It’s a program that has been running through the University of Saskatchewan for over 15 years and it has been recognized as the top entrepreneurial project this year for Western Canada from Enactus.

Enactus is a global non-profit that promotes social change through entrepreneurship, and the University of Saskatchewan is one of its 1,730 campuses with a team.  President of the USask group, Rebecca Keindel, says they the Indigenous Youth Idea Challenge brings professionals and faculty together with the participants through workshops, with the goal of honing in on a business idea and learning all that is needed to make it successful.

For example, there are workshops on accounting, the legalities of business, human resources and marketing.  The top five each year present their pitches at a gala and the winner receives start-up funds.

Some of the previous participants with successful businesses are SheNative, Neechie Gear, and Bannock Express.