Saint Mary’s University is calling for startups to apply to participate in the only Canadian edition of the international Venture Capital Investment Competition, even as its own student-run venture capital fund prepares to compete in the VCIC’s Boston event.

Nicholas Perrin, a general partner at the student VC fund, Venture Grade, and a fourth-year Bachelor of Commerce student, said in an interview that his team will be attending the Boston competition virtually this week. The undergraduates will compete Friday and the graduate category will compete Saturday.

The VCIC is an international competition in which student delegations from business schools compete to make the best mock venture capital investment, as determined by a panel of judges. Venture Grade students compete in Boston because the rules bar them from competing at their home university.

“(VCIC) allows students to really test their knowledge of venture capital in a practical environment,” said Perrin. “And it would be as close to an industry application as they would get before they actually have a job in venture capital.”

He added that he did not originally plan to pursue venture capital as a career path. But participating in Venture Grade -- which has bought into companies like the recently exited Trip Ninja and Fredericton’s 3D Planeta -- has caused him to reconsider his options.

To give students the opportunity to conduct due diligence and negotiate terms sheets for actual startups, SMU is calling for local early-stage technology companies to apply to participate. The founders of those companies will gain experience pitching and negotiating VC deals.

Perrin said that, because SMU’s VCIC competition is slated for March 4, startups interested in participating should apply by Feb. 18.

Disclosure: SMU is a client of Entrevestor.