The League of Innovators is recruiting young entrepreneurs for their flagship Labs Accelerator program empowering young entrepreneurs all across Canada. The program is national and barrier free (virtual, free, sector agnostic). 

The next cohort of Labs runs from Feb-April 2022 and applications are open until Dec 6th. You can apply and learn more about the program here. Labs empowers youth-led startups of all kinds (50% of the co-founding team are 25 or younger) to connect to a network of peers, investors and industry experts through mentorship, workshops, ask me anything sessions sessions and virtual community. New to Labs are the Social Impact Stream and a Black Youth Entrepreneur Growth Program Stream where you get everything Labs has to offer and more. 

Here are five reasons why young entrepreneurs across Canada should apply to the League of Innovators Labs accelerator program.

1. Join a growing national community of other young entrepreneurs, changemakers and innovators. Connect with people embarking on a similar journey as yourself and get support, feedback, friendship, throughout the 12-week program and beyond through live sessions, our Slack community and our alumni community hours. Chances are that there is someone else who has been through it or felt similar challenges and wins as you have and will have. You can find your people here! 
2. Empower yourself with learning resources to grow your knowledge base, entrepreneurial skills and mindset. The Labs program equips you with access to our resource bank, a venture package of perks and discounts exclusively for our community, and a directory of folks who can support you through milestones. In Labs we dive into three program pillars around: Founder First, Getting Your House in Order and Building Connections through each week’s theme. Some examples include The Brand, The Team, The Roadmap, The Raise, The Pitch and more!
3. Build your confidence and expand your understanding of what’s possible for you and your startup. At the end of the Labs program, we celebrate at the Founder’s Showcase event where you pitch your startup to a curated panel (don’t worry we work with you to get there!). It’s so amazing to see all the incredible growth achieved throughout the 3 quick months. Even week to week in the Labs venture huddle peer groups that meet for an hour during the program with other founders in the Labs program working in a similar industry and stage, there is so much knowledge transfer and week to week transformative learning. 
4. Network with industry experts, serial entrepreneurs and investors. Each week there are about four hours of live workshops to build your knowledge through lived experience and technical knowledge. Get ready to apply learnings as you go and build your toolkit of knowledge to draw upon when you need it most. Not to mention office hours and the opportunity to connect with people who can help move the dial in building your business. 
5. Did we mention that the Labs program is: No Fees. No Equity. No Strings Attached. You can be anywhere in Canada with an internet connection building any type of startup business, emerging non-profit or social enterprise in any industry. Diversity creates the conditions for innovation to happen! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Are you ready to accelerate your startup? Fuel your fire with Labs by applying to the Labs accelerator for youth-led startups! You can access the application here. Some key dates for you: Applications are open until Dec 6, Batch 8 of the 12-week Labs national virtual program starts February 2022.
Got questions after all that? Want to say hi or partner with us? Reach out to Acceleration Programs Director, Annika, at annika@theleagueofinnovators.com

LOI’s annual Impact Innovation Challenge for young entrepreneurs across Canada was one for the books. This year, the Impact Innovation Challenge consisted of 3 categories for Aspiring Entrepreneurs, Growth Entrepreneurs and Non-Profit Entrepreneurs. The Innovation Challenge was designed to help young changemakers validate their unique ideas, gain access to a national network of resources and mentors, and give them the confidence to work on tangible solutions to personal, economic and social issues. Finalists had the opportunity to pitch their ventures and ideas for a chance to win cash, mentorship and coaching support to boost their mission.

A huge thank you to our partners for supporting youth entrepreneurs in Canada. The challenge and prizes were made possible by our partners at SAP, RBC, Hootsuite, Osler, Accelerate Okanagan, Scale Collaborative and Volition. Our cash prize of $5000 per category was made possible by SAP! A special thank you to our submission review committee, our judging panel, Volition for offering pitch training for our finalists, our Keynote, Nejeed Kassam and Ryan Holmes for meeting with the first place winners! 

