startGBC

Do you show perseverance in your training journey? 

Are you involved in your community? 

Are you committed in your school environment? 

Do you know that awards thousands of scholarships each year that have nothing to do with academic results? 

Rather, Desjardins highlight the commitment and efforts. Plus, the scholarships are offered to all post-secondary students: skilled trade school, college or university and regardless of the study field. Looking for motivated youth. Is it you? 

Applications are accepted from March 1 to 31 at desjardins.com/scholarships.

🎉 Congratulations to our top teams from the startGBC UN SDG Design Jam!

🏆 1st Place: Hot Equity
🥈 2nd Place: Visionaries
🥉 3rd Place: EcoTrio

Your award-winning presentations showcased innovative, impactful, and relevant solutions to tackle key UN SDG challenges. Your dedication, creativity, and problem-solving skills truly stood out! 🚀

A huge thank you to all participants, mentors, and judges who made this event a success. Let’s continue driving change through design thinking and entrepreneurship! 🌍✨

And just like that, the startGBC UN SDG Design Jam is complete! ✅🎉

A huge congratulations to all of our challengers for their hard work, dedication, and innovative solutions. Each pitch was crafted with precision, creativity, and impact. We couldn’t be prouder of what you’ve accomplished!

A special thank you to our incredible panel of judges for their time, expertise, and valuable feedback:
Pat McNamara – & Ignite Capital
Nancy Lemi – 
 –
Dr. Krista Holmes – Research & Innovation

And another shoutout to our amazing mentors who guided our challengers throughout this journey:
Courtney Brooke Barr – Serial Entrepreneur
JC Jeffrey – Buyer Specialist Category
Rohan Sanath – Supply Chain Management
Neal Lilliott – startGBC

Stay tuned! We’ll be announcing our top 3 teams soon! 👀🏆

Day 3 of the startGBC UN SDG Design Jam is complete! ✅

Today, our challengers put their ideas to the test through PESTLE Analysis and honed their pitching skills in preparation for the big day tomorrow! 🚀

Huge thank you to our expert speakers for their insights:
✅ – Blue Life Strategy (PESTLE Analysis)
✅ Sarah Hashem – (Pitching Presentation & Tips)

Tomorrow, it’s pitch day! 🎤 Our challengers will present their solutions to a panel of esteemed judges.

Drop some 👏 encouragement in the comments and cheer them on!

March is here, and so are more exciting opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs at startGBC! 🚀💡

Swipe through to explore this month’s lineup of workshops, networking events, and hands-on learning experiences. Don’t miss your chance to connect, innovate, and grow your entrepreneurial mindset!

🔗 Follow us for more details on upcoming events!

✅ Day 2 startGBC UN SDG Design Jam

We’re incredibly proud of our challengers for pushing their ideas further today. Through design thinking, they refined their problem definitions and structured their Business Model Canvases, laying the foundation for impactful solutions. 🚀

A huge thank you to our expert speakers:
🎤 Matt Hexemer – Director, (Design Thinking & Problem Definition Session)
🎤 Nik-Keisha Moodie – Value Proposition Canvas & Business Model Canvas)

And a special shoutout to our coaches for their invaluable support:
- Courtney Brooke Barr – Serial Entrepreneur
- JC Jeffrey – Buyer Specialist Category
- Rohan Sanath – Supply Chain Management
- Neal Lilliott – startGBC

Tomorrow, it’s time for Day 3—teams will refine their pitches!

Startup Huddle GTA is back! Join us on March 7 for an inspiring session featuring three remarkable women entrepreneurs as they share their business challenges and insights. This is your chance to connect, collaborate, and contribute to an uplifting dialogue. Don’t miss it!

📅 March 7, 2025
📍 startGBC - St. James Campus - Rm B175, 200 King Street East Toronto, ON M5A 3W8

🔗 Sign up now—link in bio!

And that’s a wrap on Day 1 of the startGBC UN SDG Design Jam! 🎉
Huge thank you to our amazing challengers. Your energy and enthusiasm today set the stage for an exciting week ahead! 🚀

A special shoutout to Lindsay Wallace of Canada Forum for Impact Investment and Development for an inspiring keynote and to our industry experts:
🔹 Varun Chandak (Founder & President, ): Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10)
🔹 Beata Domanska (Senior Director, Efficiency Capital): Sustainable Cities & Communities (SDG 11)
🔹 Deborah King (Founder, .measure): Responsible Consumption & Production (SDG 12)

We can’t wait to see what’s next! See you all on Saturday, March 1, for Day 2.

Day 1 of the startGBC UN SDG Design Jam starts TODAY! 🌍
We have an exciting Kick-Off Session, featuring an inspiring keynote and challenge discussions led by industry experts:

🎤 Keynote Scene Setter:
Lindsay Wallace – Canada Forum for Impact Investment and Development
🔹 Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10)
Varun Chandak – Founder & President, Access to Success
🔹 Sustainable Cities & Communities (SDG 11)
Beata Domanska – Senior Director, Efficiency Capital
🔹 Responsible Consumption & Production (SDG 12)
Deborah King – Founder, Global Measure
Headshot by Monique Hutson (Dom Productions)

Let’s get started! 🔥

LAST DAY TO SIGN UP!

Time is running out! ⏳ Today is your final chance to register for the startGBC UN SDG Design Jam—an immersive, fully online event where you’ll use design thinking to tackle real-world challenges.

💡 Solve global issues. Build innovative solutions. Make an impact.

🌍 This year, we’ll focus on one of these three challenges:
- Reduced inequalities (SDG 10)
- Sustainable cities & communities (SDG 11)
- Responsible consumption & production (SDG 12)

🏆 $3,000 PRIZE POT is up for grabs!

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to collaborate, innovate, and make a difference. Sign up NOW before it’s too late! 🔗 https://bit.ly/GBCDesignJam

Few more days until our UN SDG Design Jam! Get ready to put your design thinking skills to the test and solve real-world challenges.

📅 Event Schedule:
• Feb 26 (Wed), 4-6PM: Kick-Off Event
• Mar 1-2 (Sat-Sun), 9AM-6PM: Teamwork Days
• Mar 3 (Mon), 4-6PM: Pitch Day

Location: All Online

Full attendance is a must as you team up to create innovative solutions. Sign-ups are open until Feb 24. Don’t miss out!

Sign up now: https://bit.ly/GBCDesignJam