[1]This week, Startup Canada [1] and hundreds of community partners are putting business mentors and enterprise mentorship in a national spotlight through the Canadian Mentorship Challenge [2] during Global Entrepreneurship Week [3] (GEW) November 12th through 18th. Across Canada, organizations participating in the Canadian Mentorship Challenge will host events [4] to collectively mentor 10,000 enterprising Canadians.
“During our National Tour this summer, entrepreneurs told us they wanted more opportunities to learn from each other and to connect with experts who have experience to share,” said Victoria Lennox, Co-Founder of Startup Canada. “This week is all about building Canada’s entrepreneurial community through events that will hopefully spark new collaborations and mentor relationships that support entrepreneurs beyond Global Entrepreneurship Week.”
Hosted in partnership with CATAAlliance [5] and the Canadian Youth Business Foundation [6], the Canadian Mentorship Challenge begins with an unveiling of Canada’s Top 10 Mentor Rock Stars, nominated for their contributions of volunteer work and leadership development in their communities.
- Cathy Kuzel Founder, The Connected Woman Association (BC)
- Erin Anderson, Partner; Strategist; Designer, Kennedy Anderson Creative Group (BC)
- Jim Derbyshire, Mentor in Residence, Simon Fraser University (BC)
- Jim Marsh, Professor, University of Windsor (ON)
- Chris Thomson, Head Coach, Student Works Painting (ON)
- Manu Sharma, Founder / Managing Partner at OAK Computing (ON)
- John Stevenson, Mentor, Canadian Youth Business Foundation (ON)
- Tammy Milbury, Account Executive, Greater Halifax Partnership (NS)
- Melissa MacMaster, Education and Small Business Consultant, CEED (NS)
- Fredericton Business Immigrant Mentorship Program (NB)
Startup Canada will post interviews with each of the Top 10 winners on its website throughout the week.
National Startup Canada partners Microsoft Bizspark [7] and the Business Development Bank of Canada [7] kicked GEW off early with Startup Weekend events from November 9 – 11 in Victoria, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto and Ottawa.
Gowlings [8], another Startup Canada sponsor, is hosting a Founders & Investors Ottawa Cocktail [9] event (sold out) on November 14th to bring together the area’s best tech startups and the most respected, active investors to meet, share, and build relationships.
Alongside those face-to-face events, the Canadian Mentorship Challenge will connect entrepreneurs and mentors through virtual channels as well. Startup Canada partners like Clarity [10] and Ernst & Young [11] have joined the Challenge online.
Clarity, a website that brokers in the giving and receiving of advice for entrepreneurs, has joined the Canadian Mentorship Challenge campaign to connect Canadian entrepreneurs with its global network of experts. A customized Startup Canada page [10] of mentors has be added to the Clarity website and entrepreneurs will be able to sign up and get advice on everything from ground floor marketing to executing an exit strategy.
Ernst & Young has partnered with the Financial Post to present 30?Second Mentor [12], video testimonials featuring business and life lessons from Canadian innovators.
1 Comment To "Canadian Mentors Take Centre Stage During Global Entrepreneurship Week"
#1 Comment By Tami Quiring (@VillageGamer) On Monday November 12, 2012 @ 4:13 am
From @Startup_Canada – Canadian Mentors Take Centre Stage During Global Entrepreneurship Week [13] #mentorscan #GEW2012