We received so many amazing submissions representing different solutions to a wide range of problems and were inspired by the level of creativity and ambition. On August 24, 2021, the top 7 finalists in each category pitched their ideas live to a panel of judges. Learn more about the finalists here. We were blown away by the quality of the pitches and ideas and can’t wait to see where these solutions take the winners. Thank you for being incredible examples of what it means to be passionate about a social issue and take bold actions to solve it! A huge congratulations to the winners in each category and a big thank you to our judges at the final pitch off and helping our finalists further their passion and vision. 

Aspiring Entrepreneurs: 

1. 1st place: Devinder from Cequest: Cequest is using electrolysis to capture CO2 and sequester carbon in the fight against climate change: generating mineral bicarbonate to reverse ocean acidification, and hydrogen gas as a product or electricity generator.
2. 2nd: Roaa from MODASTY: MODASTY is an online marketplace for modest fashion that aggregates modest and islamic inventory from brands worldwide.
3. 3rd: Andrew, Kalter, Sanchi, Tyvaughn from ClinicalVR: ClinicalVR is using VR in the clinical setting for better pain and anxiety management.

Judges: 

• Ananya Huria,  Customer Success Partner and Lead for 1Billion Lives Program at SAP
• Andrea Welling, Regional Director for BC at Futurpreneur
• Kate Wilson, VP of Brand Marketing, Pela
• Mitalie Makhani, Senior Program Manager at the Centre for Social Innovation
• Shikhank Sharma, Social Innovation Consultant and Social Impact Curriculum Developer at League of Innovators

Growth Entrepreneurs:

1. 1st place: Jessica and Chloe from Apricotton: Apricotton is an adjustable bra for young girls that grows with their growth
2. 2nd place: Sang and Arielle from Peko Produce: Peko Produce offers boxes of "imperfect" produce to curb food waste
3. 3rd place: Dolma from Flutter Care: Flutter Care is a digital health company promoting positive pregnancy experiences and outcomes. 

Judges: 

• Cindy Fagen, Managing Director at SAP Labs Canada
• Josephine Kwan, Program Manager at Spring Activator
• Nicola Jones-Crossley, Business Development Manager at Futurpreneur
• Paul Brassard, Managing Partner and Founder at Volition

Non-Profit Entrepreneurs: 

1. 1st place: Eliana, Lina and Peter from Viability (rebranding to Neurodivergent Futures): Viability provides accessible peer-to-peer coaching, mentorship and social and leadership programming, and teaches business leaders about neuroinclusion and helps them benefit from it in their organizations.
2. 2nd place: Sophia from Threading Change: Threading Change is working at the intersections of consumer education towards the future where fashion is ethical and circular. They offer education programming, comprehensive solutions and consulting services for businesses.
3. 3rd place: Jesse and Cassie from Warrior Yoga Network: A worldwide network of yoga and meditation teachers taking action to create a more inclusive and accessible yoga community.  

Judges:

• Juanita Lee Garcia, Senior Manager, Strategic Partnerships & Social Impact at Venture for Canada
• Katie Booth, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, North America at SAP
• Kristi Rivait, Co-founding Director at Scale Collaborative
• Truman Wong, RBC Manager, Operations Process Strategy and Non-Profit Advisor

Thank you to our submission review committee that took the time to read all the challenge submissions and help chose the finalists: 

• Anisha Yarlapati, SAP
• Chelsey Camp, SAP
• Joanna Buczkowska-McCumber, League of Innovators
• Juanita Lee-Garcia, Venture For Canada
• Manisha Narula, League of Innovators
• Martin Mysyk, SAP
• Mitalie Makhani, Centre for Social Innovation
• Nabeela Merchant, TELUS Pollinator Fund
• Nicola Crossley, Futurpreneur
• Rob Ironside, League of Innovators
• Samantha Gardner, Sunshine Connected
• Shikhank Sharma, League of Innovators
• Vivian Liu, SAP 

We’re feeling more inspired than ever and look forward to working with these changemakers to support their solutions. Stay tuned for our Impact Innovation Challenge in 2022!

Democratizing innovation through virtual accelerators will boost startups' hopes, regardless of geography. Read more in the Financial Post on why Ryan Holmes, founder of Hootsuite and League of Innovators, is so passionate about democratizing access to supports for youth at scale! 

