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everything that's going on this month at EPICentre
VOLUME 84
June 2021
EPICentre Virtual Events
Check our EVENTS page for updates
Message from the Director
Welcome to summer 2021! I hope you are enjoying the summer weather so far.

First of all, congratulations to all students who just graduated from University of Windsor and St. Clair College. You have accomplished a major milestone and I wish you all the best. Don’t forget to stay connected with us if you ever think of starting a business!

It’s been a challenging year, to say the least, but we are proud to be able support our students and entrepreneurs with consistency. Last year, we received over 270 applications for our five accelerator programs where 42 ventures were accepted. Over $160,000 in direct funding was provided to support these businesses. We are humbled to be able to help entrepreneurs start and sustain their businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic. I encourage you to check out our 2020-21 Annual Report to learn more about how we made an impact in our community.

We will be wrapping up the 3rd cohort of the EPIC VentureWomen program on July 8th. Seven amazing female-led ventures will be pitching their business virtually to win the Top Pitch Award and the People’s Choice Award generously sponsored by Lucas Imagine Fund. We hope to see you at the final pitch competition.

Finally, we are excited to announce that three local businesses have been accepted into the EPIC Nimble Program where they will receive mentorship and funding to help their business stay competitive in this challenging landscape.

We look forward to seeing you in person soon. Enjoy your summer!
EPIC NEWS
EPICentre Annual Report 2020-21
We are excited to share our annual report for the past fiscal year (2020-21) with you. The report highlights the key programs and activities that took place over the last year and the impact EPICentre has contributed to the entrepreneurship ecosystem in our region.
EPIC VentureWomen Final Pitch
The EPIC VentureWomen cohort will be pitching their business on the Final Pitch Day on July 8th. Seven teams will be competing to win the $3,000 Top Pitch Award and the $1,000 People's Choice Award, generously sponsored by Lucas Imagine Fund.
EPICentre welcomes three small businesses to the 2nd EPIC Nimble cohort
The EPIC Nimble Program is yet again set to help Windsor-Essex small businesses find creative and innovative ways to pivot. Monday, July 5th marks the start of the second cohort of the program, welcoming three small businesses from the community.
Congratulations Sydney in joining the NGLN
We're thrilled that our program lead, Sydney Thompson, has been selected to join the U.S. Consulate General Toronto's Next Generation Leaders Network. She will be working alongside with 31 other young leaders to advance issues of human rights, climate cooperation, diversity, and inclusion, amongst a plethora of other bilateral priorities.
Meet JAC Collective
JAC Collective is a small business started by our high school co-op student Olivia Krysa. JAC Collective is a virtual art shop where Olivia curates jewellery, art and custom designs.

Olivia just finished her co-op term with EPICentre. We wish her all the best!
Podcast series to highlight female entrepreneurs
We are excited to partner with our EPIC VentureWomen program participant Sarah Haefling to share the journeys of our female founders in her Made It Happen podcast. The first two episodes are now available!
We are excited to share with you a series of "How to" short videos on our Youtube Channel. The series include topics important to startups such as marketing, business development, finance, organizational structure and so on!
EPIC OPPORTUNIEIS
MY EPIC IDEA
Have a great idea? A solution to a newfound problem? The next big thing? We want to hear about it!
We're taking our EPIC Idea sessions virtual. email layanb@uwindsor.ca to get set up with one of our EPIC Program Leads. You'll have the opportunity to discuss your idea and find out the next steps to make your dreams a reality.
EPIC VentureWomen Program
Application for the next round of the EPIC VentureWomen program opens on July 19th.

This four-month accelerator program valued at over $7,500 provides female founders and co-founders the opportunity to explore their ideas, increase their entrepreneurial skills and know-how, expand their network and build a business that is future proof.
EXTERNAL OPPORTUNIEIS
BorderHacks Applications Opens!
BorderHacks is a virtual hackathon focused on connecting students cross-border to work on challenges and compete against their peers for prizes.

When: September 25th and 26th
Where: On BorderHacks' discord server http://discord.borderhacks.com
ENVISION - A Post-COVID Future
The University of Windsor and the City of Windsor are uniting to join the Windsor-Essex community in inspiring, learning, and imagining what is ahead for our region following the pandemic. A six-part virtual speaker series will feature nationally renowned guests with expertise in areas such as business, social justice, innovation, policy and technology.
Certificate in E-Commerce
Designed for business leaders and owners who want to establish or improve their digital presence and professionals who wish to become more well-versed in digital marketing, the Digital Marketing and e-commerce module offered by University of Windsor Continuing Education is delivered through six consecutive three-hour sessions.
Windsor-Essex 2021 Vital Signs Survey
Vital Signs® is a community report that combines national, provincial, and local data with residents’ views on important local issues. Tell your community what's important to you by taking the survey.
Produced by the Entrepreneurship, Practice & Innovation Centre (EPICentre) at the University of Windsor
Learn More about EPICentre: https://youtu.be/_0oUPfJh8CM