Dare to Dream
Receive up to $15k in funding
The Dare to Dream Program through Centre for Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Social Impact (CEISI) at Smith School of Business is designed to encourage and enable entrepreneurs in launching their new ventures. The program is specifically focused on providing critical resources to help Smith graduates turn their new venture business plans into reality. Each award provides up to a total of $15,000 over a three month period.
Many students create new ventures while in their program, yet upon graduation, they are faced with a tough dilemma: take a full-time job in order to pay for rent and/or student loans and sacrifice the opportunity to bring their business to fruition versus pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams while bootstrapping to make ends meet.
The Dare to Dream Program was created to make it possible for graduates to pursue the latter, by not only covering expenses, but also providing other critical resources such as space and access to the invaluable Queen’s network of contacts.
Eligibility
Founders/Co-Founders must be in their final year of study for a degree or diploma program at Smith School of Business or have graduated from a Smith program in the Fall of the previous year
Key dates & deadlines
| Task | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications Open | Mon, Jan 5 |
| Applications Close | Fri, Apr 3 @ Noon (ET) |
| Pre-Screening Judges Deliberations | Mon, Apr 6 - Sun, April 19 |
| Winners Announced * | Mon, Apr 20 |
*Due to the number of entries, only the winners will be informed
Guidelines and templates
Please read through the guidelines carefully
Criteria to submit
- Your venture should be in the start-up stage (well beyond ideation)
- A clear explanation of the product or service and the pain point/problem you are solving that answers the ‘so what.’ - build the emotional attachment to ‘why should we care?” and ‘how will this make life better for the target market?’
- A clear explanation of the product or service and the pain point you are solving
- The opportunity and solution (i.e. why is now the right time for this business)
- Proven research and market validation, including a strong understanding of the total addressable (TAM) /service available (SAM)/serviceable obtainable market (SOM)
- Your target market (i.e. size, structure, archetype)
- Your competitive advantage(s)
- CRITICAL - The economics of the business – e.g. business model, revenue model (pricing strategy), COGS, profit margins etc
- The value proposition of your team
- The ask!! Why are you pitching to the judges, i.e.how, will you use money, and what value will it add?
- Sources of funding – how are you funding the business now, and show any additional finances raised
“…the Dare to Dream Program allowed me to do exactly what it said it was going to do. It allowed me to dream. It allowed me to not just have to look inside the box of having to get a job because I had to pay for my education. It was to really go out there and test an idea and see if I could build a business.”
2024 Award Recipients
Técare Inc. - Annette Leclair
Técare Inc. offers a retail experience designed specifically for Canadian women who want a simpler, more personalized approach to beauty and body care. Their mission is to empower you with expert service and straightforward solutions.
Videntia Innovations
A platform offering real-time geopolitical alerts delivered via Slack, Teams and CRM as well as AI curated and human verified scoring and forecasting. The platform aims to replace or complement in-house analysts, news feeds and high-cost consultancies.
She Left Home - Ninoshka Pais
A digital social network that is tailored for BIPOC women offering group trips that combine community and solo travel. The venture also offers connection and mentorship through educational resources to guide confident trip planning, as well as an AI-powered travel tool designed to meet the users specific needs.
The Sinkinson Family Dare to Dream Award
Awarded to a wealth management company in its early stages, whose founders have chosen to remain anonymous.
In addition to the funds received to help scale their operations, recipients will also be provided with access to workspace, mentorship and coaching through CEISI, and access to connections within the invaluable Queen’s University network.