Students

Fellowship Program

A growth-focused program building the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders.

Watch Emily's Story

Key details

Access innovation careers with the training you need to thrive long-term.

Status

Applications for the 2023 Cohort are now closed.
Submit Your Interest Form for the 2024 Cohort
Costs

$2,000 to participate. Scholarships available.
Learn about our scholarships
Purpose built For

Recent post-secondary grads in all provinces
Admission type

Three step admissions process.
Length

12 months program
Time Commitment

Part-time program, with 3-week in-person Training Camp.
Learn more about our Fellowship Training Camp.
Where

Virtual & Queen’s University, Kingston Ontario (Training Camp)

Status

Applications for the 2023 Cohort are now closed.
Submit Your Interest Form for the 2024 Cohort
Costs

$2,000 to participate. Scholarships available.
Learn about our scholarships
Purpose built For

Recent post-secondary grads in all provinces
Admission type

Three step admissions process.
Length

12 months program
Time Commitment

Part-time program, with 3-week in-person Training Camp.
Learn more about our Fellowship Training Camp.
Where

Virtual & Queen’s University, Kingston Ontario (Training Camp)

Submit Interest Form for the 2024 Cohort See requirements

Program benefits

Activate your entrepreneurial spirit.

Our recipe for sticky entrepreneurship careers blends work experience, curated professional development, and community connections.

Learn by doing. Access permanent roles at startups in Marketing, Operations, Sales and Customer Success.
- Entry level roles
- Personal 1-1 job search coach
- Exclusive job board and startup networking events
Focus on your growth. Participate in entrepreneurial development training that not only prepares you for startup jobs, but the rest of your career.
- Skills training for startup or entrepreneurial environments
- Job-specific professional development in Marketing, Operations, Sales and Customer Success.
- Three-week intensive Training Camp
Join a community built on the same values, but celebrated for their diversity.
- Small cohort of 65 Fellows
- Access to broader network of 400+ Fellow Alumni
- Mentorship, job connections, and networking opportunities

For all sizes

Go on to found startups, assume leadership roles at startups, or apply new entrepreneurial skills at larger organizations.

Leaders

Always seeks to bring people together through humility and humour. Leaders take initiative and are never afraid to help others. Read more

Angie Chia-Baxter, 2022 Fellow
Dalhousie University
Life-long Learners

On the go and can’t sit still—you may often find that they have a new creative interest or hobby (pretty much) every month. Read more

Luke Martin, 2022 Fellow
Founder @ Adore
Connectors

A social butterfly that’s on student councils, loves attending provincial or national level case competitions, and always responding to your Instagram stories. Read more

Reem Zaid, 2022 Fellow
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
Innovators

Someone with an eclectic personality who is very adventurous and seeks a thrill. Read more

Ben Jones, 2022 Fellow
Partnerships + Demand Generation @ Fuil.IO

Community

An Alumni Culture

The VFC Fellow ecosystem is broad, diverse, established, and wired for connection. See past cohorts

385

Alumni community members
135
+

Annual partner startups
365
+

Volunteer hours

In partnership with 186
future forward startups (and growing!)

What you get

Expose yourself to entrepreneurship

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

5-days/week of industry speakers content workshops, sprint challenges, and community social events.

Entrepreneurial skills development training.

Choose from 15+ career-specific workshops in Marketing, Sales, Customer Success, and Operations.
Personalized support with your resume, cover letter, and interviews.

Training and coaching in offer negotiations, job search strategies, and career decisions.
Job-specific workshops at Training Camp hosted by industry leaders and founders.

Monthly virtual discussions with industry guests.
Past topics include: dealing with failure, productivity, confidence, difficult conversations, and more.

The curriculum is designed through feedback from Fellows on what they need most.

ACCESS THE NETWORK

Virtual job-specific discussions with experts.

Fireside chats and AMAs with startup founders.

Workshops to build soft and hard skills like: dealing with failure, productivity, confidence, difficult conversations and more.
Exclusive Fellowship Slack community.

Alumni mentorship opportunities.

