The University of New Brunswick has opened applications for its Summer Institute, its accelerator known for helping consumer product companies reach their market.

Applications for the 2019 cohort are open until Feb. 15 and can be found here.

The 2019 program, which will run from April 29 until July 19, will grant five to seven participants a stipend for living expenses, prototyping grants, and access to its downtown workspace. They will also receive mentor-led programming aimed at developing sustainable and profitable companies.

“The Summer Institute is designed to help early stage companies with a big vision,” said Summer Institute Program Manager Melissa O’Rourke in a statement. “We look for early-stage ventures that want to make an impact beyond the bottom line, and it’s truly a joy to help these community-minded entrepreneurs pursue their dreams.”

Operated by the University of New Brunswick’s J Herbert Smith Centre for Technology Management and Entrepreneurship, the Summer Institute has helped launch more than 30 companies since its first cohort in 2014. The program is not restricted to companies from any particular region or sector, though it historically has focused on companies with an innovative consumer product or service.

"The Summer Institute is easily the best thing to happen to me or my business,” said Eggcitables Founder and 2018 program alumna Hannah Chisholm. “I accomplished, learned, and grew more in those 12 weeks than I would have in an entire year."

The Summer Institute is a member of the Global Accelerator Network, an invite-only community of the world’s most respected organizations that provide startups with the best resources to create and grow their businesses, wherever they are.