Entrepreneur support program eyes Orillia campus

Local Journalism Initiative
·2 min read

Lakehead University Ingenuity's Ascend Accelerator program has received a $132,000 award from the Dobson Entrepreneurship Excellence Project through the John Dobson Foundation. The fund will enable the university to expand the Ascend Accelerator programming to Lakehead's Orillia Campus and fund 24 business ideas over the next two years. Alyson MacKay, the program's manager, said the program has been previously funded by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor), which meant the entrepreneur program had to stay within the catchment area in Northwestern Ontario. "We've been looking for ways (to fund the program) because the accelerator program is something that is Ingenuity's biggest success," she said, noting that the FedNor funding had simply run out. The John Dobson Foundation opened a funding stream for any project that helps support student entrepreneurship directly with 100 per cent going directly to the students. "There was really no parameters on what the funding is because we're part of the circuit as an incubator," MacKay said. "They left it pretty wide open." The Ascend Accelerator program was started in 2020 and provides new entrepreneurs access to mentorship, develops their business knowledge and creates accountability through milestone goal creation. It supports entrepreneurial-minded students and alumni who want to transition an idea into a business opportunity or accelerate the growth and development of their early-stage startup. "That's where we really see our most success, our most committed students and the biggest success comes out of that funding," Mackay said. "A little bit of seed funding goes a long way to help support the students." Earlier this month, four graduates from the fourth cohort of the 10-week Ascend Accelerator program held in Thunder Bay and Orillia were celebrated by the university. The businesses included augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) software development, Airbnb cleaning solutions and sustainability consulting services. Nestar, created by Joshua Sanchez and Aliss Chavarri, specializes in providing rental solutions that enhance the renting experience for both landlords and tenants. Sidney Howlett Consulting was created by Sidney Howlett in Orillia and aims to help organizations navigate the landscape of climate action. Her services include consultation on climate action and sustainability strategies, professional development workshops, public speaking engagements, and informed research support. Sprout Circle, a venture by Bryan Wong, features interactive augmented reality and virtual reality solutions that assist education by offering students and professionals opportunities to explore and comprehend complex concepts in an immersive 3D environment. Lavender and Luxe Cleaning Services, developed by Lesly Gunasekara, specializes in premium cleaning services exclusively for Airbnb hosts. Applications are currently being accepted for the next cohort beginning in the first week of May.

Sandi Krasowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Chronicle-Journal

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