Network with Fellow Alumni to secure job opportunities.
Intimate, virtual connect events with 2-3 startups for speed networking and introductions.
Private job board with entry-level roles at startups across Canada.

Apply directly, interview and get hired.

How you get it

Experience VFC

Aug
Send in your application

Complete a short (two-page) application form so we can get to know you better.
- No fee to apply
- We review applications weekly and advance successful applicants.
Applications for the 2023 Cohort are now closed - submit your interest form for 2024!
Create a 1-minute video pitch

Record and submit a short video about why you’re interested in the Fellowship, entrepreneurship, or this opportunity.

Virtual
Meet the Community!
Nov
Finally, attend a selection event

You’ll be invited to a half-day, virtual event. The final step in the admissions process.
- Collaborate in group challenge
- Immersive Workshop
- Network with other finalists
Fall Selection Events take place November 2023
December

Accept your offer!

Selected applicants will be sent offers— your official welcome to the VFC Community.

Virtual
Apply for a Scholarship Award

After you accept your offer, you can apply for a scholarship of up to $3,000 in financial aid.

Available upon acceptance

April 2023

Attend orientaton!

Meet your fellow Fellows, the VFC team and learn about what the next year has in store for you.

Virtual
May 2023
Start your job hunt

Our fellow-only job portal opens. Connect with partner startups and apply for jobs directly. You’ll also meet and start building a relationship with your personal career coach. They’ll work with you on:
- Resume and interview guidance
- Negotiation tactics
- Coaching to minimize your stress during the job hunt
Virtual
Training Camp Vibes
May 2023 - June 2023
Attend training Camp for real

Join your cohort in person for three weeks of intensive entrepreneurial training and exposure.
- Attend workshops, sessions, hackathons.
- Connect to startup founders, leaders, and the VFC community
- Network with your cohort
in-person @ Smiths’s school of business, Queen’s University
June 2023 - April 2024
Continue your training and specialized exposure

Continue to explore job-specfic training in Marketing, Customer Success, Operations or Sales. In the meantime, hear from senior leaders, attend AMA’s, and connect with industry professionals through ongoing scheduled sessions.
- Bi-weekly worksessions
- Attend our Speaker series, Community Conversations + Connect Events
- Continue your Job board hunt + coaching
Virtual
Alumni Council
May 2024
Graduate! Slay.

You did it! Join your cohort in celebrating all your learning and achievements in the last year.
- Stay connected
- Join the Alumni Council
Virtual / in-person

Aug 2023 - Nov 2023
Fall Applications
- Fall application Deadline: November, 2023
Virtual
Oct 2023
Next Step Summit

Next Step Summit is a VIRTUAL event, hosted by yours truly and joined by guest speakers including innovative Canadian Companies, Startup Founders, VFC Alumni, and Workshop Facilitators. Together, we will dive into post-grad clarity.
- TBD in Oct
Virtual
Fall Selection Events
- November 2023
Virtual
Jan 2024 - Mar 2024
Winter Applications
- Winter application Deadline: March 2024
Virtual
Jan 2024 - Mar 2024
Winter Selection Events
- March 2024
Virtual
April 2024

Program orientation

Both Fall and Winter applicants attend.

Virtual
May - June, 2024

Training Camp

Both fall and winter applicants attend. (Three weeks.)

in-person
Bucket hats make great graduation caps.
May 2024
Graduation

Where Fellows become Alumni.

🔎 Training Camp

Get a peek at what Training Camp curriculum looked like last year.

< 01 / 03 >

“The startup ecosystem is where I wanted to be and Venture for Canada helped me get there.”

2018 Fellowship Member, Manuela Barcenas

Journalism and Communication Studies, Ottawa, ON

Are you a fit?

Legally eligible to work in Canada.
You graduate(d) between Fall 2021 and Spring 2024.
Have a post-secondary degree or diploma from a Canadian post-secondary OR be a Canadian who has studied abroad.
Fields of Study: Business, Arts & Humanities, or STEM
Available to start searching for work as soon as you're accepted into the program.
Life-long learner, eager, and committed to completing our year-long training program.
Great communicator, interested in entrepreneurship and developing their own potential!

