From Pugwash to the World Cup stage: BComm student champions community, entrepreneurship and global impact

BComm student Olivian Sanderson presents at the Enactus World Cup stage in Bangkok, Thailand

Olivian Sanderson grew up in Pugwash, Nova Scotia—a rural, picturesque fishing village with approximately 800 full-time residents. In just a few short years since coming to Saint Mary’s, she’s had the chance to travel the world and make a meaningful impact in the community through her involvement with Enactus Saint Mary’s and the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre.

Growing up, Olivian learned from her parents the importance of hard work, community and seizing opportunities. She made an impression during her high school years as Chair of the Cumberland County Youth Council, Student Council President, Ambassador for the Nova Scotia International Student Program and recipient of the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Award (2022) and Governor General’s Academic Medal of Canada (2023).

When considering universities, Olivian knew she wanted to experience city life and find a program that would allow her to pursue her passion for business and community building. Knowing its reputation as one of Canada’s best business schools, she applied to the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s.

She was the successful recipient of a Sobey National Innovator Scholarship, including on her application: “Looking to the future, I have big dreams and aspirations. I am passionate about understanding how the economy works and plan to use my skills to be involved in projects that support the community, as it has provided so much for me. I want to make the best world for myself and the people around me.”

Now a third-year accounting and management student, she’s made great strides toward her goals as the Co-Founder of the Sociable start-up and presenter for the global award-winning Enactus team.

Launching Sociable

Despite being very involved in high school, Olivian found the first few weeks of university difficult and lonely. Determined to find her place at Saint Mary’s, she dove headfirst into everything – trying out multiple societies and volunteering. Ultimately, it was Enactus and the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre where she found her place among people who shared her passion for big dreams and doing business for good.

Olivian found community and leadership opportunities through the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre

During a session with Enactus Saint Mary’s, the idea for the Sociable start-up was formed. Sociable is an online community platform that helps students connect, get peer support and gain access to campus events. It builds student engagement, boosting student retention, wellness and success. Olivian and co-founder of Sociable, Jason Phonchareon BSc’25, developed the start-up to address student loneliness and mental health concerns, something they both experienced.

In 2024, Sociable won the Dream Chaser Change Maker (DCCM) Foundation Social Impact Award, which included a $10,000 prize to support business development – bringing Olivian one step closer to making a positive impact on students’ lives.  

Seeing the world with Enactus

In 2024, Enactus Saint Mary’s won the National Enactus Championship for the first time. As a member of the presentation team, Olivian had the opportunity to travel to Astana, Kazakhstan, to represent Canada in the World Cup competition. While they didn’t win in Kazakhstan, it was an incredible learning experience for Olivian and her teammates.

In 2025, during Olivian’s second year as presentation team captain, the Saint Mary’s team earned their second National Championship win. This time, they travelled to Bangkok, Thailand, to compete against 28 of the best teams from around the world in the Enactus World Championship.

The team worked around the clock on their presentation about two student-run social enterprises—Alaagi and Square Roots—practicing, editing and preparing to answer questions. Olivian applied her work ethic and passion to the Enactus presentation, sharing the inspiring work being done by students at Saint Mary’s. Facing finalists from Zimbabwe, Tunisia and Germany, their presentation wowed the judges, and the team was crowned Enactus World Champion – the first world title for Saint Mary’s University.

Olivian on stage at the Enactus World Cup in Thailand

Enactus Saint Mary’s celebrates winning the World Cup

Reflecting on her first two years at Saint Mary’s, Olivian sometimes shakes her head at how much she has experienced. Her advice to new students: get as involved as you can.

“Classes are great, but you will have life-changing experiences in extra-curricular activities. The mentorship, the soft skills, and the network – so very valuable. It’s thanks to those experiences that I’ve been able to see the world.”

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Opportunities at the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre are open to all Saint Mary’s students – check out their programs and events here.

