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2025-2026 IMPACT REPORT

Table of contents From the Executive Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 It’s About the Journey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Innovation Sandbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Agrivanna Feature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Launchpad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Business Playbook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 AMALNA Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 SPARK Alberta. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Unleashing Changemakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 GCEC: A Journey to Calgary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Experience Ventures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Start Something Weekend.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Cannon Lachapelle Award In Entrepreneurial Thinking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Tania Rizwan Feature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Map the System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Evolve to Innovate (e2i). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 TC Energy Ingenuity Speaker Series. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Hunter Hub Skills Clinics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Partnerships. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Sponsorships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Giving Back. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 As Seen on UToday. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 The Future Needs Entrepreneurial Thinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Your Journey Continues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

GROW

BUILD

CONNECT IGNITE

From the Executive Director Entrepreneurial thinking needs a home. At UCalgary, it has one. The Hunter Hub is that home. It’s the place where people come to explore, build, and grow; where ideas become action and connections become community. Beyond the growth statistics you’ll see throughout this report, you’ll find a larger story about impact and the many forms it can take. You’ll meet members of our community and see how being a “first believer” is helping create the conditions for entrepreneurial thinking to flourish across UCalgary and beyond. UCalgary is Canada’s entrepreneurial university. It doesn’t matter which entrepreneurial journey someone embarks on. The Hunter Hub creates an environment where first believers help create the conditions for success: asking curious questions, seeing what’s possible, and believing in an idea before the outcome is certain. The numbers tell an important part of that story. In 2025–2026, more than 17,000 people visited the Hunter Hub. More than 1,500 participated in our events and programming, and we supported close to 500 teams. Nearly 100 startups received advanced mentorship. Additionally, we built almost 30 partnerships that extended our reach across the university and into the broader community.

But the real measure of our impact is what happens beyond those numbers. To us, a home is more than a physical place. It is shaped by the people who gather there, the connections they make, and the possibilities they create together. That is what makes the Hunter Hub a home for entrepreneurial thinking: a growing community of people who want to make the world a better place. The Hunter Hub is “humming.” It’s the place to Start Something. To try. To connect. To fail. To pivot. To learn. To belong. Each day, I see that spirit in the people who walk through our doors: people determined to solve a problem and brave enough to try again when things don’t work the first time. They are building a better future — their better future. This year’s Impact Report is a celebration of this community and the journeys we are fortunate enough to witness in real time. It is a celebration of the changemakers who are helping shape UCalgary’s entrepreneurial culture — and of a home that keeps growing. If you want to Start Something at UCalgary, start here at the Hunter Hub. GUY LEVESQUE Executive Director Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking University of Calgary

2025-2026 IMPACT REPORT

It’s about the journey Success is easy to measure in milestones. A venture launched. A prototype built. Funding secured. A competition won. These moments matter, and while you’ll find many of them throughout this report, they rarely tell the whole story. Behind every achievement are the conversations that sparked new ideas, the uncertainty that forced a pivot, the skills built through trial and error, and the people who offered guidance along the way. At the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, we believe those moments deserve just as much attention as the outcomes. Entrepreneurial thinking isn’t defined by a single venture or destination; it’s a mindset developed over time through curiosity, resilience, collaboration, and a willingness to begin before all the answers are clear. Every person who joins our community arrives with a different perspective, a different ambition, and a different path forward. No two journeys look the same, and that’s exactly the point. This year’s report is a celebration of those journeys. Alongside the numbers and milestones, you’ll meet the students, researchers, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members who are putting entrepreneurial thinking into practice every day. Their stories remind us that impact isn’t only found at the finish line. It’s found in the courage to ask a new question, the confidence to take a first step, the resilience to adapt when plans change, and the communities that make those journeys possible.

Innovation Sandbox Located on the fourth floor of the Hunter Student Commons, Innovation Sandbox offers a dynamic co-working space tailored for entrepreneurial ventures. More than just a space, the membership offers students, faculty, and staff members mentorship opportunities and a chance to be part of a like-minded community of changemakers.

$14,100,000+ $13,600,000+ NON-DILUTIVE FUNDING received in 2025-2026

DILUTIVE FUNDING received in 2025-2026

Startups within our community are turning ideas into impact, securing funding while building valuable intellectual property. During the fiscal year, startups generated 12 patents, 7 trademarks, 9 copyrights, and 41 pieces of IP protected as trade secrets.

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TOTAL STARTUPS within the Innovation Sandbox

PATENTS generated within 2025-2026

What Innovation Sandbox members are working on.

