Experience Ventures delivers transformative entrepreneurial thinking placements across Canada 

Since its inception in 2021, the Experience Ventures partnership network has delivered over 8000 placements nationwide 

Experience Ventures, powered by the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking at the University of Calgary, is set to embark on its fifth year, punctuating the program’s continued reach and growth.  

Last year, St. Mary’s University, Université de Montréal, and Conestoga College joined 11 post-secondary institutions in the network, bringing the partnership to 14 post-secondary institutions across Canada.  

Experience Ventures delivers entrepreneurial thinking placements for students in partnership with post-secondary institutions across Canada. Powered by the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking at the University of Calgary and funded by the Government of Canada, the Experience Ventures program was developed to enable post-secondary students to make an impact alongside real-world innovators. Since its inception in 2021, the Experience Ventures partnership network has delivered over 8000 placements nationwide. 

Through these placements, Experience Ventures offers a unique opportunity for students looking to step outside the classroom and gain experience in the new world of work. 

“We are so excited to be taking Experience Ventures into its fifth year,” says Anica Vasic, Senior Director of Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives at the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking. “Experience Ventures has seen tremendous success in connecting students and ventures together, allowing them to work on exciting projects while advancing their respective goals. It is our hope that we will have the opportunity to continue to expand and strengthen this network in the coming years, allowing us to have an even greater impact in the innovation ecosystems we serve.” 

Why Experience Ventures Was Born  

Recognizing the impact of existing work-integrated learning experiences came the opportunity for a new type of program – one that was flexible and innovative, giving students the chance to access transformative learning outside of the classroom. 

Startups and ventures across Canada were eager to connect with student talent within the post-secondary ecosystem, creating the perfect conditions for a program like Experience Ventures to actualize and thrive.  

Embedded in the Experience Ventures mission is entrepreneurial thinking, which serves as the foundation for all that the program offers.  

 “While each student’s experience in their placement is unique, Experience Ventures is focused on building entrepreneurial thinking and career-ready skills. And we strongly believe that these entrepreneurial thinking skills are going to help students no matter what career path they choose — whether they become an entrepreneur or not,” Anica says. Skills like innovative thinking, creative problem-solving, leadership, and professional networking can be applied no matter what path students choose.  

A key pillar to the Experience Ventures program is the flexibility it offers to students who may be unable to participate in a traditional four-month internship or placement, whether due to part-time work or other commitments. By providing more avenues for participation, Experience Ventures is able to expand its reach and engage more students and ventures.  

“I saw a need to help involve students who are facing barriers to participation in traditional types of placements and opportunities. For me, what has been the most impactful for me is seeing that we’re able to bring these opportunities to students, and further, see the impact that these short-term placements create for students long-term,” Anica says.  

Furthermore, the program facilitates mutually valuable connections that would otherwise never meet. “It allows us to connect within local innovation community, whether through the campus linked accelerator incubator, through community, or through organizations in the community,” Anica says. “And where better to do that than by connecting directly with local changemakers and innovators?”  

By creating these opportunities for both students and ventures, Experience Ventures supports Canadian ventures by connecting them to a diverse pool of talent, thus supporting the Canadian economy.  

“Experience Ventures has really shifted how students view and shape their future. The program gives them a chance to explore what’s possible as they realize that entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial thinking can be powerful tools no matter where they end up,” says Maryam Akhtar, Program Officer at Brilliant Catalyst, Ontario Tech University, a post-secondary institution partner to the program. “What stands out most to me is how it clearly bridges that gap between education and the working world. I have watched students gain confidence, make meaningful connections, and walk away with a sense of clarity they didn’t have prior. Experience Ventures is one of our most rewarding programs.” 

The Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking  

Experience Ventures is hosted at the University of Calgary through the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking. “The Hunter Hub is crucial to the delivery of Experience Ventures,” Anica says.  

At its core, the Hunter Hub strives to advance entrepreneurial thinking for students, the community, and faculty members here at the University of Calgary and beyond.  

