Nine students at the University of Toronto have been chosen as finalists for The Next 36, a national competition and training program that aims to transform students into high-impact entrepreneurs.
The Next 36 program consists of two parts. The first part divides students into groups, equipping each with $50,000 to program a mobile application with the aid of industry experts. The second part involves a residency at Massey College where they will receive lessons on entrepreneurship.
“The University of Toronto has been thrilled to help support the development of The Next 36 program by an outstanding group of Canadian business leaders and educators,” said U of T President David Naylor.
“I also want to congratulate the nine students from our university who will be part of the inaugural group. I wish all 36 participants the very best with their program in the months ahead.”
The vast majority of the students from U of T come from the faculty of engineering, which sent a notification about the competition to all undergraduate students. There are also students from commerce, economics, and political science.
“I heard about it the night before the deadline and jumped at the chance,” said David Berkal, a peace and conflict studies student at U of T and a finalist in the program.
“The people running this program are putting so much into it, including their own financial resources, that you just know it’s going to be a great program.”
Asked about the selection process, Berkal said, “There was a standard online application and then a fairly intense selection weekend in Toronto with the top 70 students.
“It was a bit of a reality TV show-esque scene. The actual selection came down to six 10-minute interviews with different industry leaders.”
Shahed Al-Haque, another finalist studying engineering, believes The Next 36 is a once-in-a-life time opportunity.
“[It’s] an opportunity to engage and work with some incredibly talented, like-minded peers from all around Canada who share my passion for making a difference.”
Asked what he learned so far, Al-Haque said, “Right now, we are in the initial stages of starting our venture. The focus so far has been working in interdisciplinary teams to come up with an idea for our mobile app.
“We’re all scattered around Canada so working together has been a bit of a challenge since we can’t meet in person.”
Eran Henig, another finalist in computer science and economics, said, “It is important to set high expectations for yourself.”
Henig was influenced by Satchu’s class, Economics of Entrepreneurship: “Reza Satchu is a great mentor. He taught me many important life skills.
“The effort he puts into providing his students with a lifetime experience is admirable. His impact reaches far beyond the walls of the University of Toronto.”
Other U of T finalists are: Michael Del Balso and Tulika Gupta in electrical and computer engineering, Shane Gu in engineering science, Ke Li in commerce and computer science, Daniel Rodic in the Rotman Commerce program, and Saksham Uppal in engineering science.
The competition received more than 1,300 applicants. The group of finalists includes social and serial entrepreneurs, academic award winners, campus leaders, accomplished artists, scientists, engineers, and elite athletes.
