About Format Prizes Workshops Key Dates For Judges Sponsors
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Brampton FBLC · JEC & TA · Preliminaries May 23, Finals May 30 · Virtual

FOUNDER'S DEN 2026

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$1,500
Prize Pool
500+
Registrants
60+
Schools
60+
Judges
National
Reach
Register to Compete Become a Judge
Competitor Information Package
Registration: May 12th 11:59 EST
Business Plan: May 20th 11:59 EST
Event Days: Preliminaries May 30th, Finals June 7th
Platform: Prelims: Zoom (Virtual) · Finals: In Person (Yspace, YU Markham)
About the Event

Canada's next generation of founders starts here.

Founder's Den 2026 is a national virtual student entrepreneurship competition hosted by Brampton FBLC in collaboration with JEC & TA. Now in its second year, the competition scales from regional to national — bringing together the brightest student founders from across Canada to compete under the theme Intelligence, Redefined.

Every competing team must integrate intelligent systems — AI, automation, or data-driven technology — into a credible, original venture. The top companies compete for a $1,500 seed-capital pool and national recognition.

Mission
Shepherd visionary founders through the venture lifecycle
From Ideation to Infrastructure to Influence — we build the next generation of builders through rigorous, real-world competition.
Theme
"Intelligence, Redefined."
All ventures must meaningfully integrate AI, automation, or data-driven technology as a core element of their business model.
Scale
National reach across four provinces
Targeting Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta — with 500+ registrants and 60+ schools engaged across Canada.
Competition Format

How the competition works.

A dual-component evaluation ensures the best ventures win — not just the best presenters, and not just the best writers.

📋
60%
Component Weight
Business Plan
A formal written report — maximum 20 pages, PDF format, APA citations — submitted by May 10th. Pre-judged by the panel before event day. Every section must address the scoring rubric with depth and analytical rigor.
Submitted May 10th · PDF · 20 pages max
🎤
40%
Component Weight
Business Pitch
A live 7-minute pitch to a panel of judges via Zoom, followed by 3 minutes of Q&A. All team members must participate. Cameras on. Professional attire required.
Live · May 30 Prelims (Zoom) / June 7th Finals (In Person · Yspace, YU Markham) · 7 min + 3 min Q&A
3
Judges per preliminary room
Top 15
Teams advance to finals
8
Finals prestige panel judges
Awards

$1,500 in seed capital.

The top three ventures secure a portion of a real prize pool — plus the top 15 finalists receive certificates, recognition, and non-monetary awards.

Second Place
🥈
$400
Runner-up seed capital award
First Place
🏆
$800
National champion seed capital award
Third Place
🥉
$300
Third place seed capital award
⭐
Top 15 Finalists receive a Certificate of Excellence and non-monetary prizes (to be disclosed). An internship opportunity is also available via C4P Group. Attend workshops for additional prize eligibility.
Pre-Event Workshops

Train before you compete.

Three expert-led workshops designed to build your business plan, sharpen your pitch, and maximize your score. Attendance can unlock additional prizes.

Workshop 01
Venture Mindset
Think like an investor before you write a single word. Stress-test your concept by answering the hard questions — market size, problem-solution fit, revenue viability. Walk away with a defined value proposition and strategic foundation ready for your business plan.
April 26th
Workshop 02
Blueprint Lab
Transform your ideas into a competition-ready document. Built around the official rubric, this session guides you section-by-section from Industry Analysis to Financial Projections. Live mentor feedback. Come with a draft, leave with a polished plan.
May 9th
Workshop 03
The Pitch Den
Master the art of the 7-minute pitch. Learn how to hook a room, simplify complex financials, and close with a memorable call to action. Professional techniques for body language, vocal projection, and high-pressure Q&A. Command the stage.
May 16th
Key Dates

Mark your calendar.

Every deadline is firm. No late submissions accepted without prior written approval from Competitor Affairs.

