Summer of Innovation: Carleton students turn ideas to business ventures through NEST

Over the summer, Carleton University’s Innovation Hub implemented a 12-week program called NEST. NEST provides Carleton students the opportunity to explore the path to becoming entrepreneurs with a hands-on approach. Students were supported by industry professionals throughout the program, creating unique learning approaches in every session, and they visited a variety of businesses in Ottawa.

At the end of the 12-week program, participants took part in a pitch night that was held at Carleton University – Kanata North in Canada’s largest technology park. The event provided a platform for students to pitch their business ideas to industry investors and receive feedback on their ideas.

For Sprott students, the Nest program is offered as an alternative option to a traditional summer internship, meaning Sprott students can receive class credit for their participation. We spoke with two Sprott students who participated in the NEST program – Linyun Cao, an MBA student, and Payam Ghanavati, a student in the Technology Innovation Management master’s program.

In the interview, Linyun and Payam speak highly of the NEST program, their experiences, and recommend the program to other students. 

Carleton’s Innovation Hub encourages a culture of passion, impactful leadership, and entrepreneurial exploration. The experiential learning projects implemented focus on inspiring individuals to fulfill their careers in an impactful way. Those interested in learning more about NEST can visit the Innovation Hub Website.