What is Press Start?

Press Start is a program that supports Canadian youth who are passionate about creating positive social change. There are two key initiatives under Press Start: the Press Start CoLab Program which runs annually through the summer months and the Press Start CoLab High School Program. The High School Program will be piloting this fall in partnership with OTIP.

Press Start CoLab Program FAQs

What is the Press Start CoLab Program and how is it different from other entrepreneur support programs?

The Press Start Colab Program is an innovation accelerator that supports the next generation of changemakers build an idea. Throughout the 10-week program, social entrepreneurs from across the nation will work collaboratively to come up with a minimally viable solution to this year’s focus area of the Mental Health Crisis in Canada. Participants will get access to industry and impact experts who will mentor them through the ideation process.

Participants will receive an honorarium for their time and get access to entrepreneurial tools and resources, mentors who will lead their group through the ideation process, inspirational speakers, and access to a pool of $70,000+ in grants and awards to put their ideas into action. The goal of the program is to create truly meaningful change in our communities.

Who can apply and is an application fee required?

We’re looking for the brightest minds across Canada. If you are an activist, innovator, entrepreneur, or critical thinker aged 18 to 29, we encourage you to apply. Applications will be open from May 6 to June 3, 2024. There is no application fee required. All stages of ideation are welcome to join.

Will the program be remote or in-person?

To foster community connections across the country, and accommodate barriers around travel and accessibility, the Press Start CoLab Program has been designed to run entirely remotely.

Are there alternative ways to get involved?

If you are not within the participant age cohort or not interested in going through the accelerator programming, there are other ways to get involved. We are also looking for Press Start CoLab Program mentors and partners who align with our program’s values and are interested in supporting participants through the program.

Learn more about the CoLab Program

Learn more about the Press Start CoLab Program. Applications open May 6, 2024.

Press Start CoLab High School Program FAQs

What is the CoLab High School Program?

The Press Start CoLab High School Program is like a collaborative workshop that helps youth changemakers build and develop an idea. Throughout the 7-week program, high school students from across Ontario will work collaboratively with their friends and a member of the educational community to create a creative solution for improving mental health among youth in Canada. Participants will receive helpful entrepreneurial tools and resources, support from mentors who have experience as mental health entrepreneurs, inspiring talks from keynote speakers, and access to a pool of up to $25,000 in grants (donated by OTIP) to make their ideas come to life. The program’s goal is to create truly meaningful change in our communities.

How is the High School Program different from the annual CoLab Program?

The Press Start CoLab High School Program is a shorter version of the regular Press Start CoLab Program, designed just for groups of high school students in Ontario high school students, led by a member of the educational community. It runs for 7-weeks in the Fall, roughly between November and December of 2024. Both programs are connected by mentors who are previous CoLab Program grant recipients. While both programs focus on mental health, the Press Start CoLab High School Program focuses specifically on creating creative solutions for the mental health of Canadian youth. We will select 10 groups, each made up of 2-5 participants.

Who can apply and is an application fee required?

If you’re a high school student in Ontario and care about mental health, we encourage you to apply with a team of 2-5 people. Your application must be sent in by a group leader who is a member of the educational community. Applications will be open from September 3 to September 27, 2024. There is no application fee required. We welcome all levels of ideas, so don’t hesitate to join!

Who qualifies as a member of the educational community?

For this program, a member of the educational community is someone like a teacher, education worker, guidance counsellor, or social worker employed in the Ontario education system. If you need clarification on whether you qualify for the Press Start CoLab High School Program, feel free to reach out and ask us any questions. We’re here to help!

Will the program be remote or in-person?

To foster community connections across Ontario and overcome challenges with travel and access, the CoLab High School Program is set up to be completely online.

Are there alternative ways to get involved?

Suppose you don’t fit the program requirements or aren’t interested in joining the accelerator. In that case, there are other ways you can get involved. We are also looking for CoLab Program mentors and partners who align with our program’s values and are interested in supporting participants through the program.

Learn more about the CoLab High School Program

Learn more about the Press Start CoLab High School Program. Applications open September 3, 2024.

Check Out the CoLab High School Zine!

We designed a zine for teens who want to learn more about the Press Start CoLab High School Program. It’s full of fun graphics and short bites of information tailored for teen activists who want to make a difference.

Click on the image to open zine.

CoLab High School Program

Learn About Press Start

Who’s behind Press Start?

Press Start is backed by nowly insurance. nowly is a division of Teachers Life. Teachers Life is an established and federally licensed life, disability and sickness insurance company and is one of the largest insurance companies for education workers in Canada.

nowly is a new way of thinking about insurance. At nowly, we believe in the power of now - instant coverage, instant healthy living benefits, and social give back now.

We offer Canadians affordable and accessible life insurance on an innovative and fully digital platform. Our Life Insurance plans can be purchased within minutes, with premiums starting as low as $5 per month and up to $1,000,000 in coverage. Not only do nowly policyholders receive instant coverage, but world class health and wellness benefits, not to mention they can take comfort in knowing they are joining a company committed to investing in lasting social impact and innovation with programs like the Press Start CoLab Program. When you register for the CoLab Program there is absolutely no hard sell or obligation to buy insurance from nowly. Press Start is about us giving back and making the world a better place. No strings attached!

Learn About the CoLab Program

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What is the Press Start CoLab Program and how is it different from other entrepreneur support programs?

The Colab Program is an innovation accelerator that helps the next generation of changemakers build an idea. Throughout the 10-week program, social entrepreneurs from across the nation will work collaboratively to come up with a minimally viable solution to this year’s focus area of the Mental Health Crisis in Canada. Participants will get access to industry and impact experts who will mentor them through the ideation process.

The goal of the program is to create truly meaningful change in our communities. Participants will receive an honorarium for their time and access to a pool of $50,000+ in grants and awards to put their ideas into action.

In order to foster community connections across the country, and accommodate to barriers around travel and accessibility, the CoLab Program has been designed to run entirely remotely.

What stage does my business idea or enterprise have to be in?

You may be on your day one of ideation. All stages are welcome.

How do I register?

We’re looking for the brightest minds across Canada. If you are an activist, innovator, entrepreneur, or critical thinker aged 18 to 29, we encourage you to apply. We’re looking for people who can think outside the box and have the tendency to see their ideas through to completion. Registration will be open from May 8 to June 2, 2023. There is no registration fee required.

Are there alternative ways to get involved?

If you are not interested in going through the accelerator programming, there are other ways to get involved. We are also looking for mentors who have demonstrated expertise in academia, industry or in entrepreneurship to help this year’s participants through the program.

Learn more about the CoLab Program.

Learn more about the Press Start CoLab Program, including more FAQs. Applications for the 2023 CoLab Program are now closed.