Engineering students tackle real-world medical challenge in hybrid hackathon

First-place team

Second-place team

Third-place team

When 18 undergraduate students from Saint Mary’s University and Dalhousie University joined a week-long engineering hackathon this September, they weren’t just tackling a school project, they were helping shape the future of cancer care.

Through the Experience Ventures program at the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre, students took part in a hybrid Engineering Hackathon in partnership with Qalam Health Solutions, an Atlantic Canadian startup developing a product called the Osteoprobe: an AI-powered medical device that helps surgeons detect remaining bone cancer tissue in real time. The innovation could one day help reduce unnecessary amputations and lower relapse rates.

From September 19–26, students worked in small teams to design creative solutions for Qalam’s challenge — developing ways to improve their AI-powered medical device that helps surgeons detect bone cancer tissue in real time during surgery. Guided by Qalam’s founder and CEO, Haitham Shoman, the teams brainstormed, tested ideas and presented their final pitches at the end of the week.

One team stood out for more than just their idea. The winning team impressed Qalam so much that they were offered the chance for a future internship, a powerful reminder of how meaningful connections can be built.

“This program has been valuable to Qalam Health Solutions,” said Qalam’s founder and CEO, Haitham Shoman. “Students dove into real technical challenges mechanical, electrical and design to came up with solutions worth exploring.”

For many students, the experience was their first chance to apply classroom learning to real-world problems, working side by side with industry mentors.

“This hackathon helped me connect theory with practice,” said Aweer Yuang, a second-year Engineering student at Dalhousie. “It taught me to think like an entrepreneur and to keep finding solutions, even when things didn’t go as planned.”

The event was organized by Experience Ventures, which serves as the regional lead for Atlantic Canada. The program focuses on making hands-on opportunities accessible to all students. Over 80% of its experiences are offered virtually, allowing learners from across the region to participate and build valuable industry connections.

If you want to be a part of the Experience Ventures program or learn more, click here.

Celebrating excellence: Saint Mary’s faculty recognized for external research funding

Dr. Adam Sarty recognizes researchers during a recent reception

Researchers at Saint Mary’s University were recently recognized for their success in securing over $10 million in external funding to engage in important work in their fields. The funding received was in the form of research contracts, Canada Research Chair positions and tri-council grants.

Saint Mary’s researchers are focused on such diverse topics as black holes, seaweed-based bioplastics, generating resilience in youth service, improving small-scale fisheries, building healthy leadership systems, innovations in job interviews, and creating culturally sensitive, trauma-informed tools with First Nation communities.

A celebration to honour 116 researchers from the faculties of Science, Arts, the Sobey School of Business and two staff members from the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre took place in the McNally Theatre Auditorium on October 10.

Special mentions were given to Dr. Paul Muir in Mathematics and Computing Science for receiving consistent NSERC funding over 40 years. Dr. John Young, Professor Emeritus, was also acknowledged for becoming the fifth Honorary member of the Nova Scotia Institute of Science for his contributions to mathematics and chemistry over 75 years.

The calibre of research happening here at Saint Mary’s University is something that we should all be proud of, congratulations again to all of those that have been recognized.

Nova Scotia students team up for first Provincial Innovation Sprint

Saint Mary’s and NSCC students participated together in an Innovation Sprint for The Dordéan Suites of Chester

Students from Saint Mary’s University and Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) came together for the first-ever Provincial Innovation Sprint on September 26 at NSCC’s Lunenburg Campus in Bridgewater, NS. 

The day marked the start of a new two-year partnership between the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre and NSCC, designed to connect students and local businesses across Nova Scotia through hands-on innovation challenges. 

Ten students, five from each institution, were paired up to help The Dordéan Suites of Chester, a social enterprise that provides meaningful employment opportunities for adults with disabilities. Their task was to develop new ideas to promote the cabin’s unique features and reach a younger audience looking for memorable, local getaways. 

Over four hours, the teams brainstormed, sketched and refined their ideas with guidance from faculty mentors and NSCC representative Nicole Osmond. Students proposed themed getaway packages, wellness experiences and ways to highlight the cabins’ story through community partnerships and social media. 

