Libro-EPIC Social Impact Initiative
The Entrepreneurship, Practice and Innovation Centre (EPICentre) is the hub for all entrepreneurial endeavours on the University of Windsor campus. Aspiring students and recent graduates have access to mentorship, a collaborative co-working space and funding opportunities to start and grow their businesses.
The Libro–EPIC Social Impact Initiative was launched in 2017.
This initiative promotes social entrepreneurship in Southwestern Ontario through the Social Enterprise Program and Social Enterprise Summit.
The Social Enterprise Program is a 4-month accelerator program providing mentorship, training, and funding to help social entrepreneurs validate their ideas and launch their social enterprises. Participants learn how to create innovative solutions to address the community’s most challenging issues through specialized workshops and webinars. Participants have access to one-on-one mentorship and business advisory services to help them with any business challenges as they develop their social enterprises. Each participant receives a participation stipend that can be used as seed funding for their projects. The program concludes with a Final Pitch Competition to award $5,000 Top Prize and $1,000 Runner-up Prize to the winners.
The Social Enterprise Summit is a full day summit with speakers and panelists sharing how they tackle social and environmental challenges with innovative solutions. This summit is free and open to the public, offering a great opportunity for everyone to learn about social innovation and to network with each other.
2023 Impact
9 Teams
10 Social Entrepreneurs
$24,000 Direct Funding Provided
Acceptance rate 37.5%
These social entrepreneurs work toward addressing the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs):
- No Poverty
- Zero Hunger
- Good Health and Well-Being
- Quality Education
- Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Reduced Inequalities
- Responsible Consumption and Production