Support for Business

Youth Technopreneurship Program

Recent News 

  • NAIT HATCH Business Plan Contest winner announced
  • SAIT announces the LAUNCH Business Plan Contest
  • Red Deer College launches the RED Challenge Business Plan Contest
  • Youth Technopreneurship Program featured at WorldSkills Calgary 2009 Read more...  

Become a Youth Technopreneurship Program partner

Alberta's Action Plan

This three year plan of wide ranging coordinated actions aims to create sustainable knowledge-based jobs and opportunities for Albertans in our advanced technology sectors. Read more...

The Youth Technopreneurship Program (YTP) invites eligible post-secondary institutions and non-profit community organizations to host business plan contests for young entrepreneurs.

Who is the business plan contest for?

The business plan contests are targeted at young entrepreneurs through two tracks:

  • a Post-secondary Track for youth under age 35 who are in their final year of enrolment in an eligible post-secondary institution or who have graduated within the past year; and
  • a High School Graduate Track for youth under age 25 who have graduated from high school within the past two years.

What do the winners receive?

Winners will receive a cash prize and up to one year of free incubation services and mentorship. Advanced Education and Technology will provide the cash prizes of $10,000 for each high school graduate competition and $20,000 for each post-secondary competition. The host organizations will provide the incubation services and mentorship.

Where will the contests take place?

  • Business plan contests will be held throughout Alberta. The Post-secondary Track will be hosted by eligible post-secondary institutions and the High School Track will be hosted by a non-profit community organization coordinating the contest in an economic region.

Eligible post-secondary institutions and community organizations will submit proposals before December 31, 2009 to Advanced Education and Technology to host the business plan contest for their school or region.

What does a hosting organization do?

Each host organization plans, promotes and runs the contest, and also arranges for up to one year of free mentorship, professional expertise and incubation support for the contest winner.

Host organizations will also engage partners in their local business community to act as advisors, mentors, screeners and judges for the business plan contests.

It is expected the first round of business plan contests will run during the 2009-10 academic year and contest winners will be selected before summer 2010. Additional rounds are planned.

Host organizations will receive $5,000 to help with program organization and promotion costs.

How to become a partnering host organization

  1. First, read the YTP Guidelines for Partners to see if this program is right for you.
  2. Next, contact the Technology Commercialization Division to learn more about the program.

Contact Us

You can reach us by phone at 780-643-0901 or by email at techcomm.services@gov.ab.ca.

I am a young entrepreneur. How Can I Participate?

Business plan contests will be listed as partners sign up. For more information about the contests, check out the Youth Technopreneurship Questions and Answers below.

Additional Information