For business owners Renena and Shawn Joy, the experience was both exciting and inspiring. 

“We had a great experience participating in the Innovation Sprint,” they shared. “It was inspiring to see students bring creativity, fresh ideas and energy to the challenges at The Dordéan Suites of Chester. Their innovative solutions and thoughtful presentations were an excellent example of the value of collaboration and new perspectives.” 

By the end of the afternoon, three teams stood out. Taking first place were Caroline MacPhee and Abbigail Leslie-Bigelow, both NSCC students, whose concept drew on their Irish heritage. They envisioned transforming a common space into an area for meditation and healing activities, working with local wellness and cultural groups to bring the idea to life. Impressed by their thoughtful approach, Renena and Shawn offered them a complimentary stay at the cabin as a thank you. 

Second place went to Dwiesha Swann and Mannat Gogia from Saint Mary’s and Amber Davis from NSCC, while third place went to Hazzaa Sujeer and Kathleen Steele, both from Saint Mary’s. 

The event was a chance for students to apply what they’ve learned, collaborate with peers from another institution and see how their ideas can make a tangible difference for a local business. 

More events like this are planned across the province, giving students the opportunity to turn creativity into impact one challenge at a time. 

Learn more about Innovation Sprints and how you can get involved here. 

Cooking up a positive impact on Easy Platter’s operations

Mandhir Singh and Vishnu Priyan Mahendran

Harnessing data to reduce food waste

As Canada’s first on-demand personal chef service, Easy Platter offers a unique approach to meal preparation by enabling customers to hire personal chefs to plan menus and prepare high-quality, personalized meals.

To address operational challenges, Easy Platter collaborated with Dr. Yasushi Akiyama, a professor of Mathematics and Computing Science. Together, they designed a framework to calculate both ingredient costs and potential food waste for selected meal plans. With support from Vishnu Priyan Mahendran, a 2022 graduate student in the Master of Computing and Data Analytics program, they developed formulas and integrated them into the company’s system, improving efficiency.

“Dr. Akiyama was extremely helpful in not just identifying great talent at Saint Mary’s University but also collaborating with us throughout the project,” said Mandhir Singh, Founder of Easy Platter and 2012 MBA Graduate from Saint Mary’s University. “Vishnu has been a huge asset for Easy Platter and has contributed to multiple complex projects.” Vishnu has been employed with Easy Platter since he graduated.

The second phase of the project linked ingredient data with its supply chain. This integration offers automated insights into food waste, which helps the team track sustainability. With nearly 4,000 recipes, the system can now predict how much food waste a menu will generate.

The team also explored machine learning algorithms to identify ingredients that could cause nutrient deficiencies and provided recommendations to enhance meals’ nutritional value. This feature supports personalized nutrition plans, which are incorporated into Easy Platter’s final database and user interface.

With these insights, Easy Platter reduces food waste while helping customers enjoy healthier, personalized meals—combining sustainability and wellness in every dish.

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The Office of Innovation and Community Engagement (OICE) at Saint Mary’s University facilitates research partnerships between the University and companies, government departments and community organizations. OICE is the initial point of contact for faculty members and external partners wishing to collaborate. The office assists with finding suitable expertise, contract development and advising on funding opportunities.

This project highlight is from the 2025 OICE Report, which features researchers from Saint Mary's University and their external partners.

Saint Mary's University wins the Enactus World Cup!

The Enactus Saint Mary’s team celebrates winning the World Cup

Enactus Saint Mary’s Co-President Courtney Dingle accepts an award as the team moved on to the Top 16

SMU represents Canada at the Parade of Flags at the World Cup

Team Canada with Enactus Board Chair Iain Aitken

The Enactus Saint Mary’s team has captured the global championship at the 25th Enactus World Cup in Bangkok, Thailand. Their 12-minute presentation on two student-run social enterprises—Alaagi and Square Roots—outperformed finalists from Zimbabwe, Tunisia and Germany. This victory marks the first world title for Saint Mary’s University, which competed against 28 national champion teams from around the globe.

