THUNDER BAY — Late last week Lakehead University hosted a graduation for students who participated in the Ascend Accelerator program, which provides support for the development of business ideas over 10 weeks.
Run by Ingenuity, the university’s business incubator space, Ascend, is in its fourth year.
This year, five students created four businesses.
Joshua Sanchez and Aliss Chavarri created Nestar, dedicated to revolutionizing the rental industry with innovative solutions for both landlords and tenants.
Nestar specializes in providing rental solutions that enhance the renting experience, making it enjoyable and convenient for all parties involved.
With Nestar, renting becomes a seamless and rewarding experience, where tenants find their ideal homes and landlords enjoy efficient management solutions.
Nestar’s unique approach includes offering a verified-only platform that makes the renting experience safer. In addition to debit card payments, Nestar also offers a credit card option for rent payments, which is a first in Thunder Bay.
“We are immensely grateful to the Ascend program for their unwavering support and guidance throughout our journey,” said Sanchez, NESTAR’s chief executive officer.
“Their spaces, webinars, and connections provided us with the resources and knowledge needed to develop, launch and grow our business,” Sanchez said.
“This program has had a profound impact on our company, allowing us to navigate challenges and seize opportunities we never thought possible.
“We are truly grateful for their dedication to our success and recognize the countless entrepreneurs who would greatly benefit from this program. Thank you for believing in us and helping us turn our vision into reality,” Sanchez said.
This year’s group of students is doing some impressive work, said Andrew P. Dean, Lakehead's vice president, research and innovation, who wished them luck on their entrepreneurial journey.
“Through financial support and mentorship, Ingenuity Ascend has provided this year’s cohort of Lakehead students with a remarkable platform to transform their ideas into tangible realities and launch their innovative business ventures,” Dean said.
“The graduating entrepreneurs have demonstrated exceptional problem-solving skills by addressing market gaps with their unique products and services.
“From developing cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) software to a social entrepreneurship idea of consulting with school boards climate action programming, their contributions are meeting consumer needs but also fostering regional economic growth.”
Alyson MacKay, Ingenuity manager and Ascend program developer said she continues to be amazed at the talent of Lakehead students.
“Thanks to the John Dobson Foundation, this new funding has allowed us for the first time to include our Orillia campus and I am happy that we are finally able to do so.
“The level of commitment and passion I have seen from these participants over the last 10 weeks is incredible, and I look forward to continuing to work with them,” MacKay said.