Building Agrivanna, one pivot at a time Ag-tech company Agrivanna looks very different today than it did when it first began. For Co-Founder and CEO Amirhossein Foroughi, though, those changes were never setbacks. “Agrivanna has pivoted five times. But that doesn’t mean we restarted each time. We compounded,” he says. Today, Agrivanna is developing solarpowered GPS collars that use sound to guide cattle. The technology allows ranchers to practice rotational grazing without the labour and expense of constantly moving physical fences, while AI-powered grazing plans and forage analysis help determine where cattle should graze and when. Agrivanna began as a student project after Foroughi met Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer Aminreza Abbasi through Tech Start, a software club at the University of Calgary. Since then, the two, along with Co-Founder and Chief Operational Officer Haden Harrison, have taken Agrivanna through five different iterations, each one shaped by what they learned from the ranchers they are trying to help. Growing up on a farm in Saskatchewan, Harrison understood the problem ranchers faced first-hand. “Fencing is extremely expensive,” he says. “Our land was lush. It was verdant, and extremely drought resistant. But we spent all day moving our fences.” His insights helped shape Agrivanna as it

evolved. The company moved from livestock health records to AI-powered health management and even explored a veterinary marketplace before arriving at virtual fencing. With every pivot, the team gained a better understanding of the industry and the problems ranchers most needed to solve. “Instead of asking what we could build, we asked what ranchers actually spend money and labour on,” Foroughi says. “Virtual fencing was the first idea where producers leaned in without us having to convince them. That’s when we knew we’d found real demand.” The process of learning and adapting became central to how the founders approached entrepreneurship — and the Hunter Hub was there throughout the journey. “Being part of the Hunter Hub community was invaluable because it normalized pivoting,” Foroughi says. “Entrepreneurship stopped feeling like one big bet and started feeling like a series of small, survivable experiments.” After discovering the Hub through Tech Start, the team joined Launchpad, where they had the opportunity to repeatedly pitch their idea, test their assumptions, and receive feedback from mentors and advisors. “The program gave us the confidence to change direction when the evidence showed that we needed to, and it taught us how to approach those changes thoughtfully,” Abbasi says.

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Following Launchpad, Harrison participated in the Hunter Hub’s Experience Ventures project placement, working with AgGene under CEO Logan Skori. “More exposure to the industry at large meant faster, more confident decision-making on our end. It’s the kind of specific, lived knowledge no course can replicate,” Harrison says. Months later, Agrivanna took its next big step onto The Arena Pitch Competition stage, where Harrison ultimately took home the first-place prize. Powered by St. Mary’s University, The Arena brought together 64 student entrepreneurs from across Canada to compete for the $10,000 first-place prize. “It’s a big milestone,” Harrison says. “But I don’t want to treat it as a destination, because we have so much further to go.”

“We’re deep in field validation — running collar pilots on working ranches and building the data to prove our grazing recommendations hold up in real conditions,” he says. “Next up is our V2 collar and a commercial launch on the horizon, with the goal of putting an offline-first ‘operating system for grazing’ into the hands of Canadian ranchers.” Foroughi has seen a similar evolution in his own confidence. “For me, it’s gone from ‘I hope this works’ to ‘I know how to find out if this works.’ Confidence for me isn’t certainty; it’s knowing that when something breaks — a model assumption, a hardware design, a go-to-market plan — I have a process to test it, kill it, and move on,” Foroughi says. “The Hub gave us the reps to build that.”

Looking toward the future, Foroughi is excited for what’s next.

Agrivanna pitching during Launchpad’s Liftoff Pitch Competition. 11

Launchpad Launchpad was initially developed in partnership with the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary in 2019. What began as an eight-week program has since grown into a six-month co-curricular experience, welcoming participants across diverse faculties. Today, Launchpad serves as the Hunter Hub’s flagship program, open to the entire UCalgary community. Throughout the program, participants sharpen their entrepreneurial thinking through weekly presentations, workshops, coaching sessions, and an interactive learning system. Liftoff marks the program’s finale, where teams pitch live for a $5,000 prize pool. This year, eight teams competed in Liftoff’s pitch competition, with Apex Systems — featuring Mike Comessotti, Patric Frey, Vianney Nguyen, Liam Wong, and Maxwell Shedd — placing first and receiving $2,500. The team’s startup focused on wildlife mitigation, their solution using drones and machine learning technology to efficiently survey large areas, delivering accessible, scalable, and accurate fuel-density estimates. “This has been such a privilege,” Shedd says. “We wanted to address challenges that are so prevalent in Alberta and around the world. Knowing we’ve developed a solution with real impact is the best part.”