Twenty-one students and staff from the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre represented Team Canada. Co-Presidents Courtney Dingle and Sarah Wheeler, along with Gabe Martin BA’25, led the team through a year of groundbreaking work.

"The true win here isn't the trophy, it's the global proof that profit and purpose can coexist,” says Courtney Dingle. “We are constantly showing that our generation is ready to redefine what a successful business looks like. We're building enterprises that heal the planet."

Alaagi: Revolutionizing packaging with seaweed

Alaagi bio-plastic developed at Saint Mary’s

Alaagi is a revolutionary bio-plastic company aiming to disrupt the global packaging industry. The student-led venture has developed an eco-friendly and fully bio-degradable plastic wrap utilizing biopolymers sourced from seaweed.

Alaagi's innovation addresses the massive problem of single-use plastic pollution by offering a viable, compostable alternative. The team profiled Alaagi’s recent advancements to create an industry-standard film suitable for challenging applications like meat and seafood packaging. As part of the World Cup-winning presentation, the team highlighted the startup’s recent success at the Hult Prize Global Accelerator in London, UK. Alaagi was named one of the top 24 student start-ups in the world in the competition for $1 million in seed funding.

Square Roots: Turning food waste into access

Square Roots offers produce boxes to communities across Nova Scotia

Addressing dual problems of food waste and food insecurity, Square Roots purchases imperfect-looking surplus directly from local farmers and sells it at affordable prices to families in need, ensuring greater access to fresh, nutritious food for those facing economic hardship. Since its inception, the initiative has expanded across Nova Scotia and has diverted over a million pounds of food from landfills while empowering local community managers as entrepreneurs.

A win for sustainability, innovation, and Canada

"We are thrilled to celebrate the Enactus Saint Mary's team bringing home the World Cup to Canada!” said Catherine Fowler, President & CEO of Enactus Canada. “Square Roots is a leading example of how a social enterprise can grow and evolve, supporting sustainability in the community and beyond. We are also incredibly inspired by the team's innovation in single-use plastic alternatives with Alaagi™, showcasing the long-term impact of investing in early-stage projects. This win truly represents the strength of our teams and program in Canada, which we couldn't achieve without the incredible support of the faculty advisors, volunteers and donors."

This recognition, winning the Enactus World Cup, is a momentous achievement for Saint Mary’s University, Nova Scotia and Canada, showcasing student entrepreneurship, impact and innovation on the world stage.

Enactus Saint Mary’s represented Canada in the global competition

“This world championship is a powerful reminder of what our students are capable of achieving when creative minds come together to make great things happen,” says Michael Khan, Saint Mary’s President and Vice-Chancellor. “Their innovation, resilience and drive are changing communities here in Nova Scotia, while inspiring solutions for global challenges. The entire Saint Mary’s community are immensely proud of them.”

Saint Mary's commitment to entrepreneurship, championed by the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre, drives this success. The university cultivates an entrepreneurial mindset, focused on problem-solving, resilience and creativity across all faculties, ensuring students like those behind Alaagi and Square Roots have the holistic support to achieve global impact.

"This global title is validation that our students aren't just learning about business, they are actively building world-class, scalable solutions for major global problems," says Michael Sanderson, Director of the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre. "To see Alaagi, fresh off being named a Top 24 startup at the Hult Prize in London, combined with the proven impact of Square Roots, recognized at the international level, is a source of immense pride. These students are true change makers."

Watch the winning presentation:

Related:

• Alaagi joins Nestlé & UNESCO Top 100 Global Start-Ups

• Saint Mary’s Enactus team to represent Canada at the World Cup Exposition in Thailand

• Student-led startup named Canadian Champion at Hult Prize National Competition

• One million pounds of perfectly imperfect food feeds Nova Scotians

Alaagi joins Nestlé & UNESCO Top 100 Global Start-Ups

Tyler MacLean, Vaishali Sachdeva and Sheheryar Khan BSc’25 DipENG’25 competed for the Hult Prize in London

Summer 2025 has been a landmark season for Alaagi, a cleantech startup founded by recent Saint Mary’s University graduate Sheheryar Khan BSc’25 DipENG’25.