We are only as strong as the team that stands with us. At the League of Innovators, we are lucky to have some passionate, quirky, and incredible individuals that have much entrepreneurial experience and a willingness to share their knowledge with others. In our first Feature Friday, we introduce Kaley Young, our Content Swinger. Read below to learn a bit more about Kaley, and what brings her to LOI!

The three words describing your role are…

Creativity, Connection, and Meme Mastery

What brought you to LOI? What makes you stay?

Volunteering brought me to LOI – I had the awesome opportunity to work with them and other connectors. The people are THE BEST and super supportive – I couldn’t leave if I wanted to!

Got any passions?

I love beekeeping! I’m a novice but have been attending as many workshops, classes, and group meetings as I can. I have dreams of starting a small honey business and teaching workshops. Buzz buzz, y’all!

What does success mean to you?

Success to me is confidence. Whether I am making one dollar or one billion dollars, if I am feeling confident in my actions and decisions, then I am successful.

Your most unique skill?

I’m a swing dancer, and there’s a big swing dance community here in Vancouver! I’m no professional but, dang, if it just doesn’t have you smiling the entire time! No one frowns while swing dancing, NO ONE. It’s impossible. Don’t even try. Because you can’t. Only smiles. Don’t believe me? Come dancing!

The best advice you could give to a young entrepreneur is to…   

Laugh it off. Taylor Swift was wrong Don’t strive for perfect – there’s no such thing. Instead, have a sense of humor and always keep learning new things and connecting with people – you’ll find success in community!

Your most proud accomplishment?

It’s a silly one but I am most proud of dancing! Before I started my swing dance lessons in September, I literally NEVER danced. I was so shy and self-conscious and basically came from Footloose. But once I got into it, I loved it. Even though it sounds silly, it was mark of bravery for me to put myself out there and Lindy Hop off all my worries. And what’s even cooler is that swing dancing is all about connection – which has helped even away from those jazz bands! In short, it’s inspired me to be more open and engaging with others.

Anecdote you want to share?

Blake Lively once told me I had pretty hair, and then she did a similar hairstyle a few days later. And now I can die happy.

What is your life goal and how will you reach it?

Remember that bee business I mentioned? That. My actual life goal is to be the BEE. So far I’ve started my learning process with workshops, checking out all the library books, and putting things into practice with my own hive! I’ve joined the Richmond Beekeeping Association and have been trying to connect with the beekeeping community on both social media and in person. It’s a lot of learning but such a cool hobby!

The biggest influencer in your life?

My mom has been my biggest influence. (Hi, Mom!) She is so creative and witty… she’s #goals

Whether you’re a super fan or you’ve just existed in this world for the past decade, you know Iron Man. Tony Stark, a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist—played by Robert Downey Jr.—has been a cultural constant on-screen since his first movie dropped in 2008.

Since Avengers: Infinity War is dropping this month, we’re feeling a little nostalgic, and looking back at the first Iron Man movie for an unexpected reason—business advice.

After all, Tony Stark is arguably the sharpest entrepreneur in the Marvel Universe. He has his own insanely successful company, he’s a leader to his team, and an inventor to top it all off. He is his own superpower—and he developed his famous suit from the ground up.

Here are three great product development lessons from Iron Man to help you get your next idea off the ground.

#1. He Didn't Run with his Very First Idea

At the beginning of Iron Man, Tony is taken prisoner by a fictional terrorist group known as the Nine Rings. They want him to build weapons for them. Instead, he builds the first rough iteration of the Iron Man suit and uses it to escape. (He has a problem, he creates a solution.) It’s rough, unpolished, it has a flamethrower… and it gets the job done.

When he finally gets home, he immediately sets about taking the clunky suit and re-designing it with improvements. Rather than sticking with his first idea or design, Tony keeps what works, but focuses on what can be elevated and changes those. As an innovator, you can do the same. It’s easy to fall into the trap that the first idea is perfect. This is rarely true. Good ideas often start off incomplete. If you take a step back, you’ll see they could use some attention and finesse.

