Niagara College’s Community Employement Servcies (CES) has teamed up with the St. Catharines Enterprise Centre (SCEC) to strengthen support for aspiring entrepreneurs in the Niagara region. This new partnership was designed to create new pathways for students and alumni to launch or grow small businesses, contributing to both local economic development and individual career advancement.
To learn more about the partnership, read the InsideNC article here.
Entrepreneurial Partnership Launch Event – August 19
To kick off this partnership, NC and the SCEC are co-hosting the Entrepreneurial Launch Event on August 19 at Benchmark Restaurant, located at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
This event will highlight new opportunities for student and alumni entrepreneurs while showcasing SCEC programs such as Starter Company Plus and Summer Company, which offer grant funding, mentorship, and training for launching and growing small businesses in Niagara.
What attendees can expect:
- Learn about current grant and mentorship opportunities available to students, alumni, and community entrepreneurs
- Discover how these programs may align with curriculum, capstone projects, field placements, or student services initiatives
- Network with faculty, staff, alumni, industry experts, and community leaders
- Celebrate and support Niagara College’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem
Event highlights:
- Keynote Speaker: Jenn Harper, Founder & CEO of Cheekbone Beauty
Jenn Harper is the founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty, one of the first Canadian Indigenous-owned and founded cosmetics companies. A nationally recognized social entrepreneur, she has grown Cheekbone Beauty from a start-up into an international success while championing sustainability, inclusion, and Indigenous leadership. - Entrepreneur spotlights: Hear firsthand from Starter Company Plus recipients, including NC alumni and local entrepreneurs, as they share their journeys, lessons learned and how grant funding has supported their business growth.
Guests will enjoy light fare by Benchmark Restaurant and refreshments throughout the event as they connect, learn, and network.
Please note, this is a free event with limited number of seats available, so early registration is encouraged. To register for the event, click here.