248

TOTAL PARTICIPANTS with 167 total teams

FACULTIES represented

55% Undergraduate

12.9% Alumni

28.6% Masters/PhD/PostDoc

3.6% Faculty/Staff

Apex Systems winning first place at Liftoff.

2025-2026 IMPACT REPORT

42%

INCREASE IN PARTICIPANTS compared to the previous period READ THE FULL STORY

Business Playbook Business Playbook is an eight-week co-curricular program for graduate students, postdocs, staff, faculty, and alumni who want to launch a traditional business. The program, launched in January of 2025, is a hands-on entrepreneurial experience for those who want to move ideas from conception to execution. Mentorship is a cornerstone to the Business Playbook experience. Through access to coaches and industry connections, participants are able to expand their networks and gain direction. This year’s finale showcase featured five teams and highlighted a diverse range of student-led ventures, from sustainable cleaning products to sportswear and servicebased startups. ExTel Solutions, a window-washing company run by a Haskayne School of Business student, won first place at the event. “The collaborative structure of the program encourages open dialogue and shared learning among participants, helping students refine their ideas through collective insight,” says Sanjeevani Uppal, Venture Programs Specialist at the Hunter Hub and lead of Business Playbook. “The most rewarding part is seeing their confidence grow,” Uppal says. “They come in with a spark, and we help give them the structure to turn that into something bigger.” READ THE FULL STORY

43 14

TOTAL PARTICIPANTS across two cohorts

FACULTIES represented

41.9% Undergraduate

11.6% Alumni

39.5% Masters/PhD/PostDoc

7% Faculty/Staff

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150% INCREASE IN PARTICIPANTS compared to the previous period

“Programs like Business Playbook force you to put time and effort into your startup idea. Acting on that passion can be really rewarding,” Aidan Bangs, ExTel Solutions Business Playbook Participant 15

In conversation with Hana Saleh, founder of AMALNA For Hana Saleh, AMALNA is more than a startup. It’s a social enterprise built around turning rescued food waste into handmade, natural, and halal soaps, with proceeds supporting humanitarian aid, schools, women’s shelters, and other social causes. “We started fundraising for Palestine specifically, and we also advocated for Sudan. I hope in future years we can expand to other organizations,” Saleh says. Saleh participated in the Hunter Hub’s Business Playbook program in fall 2025. At the time, she was still figuring out what AMALNA could become — and whether it would become anything at all. “When I first started, I wasn’t sure AMALNA would survive,” she says. “I was nervous, but I really wanted it to work out.” For Saleh, Business Playbook became an important part of that journey. Working with a coach and connecting with the Hunter Hub community helped her see her business, and herself, as an entrepreneur differently. “Having the support from the Hunter Hub community meant so much — even small things, like walking in and seeing familiar, supportive faces,” she says. “What really stood out was how much people believed in what I was doing,” she says. “Going through Business Playbook and working with a coach was such a turning point. It gave me so much hope and confidence.” During the program, Saleh worked alongside Maleeha Naveed, and the pair were recognized with the Clearest Development Trajectory award at the Business Playbook showcase. At the heart of Business Playbook is the community it fosters. “Having that support system made me feel safe moving forward,” she says.

AMALNA at UCalgary’s annual Santa Skate event.

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SPARK Alberta, now powered by the Hunter Hub In March 2026, SPARK Alberta found its new home at the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking. First established in Calgary in 2020, SPARK Alberta is a one-year, hybrid program designed to help researchers and innovators build translational skills, make connections, and advance their technologies toward commercialization, implementation, or both. Supporting the advancement of digital health innovations at Alberta’s post-secondary institutions, the program operates in partnership with the University of Alberta, Mount Royal University, University of Lethbridge, SAIT, and NAIT, to name a few. Now powered by the Hunter Hub, SPARK is evolving, and Dr. Scott Kraft, MD, Director of the program, is excited by this transition. “It just makes sense,” he says. “SPARK exists to help academics move their innovation or research to create impact beyond academia — and that’s exactly what the Hunter Hub does as well.” “We’re thrilled to have SPARK Alberta as part of our portfolio here at the Hunter Hub,” says Jeff Ryzner, Senior Manager, Founder and Venture Initiatives. “The innovations that emerge from this program are deeply aligned to the work we do here at the Hub.”

