Our programs aim to make you the best kind of rich: satisfied, healthy, and connected to people who care. Together, we love the experience of breathing new life into our shared home. We'll help you turn your talents into a viable business and balance the books, but more importantly we want to join you in a life-changing summer.

• We are a design-focused program, always challenging you to think about why you are doing, not just what you are doing.
• We are interdisciplinary, bringing together as diverse a cohort as we can while learning from mentors with a wide range of experience.
• We help each other. This is not a numbers game for us, nor dog-eat-dog for you. We only accept people into this program that we want to work hard with, and that we trust are team players.
• We force you to slow down, taking trips around the province to see how people are using business to build strong communities.
• We break bread together and make sure to enjoy each others' company in a non-business setting on the regular.
• We are constantly reflecting. You will gain a much better understanding of yourself and your own terms of success.
• We build something that lasts. Our team and alumni are a family and they continue to support each other and energize Fredericton all year long.

It's a little bit like coaching college football, where it’s less about the game than the growing of great people. And I think the program made them better people. I think it made us all better people.
John Leroux, Design Mentor

Who should apply?

The Summer Institute accepts individuals and teams of up to three people with a basic business idea that they would like to validate. Anyone aged 19+ is eligible and we encourage applicants from every discipline. You do not need to be a UNB student or even a student at all. Beyond talent and authenticity, we're looking for some basic elements:

• RESPONSIBILITY: Provide evidence that you are committed to getting the job done well.
• AMBITION: Aspire to make a big, positive impact even if your business is small.
• COMPETENCE: Give us confidence that you are capable of launching your idea.
• JUDGEMENT: Demonstrate you can prioritize, think strategically, and make wise decisions.

Our applicants' business ideas are diverse; some sell physical products, some offer services, digital goods, etc. - it depends on where your talents, skills, and passions lie. Everyone starts small, of course, but we are seeking people that want to make a big, positive impact. There are a million ways you can do right by your values, and our goal is to help you discover how to make the dollars and cents add up as well.

*Note* There is no set number of teams that we will accept. Each cohort will be sized according to the quality of the applications.

What are the programs and why do they exist?

Foundry is your chance to finally test out that business idea you've been sitting on. It allows participants to test-drive entrepreneurship in a supportive and low-risk setting. Through coaching, classes, startup capital, and community support, Foundry assembles the ingredients to help you take an idea to market. We walk you through the steps of launching your own business.

Because it's a tough world out there in a globalized labour market. We believe equipping people with the skills, confidence, and experience to run their own business will make them more resilient citizens and in turn create opportunities for others.

The Foundry program was an interesting combination of pushing you and your company forward faster than you would imagine, and taking time to reflect on what your company stands for and why you are the best person to be bringing this idea to life.
Andrew Mathis, Foundry, 2014

Spark is all about good people developing technology that is kinder on the planet. It is for people that want to be working in a meaningful way to make the world a better place. The main focus is energy but we are open to exploring other big ideas (water, food, etc) and creative technology projects. Just like Foundry, we supply the necessities and walk you through the steps of launching your own business. 

Because technology is everywhere and the opportunities are endless. We want your tech ideas to become businesses that thrive and conquer the issues of today and tomorrow, creating opportunities for you and others alike.

Where and when does this all go down?

We run the program on campus at University of New Brunswick Fredericton. However, we take our cohort on several trips around the province and spend a great deal of time working and meeting in downtown Fredericton.

The program runs from early May - late July and we require that our cohort attend the whole session.

Why should you do this?

• Create your own future. Imagine the possibilities if your business takes off. Even if your idea doesn't fly, you'll have the grounded experience of taking an idea to market and exercising your creativity.
• Freedom to focus. We offer a full-time wage to help with living expenses and $2,000 for prototyping so you can focus on your business, not your bills.
• The help and support of an experienced team of mentors including designers, entrepreneurs, and communicators.  
• A customized classroom curriculum on entrepreneurship essentials.
• Credit for the course TME 3913: Experiential Learning - Technology Management and Entrepreneurship***

***If you wish to receive course credit, you must register for TME 3913 as a UNB student and pay the associated course fees. There is no charge to participate in Foundry, but we cannot award course credit to unregistered students. 

We are so appreciative of how much everyone cared. Dhirendra and the mentors would go through hell and high water for you. That was really validating - that they believed in us.
Kyle MacNevin, Foundry 2014
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How does one apply?

The application involves: meeting with a Summer Institute team member, submitting a written/visual application, and an interview for those shortlisted. See the Apply page.

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