After spending August in London, UK at the Hult Prize Global Accelerator, Khan and teammates Tyler MacLean and Vaishali Sachdeva returned home to even bigger news: Alaagi has been named one of the Top 100 Global Start-ups by the Nestlé and UNESCO Youth Impact: Because You Matter program.

The recognition includes a grant and six months of mentorship designed to help young innovators strengthen sustainable food systems through regenerative agriculture, climate change solutions, and packaging innovations.

“The Hult Prize accelerator was completely transformative,” said Sheheryar Khan. “To spend a month with global leaders, investors, and other start-ups gave us insights and connections that would have taken years to build. Now, being recognized by Nestlé and UNESCO confirms our mission is resonating.”

Alaagi is developing compostable, seaweed-based bioplastic films for seafood and meat packaging. In the past year:

• Alaagi has secured over $11 million in commercial LOIs, including pilots with Sobeys and High Liner Foods.

• The company has received four purchase orders and won $165K in non-dilutive funding.

• Alaagi is being presented at Enactus World Cup, through Enactus Saint Mary’s, in Bangkok, Thailand.

• Alaagi will soon head to Paris for the Nestlé/UNESCO showcase event.

Learn more about entrepreneurship opportunities for students through SMU’s Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre.

Saint Mary’s University launches AI Playground in the Sobeys Inspiration Hub

The new AI Playground space is located in the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre

Saint Mary’s University has officially unveiled the new AI Playground, an innovative resource space designed to provide students, faculty and community members with hands‑on experience in artificial intelligence.

Located in the Sobeys Inspiration Hub within the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre, the room offers a collaborative environment for learning and development.

The space provides free access to different AI platforms and programs

The AI Playground is open to students, faculty, staff, businesses and community members

The space features 11 AI‑powered applications, supporting everything from organization and note‑taking to creating simple websites for small businesses. Beyond software, the room incorporates voice‑command lighting, a smart TV and visual displays.

Loona, the robot dog

A crowd‑pleaser is Loona, a smart robot dog that’s continually learning new tricks and commands, adding a playful element to the playground.

“We are thrilled to open our new AI Playground, a space where students actively tackle complex problems and innovate,” says Michael Sanderson, Director of the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre. “Students won’t just learn about AI, they’ll use it as a tool to shape the future. This space is a launchpad for the next generation of problem‑solvers.”

The AI Playground is open to all students, faculty, and community members Monday through Friday, noon to 8 p.m. To support responsible use, first‑time users must complete staff training and an AI ethics course before gaining access.

This approach reflects Saint Mary’s commitment to responsible innovation and critical thinking across teaching and community outreach.

President Michael Khan welcomes community members to the opening of the AI Playground

The Honourable Brendan Maguire, Minister of Advanced Education, was in attendance.

Visit the AI Playground

• Where: Sobeys Inspiration Hub, Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre

• Hours: Monday–Friday, noon–8 p.m.

• Open to: Students, faculty and the public

• How to access: Take a brief orientation + AI ethics module on your first visit

Saint Mary’s Enactus team to represent Canada at the World Cup Exposition in Thailand

Enactus Saint Mary’s won the National Championship in 2025

Saint Mary’s students head to Bangkok, Thailand, to represent Canada for the second year in a row at the Enactus World Cup Exposition

Last May, Enactus Saint Mary’s competed against 50 Canadian schools to win the Enactus Canadian National championship and the honour of being the only university to represent Canada at the Enactus World Cup Exposition from September 25-28 in Bangkok, Thailand. It is the second year in a row that the Saint Mary’s team has been named national champions and represented Canada on the world stage.   