Unleashing changemakers EMPOWERING THE PEOPLE WHO WILL SHAPE OUR FUTURE

The future our students are preparing for will demand more than technical expertise; it will require adaptability, resilience, and the confidence to lead through uncertainty. The careers of tomorrow may not exist today and the challenges facing our communities will demand new ways of thinking. In this environment, it is increasingly important to instill in our students more than just the technical skills needed to execute; instead, we need to give them the skills to create change, the desire to collaborate, and the confidence to lead in uncertain times. But the question remains: How do we develop those skills? How do we build the “toolbox” our students can pull from when the path forward is unclear? At the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, we believe those skills are built through experience. By tackling real-world challenges, collaborating across disciplines, and learning through action, students develop the resilience and adaptability they’ll rely on throughout their careers. Not every student will become an entrepreneur, but through the entrepreneurial journey, every student will develop the lifelong skills that will empower them to create meaningful impact wherever they choose to go. By providing a suite of experiences designed to help students hone these capabilities, the Hunter Hub sees 20

entrepreneurial thinking as a vehicle to nurture the next generation of changemakers.

The true value of entrepreneurial thinking lies in the mindset it cultivates Building something from nothing teaches resilience when ideas fail, resourcefulness when time and money are limited, collaboration when success depends on a team, and courage when the path forward is uncertain. These are not startup skills; these are life skills and these are the skills our students will need to become impactful leaders. Consider a student who participates in Launchpad, the Hunter Hub’s flagship startup creation program, and spends six months building a startup of their own. Through the experience, they learn how to identify opportunities, test assumptions, work through setbacks, communicate ideas, and navigate ambiguity. Building the business is only a small part of the learning; the real outcome is personal growth. These lessons will stay with them long after the program ends. These are the lessons that will empower them to create change in their chosen fields. Perhaps they become a physician who designs innovative approaches to patient care. Maybe they become a lawyer who helps shape policies for emerging industries.

2025-2026 IMPACT REPORT They might become a teacher who inspires creative problem-solving in the classroom, an engineer who tackles complex infrastructure challenges, or a public servant who reimagines how government serves its citizens. Their destinations may be different, but the entrepreneurial skills they develop along the way form the foundation for their leadership. Learning opportunities like this allow us to mobilize the next generation of changemakers. It gives them the chance to explore, experiment, and practice turning their ideas into action.

Building the future begins with building people We see the work we do every day as an investment in people. It is about empowering individuals to make an impact regardless of the career they ultimately pursue. When we think about the talent that will shape Canada’s future, entrepreneurial thinking skills are the capabilities we want to cultivate. We need people who are comfortable with uncertainty, who see challenges as opportunities, and who have the confidence to turn ideas into action. The Hunter Hub provides one of the most powerful environments for developing those capabilities because it allows people to learn by doing. As the home for entrepreneurial thinking on campus, the Hunter Hub offers something uniquely powerful: a community. It is where aspiring founders, students, researchers, educators, and industry leaders come together to support one another. We create an environment where experimentation is encouraged, failure becomes learning, and meaningful connections accelerate personal growth.

In this kind of community, the journey itself becomes transformative. It’s a community that enables us to unleash the next generation of changemakers ready to shape our world. It begins by empowering every individual with the skills and support to make a difference. If we want Calgary to remain the “Blue-Sky City,” a city of innovation, resilience, and opportunity, our greatest investment will be in the changemakers: the people who will strengthen our communities, drive economic growth, and shape a more prosperous future for generations to come. By equipping students with the mindset, confidence, and community to act, the Hunter Hub is unleashing a generation of changemakers prepared to shape Canada for the better. When those students are ready to Start Something, whether it’s a company, a career, a community initiative, or an innovative idea, they’ll know to start here. KURT WHITE Manager, Programs Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking University of Calgary

GCEC: A journey to Calgary The University of Calgary was proud to welcome the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC) Conference to our campus in October 2025, bringing over 500 attendees from across the globe. Hosted by the Hunter Hub, the conference highlighted Calgary’s commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation. GCEC’s flagship conference is the world’s premier gathering of university-based entrepreneurship programs, drawing leaders, educators, and innovators from across the globe to share insights, spark collaborations, and shape the future of entrepreneurial thinking.

541 278 15+ 21%

TOTAL ATTENDEES

INSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED

COUNTRIES REPRESENTED

CANADIAN ATTENDEES

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GCEC: A journey to Calgary The conference focused the lens on “Resiliency and Inclusivity in Innovation,” a topical issue in entrepreneurship today. During the conference, notable keynote speakers included Hayley Wickenheiser, Lara Murphy, and Paul Brandt.

