Getting started as a Ryerson entrepreneur

That lightbulb moment of inspiration is exciting for any entrepreneur. But what happens next?

“If somebody has an idea, there’s a bunch of different ways to get started,” says Alex Gill, director of the Social Ventures Zone. “That’s something Ryerson does well, there isn’t just one path to making something happen.”

In fact, Ryerson has such a range of resources for budding entrepreneurs, that deciding which ones to pursue can be overwhelming. Here are a few places to get started.

Startup school (external link) 

Both students and members of the public can sit in on these free, weekly how-to sessions, led by seasoned entrepreneurs and academic thought leaders. Topics include creating a business plan, applying for government grants and developing a social media strategy. “You don’t have to have a perfectly formed business to participate in Ryerson’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” says Gill. “You can go to an evening session at Startup School and learn the basics on how businesses come together, or how non-profits and charities come together.”

Zone learning

Ryerson is home to 10 zones that each provide opportunities to bring your idea to life:

• Biomedical Zone
• Clean Energy Zone
• Design Fabrication Zone
• DMZ tech startup accelerator
• Fashion Zone (external link) 
• iBoost technology incubator (external link) 
• Legal Innovation Zone (external link) 
• Science Discovery Zone
• Social Ventures Zone
• Transmedia Zone

“Start by going on the web and identifying which zone best fits your idea,” said Phil Walsh, interim associate dean of the Ted Rogers School of Management (TRSM). “Each of the zones provide enough information about what they do and the kind of ideas they work on, with contact information. If you have an idea, the zones are a good place to start the discussion.”

How to navigate the zones? “The Office of Zone Learning does traffic control for 10 different zones,” said Gill. “And every zone has a coordinator, a front desk staff person, so I’d start by saying, ‘I’m interested in this thing, who at Ryerson can help me move this forward?’”

Ryerson University Library

The Library houses a wealth of resources for entrepreneurs and this guide highlights some of their key tools, such as workshops, online guides and videos, articles, databases, and more.

DMZ Sandbox

This startup and talent incubator helps entrepreneurs turn their innovative ideas into tech businesses. Programs include Basecamp, one of Canada’s top student incubation programs, and Startup Certified, which helps youth find co-op positions with industry-leading tech companies.

Enactus (external link) 

More than 72,000 students across 1,730 campuses in 36 countries are part of this entrepreneurial club, all trying to advance the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. It’s a place where students can network with other values-driven social innovators and get some hands-on experience with current projects.

Centre for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship

This central hub provides engineering students with the mentorship and resources needed to turn ideas into successful businesses.

Entrepreneurship and Strategy Department

The Ted Rogers School of Business Management offers more undergraduate entrepreneurship courses than any other English language university in Canada. The program helps students prepare to start their own business and learn skills to help startup ventures succeed.

Awards and funding

Ryerson offers a range of awards and funding opportunities for budding entrepreneurs. These include:

• Zone Learning awards and funding opportunities
• Norman Esch Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards
• Slaight New Venture Competition
•  (PDF file) Sandbox Student Grant Program
• Ryerson Futures (external link) 
• Campus-Linked Accelerator (CLA) Program

Learn more about the resources available at Entrepreneurship at Ryerson.