Four Ways Trent Students are Building Entrepreneurial Skills with Career Impact
From microcredentials to start-up projects, Trent offers hands-on entrepreneurship programming for students to take into the world of business
Collaborative planning and team cohesion. Mentorship from community leaders. Crafting the perfect pitch for local investors. These are just a few of the hands-on entrepreneurship experiences students benefit from at Trent. Driving this distinct approach are two essential ingredients for entrepreneurial success: community and connection.
Explore four unique opportunities for Trent students to sharpen entrepreneurial skills and build networks that last well beyond graduation:
$100 Start Up
While entrepreneurship is often portrayed as fast paced and glamorous, the reality is usually more nuanced. In Trent’s third-year Entrepreneurship course, the $100 Start Up project gives students the chance to test their business plans and experience firsthand what it takes to bring a business to life, while maintaining a supportive learning environment.
For the project, teams invest $100 to launch and operate a real business for one month. As they navigate the challenging but not uncommon highs and lows of entrepreneurship, students cultivate resilience and strategic thinking skills.
The result? Graduates enter the business landscape more confident and solution oriented. Learn more about $100 start-up.
Gzowski College Microcredential
Today’s entrepreneurship thrives when connection is at its core, not just competition. Trent’s Gzowski College Entrepreneurship and Innovation Micro-credential builds on that principle, offering students a community-driven experience where mentorship meets real-world impact.
Open to all undergrads, the program blends hands-on workshops with one-on-one mentorship from alumni and local changemakers. For many, the most valuable takeaway becomes the lasting connections they build. As one participant put it, “I feel like I’m part of a community and I’m very hopeful.”
Buy The River
Buy the River is a signature event celebrating the spirit of local entrepreneurship and community. Held along the banks of the Otonabee River, this case competition and conference acts as a networking hub for students and local businesses. With a focus on supporting emerging entrepreneurs, the event invites students to pitch their ideas in a finance competition, building hands-on presentation skills. With chances to sharpen skills and make meaningful connections, Buy the River helps local enterprise thrive.
The New Create Centre for Entrepreneurship
Trent’s Create Centre for Entrepreneurship connects students with faculty, campus programming, and business communities in Peterborough and Durham, offering a space to rethink what it means to be an entrepreneur. This means prioritizing social innovation, leadership, and interdisciplinary collaboration, empowering students to turn their ideas into real-world impact.
Through ideation labs, team-based problem solving, mentorship, and networking opportunities, students learn to pitch, plan, and launch ventures, building the skillset employers value in a supportive, low-risk environment. This gives Trent graduates both a powerful experiential complement to their education and the entrepreneurial thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills that will set them apart in any career path.