The Next 36

Overview of the The Next 36 program:

The Next 36 chooses 36 young Canadians innovators yearly, who are mentored by successful Canadian entrepreneurs and business leaders, and challenges them to build a new business venture or iterate and scale an existing idea with enormous potential.

Benefits of the The Next 36 program:

• The Next 36 charges no tuition fee to participants. The Next 36 invests up to $80,000 per participant.

Eligibility criteria of the The Next 36 program:

• Canadian Citizenship and Residency Requirements:
• Accepted Applicants: You must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or hold a student/working visa in Canada to apply.
• Permanent Residency Applicants: If you are in the process of applying for Permanent Resident status or intend to do so, you can submit a notarized statement to that effect. Please contact Next 36 before submitting your application if you plan to provide such a statement.
• International Applicants: At this time, Next 36 does not support international applicants who do not meet the above criteria, and the program cannot assist with startup visas.
• Canadian Students Studying Abroad:
• Eligibility: Canadian citizens enrolled in undergraduate programs outside of Canada are eligible to apply, as long as they can commit to attending the full summer program from early May to mid-August.
• Academic Requirements:
• Grades: There is no minimum GPA requirement. While you will be asked to provide your GPA as part of the application, it is just one of many factors considered in the selection process.
• Commitment During the Program:
• Full-Time Commitment: During the summer Entrepreneurship Institute (May-August), participants are expected to fully commit to the program. This means no other classes, jobs, or side projects are allowed. Exceptions are only granted in extreme circumstances.
• Desired Applicant Qualities:
• Entrepreneurial Track Record: Next 36 seeks applicants who have demonstrated entrepreneurial initiative. This could include participating in hackathons, leading a student organization, starting a business, or launching a social enterprise. The program values applicants who have identified opportunities, taken action, and learned from their experiences, even if their ventures were not successful.
• Existing Ventures:
• Applying with a Venture: You can apply to the program with an existing early-stage venture. Typically, this venture may have received small amounts of funding through grants, university programs, or competitions, but should not have taken significant private investment.
• Co-Founder Applications: The application is individual, so each co-founder must apply separately. Only those who are successful during National Selection Weekend will be admitted as Lead Founders in the Next 36 program.
• Co-Founder Admission:
• If Not All Co-Founders Are Accepted: There will be a second intake in February, allowing Lead Founders co-founders to apply or re-apply. If they arent accepted during this intake, they will be considered external co-founders with limited access to the program. They may still have opportunities to attend classes, use hot desk space, and participate in larger external events, depending on availability.