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Venture for Canada Founder Scott Stirrett to Step Down as CEO in Fall 2025 After more than a decade of leadership, Venture for Canada Founder and CEO Scott Stirrett will step down in Fall 2025. Since launching VFC at just 22 years old, Scott has helped shape a national movement supporting over 10,000 young Canadians in developing entrepreneurial skills. His departure marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the organization as it continues to expand access to entrepreneurship and build on his enduring legacy.
The Fellowship
2025 Employer Advisory Council: Driving Innovation in Canada’s Startup Ecosystem Meet Venture for Canada's 2025 Employer Advisory Council—a diverse group of leaders from across Canada, offering insights from startups, small businesses, and various industries to shape the growth and evolution of VFC's programs.
VFC News
Venture for Canada Launches New Pathway to Business Ownership with ETA Academy Venture for Canada launches a new program to help aspiring entrepreneurs explore business acquisitions. The 5-week course runs from March 22 to April 27, 2025. Applications are now open.
VFC News
A New Wave Podcast
“I got our virtual assistant to change the password to my email so that I couldn't get into it. I deleted my email app from my phone. I packed up my desk. I put a cloth on top of it. I put art on top of it. I made it like a different structure in the home.”
Annelies Tjebbes and Hayley Rutherford
Entrepreneurial Leaves of Absence, Setting Boundaries, and Transforming Your Business
S11 Episode 6
[00:19:00]
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Entrepreneurial Leaves of Absence, Setting Boundaries, and Transforming Your Business
With Annelies Tjebbes and Hayley Rutherford
With Annelies Tjebbes and Hayley Rutherford
Thinking Like a Founder, Navigating Risk, and Applying Lean Startup Principles to Your Life 
With Eric Ries
With Eric Ries
Transforming Yourself to Transform the World, Navigating Career Crossroads, and Cultivating Your Inner Compass 
With Upkar Arora
With Upkar Arora
Recent
Crafting Sustainable Skincare, Debunking Unicorn Startups, and Fostering Long-term Business Relationships 
With Patrice Mousseau
With Patrice Mousseau
A Cultural Anthropologist's Take On Intersectionality, Embracing Change, and Venturing Beyond the Norm 
With Samantha Stilwell
With Samantha Stilwell
2025 Employer Advisory Council: Driving Innovation in Canada’s Startup Ecosystem Meet Venture for Canada's 2025 Employer Advisory Council—a diverse group of leaders from across Canada, offering insights from startups, small businesses, and various industries to shape the growth and evolution of VFC's programs.
VFC News
The Antidote to Shame, Creating Psychological Safety, and People-First Leadership 
With Jennie Wedd
With Jennie Wedd
Pilot Program Creates Startup Opportunities for International Students in Canada Our latest pilot program provides international students with practical work experience, community connections, and expert-led workshops to prepare them for success in Canada’s startup ecosystem.
VFC News
Launching the First Lubricated Tampon, Solving Period Problems, and Growing Through Failure 
With Nadia Ladak
With Nadia Ladak
2024: A Year in Books – Top 6 Reads Dive into Scott Stirrett's selection of six profoundly impactful reads from 2024, each offering unique insights into human endurance and the complex nature of our bonds. From Sally Rooney's nuanced exploration of familial grief to Anne Applebaum's stark recounting of historical oppression, these books not only reflect on personal and collective trials but also celebrate the unyielding human spirit in facing them.
Leadership
If Failure’s Wrong, We Don’t Want To Be Right Facing failure is as much a part of growth as achieving success. Discover how Venture for Canada, through the insights of Learning Design Manager Jessica Lee, turns the daunting feeling of failure into a powerful catalyst for innovation and resilience. Learn how embracing and reframing failure can drive personal and organizational growth in high-pressure environments.
Leadership
Hurdles, Heart, and High Impact: Building a Climate Tech Venture with Passion 
With Laura Gabor & Jenessa Olson
With Laura Gabor & Jenessa Olson
The Centre for Indigenous Innovation and Technology (CIIT) and Venture for Canada (VFC) Launch Guide to Support Indigenous Leadership in Tech Discover how the Centre for Indigenous Innovation and Technology (CIIT) and Venture for Canada are championing Indigenous leadership in tech! This new guide offers actionable steps to embed Truth and Reconciliation principles, foster cultural awareness, and support workforce transformation in startups and small businesses.
VFC News
From Family Hustle to Personal Growth: Redefining Work Ethic, Passion, and Entrepreneurship 
With Kevin La
With Kevin La
9 Canadian Women Entrepreneurs Leading the Way for Women's Entrepreneurship Day Ready to be inspired? This Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, we’re shining a spotlight on 9 incredible Canadian women who are breaking barriers, building businesses, and redefining success. From sustainable fashion to mentorship platforms and cultural healing centers, discover how these trailblazing entrepreneurs are shaping communities and driving innovation.
Leadership
Recent VFC News
Canada’s Next Startup Leaders Kick Off 2025 Fellowship Program at Smith School of Business
May 17, 2025
29 Trailblazers Join Canada’s First ETA Academy in Toronto
May 17, 2025
2025 Employer Advisory Council: Driving Innovation in Canada’s Startup Ecosystem
May 17, 2025
Pilot Program Creates Startup Opportunities for International Students in Canada
May 17, 2025
Morgan Tate is the founder of Breakwater M&A, an M&A Advisory specializing in the sale of profitable...
Jessica Lee is an experienced Learning Design Manager, curating learning experiences for new...
Touhami Abi is a learning design expert who specializes in creating transformative educational...
Jada Charles is a qualitative researcher and sociologist dedicated to conducting research and...
Kaileigh Klein is a creative and analytical person who mixes her passions for both the creative side and...
Rebecca Scott is a creative person who believes in leading with kindness. At VFC, you’ll find her using...
Sarah Mariani Sarah is an emerging voice in inclusive innovation, previously leading digital...
Jonathan Hutchinson Jonathan brings experience in IT project management, particularly for non-profits, and a...
Johanna Lao is a 2022 VFC Intern and BCom student at McGill University majoring in Sustainable...
Claudia Hepburn
Irfhan Rawji
Ownr By simplifying and automating business formation and everyday legal work, Ownr helps...