The Next 36, an academic/mentoring program for undergraduate entrepreneurs, will hold its introductory event in Moncton from 3 to 6 pm on Sept. 20 at the Dieppe Arts and Culture Centre near Moncton.

The Toronto-based program announced Tuesday that Dan Martell, the CEO of Clarity, will be the keynote speaker at the Campus Tour event, which is being held in conjunction with Tech South East.

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

"We look forward to meeting and inspiring some of Atlantic Canada's most promising young entrepreneurs, in hopes that they consider The Next 36 as an option that will provide them with the capital, mentorship and education to build the high impact businesses they dream of creating," said Jon French, Director of Marketing & Events at The Next 36.

French said students who want to attend the event register on their own or reach out to representatives at universities working with the program.  They are: Ed Leach at Dalhousie University, Jason Turner at St. Mary’s University and Karina Leblanc at the Pond-Deshpande Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of New Brunswick.

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 and MIT. The program is demanding, and challenges the participants to excel.