Lakehead University‘s business incubator, Ingenuity, is now accepting applications for a summer program that gives students in Thunder Bay and Orillia up to $5,000 to start their own companies. The program, known as the Ascend Accelerator, is open to current students and alumni who graduated within the last six months. Interested applicants must submit their applications by April 19, 2026.
The 10-week program runs from May 11 to July 9, 2026, and provides professional mentorship and weekly workshops. The money is meant to help with specific costs like business development and supplies, but it cannot be used to pay for rent or staff wages. Organizers say the program is free to enter, and the university does not take any ownership or future profits from the businesses.
Since the program launched in 2020, it has supported 30 different business ideas with more than $140,000 in funding. Alyson MacKay, the manager at Ingenuity, has led the initiative since it began. Many of the businesses that started in previous years are still running and making money today.
The program is currently being supported by a $132,000 grant from the John Dobson Foundation. This funding has allowed the university to expand the program to the Orillia campus and help more people launch their ventures. Previous participants have started a wide variety of businesses, including video production companies and wellness brands.