“Being an entrepreneur is one way to ensure that Canada is resilient for many years to come. Entrepreneurial thinking is helping Canadians create, build, and scale, right here in Canada. There’s no better moment to do that then right now.” Guy Levesque, Executive Director Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking University of Calgary

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In serving as host, the Hunter Hub was honoured with the GCEC Center of Entrepreneurial Leadership award, a major milestone for the Hub. READ THE FULL STORY

Experience Ventures Experience Ventures delivers entrepreneurial thinking placements for students in partnership with post-secondary institutions across Canada. Powered by the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking at the University of Calgary and funded by the Government of Canada, the Experience Ventures program was developed to enable post-secondary students to make an impact alongside real-world innovators. Since its inception in 2021, the Experience Ventures partnership network has delivered 10,585 placements nationwide. Embedded in the Experience Ventures mission is entrepreneurial thinking, which serves as the foundation for all that the program offers. Experience Ventures embraces a digital-first approach, is industry-agnostic, and driven by community and connection. As a collaboration between students, ventures, and post-secondary institutions, Experience Ventures is designed to help students get future-ready, wherever their future takes them.

10,585 PLACEMENTS DELIVERED NATIONWIDE since the inception of Experience Ventures There are 14 post-secondary institutions in the Experience Ventures Network: o University of Calgary o Conestoga College o Humber Polytechnic o McMaster University o Ontario Tech University o Queen’s University o Simon Fraser University

o St. Mary’s University o Toronto Metropolitan University o University of Alberta o Université de Montréal o University of Ottawa o Université de Sherbrooke o York University

By cultivating multi-dimensional innovation networks, Experience Ventures promotes collaboration and creativity in the workplace, engaging multi-disciplinary talent.

A hackathon run by Experience Ventures partner, Toronto Metropolitan University.

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2,220 PLACEMENTS DELIVERED NATIONWIDE during the 2025-2026 reporting period

43 COMPLETED PROJECTS during the 2025-2026 reporting period

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Experience Ventures Hackathon The Experience Ventures Hackathon is a hands-on, team-based placement where UCalgary undergraduate students work together for 16 hours to design innovative solutions to a topical community issue. Students learn from mentors, build entrepreneurial thinking skills, and pitch their ideas for a cash prize.

95 TOTAL PARTICIPANTS 10 FACULTIES REPRESENTED for the Experience Ventures Hackathon READ THE FULL STORY

Experience Ventures Solutions Lab Experience Ventures Solutions Lab, established in 2021 at the University of Calgary’s Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, provides a unique opportunity for students to learn about and champion social innovation. The program teaches students to leverage entrepreneurial thinking as they tackle real-world issues and design creative solutions with local impact.

44 TOTAL PARTICIPANTS 6 FACULTIES REPRESENTED for the Experience Ventures Solutions Lab READ THE FULL STORY

72 hours. 11 teams. One immersive weekend. START SOMETHING WEEKEND ARRIVES AT THE HUNTER HUB

The Hunter Hub’s inaugural Start Something Weekend is an immersive, hands-on experience where students from all disciplines come together to bring their ideas to life. For the 62 attendees that participated, the weekend was the chance to build and validate a startup from the ground up — in less than 72 hours. At the end of the three days, participants pitched their ideas to a panel of judges, competing for a prize pool of up to $25,000.

Start Something Weekend is designed for problem-solvers, regardless of educational background. Participants hailed from various faculties, from the Haskayne School of Business to the Cumming School of Medicine to the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape (SAPL). READ THE FULL STORY

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“As a computer science major, [Start Something Weekend] really gave me a small taste of what the world of entrepreneurship looks like. From the coaches to the industry experts who gave fireside chats, everyone in the program was so helpful. The experience was awesome, and I loved seeing so many people from different backgrounds and skill sets come together.” Harsh Patil, AstroCarbon First-place winner

$10,000

CANNON LACHAPELLE AWARD IN ENTREPRENEURIAL THINKING

SYDNEY GILLISS Haskayne School of Business 2025 Cannon Lachapelle Undergraduate Recipient

SUNAND KANNAPPAN Cumming School of Medicine 2025 Cannon Lachapelle Undergraduate Recipient

ZAKY QASIMI Haskayne School of Business 2025 Cannon Lachapelle Undergraduate Recipient

TANIA RIZWAN Schulich School of Engineering 2025 Cannon Lachapelle Undergraduate Recipient “The journey is where you’re forged, where you build the discipline, the resilience, and the conviction that no shortcut could ever give you. The destination means nothing without the journey that brought you there.” 32

