Six businesses run by youth entrepreneurs have been chosen for the new Slingshot summer incubator program at the Innovation Cluster – Peterborough and the Kawarthas, which launched today (May 1) in The Cube at the VentureNorth building in downtown Peterborough.
The entrepreneurs are Tyler Williamson (World Tea Podcast), MaryBeth Miller and Melissa Butler (XXIV Social), Alex Gastle (Vetterview), Richard Cochrane (Status Exempt), Geoff Wolfer (Front Office Hockey), and Mackenzie Evenden (Evenden Imaging).
All the selected applicants are between the ages of 18 and 29 and were chosen for pitching business ideas deemed high potential for success, as well as showing determination in growing their businesses. Their businesses range from Software as a Service (SaaS) to high-resolution drone mapping and photography.
“By giving the opportunity for youth to have access to an innovative space like The Cube, it will allow them to move past their starting point of having an idea and turn their business goals into a reality, right in downtown Peterborough,” says Rosalea Terry, Marketing Manager and Innovation Specialist with the Innovation Cluster.
Slingshot is the Innovation Cluster’s first summer incubator program, which provides the opportunity for six young entrepreneurs to execute their business idea (or recent startup business) in Peterborough’s new downtown incubator The Cube, a business incubator located in the VentureNorth building at 270 George Street North.
The Innovation Cluster will provide the six entrepreneurs with co-working space in the Cube’s open concept environment as of Monday, May 1st.
Over the next four months, they will receive up to $5,000 worth of resources and funding opportunities throughout the program. During their time in The Cube, the entrepreneurs will work to grow their businesses while being guided and supported by other experienced clients and a staff of innovation specialists.
As an added incentive, the most successful business of the six youth entrepreneurs will receive a grand prize of $1,000 at the end of the four months.