Enactus, the world's largest student leadership organization, empowers its members to use entrepreneurial action to solve environmental, social and economic issues. Teams from around the world tackle global problems and showcase their successes in regional, national and worldwide competitions.  

“Enactus Saint Mary’s University is a model for innovation and social entrepreneurship, and we are proud to have them represent Canada at the Enactus World Cup,” says Catherine Fowler, President and CEO, Enactus Canada. “From their leadership on Square Roots to their innovation on alternatives to single-use plastics with Alaagi, we are confident the team will be a top competitor amongst the 32 countries represented at the World Cup.” 

Enactus Saint Mary’s entrepreneurial actions enabled them to create social, environmental and economic impact. This year, their success comes from a passionate commitment to fostering positive change through two key ground-breaking projects: 

Alaagi 

Launched in July 2024, Alaagi is redefining the future of packaging. This student-led initiative has created a durable, fully compostable bioplastic made from seaweed. This innovative material can be used to make items like sandwich bags and grocery bags.  

Now, Alaagi is pioneering the world’s first industry-standard 10K Oxygen Transmission Rate bioplastic film suitable for meat and seafood packaging—an innovation with enormous commercial potential.  

Most recently, Alaagi has secured over $155,000 in non-diluted funding and was one of the top 24 teams in the world competing for the Hult Prize of $1 million in start-up funding.  

Square Roots 

Square Roots is a standout Enactus Saint Mary’s initiative and one of the longest-running projects in the Enactus Canada network. Founded in 2016, this Community Interest Corporation tackles two major issues—food waste and food insecurity—by rescuing surplus produce and providing it to customers in need at reduced prices.  
The project sources “seconds”—fresh produce that’s often discarded due to slight imperfections in appearance—directly from local farmers. Square Roots Community Managers then distribute it affordably across Nova Scotia.   

Starting with two locations in Halifax, Square Roots has expanded to 27 locations across Nova Scotia and has provided over 1 million pounds of fresh produce to community members. 

The team, led by Co-Presidents and accounting students Courtney Dingle and Sarah Wheeler, along with Gabe Martin BA’25, features 62 students from the Sobey School of Business, Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Science. Twenty-one students will make the trip to the World Cup, along with staff from the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre. Saint Mary’s is the only university representing Canada in this competition. 

“We are incredibly proud of the efforts of every student who has made up this team,” says Co-President Courtney Dingle. “Their dedication to making the world around them better has earned us the title of National Champion for the second consecutive year, and we are excited to watch them take on the 2025 Enactus World Cup in Thailand.” 

This year, third-year accounting student and team captain Olivian Sanderson, third-year accounting and global business management student Becca Sullivan and second-year engineering student Mia Makhlouf take center-stage along with tech team Maya Campbell BComm’25 and criminology student Prateek Tamta. The team will compete in three rounds before a world champion is named. In addition, Saint Mary’s University will also represent Canada in the early-stage competition, comprised of account and business management student Kavya Shah, finance and accounting student Zach Collier and the tech team, accounting and finance student Hanna Johnson and marketing student Leah McNamara.

Follow the team’s journey on the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre and Enactus Canada social media channels.   

From student to mentor: how Experience Ventures came full circle for Hayden Ennis

Hayden Ennis BComm’25 participated in the Experience Ventures program for entrepreneurship. He now owns Downstream Exterior Cleaning.

When Hayden Ennis BComm’25 first signed up for Experience Ventures through the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre at Saint Mary’s University, he had no idea how the opportunity would shape his career path or that, just a few months later, he’d find himself on the other side of the experience—this time as a small business owner welcoming a student into his company.

“I saw the program as a great chance to put everything I’d learned into practice,” Hayden recalls. “I was placed with CanNova Construction in Halifax, and suddenly I was doing social media, content creation and graphic design — things that were totally new to me at the time.”

That placement wasn’t just a one-off learning opportunity. The skills Hayden gained during the project stuck with him. Now, they’re part of the foundation of Downstream Exterior Cleaning, the business he officially launched in January 2025.

