Creative, business and technology incubator The Studio has launched the 2021 edition of their Founders Program, with 27 start-ups chosen to take part in the fully-funded program.
Start-ups in the program are focused on a range of industries and sectors including media, entertainment, communications, literature, dance, music, creative practice, cybersecurity, education, finance, health, transportation, natural resources and social services.
“The time is ripe for entrepreneurial activity,” The Studio’s CEO and Founder, Chantal Abouchar, said. “COVID-19 led to a surge in eCommerce and accelerated digital transformation across all industries. It is critical we continue to support digital entrepreneurship, especially of women and across the creative and cultural sectors which have been greatly impacted by the pandemic.”
The Studio’s Founders’ Program includes an online program from Start-up Onramp, a residency at The Studio, weekly masterclasses, skills workshops, engagement with industry specialists, investors and mentors. The seven-week program is supported by three experts in residence, serial entrepreneur David McKeague, Noga Edelstein and Julie Demsey.
“We are now about half way through the digital revolution,” David McKeague said. “Entrepreneurship is a mindset and a craft and we have another 30 years to seriously disrupt major industries. It’s a fantastic moment to be an entrepreneur.”
The Studio Founders’ Program will help start-ups develop and hone commercial skills, education, and knowledge to validate and accelerate their businesses to be globally competitive.
“There has never been a better time to found a start-up,” Noga Edelstein said. “Most ideas can be tested and launched with minimal to zero investment into tech infrastructure, there is significant ecosystem support for early-stage entrepreneurship and the massive scale of challenges facing the world right now has created an abundance of problems to be solved.”
And Julie Demsey stressed that a start-up founder’s mindset is just as important, if not more so at times, than their skill set.
“I love working with founders to support them in developing their mindset to best support the businesses they are leading,” Demsey said.