Apr 6 · 12:00 PM EST
Competitor Submissions Open
Sign for the Event!y
May 12th · 11:59 EST
⚡ Competitor Registration Deadline
All team members must be registered. Portal access codes distributed.
May 20th
Final Deadline for business plan and pitch
All competitors must submit their plans and pitches
May 30th · 12:30 PM EST
Preliminary Matches
Live pitches & Q&A for all teams — on Zoom
June 7th · 12:30 PM EST
Finals — Founder's Den 2026
Top 15 teams present to prestige panel, awards — In Person · Yspace, York University Markham
For Judges

Shape the next generation of founders.

We're recruiting 60+ judges from 6+ industry sectors — active professionals, founders, VCs, academics, and senior executives. Your expertise directly shapes which ventures win national recognition.

Judges receive a complete onboarding package, a scored rubric with annotated examples, a judge briefing session on May 22, and their room assignment well in advance.

Technology
Finance
Venture Capital
Healthcare
Consumer Goods
Social Enterprise
Apply to Judge
📅
Time Commitment
Preliminary Matches: May 30, 2026 (virtual, via Zoom). Finals: June 7, 2026 (in person — Yspace, York University Markham).
⚖️
Scoring Structure
Judges score live pitches (40%) using a structured rubric. Business plans (60%) are pre-judged. A 25-point variance protocol ensures scoring integrity across all rooms.
🎓
Credentials Required
Active industry professional, startup founder, VC, C-suite executive, grad student with entrepreneurship experience, or academic with relevant domain expertise.
📦
What You Receive
Full onboarding package by May 18 — annotated rubric, scoring instructions, conflict-of-interest form, event schedule, Zoom link, and a quick reference card.
Registration

Ready to join?

Choose your role below and complete your registration. All fields marked with an asterisk are required.

📄 Competitor Info Package
1
Team
2
Members
3
School
4
Venture
5
Submit
01 / 05 — Team Information

Tell us about your team.

Provide your team's name and primary contact. All competition communications will be sent here.

Eligibility
  • Currently enrolled Canadian secondary school students only
  • Teams of 1–4 members — all must register before April 26th
  • Venture must not have been in active commercial operation for more than 12 months
  • Each competitor may participate in only one team
  • Only one person from each team needs to fill the form
Please enter your team name.
Please select your team size.
Please enter the primary contact name.
All registration confirmations and updates sent here.
Please enter a valid email address.
02 / 05 — Team Members

Register your members.

All team members must be currently enrolled secondary school students. Only registered members may contribute to your submission.

03 / 05 — School & Club

Your school & club

Helps us track national reach and coordinate with your club's administration.

Please enter your school name.
Please enter your city.
Please select your province.
04 / 05 — Your Venture

Pitch your venture.

All ventures must meaningfully integrate intelligent systems — AI, automation, or data-driven technology — in line with the theme: Intelligence, Redefined.

Theme Requirement
  • All ventures must meaningfully integrate AI, automation, or data-driven technology
  • Must not have been in active commercial operation for more than 12 months
  • All content must be original and created specifically for this competition
Please enter your venture name.
0 / 120
0 / 2000
Please describe your venture.
Please select an industry sector.
Please select how your venture integrates AI.
Ventures in active commercial operation for more than 12 months are ineligible.
Please select your operating status.
05 / 05 — Agreements & Submission

Review & submit.

All boxes must be checked. By submitting, your team formally agrees to the Founder's Den 2026 rules and code of conduct.

Google Classroom Access Code
hwyec64r
Join the official competitor portal after registering for all announcements and portal access.
Competition Rules & Code of Conduct — All team members have read and agree to be fully bound by the Founder's Den 2026 Competitor Code of Conduct and Competition Rules.
Eligibility Confirmation — All team members are currently enrolled Canadian secondary school students. Our venture has not been in active commercial operation for more than 12 months.
Original Work — All submitted materials will be entirely original work created specifically for Founder's Den 2026. Violations are grounds for immediate disqualification.
Communication Responsibility — Our team will monitor the registered primary email and the Google Classroom (code: hwyec64r) for all announcements and deadlines.
Submission Deadline — Business plan submitted by May 10th, 2026, 11:59 PM EST in PDF format via the competitor portal.
Event Days — On May 30 (Prelims) & June 7 (Finals), 2026, all members will present with cameras on, dress code compliant, on time. Violations result in a 5-point deduction.
0 / 500
Please check all agreement boxes before submitting.
Registration Complete

Welcome to the Den.

