Enterprize Canada is a student-run, not-for-profit organization with the focus on promoting entrepreneurship while providing opportunities to young entrepreneurs to grow and develop their ideas. Established in 2001 under the leadership of founder Michael Lee and other undergraduate business students from the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia, Enterprize Canada hosts Canada's largest student-run business plan competition and entrepreneurship conference. Over 250 student-delegates, industry professionals, and young entrepreneurs from across Canada meet annually in Vancouver, BC in this two-part event. While the conference and the business plan competition are the highlight events of the organization, Enterprize Canada hosts and participates in a number of community-based activities through workshops, conferences and social events that connects students in universities across Canada. Since 2009, Enterprize has also hosted the annual miniEnterprize conference which connects young innovators in across twenty high schools throughout British Columbia.
Mission
The mission of Enterprize Canada is to facilitate a world-class forum for some of the brightest young entrepreneurs in the nation by providing a platform to showcase the future of Canadian innovation, as well as connecting young students with the entrepreneurial spirit.
Conference
Hosted in Vancouver, BC, the Enterprize Canada Entrepreneurship Conference has welcomed over 250 delegates annually from across Canada. Students from a wide range of disciplines are connected through a series of interactive workshops, professional networking sessions, and nightly social events.
Past Locations
2013 – One Wall Centre
2012 – Hyatt Regency Vancouver
2010 – One Wall Centre
2009 – Hyatt Regency Vancouver
2008 – One Wall Centre
2007 – Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
2006 – Fairmont Waterfront
2005 – One Wall Centre
Business Plan Competition
The business plan competition brings together teams of two to six students from several accredited Canadian post-secondary institutions. Teams first participate in regional competitions in their respective regions:
Enterprize West 2012 (BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon, NWT) - University of BC
Enterprize Central 2012 (Manitoba, Ontario, Nunavut) - University of Guelph
Enterprize Quebec 2012 (Quebec) - McGill University
Enterprize Atlantic 2012 (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland, & Labrador) - Mount Allison University
The top business plans from each region will go on to compete in the national competition in Vancouver, BC in early February.
In 2008, 100 teams from 16 different Canadian post-secondary institutions were selected to compete in their respective regional competitions. Of these 100, the top three were chosen from each of the four regions to compete in the national finals in Vancouver. Over $80,000 in prize money was awarded in 2008, with a $20,000 business grant awarded to the top team. With a prize pool worth over $100,000, the 2009 competition will be the largest of its kind in Canada.
Past winners
2012
1st Place – Kaizen Biomedical – University of BC
2nd Place – Infinitives – McGill University
3rd Place – Conisys Electronics – University of BC
2010
1st Place – DragonFly Instruments – University of BC
2nd Place – Aegis – University of BC
3rd Place – Aeos Biomedical – University of BC
2009
1st Place – VSM Technologies – Carleton University
2nd Place – EasyPlug – University of BC
3rd Place – Carve – Simon Fraser University
2008
1st Place – VerifyRx – University of New Brunswick
2nd Place – Daily Splice – University of Victoria
3rd Place – TechTouch – Schulich School of Business, York University
PwC Innovation Award – LDCA Innovations – École de technologie supérieure (Université du Québec)