Tania Rizwan’s path to building what matters For Tania Rizwan, joining the Hunter Hub’s Launchpad was just the beginning. As a 2025 Undergraduate Cannon Lachapelle winner, Rizwan’s journey reflects what can happen when you step forward, even before you feel ready. “I started as a shy, introverted engineer who just wanted to build things quietly,” she says. “I had big ideas and big dreams, but for a long time, I held back. The Hunter Hub gave me a community before I had the confidence to ask for one, and a stage before I believed I deserved one.” Rizwan first arrived at the Hunter Hub in 2024 through Launchpad with NeuraSense, a venture she spearheaded with teammates Shekinah (Yna) Arpon, Fionna Dela Cruz, Christine Dowling, and Lily Gentile. Through the program, she learned what it takes to move an idea forward — testing, adapting, and learning along the way. When she returned to Launchpad in 2026, this time as a fireside chat speaker, she was able to share those lessons with the next cohort. “I’ve learned that the best founders iterate constantly, and not pivoting when the signal is there is the real mistake,” she says. “I loved NeuraSense, and I’m still exploring where it could go. I’ll carry that experience forward into every venture I build.” Receiving the Cannon Lachapelle award was another defining moment in Rizwan’s journey. “It means more to me than I can easily put into words,” she says. For Rizwan, the recognition represented a shift in how she saw herself and her ideas.

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“Between the challenges I’d faced and people throughout my life who made me feel like I needed to stay small, I genuinely struggled to believe that I was capable of the things I imagined,” she says. “This award was a powerful reminder that my ideas aren’t crazy, that my vision has merit, and that people believe in me, even when I’ve struggled to believe in myself.” A recent Biomedical Engineering graduate with a minor in Computer Science from the University of Calgary, Rizwan continues to explore how technology can create meaningful change. Since January, she has been part of NEXT Canada’s NEXT36 program, where she is developing IRL, a platform addressing compulsive phone use among generations that grew up immersed in technology. Looking back on every experience, Rizwan is most proud of her ability to show up. “The biggest thing that has changed isn’t my portfolio or my accomplishments,” she says. “It’s that I now believe, without a doubt, that my purpose is to build something meaningful.”

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Map the System Map the System is a global competition hosted by the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Oxford and delivered in collaboration with educational institutions worldwide. UCalgary joined as a partner in 2022. For Kurt White, Programs Manager at the Hunter Hub, the program is unique, both in its approach and in its execution. “The beautiful thing about Map the System is that it focuses on problem understanding, problem discovery, and creating that next generation of changemakers.” The program embraces a systems thinking approach, challenging participants to address complex social or environmental issues. Participants delve deep into an issue that matters to them and take the time to explore, probe, and research all its connecting elements and factors. The program is a discovery process for participants of any discipline, with teams ultimately sharing their findings in a presentation.

314

TOTAL PARTICIPANTS with 106 total teams

FACULTIES represented

This year, Map the System wrapped its largest cohort yet at the University of Calgary, drawing 314 participants across nine faculties.

FIRST PLACE WINNERS ($2,500) The Fourth Branch: Aliza Ali, Sean Cadawan, Elin Ha, Amithi Bawa READ THE FULL STORY

64%

INCREASE IN PARTICIPANTS compared to the previous period

2025-2026 IMPACT REPORT

Evolve to Innovate (e2i) MOBILIZING RESEARCH AND CREATING IMPACT BEYOND ACADEMIA

Evolve to Innovate (e2i) is an experiential training program designed to support UCalgary postdocs, research associates, graduate students, and faculty as they explore ways to mobilize their research and advance their ideas beyond academia. Through dedicated funding, hands-on workshops, and strategic mentorship, e2i empowers participants to take the next step in their research journey. This is the second year the Hunter Hub has delivered the e2i program, which was previously supported by Innovate Calgary. e2i supports a wide range of aspirations. The program equips researchers with the tools and best practices they need to enhance their academic careers, pursue industry opportunities, explore commercialization through licensing, or even launch startups and not-for-profit ventures. At the heart of e2i is the growth of the researcher — not just the project.

40% INCREASE IN PARTICIPANTS with a total of 70 participants

11 FACULTIES REPRESENTED in this e2i cohort

Unique to the program, participants have the chance to earn micro-credentials as they complete each core unit within the program. Upon completing each module, participants receive a cash award of up to $1,500, as generously provided by the Office of the Vice-President (Research). This year, the program also offered asynchronous learning modules designed to complement the in-person sessions held at the Hunter Hub. Developed by the Hunter Hub team, this online content allows participants to deepen their understanding of core concepts and engage with the material at their own pace.