Your team has been successfully registered. A confirmation is on its way. Join the Google Classroom now.

Google Classroom Access Code
hwyec64r
1
Join Google Classroom: hwyec64r
2
Workshop 1: Venture Mindset — Apr 19, 4:00 PM EST
3
Submit business plan by May 20th 11:59 EST
4
Event Days: May 30 (Prelims) & June 7 (Finals), 2026 — Prelims on Zoom · Finals in person at Yspace, York University Markham
1
Profile
2
Expertise
3
Availability
4
Agreements
01 / 04 — Judge Profile

Your professional profile.

Tell us about yourself. We need to verify credentials and match you to the right evaluation context.

Credential Standards
  • 80%+ of judges must hold verifiable professional credentials
  • Finals panel judges must be active industry professionals, founders, VCs, or senior academics
  • Judges are evaluated for sector fit, credential level, and availability
Required.
Required.
We'll send all onboarding materials and your Zoom link to this address.
Please enter a valid email address.
For day-of coordination if needed.
Required.
Required.
Required.
Helps us verify credentials and match you to the appropriate panel.
02 / 04 — Industry Expertise

Your area of expertise.

We recruit from 6+ industry sectors to ensure diverse evaluation perspectives. Select your primary area and credential type so we can match you to the right room.

Please select a sector.
Please select your credential type.
0 / 2000
Please provide a brief bio.
0 / 800
03 / 04 — Availability & Preferences

Your availability.

Preliminary matches (May 30) are virtual via Zoom. Finals (June 7) are held in person at Yspace, York University Markham. Mandatory judge briefing on May 22.

Please select your availability.
Please select your briefing availability.
Please confirm your Zoom access.
0 / 600
04 / 04 — Agreements & Submission

Review & submit.

All boxes must be checked to complete your judge application. The Judge Affairs team will be in touch within 5 business days.

Judging Commitment — I confirm my availability for preliminary matches (May 30, 2026, virtual via Zoom) and finals (June 7, 2026, in person at Yspace, York University Markham) and the mandatory judge briefing session (May 22, 2026) via Zoom, and understand that an onboarding package will be sent by May 18.
Conflict of Interest — I confirm I have no personal or financial relationship with any competing team or their members. I will disclose any conflicts that arise prior to event day and recuse myself from evaluating any team where a conflict exists.
Scoring Integrity — I agree to score independently and objectively using the official Founder's Den 2026 rubric, to participate in the calibration exercise during the briefing session, and to submit all scoresheets within the required timeframe on event day.
Confidentiality — I agree to keep all scoring details, competitor information, and deliberation content confidential. I will not share scores, rankings, or judging discussions outside of official channels.
Professional Standards — I agree to conduct myself with professionalism, respect, and impartiality throughout all interactions with competitors, staff, and fellow judges — during workshops, communications, and on event day.
Please check all agreement boxes before submitting.
Application Received

Thank you for applying.

Your judge application has been received. The Judge Affairs team will review your credentials and be in touch within 5 business days with confirmation and next steps.

Questions? Contact
Judge Affairs
1
Await confirmation email from the Judge Affairs team within 5 business days.
2
Complete your conflict of interest form when sent with your onboarding package.
3
Attend the mandatory briefing on June 7 — rubric calibration and event flow walkthrough.
4
Judge on May 30 (Prelims), 2026 — virtual via Zoom. June 7 (Finals), 2026 — in person at Yspace, York University Markham.
Our Partners

The Organizations Behind It All

Founder's Den 2026 is made possible through the generous support of leading academic institutions, innovative companies, and dedicated community organizations.

Interested in sponsoring Founder's Den?
Join our network of partners shaping the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Become a Sponsor