involved and contributes to the success of future startups.”

The CYBF, the official host of GEW Canada 2012, has seen the impact mentorship can have on the next generation of Canadian startups.

“Mentors provide tangible, experienced based business advice, support and encouragement to help entrepreneurs through the realities of starting and sustaining a business. We invite all interested and inspired challenge participants to become CYBF mentors and to continue their support of Canada’s entrepreneurs,” said Tessa Mintz, VP, Volunteers and Programs with the Canadian Youth Business Foundation.

But mentorship is essential for entrepreneurs of any age group. “Programs like the Canadian Mentorship Challenge can help us make Canada stronger as a nation,” said Dr. Cindy Gordon, Co-Founder, Sales Choice; Former National Chair, CATA Women in Technology; and National Chair, Invest CrowdFund Canada, a CATA division. “For example, women play a major role in developing a stronger Canadian innovation economy. CATA is a strong advocate for supporting women entrepreneurs and I see this Challenge as an opportunity to reach and inspire more women to act on their ideas and launch startups of their own.”

Interested participants have until October 22 to join the challenge as a mentor or participant and help Canadian entrepreneurs to succeed. For more information on the Canadian Mentorship Challenge and other mentor events happening across the country, visit www.mentorshipchallenge.ca.