2025-2026 IMPACT REPORT

TC Energy Ingenuity Speaker Series Throughout the year, the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking hosted inspiring entrepreneurs on campus as part of the TC Energy Ingenuity Speaker Series. In bringing innovative thinkers to campus, the Speaker Series gave the UCalgary community a chance to hear their insights and experiences, sparking conversations about entrepreneurial thinking, innovation, and more. The Speaker Series was made possible thanks to the generous support of TC Energy.

245+ TOTAL ATTENDEES across four events

BILLIE RAE BUSBY Award-winning contemporary visual artist

Read about the intersection between art and entrepreneurship, and how Billie Rae Busby dances between the two in her everyday work life. “When you’re doing a lot of things on your own, in the studio by yourself, you have to be your own cheerleader and learn how to shut that inner critic out.” READ THE FULL STORY 38

LARA MURPHY CEO, Calgary Wild FC Founder, Ryan Murphy Construction

Discover how Lara Murphy is closing the visibility gap in women’s sport. “I’ve noticed that a lot of women tend to rush to the next thing without really enjoying what they accomplish. You don’t have to be the best at everything.” READ THE FULL STORY

BOBBIE RACETTE Founder, Tapwi

Learn how Bobbie Racette stumbled into entrepreneurship by accident. “My ultimate goal is to show people that it doesn’t matter who you are and what you look like. You can still be entrepreneurial.” READ THE FULL STORY

KYLE ROMANIUK President, FRAKXION Author, EMBARK

Discover why Kyle Romaniuk believes that the right environment is crucial for entrepreneurial success. “You have to plant seeds, create opportunities, be ready to strike, and build a system to increase those chances.” READ THE FULL STORY 39

2025-2026 IMPACT REPORT

Hunter Hub Skills Clinics Skills Clinics began in summer 2024 as part of the Summer Accelerator, created to give participants practical skills they could apply as they developed their ventures. But the idea quickly grew beyond the program. Today, Skills Clinics bring practical, hands-on learning to the broader Hunter Hub community. From pitching and storytelling to design, communication, and other entrepreneurial skills, each clinic gives participants something they can take with them, whether they’re building a venture, exploring an idea, or simply looking to grow. By inviting founders, industry experts, creatives, and other practitioners to share their knowledge, we give our community access to perspectives and expertise they may not encounter otherwise. This year, we invited practitioners and experts within Calgary and beyond, including Shaaf Farooq from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

17 TOTAL SKILLS CLINICS hosted at the Hunter Hub

143% INCREASE IN SKILLS CLINICS compared to the previous period

407 TOTAL ATTENDEES across all 17 Skills Clinics

Shaaf Farooq, Program Manager at The Clinic at McMaster University, speaking about AI-powered entrepreneurship.

Partnerships Entrepreneurial journeys rarely happen alone. Behind many of the experiences at the Hunter Hub is a partner who has brought something special to our organization, whether that’s a new perspective, a space to gather, an expert voice, a mentor, or a connection. Our partnerships are rooted in shared goals and a belief that we can create more value by working together. They connect the Hunter Hub community with people and organizations beyond our doors, giving students, researchers, faculty, alumni, and aspiring entrepreneurs opportunities to explore entrepreneurial thinking and innovation in new ways. Sometimes, that means bringing an industry expert into a classroom. Sometimes, it means opening a door to a new network or creating a space for ideas to meet. Each partnership adds another step, connection, or perspective to someone’s journey. Together, we’re helping build a more connected entrepreneurial community — one where people don’t have to navigate the path alone. o o o o o o o o o o o 42

Tech Start XPrize Life Sciences Investor Startup Pitch Day GCEC NEXT Canada Youth Policy Council NextGen Founders Vibrant Cities TC Energy SU Clubs HBI Hopewell Mind Prize

o o o o o o o o o o o

Front Row Ventures Grad Students Association STEM Fellowship Woman Techmaker/YYC Google Developer Group Bedside Business Plan Rideau Hall Foundation Business Venture Law ABB (Alumni Department) Moving Mountains Parex Innovation Fellowship AI at Work – Moose