#2. He Repeatedly Tests His Product

Tony tests the Iron Man suit a LOT before he decides to present it to the world, or take it out for a spin.

Testing is a key factor in any entrepreneur’s process. Whether you’re developing a product or service, you want to to ensure the product is effective and fulfills the need of the target market. Testing methods like engaging focus groups are a great idea. In Tony’s case, he tests to make sure the product (super suit) is functioning and viable, to ensure it fulfills the needs of his target market (arguably himself).

In fact, there’s a whole montage of development in the film where we see him troubleshoot in his lab. He figures out flight. He makes mistakes, and he learns from them. Which leads us to our last point...

#3. He Uses His Glitch In Unexpected and Innovative Way

During one product test, Tony flies the suit too high. The armour becomes covered in ice from the extreme altitude, his systems fail, and he nearly plummets to his death.

Decade old spoiler alert: this design glitch is how he defeats the film’s big bad, Warmonger. Warmonger’s armour is knock-off of Tony’s, so our hero takes something that went wrong with his own design and uses it to his advantage.

This happens all the time—setbacks becoming learning opportunities. The truth is, failing can give you an edge on your competitors. What’s more, sometimes if a product isn't working for it's ORIGINAL purpose, recycling it to another is possible. Bubble wrap was supposed to be wallpaper. Penicillin was accidentally discovered in a search for the wonder drug. You can use ideas or hiccups in unexpected ways—it’s all about context.

A Bonus Lesson on Personal Branding:

#4. He IS his brand.

“I am Iron Man.”  

At the end of the film, Tony reveals his truth to the entire world. He leaves his secret identity behind. Maybe it’s ego, maybe it’s an incredible lesson in personal branding. Tony built the Iron Man suit. He recognizes that the product and the brand are synonymous with his identity. In more than one way he IS his product, and he chooses to embody it.

You are an ambassador of your brand. You embody your brand. Live that.

Put a pin in this: the road to success isn’t paved smooth. Even if you’ve got a great idea, you’re more than likely to hit a few potholes on the road to success. So how do you know you’re headed in the right direction? Sometimes you don’t. Lots of great successes started off looking like… well, failures. The difference? Pure grit.

Take Pinterest, everyone’s fave virtual bulletin board, with 175 million monthly users and more than 50 billion pins. You’d never know that this $11 billion dollar company was once rejected by dozens of investors, and first got started in some guy’s micro house. Yes, really.

ACT I: Ben Silbermann Leaves his Well-Paying Job for Customer Service

Pinterest founder Ben Silbermann worked in the IT sector of a business consulting firm—according to him, that just meant reading lots of spreadsheets. Because he was a fan of TechCrunch.com., he began to feel that technology was the new frontier. It was a belief so strong, that he quit his job and moved to Silicon Valley to work in Google customer support.

Let’s read that again: Silbermann gave up the promise of a steady career to work in customer support—and moved his entire life across the country to do it. Spoiler alert: he eventually quit Google to work on an idea of his own. Double spoiler: a week after he left Google to fund and build his dream, the economy collapsed. Does this look like success yet?

ACT II: Pinterest Thinks Small to Think Big
The economy was down the tubes—instead of giving up on his dream to innovate, Silbermann STILL looked for investors. No one was buying in the tough economic climate—but that didn’t stop his hustle.

He began Pinterest in 2008-2009, based on the idea of his childhood bug collection. He was told no by dozens of investors, who shut the idea down, repeatedly. When he and his business partner finally scraped together investment, the team worked out of a literal tiny house because there was no money for an office. We don’t mean a small house. A literal tiny house. (P.S. The guy who LIVED in the house didn’t even work for the company.) They had conference calls outside.

Two years after its inception, in 2010, Pinterest put up its first pin and waited. This was not the shining success Silbermann had dreamt of. In fact, the company wouldn’t turn a profit until 2011—three years after things kicked off. What made the difference?

ACT III: Embracing The Human Side Of Technology

In May 2010, Pinterest had 3000 users, but wasn’t blowing up.

A program called “Pin It Forward” encouraged people to share pinboards to remind them of home. It was like a new-school chain letter. Something resonated and they began to discover people using their product in new and unexpected ways—like making sight-seeing map collections.