“The Hunter Hub is the best possible place for this program to be hosted. The goal of Experience Ventures aligns so closely with what the Hunter Hub is hoping to achieve,” she says. “The expertise on the team really helps to take the program to new heights and provide the foundation Experience Ventures needed to build this type of initiative.” 

Learn more about the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking by visiting its website.  

A Stage for Entrepreneurial Thinking to Thrive 

Entrepreneurial thinking serves as the program’s north star — it’s integral to the Experience Ventures program. The development of such skills is what differentiates the Experience Ventures program from others of its kind. As students develop these skills, they unlock the toolkit they need to thrive in today’s industry, tapping into experiences beyond the classroom.  

So, what exactly are entrepreneurial thinking skills?  

Entrepreneurial thinking isn’t limited to entrepreneurs.  Entrepreneurial thinking skills can help students in all areas of their life, professionally and personally.  

At a glance, entrepreneurial thinking is: 

• Resiliency 
• Opportunity recognition 
• Action orientation 
• Creative problem-solving 
• Risk management  
• Systems/trans-disciplinary thinking 
• Growth mindset 

What Makes Experience Ventures Special  

The Experience Ventures program was developed as an answer to a call for a different type of program, differentiated by a few key values: 

A Digital-First Approach  

As facilitated by the Government of Canada, Experience Ventures is delivered with a digital-first approach. “This approach has been a key part of our secret sauce,” Anica says.  

Offering the program digitally creates the flexibility the program strives to offer students.  

Industry-Agnostic Learning  

The program is industry-agnostic and is designed to serve students across various fields and cater to a wide spectrum of interests.  

While many directly associate entrepreneurship with tech and life sciences, the Experience Ventures program caters to students across all disciplines. With opportunities across every industry, including the arts, the program is designed to help students with a wide spectrum of career goals.  

Connection and Community  

At the forefront of Experience Ventures is the sense of community the program fosters. As a collaboration between students, ventures, and post-secondary institutions, Experience Ventures has built a network of like-minded folks all striving towards the same goal.  

“This is a community where knowledge and information are shared and we’re constantly pushing each other to look at how we can do things better. Fundamentally, the program draws people who want to impact change,” Anica says. “For example, let’s look at Experience Ventures Solutions Lab; we frequently work with the Office of Sustainability, so we tend to bring together a community who are very passionate about sustainability. It’s amazing to see.”  

This sense of community extends nationwide. “Experience Ventures has brought different departments within McMaster together, making better connections between the faculty administration and student success offices with the various entrepreneurship resources,” says Leigh Wilson, Acting Director at The Forge at McMaster University. McMaster University has been an Experience Ventures partner since the inception of the program. “Experience Ventures has helped us offer more enriching opportunities to our students.”  

By cultivating multi-dimensional innovation networks, Experience Ventures promotes collaboration and creativity in the workplace, engaging multi-disciplinary talent.  

The Future of Experience Ventures 

“I think Experience Ventures holds tremendous potential in terms of the impact it could have on students,” Anica says, “While we currently offer five types of placements, I would argue we could offer many more and even innovate our existing placement types to include more students and ventures.” 

Further, Anica hopes to expand their existing network. “We have a proven model that has cultivated interest from students and ventures. Being able to deliver the program to a higher number of post-secondary schools across Canada is something I am really striving for in the next two to three years.”  

The program strives to broaden the reach of the program so that more students can participate in experiential learning and continue to grow in their careers.  

“By helping to develop that early talent and connect them to our dynamic communities, we’re able to help strengthen the country as a whole,” Anica says.  

As the program continues to evolve, Anica and the team strive to continue to serve their partners across the country, including students, ventures, and post-secondary schools.  

If you wish to follow Experience Ventures on their journey, social media is the place to do so. If you’re a student looking to learn more about the program, get in touch at experienceventures@ucalgary.ca.  

Experience Ventures is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiative.