Student Programs
Go beyond the classroom. Create real-world impact.
An opportunity to tackle industry-relevant social issues
Career-building and workplace skills training
Mentorship from industry experts and community partners
A stipend for your work, dependent on student and program eligibility
Current & Upcoming Programs
The SVZ is offering you your first step towards the Hult Prize, and one million dollars, this Fall.
This Fall and Winter, the Social Ventures Zone will give TMU students from undergrad to PhD the opportunity to create the change that they hope to see in their city and beyond. The SVZ will be offering business development and pitching support to interested students, helping strengthen your pitch before the big competition: the TMU Finals, taking place in February of 2026. Last year, SVZ-supported venture RecAbility reached the National Finals representing TMU, placing 6th in the country!
We'll be hosting two info sessions, on November 21st from 1-2 PM and on December 4th from 1-2 PM, to provide further information on the Hult Prize, the SVZ's Hult Prize programming, and how you can get started. You can register for either of those sessions at the link below.
The Hult Prize challenges young people to solve the world’s most pressing issues through social entrepreneurship. Every year, one team receives $1 Million USD in funding to make their idea a reality. The Hult Prize is a year-long, global competition: qualifiers take place locally (that’s this program!) from November to February, followed by Nationals between March and May. National winners will reach the incubator/accelerator stage, and travel to the Hult Prize Global Accelerator at the historic Ashridge House outside of London in August 2026 to refine and scale their impact globally before pitching for the $1 Million USD grand prize in September. Learn more about the prize and past winners here (external link, opens in new window) .
- All participants must be university students. A “Participant” is considered a university student if and only if they are, at the moment of the Team registration, enrolled as a full-time or part-time student in any higher education level, including undergraduate, graduate, or PhD/DPhil degree program and aged 18 years of age or older as of February 28, 2025. Participants must be able to provide an acceptable student status confirmation document.
- Each Team will represent a single university (in this case, Toronto Metropolitan University). Participants in a team may be enrolled at different universities; however, the team must include a minimum of two TMU students.
- For the full list of Hult participation terms & conditions, see here (external link) .
Ready to get paid to dive into the startup world and solve real-life business challenges? The Social Ventures Zone is hosting a mini business analysis challenge where you’ll get hands-on experience with startups that need your help to level up their game!
We're challenging YOU to partner with a Social Ventures Zone startup and help them research and focus in on their venture's unique impact. You’ll choose from three powerful tools—SWOT, PESTLE, and Porter’s 5 Forces—to analyze the business, strategize, and present your insights to the startup's founders.
How it works
Apply: You apply using the form below before November 16th at 11:59 PM, ranking which of our startups you'd most like to work with. You can learn more about the teams here. We'll pair you with a startup that's a match for you.
Analyze and Report: Over the next few weeks, your team will deep-dive into the startup’s world. Using either SWOT, PESTLE, or Porter’s 5 Forces (or a combo!), you’ll analyze what’s working, what’s not, and how to improve.
Get Paid: You'll receive a $525 stipend for your work in the program.
Porter’s 5 Forces: Explore the competitive landscape and assess threats and opportunities based on rivalry, supplier/buyer power, substitution risks, and barriers to entry.
PESTLE Analysis: Get the big picture by examining Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental factors that impact the startup.
SWOT Analysis: Zero in on the startup’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats to uncover actionable insights for the future.
Why apply?
You’ll gain practical experience, build your resume, and network with innovative founders and fellow students. Plus, you'll be awarded a $525 stipend for your contributions in the program.
What is Experience Ventures?
Experience Ventures (external link) , powered by the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking at the University of Calgary (external link) , enables post-secondary students to make an impact alongside real world innovators through entrepreneurial thinking placements. EV is funded by the Government of Canada and is delivered in partnership with post-secondary institutions nationwide.
Applications closed on November 16th.
Program Timeline
| Program Applications Due | November 16th, 11:59 PM |
| Succesful Applicants Notified | November 20th |
| Group Work Period | November 21st - January 22nd |
| Final Presentations | January 23rd |
Toronto's got big problems - we think you have the solutions.
The Social Impact in the City Hackathon will be a two part event where the SVZ will bring together TMU students and SVZ startup SEAFOAM, an innovative seaweed insulation venture, to solve tomorrow's pressing urban problems. Students will gain practical experience, build their resume, and network with innovative founders and fellow students. Plus, students will be awarded a $325 stipend for their work in the program.
Register for the Info Session on November 5th from 12-2 as your first step to participating!
Hackathon Questions
1: Insulation
SeaFoam has created a thermal insulation intended for use in residential buildings (think of it as an alternative to the pink fibreglass you’ve likely seen in the cavity of walls). SeaFoam’s insulation performs the same as conventional insulation, and costs the same as conventional insulation, but it stores carbon instead of emitting it.
Challenge: Construction products require extensive testing and must go through a lengthy approvals process before they can be brought to market. In the meantime, SeaFoam is looking for alternate uses for its fully biodegradable insulation product.
Constraints: it can’t be used in situations where it would be in direct contact with water or exposed to high humidity, as the biogenic product will start degrading.
2: Binder
While developing their insulation product, SeaFoam recognized that there is a widespread use of petrochemical binders even in “natural” construction products. This led the team to explore the development of a seaweed-based binder that could replace these often harmful petrochemical binders, with something that is non-toxic and biodegradable.
Challenge: What other products use plastic as a binder today, that could potentially be replaced with a biodegradable version? Think about applications where being biodegradable is a particular asset. For example, where a plastic binder is used to bind material that would otherwise be biodegradable, items that are single-use or only needed for a short time, agricultural or gardening uses where the decomposition of the product becomes a soil amendment, applications where there is particular concern about toxicity or exposure to chemicals. Durable products could also be created with our seaweed-based binder, in particular where they are not in prolonged contact with water.
What is SEAFOAM?
Manufacturing building materials accounts for 13% of total greenhouse gas emissions, and for Canadian homes, insulation is the second highest emitting material, second only to concrete.
SeaFoam creates regenerative building insulation from seaweed and upcycled waste, giving architects and builders a simple way to build healthy, carbon-negative homes that actively restore the environment.
What is Experience Ventures?
Experience Ventures (external link) , powered by the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking at the University of Calgary (external link) , enables post-secondary students to make an impact alongside real world innovators through entrepreneurial thinking placements. EV is funded by the Government of Canada and is delivered in partnership with post-secondary institutions nationwide.
Applications closed on November 5th.
Program Timeline
| SIITC Info Session | November 5th, 12-2 PM |
| Program Applications Due | November 9th, 11:59 PM |
| Succesful Applicants Notified | November 12th |
| SEAFOAM Meet and Greet Session | November 19th |
| Group Work Period | November 13th - December 8th |
| Final Presentations | December 10th, 12 - 2 PM |