Submit Interest Form for the 2024 Cohort More Programs

Fall + Winter admissions deadlines to be finalized in Summer 2023. Stay tuned!

Program Orientation: Spring 2024 (exact dates to be confirmed)

Training Camp: Spring 2024 (exact dates to be confirmed)
The $2,000 participation fee can be paid upfront or in two instalments.

Instalment 1: $1000 (due upon program acceptance)

Instalment 2: $1000 (due spring 2024)

Concerned about financial barriers? We have scholarships up to $3,000 available. Learn more here.

We asked our 2021 Fellows how they would value the program and a majority said they would pay double the fee for the experience they received.
Fellowship scholarships are available! If you have financial barriers to participating, apply for one of our scholarship awards and receive up to $3,000.

We have 4 different awards, and we will be awarding scholarships for the 2024 cohort. In 2023, 30 were awarded.

Learn more here.
We offer applicants the opportunity to apply and get accepted in the Fall or Winter. The processes and requirements are the same but have different deadlines.

Winter admissions are typically more competitive, so we recommend applying early to secure your spot.
The final step in the admissions process is Selection Events.
Finalists participate in a workshop, solve a group challenge, and present their solutions to a panel of judges.
This is your opportunity to meet VFC community members like Alumni, partner startups, and staff.

Selection Events are 4-5 hours.
Successful candidates will be invited to ONE of the following events:

Fall Admissions Selection Events:

November 2024 (exact dates TBC)

Fall Selection events will be VIRTUAL and hosted via Zoom or Hopin.

Highlights

Past Cohorts

Fellowship Program

Access innovation careers with the training you need to thrive long-term.

Activate your entrepreneurial spirit.

Go on to found startups, assume leadership roles at startups, or apply new entrepreneurial skills at larger organizations.

An Alumni Culture

In partnership with 186
future forward startups (and growing!)

Expose yourself to entrepreneurship

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

ACCESS THE NETWORK

Experience VFC

Send in your application

Create a 1-minute video pitch

Finally, attend a selection event

Accept your offer!

Apply for a Scholarship Award

Attend orientaton!

Start your job hunt

Attend training Camp for real

Continue your training and specialized exposure

Graduate! Slay.

Fall Applications

Next Step Summit

Fall Selection Events

Winter Applications

Winter Selection Events

Program orientation

Training Camp

Graduation

Are you a fit?

Fellowship Selection Events: Ditch Perfection, Gain Experience

Who the Fellowship Program is NOT FOR

Venture for Canada’s 2022 Fellowship launches its 8th cohort

A 2020 Crash Course: Three methods for Leading with empathy as a (new) SDR during a global pandemic

VFC Fellows Next 36 Cohort

5 Must-Haves to Set Yourself Up for A New Role in our new Virtual Work Reality

8 cohorts in, we’ve built a pretty cool community. Say hi.

Fellowship Program

Access innovation careers with the training you need to thrive long-term.

Activate your entrepreneurial spirit.

Go on to found startups, assume leadership roles at startups, or apply new entrepreneurial skills at larger organizations.

An Alumni Culture

In partnership with 186 future forward startups (and growing!)

Expose yourself to entrepreneurship

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

ACCESS THE NETWORK

Experience VFC

Send in your application

Create a 1-minute video pitch

Finally, attend a selection event

Accept your offer!

Apply for a Scholarship Award

Are you a fit?

Fellowship Selection Events: Ditch Perfection, Gain Experience

Who the Fellowship Program is NOT FOR

Venture for Canada’s 2022 Fellowship launches its 8th cohort

A 2020 Crash Course: Three methods for Leading with empathy as a (new) SDR during a global pandemic

VFC Fellows Next 36 Cohort

5 Must-Haves to Set Yourself Up for A New Role in our new Virtual Work Reality

8 cohorts in, we’ve built a pretty cool community. Say hi.

In partnership with 186
future forward startups (and growing!)