Pretty soon, the first in-person Pinterest meetup happened, and the site found its soul in unexpected play. Now, it’s a computer company whose mission is to get people away from their computers. Crazy?  They found their secret sauce.

So what do we learn from Pinterest, the little company that could? If you have a dream and the drive, you should endure the road bumps to success, stick to your vision, and recognize that your people—the ones you work with, and your target audience—are the core of it all.

Pinterest proves that just because you hit a few roadblocks or some seriously heavy traffic… you’re not down and out. In fact, it might actually mean you’re heading in the right direction.

Few single words can capture an empire like the name “Beyoncé. From her start with Destiny’s Child to slaying Superbowl halftime shows and dropping some of the most iconic pop albums of the past decade, she’s officially gone from “icon” to “inspiration.” Everything she does has a unique halo, and her golden touch would give Midas a run for his money. She’s an artist. She’s a monolith. She’s a brand—and she rules her brand like nobody else.

You can too! Just take these five great personal branding lessons from the career of Queen Bey. (Long may she reign.)

1. RECOGNIZE YOUR NAME IS YOUR BRAND.

Beyoncé’s name is a solid gold seal of awesomeness—and yours should be too, because it’s stamped on everything you broadcast. Whether you’re singing at the Grammys or just updating Instagram, it’s important to keep your standards high when it comes to what you put your name on. This is especially true because employers, investors, or your fellow game-changers are only a few clicks away from finding you on a social media platform with a single Google search.

Use it: Be like Bey—choose projects, partners, and messages you believe in, and surround yourself with peers who you are proud to associate with.

2. USE YOUR STRUGGLES AS LESSONS.

One word: Lemonade. By now, it’s public knowledge that this iconic album was inspired by Jay Z’s cheating on Queen Bey. Making the most of a bad situation, she turned the experience into music so great, we’re still shook two years later. She also left us with a great lesson—no struggle, no success.

Use it: Remember that failure or difficulty are not a dead end. You can learn a lot from them, and use the tough stuff to inform future decisions. Take a tactical look at what went wrong, and harness your frustrations into something better. In other words, get in formation.

3. BE UNEXPECTED.

Remember in 2013 when Bey dropped her self-titled album in the middle of the night with ZERO promotion beforehand? The world had no warning, and the shockwaves basically broke the internet. While it's a marketing tactic we don't advise for just ANYONE, it shows us a couple of things: A) she’s confident in her art B) she’s playing by her own rules.

Use it: Whether you’re starting a business, finessing your next big idea, or honing your skillset,  don't be afraid to try new things. This could be reaching out to a potential mentor, or taking a class for something you’ve never tried before. You might surprise yourself—and everyone else—with the results!

4. DON'T BE AFRAID TO BE ASSERTIVE.

When Beyoncé joined the #banbossy campaign, she dropped a life-changing phrase: "I'm not bossy, I'm the boss." There’s a difference between steam-rolling people to execute your vision, and leading them towards it—one of those differences is the ability to be confident and assertive.

Use it: Everyone had to start somewhere (yeah, even Bey), and learn things along the way. Still, while it’s important to stay humble, you know your end goal. Trust your gut, and don’t be afraid to speak up when it says you’re off course.

5. COLLABORATE!

Find people with a similar vision and connect with them to learn new skills and create amazing projects. Working with others will diversify your network and open up your mind to new ideas. It could even result in hits like “Telephone”, “Feelin' Myself”, “Crazy in Love” or… this would be an amazing playlist. You get the picture, right? Team up and dream up.

Use it: Contact others not just for advice, but also for potential collaboration. Look at other entrepreneurs, startups, or organizations in your city that interest you and brainstorm how to come together to create something unique and mutually beneficial. You might just change the world, or be like Beyonce and run it.

The hardest part of doing something is just getting started. Having goals and ideas is awesome, but actually making them happen is a whole other ballgame. Knowing how to take the next step or what step to take may not be obvious at first. What’s more, it can be intimidating if you feel unsure about your ability to reach these goals on your own. The good thing is you don’t have to do it solo. The answer? Personal advisory board!

