The Next 36, an academic/mentoring program for undergraduate entrepreneurs, is planning a conference and introductory event in Moncton in September as part of its effort to lure more Atlantic Canadians.

The Next 36 is an annual, three-month summer program based in Toronto that mentors undergraduate university students who have shown a flair for entrepreneurship. It is highly competitive, drawing applications from students across the country.  It will accept applications for the summer 2014 program until Oct. 7.

In contrast to the dozens of other mentoring and incubating groups, the Next 36 distinguishes itself by an emphasis on academics. As the entrepreneurs in the program work on their businesses, they also attend 150 hours of classes with lecturers from some of the leading institutions in the world, such as Harvard, MIT and Stanford. The program is demanding, and challenges the participants to excel.

Several Atlantic Canadians have entered the program, but the organizers want to encourage more applications from the region. So Jon French, the Director of Marketing and Events, has been working on an Atlantic Canadian event with Karina LeBlanc of the Pond-Deshpande Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of New Brunswick. The idea is to give students an opportunity for networking and exposure to guest speakers as they learn about the program.

The Next 36 organizers spent a day and a half in Halifax last year, but French said in an interview they want to extend their reach beyond one city in the region this year. He and LeBlanc have agreed that theSeptember 20 event should be held in Moncton so it would be accessible to students from the three Maritime provinces. They are working with universities in an attempt to subsidize the travel costs. He added that they are still nailing down the details, such as the venue and speakers.

“I’m sure we’ll get something off the ground that will be a call out to Atlantic Canadian entrepreneurs interested in The Next 36,” said French.

The Next 36 is looking for students in their final two years of undergraduate studies who have an entrepreneurial track record. They should have launched at least one business, and even if it failed they should have learned from the experience. The organizers are also looking for leadership skills, awards or scholarships, and people who have excelled at something, whether it is athletics, music, science or another discipline. They should have at least a B-plus average. 

Atlantic Canada is currently represented in The Next 36 by Cam McDonald, Daniel Bartek and Zach Levy, the trio of serial entrepreneurs from Dalhousie University that founded such companies as Sage Mixology and Purchext. Other people from the region that have attended the program include J.P. LeRoux, a St. Mary’s University student who developed the Electric Courage app; and Mitchell Lesbirel, the Dal grad who has launched the Fastrack beer-bottle stacking device.

Information on the application process is available here. There will be a live webinar on the programJuly 24 at 1 pm Atlantic time.