NAIT launches HATCH

NAIT continues to impress me with their unique initiatives to encourage tech entrepreneurship. Back in November, they launched the novaNAIT Challenge for local entrepreneurs. Yesterday, SIFE NAIT (Students in Free Enterprise), novaNAIT, and YTP (Youth Technopreneurship Program) launched another competition, called HATCH:

HATCH is a business plan challenge open to full time students, between 18 and 35 years of age, in their last year of study at NAIT in the 2009-2010 academic year or who have graduated from NAIT in the 2008-2009 academic school year. The applicants are those who need a little aid to help make their business plan a reality. We are looking for ideas with a technology, science or knowledge-based focus.

The prize for this competition is even better than the novaNAIT Challenge - $20,000 in seed money that can be used for “expenses directly related to implementing the business plan” plus services from the Duncan McNeill Centre for Innovation. Interested applicants have until October 30th to submit an entry.

The competition is funded by Advanced Education & Technology. The concept behind the branding and marketing of the competition and launch event can be credited to SIFE. I really like the detail they went into – students at the launch received plastic eggs filled with the contest details, lunch consisted of egg sandwiches, and for some additional fun there was an omelette making contest!

You can see some photos from the launch here, and you can learn more about the competition here.