A personal advisory board of mentors, or as we like to call it your personal #squad, is the not-so hidden secret of many successful entrepreneurs who’ve gone on to meet and even exceed their business and life goals. Having people to advise, support and coach you (in a formal or informal way) as you develop can be key. These individuals should have plenty of life and work experience that they are willing to lend  to your development process, and lessons to share from what they’ve learned through their own journeys. Taking this wisdom can help you learn about yourself and where you want to go, while adding depth to the mentor-mentee experience.

Another benefit to an advisory board is that having people aware of your goals can keep you accountable to them. With someone taking interest in your progress as you work, you’ll have extra incentive to hustle towards achievement!. You’re no longer rolling solo, you’ve got everyone in your board rooting for you. This is an excellent source of motivation, giving extra purpose (and oomph!) to whatever you’re working on. This also means there’s going to be people to celebrate with you when you succeed.

At the League of Innovators, we’re all for you finding people to learn and develop from, whether it’s at school, or in your community. There’s a lot to learn from the people around you, so focusing on having a single mentor is shutting off a shot at more opportunities. Instead, focus on developing relationships with a small group of advisors from a wide variety of backgrounds—you’ll have a broader range of perspectives as you meet challenges and figure out your next steps at every milestone. Another advantage of curating an advisory board is the exposure to new opportunities. Creating a network of quality relationships is a difference-maker when you break into the professional world. The more people who know what you’re capable of, the easier it is to show the world exactly what you have to offer.

Check out our  full crash course on building your own personal advisory board or your ‘squad’ here. We think it’s totally worth watching, but if you’re not in the mood to watch, bookmark it for later and read on for some key takeaways!

Seek Out Help With Specific Goals

You know where you want to be, so find the people who will help get you there. These are people with specific connections and experiences related to the opportunities you want, whether it’s landing that sweet internship, your first real-world gig, or getting your own business off the ground. Once you have someone in mind, approach them with specific requests. It doesn’t have to be a big ask at first, and can be as simple as meeting them over coffee to ask a few questions, or for their mentorship as you work to your next opportunity or business idea.

Add Value To The Relationship

To get the most out of a member of your advisory board, you have to put some work into the new relationship too! Potential advisors have lots to offer, but they are busy people. If you want to get them engaged in your pursuit of success, you have to add value. Instead of just punching the clock, show up ready and eager to learn. Build an organic relationship that is mutually beneficial, not just focused on your own needs. If you can show them your strengths and what you’re capable of, they can offer you more support.

. The simplest way to add value is to just be present as you work. Taking the opportunity to be there in the moment, actively asking thoughtful questions and showing genuine curiosity for what they have to offer, will prove that you’re worth working with. Another idea is to always go into meetings with your mentors with an open mind, rather than sticking to a fixed set of expectations. It helps to know what you want, but if you’re receptive to any advice they may have for you, you’ll get ideas and input on things you didn’t realize you needed help with.

Put In The Work

So you’ve found people to be your advisors, ready to steer  you in the direction you want to be going… Well, the work doesn’t stop there! With all this knowledge you’ll be receiving, your role is to be like a sponge and let it all soak in. Take time to understand what the lessons you’re receiving are, and what you can apply them to.

This also includes making sure you’re ready whenever you meet with your mentor. It sends a signal that you’re prepared and eager if you’re there with everything you need at your fingertips, instead of scrambling for materials and showing up distracted. Whichever version of you makes it to the meetings also displays just how much value you’re assigning to the relationship.

Set Expectations

Once you’re working to get the most out of your mentorship experience, the best thing to do is make sure you know what everyone expects out of it. Keep in touch with your advisors and check in regularly to let them know how you’re doing, and set a guideline for how often this happens and what it looks like. Transparency is key, so be sure to understand what’s expected from you, and what you want out of the relationship every step of the way. The more they hear from you in the form of a continuous relationship, the more likely they are to offer help in the future. An additional benefit of this is that eventually you’ll have a bunch of professional working relationships developed beyond receiving mentorship. With any luck, they’ll last until you’re  mentoring someone too!!