Many student founders have strong ideas but lack the connections, structure, and credibility needed to build a real company. The Next 36 is designed to close that gap. It is one of Canada’s most selective entrepreneurship programs, supporting just 36 high-potential undergraduate and recent graduate founders each year from across the country.
Unlike short-term accelerators, The Next 36 focuses on long-term founder development. The goal is simple: help students build companies that can grow nationally and globally, not just complete a demo day.
The Next 36 is a national, non-government entrepreneurship program run by Next Canada. Each year, it selects 36 undergraduate students and recent graduates with strong entrepreneurial potential. Participants can apply with either an early-stage startup or a business idea they want to turn into a company.
Key facts about The Next 36:
While The Next 36 is often discussed alongside grants, it does not provide traditional grant funding. Instead, it offers something many early founders lack: structured access to elite mentors, investors, and operators who have built companies before.
The Next 36 is built around the realities of growing a business, not just classroom theory. Here’s how the program helps students turn ideas into real businesses.
Participants learn directly from experienced entrepreneurs and award-winning faculty. The curriculum focuses on:
This approach helps founders avoid building products without market demand, one of the most common early-stage failure points.
Each founder gets access to seasoned mentors who have built and grown companies. This includes regular coaching sessions, not just one-off talks.
Mentors help students:
This hands-on guidance is a major reason The Next 36 has a strong track record of alumni-led companies.
The Next 36 alumni community includes hundreds of founders across Canada. For student entrepreneurs, these connections matter.
It provides:
For many participants, these relationships become as valuable as the formal programming.
The Next 36 is generally equity-free, meaning founders do not give up ownership in exchange for participating. This matters if you plan to raise venture capital later.
Founders leave the program with:
You can combine programs like this with other non-repayable or repayable funding. Tools like GrantHub’s eligibility matcher can help you filter programs by province, founder profile, and business stage in seconds.
The Next 36 is highly competitive. It is best suited for students who:
Only 36 founders are selected each year, making the program one of the most selective entrepreneurship pathways in Canada.
The Next 36 does not provide direct grant funding. Its value is education, mentorship, and access. If you need startup capital, you may need to combine it with other programs.
You do not need revenue, but you do need clear motivation. Selection committees look for founders who are serious about building a real company.
This is not a passive program. Founders are expected to actively build, test, and iterate throughout the year.
You can apply with just an idea. Waiting too long can mean missing eligibility as you age out of student or recent graduate status.
Q: Does The Next 36 provide startup funding?
No. The Next 36 focuses on education, mentorship, and access to resources rather than direct grant funding.
Q: Do you need an existing startup to apply?
No. You can apply with either an idea or an early-stage startup. The program supports founders at both stages.
Q: Who is eligible for The Next 36?
Eligible applicants are undergraduate students and recent graduates from across Canada with strong entrepreneurial potential.
Q: Is The Next 36 competitive?
Yes. Only 36 founders are selected each year from a national applicant pool, making it highly selective.
Q: Is The Next 36 equity-free?
Yes. The program is generally non-dilutive and focused on founder development, not taking ownership in your company.
After reviewing programs like this, GrantHub tracks hundreds of active grant and non-dilutive funding programs across Canada — helping you see which ones fit your founder profile and business stage.
If you are a student founder, The Next 36 can be a powerful foundation for building a high-growth startup. Once you understand programs like this, the next step is identifying complementary grants, wage subsidies, and founder supports that match your stage and location. GrantHub helps you do that with a clear view of what’s available across Canada — and what fits your business today.
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