2025-2026 IMPACT REPORT

Sponsorships Through sponsorships, the Hunter Hub provides financial support to organizations, events, initiatives, programs, and clubs that align with our strategic priorities. These investments help make opportunities possible, from bringing people together around a shared idea to creating spaces where new connections and ventures can take shape. Sponsorship is one way we can extend our impact beyond our own programming. By backing initiatives that share our commitment to entrepreneurial thinking, we help strengthen the ecosystem around us and create more opportunities for people to take their next step. o o o o o o

Ascend Fuse Collective Future Makers Code the Change Avenue Calgary Calgary Innovation Week 43

2025-2026 IMPACT REPORT

KidSport Calgary CEO Kevin Webster and Guy Levesque pictured at the Hunter Hub's Festivus celebration. 44

Giving back At the Hunter Hub, giving back is about using our community, resources, and platform to support causes aligned with our organizational values. Whether we’re rallying our community around a cause or creating opportunities to support those who need it, these initiatives are a reminder that impact can take many forms.

KIDSPORT CALGARY Back in December, the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking raised more than $1,500 for KidSport Calgary & Area as part of its year-end holiday giving campaign. In addition to KidSport Calgary, the Hunter Hub partnered with the UCalgary Campus Food Bank and Dress for Success as part of the holiday campaign. The initiative culminated at the Hunter Hub’s annual holiday party, Festivus, where members of the Hub community gathered to celebrate the campaign’s impact. “Here at the Hunter Hub, our philosophy is that we are here to be of service,” says Executive Director Guy Levesque. “We aim to provide guidance so that people can figure out what they want to do in life and what their passion is. Giving back to the community is really a similar gesture to what we do every day — just in a different context.” READ THE FULL STORY

2025-2026 IMPACT REPORT

As seen on UToday Through UToday, the University of Calgary’s news publication, stories from the Hunter Hub reach audiences across campus and beyond. From founders and innovators to the people and ideas shaping our community, these stories give our participants a platform to share where they’ve been, what they’ve learned, and where they’re going next. This fiscal year, the Hunter Hub published 28 stories. Here are a few that captured the journey.

Bedside Business Plan: Siblings Jana and Brad Boyko humanize entrepreneurship with guided journal business UCalgary alum-founded company gives back, provides resource to Hunter Hub’s Innovation Sandbox “While the pace of the digital world pulls our attention outward, journalling slows time down. Writing isn’t only for reflection; it’s a commitment. Every entry turns your intention into something concrete, and that simple act builds the habit entrepreneurs need most: the habit of taking action.”

READ THE FULL STORY

From the Netherlands to Calgary: How Leon Pluns started something at UCalgary Exchange student brought his app, Bondr, to life with the support of the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking READ THE FULL STORY

Four-year detour leads to Evolving Prowess, new inclusive activewear brand Hunter Hub fuels Victoria Tsang’s mission to redesign how activewear fits, feels, and supports women READ THE FULL STORY

A 13-year journey from wheelchair to walking a 10K race From rare medical challenges to entrepreneurial ambitions, this UCalgary student is proving that perseverance pays off READ THE FULL STORY

2025-2026 IMPACT REPORT

The future needs entrepreneurial thinking Every journey in this report is different, but they share something in common. They all begin with someone choosing to solve a problem they care about. Sometimes that leads to a startup. Sometimes it changes the direction of a research project, strengthens a community initiative, or transforms the way someone leads within an existing organization.

Whatever form it takes, entrepreneurial thinking begins with a simple idea: creating value for others. That’s why the Hunter Hub exists. We believe the future will belong to people who can navigate uncertainty with curiosity, adapt when circumstances change, and turn ideas into action. The communities we serve need innovators, yes — but they also need compassionate leaders, creative problem-solvers, and people willing to ask, “How can I make this better?” Our role is to help cultivate those people, wherever their journeys take them. When we invest in entrepreneurial thinking, we’re investing in something much larger than individual success. We’re investing in stronger communities, a more resilient economy, healthier organizations, and an innovation ecosystem equipped to tackle the challenges ahead. Every participant, every partnership, and every venture represented in these pages contributes to that future. Together, they remind us that entrepreneurial thinking is so much more than building businesses. It’s about building a better world.

2025-2026 IMPACT REPORT

Your journey continues at the Hunter Hub As a Hunter Hub alum, you’re still a part of this community. The Hunter Hub meets you where you are. It’s the place to build, make new connections, and be part of a community that dares to imagine a better future. Through the Hunter Hub, you can continue to learn, collaborate, and contribute through various opportunities, from events and mentorship to new ways of getting involved. Stay connected, share what you’re building, and help inspire what comes next.

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