About this Event
Are you a student in high school with ideas to solve issues that are important to you?
At the Y2 Entrepreneurship Conference, your creativity, ideas, and voice are encouraged. We welcome all high-school students with a drive to solve problems and improve communities that matter to you!
This conference is not limited to just business problems as this is not just a “business” event. All types of problems, whether they be in social justice, trades, arts, sports, health & wellness, LGBTQ+, etc, are not only allowed, but highly encouraged.
In this 2-Saturday program that takes place at York University's YSpace innovation hub, you will identify an issue you want to solve, create a persona to understand the unmet needs caused by the problem, build a prototype of your solution, and develop a pitch that you will present to a panel of judges. You'll be supported by several hands-on mini-workshops and mentoring from business owners and senior leaders!
A key goal of this Y2 Entrepreneurship Conference (like our past 10 conferences) is to give students the opportunity to network and work with like-minded youth. In groups that you will form, you’ll have the opportunity to meet and interact with people as passionate as you! As a final mention, 3 full meals will be provided on both Saturdays, paid in full by your admission fee of $40.
Check out our YouTube channel to watch pitches from past conferences or our website for more info about what we do.
**Note for SHSM Students: If you let us know beforehand that you’re in SHSM, you’ll receive a SPE-ICE certification for participating in the conference. If you’re a Business SHSM student, you’ll also receive a Public Speaking certification. These are both included in your admission fee.**
**REGISTRATIONS CLOSE AT 10PM ON THURSDAY FEBRUARY 13**
See you at Y2!
Commonly-Asked Questions
How is this conference different from others?
You get to choose which group you work with, and then as a group you choose the problem you want to tackle. We'll give some food for thought, but the decision of what problem to address and your solution are entirely up to you!
There’s also a good balance between instruction & speaking time and group work & socialization time, so you'll have time to get work done as well as make new friends and contacts.
Can I bring my friends?
100%! You can even form a team with them and work on an idea together - although more times friends who come together wind up choosing to work on different teams, and the ensuing trash talk is epic.
Can I come even if I don’t have an idea?
Absolutely! You’ll have time at the conference to come up with an idea of your own, and if you don't have one you can join a team that is working on an idea that you like.
Thanks to our sponsors!
Many organizations - private businesses, government departments, educational institutions, startup hubs and incubators - want to support innovative youth. Our sponsors are just some of them.
Thanks to (IT support for businesses), (Formlabs 3D Printers, Additive Manufacturing Technologies, Metrology Services, 3D design), (global staffing solutions), (virtual offices, co-working and office spaces, meeting rooms, virtual assistants, business services), (startup incubator and founding partner of this conference) and (startup incubator) for sponsoring this conference!
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
YSpace Markham, 169 Enterprise Boulevard, Markham, Canada
CAD 43.93
