Carleton University opens campus-wide entrepreneurship accelerator for students and new grads
On Thursday, December 12, Carleton University celebrated the opening of Carleton Entrepreneurs, a campus-wide venture accelerator that helps Carleton students and recent graduates from all facilities and program levels to launch and grow successful businesses. The goal for each venture in the accelerator is to generate $1 million in three years by creating six or more jobs in the region.
“The new accelerator is evidence of Carleton’s continued commitment to entrepreneurship and the economic development of our region, province and country,” says Tony Bailetti, director of Carleton’s Technology Innovation Management program and Entrepreneurship teaching area coordinator in the Sprott School of Business. “At Carleton, we do entrepreneurship, not just talk about it.”
The Carleton Entrepreneurs accelerator helps students and recent graduates turn their ideas into successful ventures by providing them with training, knowledge, mentorship and support. It will achieve this by helping these entrepreneurs to:
- Develop business models that are stronger than their competitors;
- Reduce the risk of globalizing their ventures early and rapidly;
- Significantly reduce the time to become profitable by taking advantage of the training, mentorship and networking opportunities available; and
- Develop clear and compelling value propositions and present them effectively to attract the resources they require.
Managed by the Sprott School of Business, the 4,000 square foot facility will be the keystone organization for the existing Carleton Entrepreneurs ecosystem, which involves a collective of students, mentors, internal and external reviews, managers of university technology spin-off companies and academics.
“We’re proud to lead this initiative that will mobilize entrepreneurship across Carleton,” says Jerry Tomberlin, Dean of the Sprott School of Business.
The Carleton Entrepreneurs ecosystem is comprised of academic programs, training and mentorship, as well as support and resources through the Carleton Nicol Internships and Ottawa Young Entrepreneurs programs.
More than 130 students are enrolled in entrepreneurship academic programs at Carleton that include the Bachelor of Commerce – Entrepreneurship concentration, Minor in Entrepreneurship for undergraduate students, Technology of Innovation Management master’s program, and PhD in Management.