Digby student competes at national entrepreneur competition

Thian Carmen pitched business idea about reclaiming old farmland

Thian Carmen of Meadow’s Brothers’ Farm wants to see more farms practising sustainable agriculture.

He recently had the opportunity to travel to Toronto to pitch his business idea about reclaiming old farmland at the National Enactus Student Entrepreneur competition.

He was one of 12 student entrepreneurs selected from across the country to pitch his business idea to judges and business leaders. “It was amazing,” he says. Carmen won third prize at the competition and received a $2,000 cash prize.

“It’s not just about the prize, the people I got to meet and the experience was the best part,” he says.

Students got to pitch their ideas to business leaders like Brett Wilson from Dragons’ Den, who gave feedback and business tips.

Carmen plans to stay in touch with other students from the competition to continue growing his business-based contacts. The 19-year-old is studying at the Dalhousie Agriculture Campus, while staying on top of his business in Digby County, at Meadow’s Brothers’ Farm.

He manages 202 acres of farmland, including sheep, hens, hay and sugar bush.

Carmen was named Nova Scotia’s youngest farmer in 2013 and has owned his farm since he was 14 years old.

He would like to thank Enactus for the opportunity to take part in the competition and everyone who has supported him since he began his farming journey. Thian Carmen at the National Enactus Student Entrepreneur Competition, meeting Brett Wilson from Dragons’ Den.