SMCS GRADS GET STARTUP BOOST FROM THEIR ALMA MATER
St. Michael’s College School holds an annual Dragon’s Den-style event to develop and support the entrepreneurial aspirations of their alumni
When Charles Martin and Grant Whitmore came up with the idea for a website that helps students find or sublet accommodations, they never imagined the extent to which their alma mater — St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) — would help that vision become a reality.
The long-time friends, both of whom are currently finishing their fourth year at Western University, were finalists in the 2019 Archangel’s Den Alumni Entrepreneur Contest, a Dragon’s Den-inspired event that SMCS puts on annually to help young alumni with entrepreneurial aspirations.
The event is open to the entire school community to attend, and will be taking place virtually this year on Feb. 18, where the Top 5 finalists will be competing for cash prizes to help with their business’ start-up costs.
Martin and Whitmore (along with a third friend, Kyran Bonner) had already conceived of the concept of Sublet Connect — an online platform that helps connect potential sublets with current tenants looking to sublet their room —when they enrolled as participants in the contest.
“The promise of potential funding is always intriguing in the life of any startup, however, our decision to participate in Archangel’s Den was based on much more than that,” says Martin, who was also interested in the professional mentorship the top finalists receive.
In fact, it was their time spent with Mike Grochmal — their mentor, and a fellow SMCS graduate — where they truly began to understand the opportunities that lay before them.
“Mike spent hours with us polishing our strategy, guiding operations, making suggestions that still impact how we do things today,” says Martin. “(His) mentorship was our first experience with a relationship facilitated through the alumni organization.”
“Before participating, we had very little outside help or people to reach out to when unsure of what to do,” Martin says. “The guidance we gained … gave us the foundation and validation we needed to confidently move forward with Sublet Connect. Since then, we’ve gained funding, doubled the size of our team, and successfully launched in London, Guelph and Halifax … and we plan to expand to new locations in the summer. Much of this progress can be traced back to Archangel’s Den.”
Mentorship and education have been significant components of the program since its inception, says John Walsh, head of Community and Learning Partnerships at St. Michael’s College School, and one of the organizers of he event.
“All of the mentors and judges are involved in the entrepreneurial world in some form, so this event is also valuable to their personal growth, and it gives them an opportunity to see and hear some fresh ideas on the horizon.”
The hope, says Walsh, is that the event will encourage current students and alumni to try new things and become risk takers, while working to solve some of the world’s problems through the entrepreneurial spirit.
Christina Blazanin is a first-time judge and mentor in this year’s event.
“It’s rare to have such a unique opportunity to support students, including my boys, on a shared vision of developing entrepreneurial aspirations of our youth through valuable learning, mentorship and networking opportunities,” says Blazanin, who works in the pharmaceutical industry, and is also an SMCS parent.
For Martin, Archangel’s Den is not only an incredible opportunity for current students and recent graduates to connect, learn and network, it also underscores the incredible vision of young entrepreneurs.
“The winners in 2019 included a biotech start-up that recycles food waste from restaurants and grocery stores, as well as a fintech start-up that gives students easier access to credit at rates they can actually afford,” says Martin.
“Archangel’s Den is rapidly establishing a network of talented young entrepreneurs with innovative new solutions that can affect real, positive change. However, this talent is not unique to SMCS alumni,” says Martin. “Toronto is a vibrant and diverse city, ripe with intelligent young minds and a capacity for justice and change. Archangel’s Den has built a program that can nurture and develop this talent on a broad scale.”
For more information about Archangel’s Den Alumni Entrepreneur Contest, or St. Michael’s College School, visit stmichaelscollegeschool.com.