Carleton student team celebrates launch of Props social app

Carleton University’s Accelerator for student entrepreneurs has produced another success story. Three Carleton students and a recent graduate celebrated the launch today of their new mobile application dubbed Props.

Philanthropist and business icon Wes Nicol was on hand, along with Carleton President and Vice-Chancellor Roseann O’Reilly Runte, to congratulate the Props team and network with a number of Carleton student-led businesses, including InteractiveStudios, Tarfee, eCelery, PlayToday and RepairQuote.

“We include three key words in our strategic plan — collaboration, leadership and resilience,” said President Runte.  “When we talk about leadership, it doesn’t just mean having a great idea, or sharing a great idea with friends. It means putting that idea into action. Wes Nicol’s leadership has been an inspiration for our Nicol Interns. He has enabled us to continue opening new, innovative entrepreneurial programs.”

The multi-disciplinary Props team is comprised of former basketball star Kyle Smendziuk (BEng/13); Greg Dillon (Communications and Minor in Entrepreneurship student, Nicol intern); Mohamed Hirsi (Commerce student) and Brayden Girard (Computer Science student). The team came up with the business idea while completing an entrepreneurship course at Carleton.

“We are privileged to introduce Props.Social,” said Jerry Tomberlin, dean of the Sprott School of Business.”What we have here is representation of an ecosystem designed to help our students put their ideas into practice, launch a business and positively impact our society.”

The Props application enables users to consolidate social media profiles into one simple platform, drastically simplifying the connection process. Users in proximity to each other simply click on the Props application and choose the networks they would like to share, including LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. This eliminates the inefficiencies and inaccuracies that people encounter when exchanging contact information.

“The Nicol Internship and the financial support that came with it provided us with a renewed drive for success,” said Greg Dillon, co-founder and COO of Props. “It gave us credibility, confidence and a connection to a well-respected program. I hope one day to be able to give as generously as Mr. Nicol has. Ottawa is know for its cold and politics, but we are adding entrepreneurship to that mix.”

“The more you talk to people about your product, your business and your vision, the more you’ll realize that Ottawa really does have what it takes to launch a start-up focused around technology and innovation,” added Kyle Smendziuk, co-founder and CEO of Props.

“Entrepreneurs in the region, including our students, are taking advantage of the opportunities afforded to them by the entrepreneurial program at Carleton,” said Tony Bailetti, director of Carleton’s Institute for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization. “Graduates of the Lead to Win Bootcamp have gone on to form successful companies that hire talented people in the nation’s capital and drive the local economy.”