Based in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, Downstream has already served nearly 100 customers since beginning operations in April, and it’s just getting started.

This summer, Hayden stepped into a new role in the Experience Ventures program, not as a student, but as a business owner. Through the same initiative that helped him gain hands-on experience, he’s now providing that opportunity to Alexi Melanson, a double honours student in finance and accounting at the University of New Brunswick.

And just like Hayden, Alexi didn’t waste a moment.

“Drawing on my background in corporate finance, I was able to step into a consulting-style role with Downstream,” Alexi explains. “I worked on refining the company’s approach to financial planning, building out cash flow projections, setting budgets and streamlining existing practices. It was amazing to work so closely with a small business and actually see my ideas implemented.”

For Hayden, watching Alexi’s impact has been a full-circle moment. “It’s surreal, honestly,” he says. “Experience Ventures gave me the space to learn and grow as a student. Now, I get to pass that on. Even if a student walks away with just one new skill or lightbulb moment, that’s a win.”

This story also highlights something bigger: the growing reach of Experience Ventures across Atlantic Canada. Hayden, based in rural Nova Scotia and Alexi, from New Brunswick, show how the program fosters meaningful cross-provincial connections by bridging classrooms with real businesses and students with entrepreneurs who were once in their shoes.

As Hayden looks ahead to 2026 with big goals for Downstream, he credits programs like Experience Ventures for helping him build the confidence and the community to take the leap.

“It’s more than just a resume line. It’s real growth, real people and real impact,” he says. “I’m proof of that.”

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Powered by the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking at the University of Calgary and funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiative (I-WIL), Experience Ventures enables students to make an impact alongside real-world innovators through entrepreneurial thinking placements. See our upcoming Hackathons and Challenges. Honorariums are available for students.

Visit our website to learn more.

Nova Scotia’s next gen entrepreneurs shine at the Summer Entrepreneurial Experience Bootcamp

The SEE Bootcamp was held at the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre

Participants represented multiple universities and colleges across Nova Scotia

SEE 2025 winner, SMU Arts student Stuti Sandhu

Stuti Sandhu presenting her Being There business idea

Staff from the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre chat with student participants

SMU BComm student Asmita Ale presents Alaagi

NSCC student Avery Cote presents TrekIQ

SMU alum Chantal Brine, Interim President and CEO of EduNova

Gabriel Martin BA’25 presents ScoutRoom

Jason Turner and Dina Sallam

Kulkaran Singh presents

Emo Ikede judges the competition

Yao Zhang presents

This summer, Nova Scotia’s brightest student entrepreneurs came together for the Summer Entrepreneurial Experience (SEE) Bootcamp 2025, a month-long program designed to equip students with the skills, mentorship and connections they need to turn ideas into action. Hosted by Saint Mary’s Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre in partnership with the TD Entrepreneurship Inclusion Initiative, EduNova and the Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (BEKH), SEE 2025 provided a launchpad for the next generation of innovators.

This July, 33 student entrepreneurs from across Nova Scotia participated in intensive workshops, collaborative sessions and mentorship opportunities. These sessions covered the full spectrum of entrepreneurship, from business planning and marketing to finance and pitching. The top 18 students advanced to the final pitch competition, where they presented their business ideas to a panel of judges, competing for recognition and prize funding to kickstart their ventures.

The winners were:

• First Place ($2,000): Stuti Sandhu, SMU arts student - Being There

• Second Place ($1,000):

  • Gabriel Martin SMU BA'25 - ScoutRoom

  • Asmita Ale, SMU commerce student - Alaagi

• Third Place ($500):

  • Avery Cote, NSCC commerce student - TrekIQ

  • Adeb Arianson, Dalhousie University arts student - Fund a Life

Special scholarships of $1,000 each were also awarded through the Black Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub to support Black student entrepreneurs. MSVU master’s student Lotoya Forde (THRIVEDRIVE), and SMU commerce student Aquilya Smith (ScholarConnect), received the scholarships.

