“Empowering tomorrow’s leaders to take action today, by creating positive impact using entrepreneurial leadership.”
"Supporting Acadia students through resources, mentorship, and community to help them pursue their goals and aspirations."
We aim to enable student entrepreneurship and develop students' professional skills. We do this by exposing students to entrepreneurship, providing experiential learning opportunities, and connecting students with local businesses to work on real world problems. The Launchbox aims to teach entrepreneurial skills & competencies to Acadia’s undergraduate and graduate students. Every activity of the Launchbox is aimed at developing at least one entrepreneurial competency in all participating students.
Project Connect provides paid and volunteer student work with businesses and organizations.
Launchbox Changemakers are student leaders who pursue projects creating community impact, and social change.
Innovation Challenges posed by industry provide opportunities for teamwork, critical thinking, problem-solving, while increasing the understanding of business & entrepreneurship
Workshops: Industry experts and experienced entrepreneurs provide relevant workshops and hands-on learning.
Build a Business: Students gain support in building and growing their businesses through funding, mentorship, connection to resources, and training.
Mentorship are one-on-one mentor connections provides students personalized advice and support.
Networking Events offer opportunity for students to engage with the larger community including business owners, employers, and more.
Social Events allow students to connect with like-minded peers in an inclusive, welcoming, and fun environment
Our business program empowers you to bring your ideas to life. Meet some of our recent student entrepreneurs who have turned their visions into reality.
Megan Glasgow is a 3rd year Community Development student with a passion for food and community. Thanks to the Build a Business program she had the supports and guidance needed to register her business, secure the required food permits, establishing her brand and logo, and began testing her product through catered events for the campus community. Within a few short months, Calypso Bites is now known by the student body for incredibly tasty Caribbean flavoured food and is showing great progress towards her goals after multiple successful event caterings. Megan received first place for a $2,000 Entrepreneur Award in the food business category, sponsored by Farmworks, as well as a $1,000 Valley Women In Business sponsored award which recognized her hard work and dedication to her business and the community.
Nate Wickens is a 3rd year business student, and this year was his first time getting involved in Launchbox. He has a property management business which he runs in the summer, but thanks to the Build a Business program, he had the supports and resources needed to register his business name, set up legal insurance, and was connected with his local CBDC and secured a loan for his business. Beyond the program funding, Nate received a $2,000 Entrepreneur Award at the end of the year as the top winner in the Dexter Construction sponsored award.
Rowan Norrad is a 3rd year Environmental Science student, and Co-president of Enactus. Having never taken any business courses in his studies, he shared that the workshops in early Fall 2024 were immensely helpful in equipping him with the foundational knowledge, resources, and clear steps required to bring his business idea to life. Rowan began the program with one idea, but later was provided the opportunity to found a start up with a group of peers across universities. He shared that the training he received in this program gave him the confidence to pursue that new business idea, which is now registered, and has won awards at the CLIMAT Summit in Norway for its innovative solution addressing climate change challenges.
- Patrick Stanbrook 1st place Orchard Innovation and KickstartAI
- Dr. Amir Eaman ,Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science, Acadia
- Project Connect Participant
- Project Connect Participant
- Project Connect Participant
- Patrick Stanbrook 1st place Orchard Innovation and KickstartAI
- Dr. Amir Eaman ,Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science, Acadia
- Project Connect Participant
- Project Connect Participant
- Project Connect Participant
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