For participants like BComm student Amita Ale, the experience was both inspiring and practical. “The SEE Bootcamp covered a wide range of topics relevant to starting a business. The variety of speakers and insights helped me build confidence and clarity as an aspiring entrepreneur,” she said. “You also get to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs and build your community. I highly recommend this bootcamp to anyone with a business idea or in the early stages of launching one. It’s an excellent starting point to turn your idea into action!”

SEE 2025 brought together students from multiple institutions, including Dalhousie University, Saint Mary’s University, Nova Scotia Community College and Mount Saint Vincent University, creating a diverse environment for idea-sharing and collaboration. The bootcamp also tied into broader initiatives, like the Study and Stay™ program, which focuses on retaining international talent in Nova Scotia and supporting students in building ventures that contribute to the province’s economy. By the end of the program, students had not only refined their ideas but also gained a sense of what it takes to launch and scale a business.

The SEE Bootcamp shows the growing movement behind student entrepreneurship in Nova Scotia. By providing early-stage entrepreneurs with mentorship, resources and a platform to pitch their ideas, the program is helping to create a startup ecosystem within academic institutions, bridging the gap between classrooms and real-world business opportunities.

As first-place winner Stuti Sandhu reflects, SEE 2025 was more than just a competition. It was a journey that empowered students to dream bigger, act bolder and connect with a network that will support them long after the bootcamp ends.

Interested in learning more about the Summer Entrepreneurial Experience (SEE) Bootcamp? Follow this link to learn more.

Meet the entrepreneurs breaking barriers this Disability Pride Month

This Disability Pride Month, we’re celebrating Kevin MacKinnon and Melissa Laverdure, two entrepreneurs who are leaving their unique marks in their industries. After participating in the Access Ability Entrepreneurship Incubator at the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre, Kevin and Melissa both show what’s possible when creativity, resilience and the right support come together. 

Kevin MacKinnon is the co-founder of KevEthel’s SpringRoll Company, based in Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia. Known for putting a delicious twist on tradition, Kevin’s spring rolls have become a local favourite. His signature cheeseburger roll, which blends familiar Canadian flavours with Filipino inspiration, is a crowd favourite.  

Kevin MacKinnon (right) with Ethel Doncillo MacKinnon.

Through the Access Ability Entrepreneurship Incubator, he brought his creations to Harbourside Rib Fest in Dartmouth as one of the featured food vendors. The exposure was a huge milestone for Kevin and a sign of just how far he’s come since his time in the Access Ability program.  
 
Kevin brings great creativity, and with his continued involvement in industry events like the SPICE food conference, it’s exciting to see where he’s headed next. 

As the founder of The Archival Agent, Melissa Laverdure works behind the scenes in the film and media world as a researcher and archival producer. She specializes in tracking down rare photographs, records and footage which is often material that her clients didn’t even know existed and securing the licenses to use them. Her work has been featured in projects for CBC, The History Channel, Hot Docs and the Canadian Screen Awards. 

Melissa started her business after a major life shift that forced her to rethink how she worked. That moment sparked a decision: if she was going to strike out on her own, she was also going to make it count by uplifting other women along the way.  

Melissa Laverdure

“I arrived at the idea to start my own business after a life-shifting event and had to change the way that I worked,” Melissa says. “I decided that if I was going to try and launch my own business, it would mean that I would also advocate for other women and build each other up along the way.” 

The Access Ability program gave Melissa the structure, guidance and confidence to grow her business and clarify her vision. Today, her work is helping bring powerful stories to life on screen and she’s building a business rooted in collaboration and impact. 

Kevin and Melissa's stories, though distinct, share a powerful common thread: the incredible resilience that drives entrepreneurship and the powerful effects that community partnership and collaboration bring to growing local entrepreneurs.  

Ready to explore how the Access Ability Entrepreneurship program offers guidance, knowledge and resources for your business to thrive? Visit our website for details on the Access Ability Entrepreneurship program.