Venture Lab: Entrepreneurship & Leadership

The Venture Lab, delivered in partnership with top global tech business incubator DMZ, focuses on entrepreneurship with integrated leadership development. The program equips participants with entrepreneurial skills while fostering business-relevant leadership capabilities, such as public speaking, collaboration and hands-on problem-solving.

Branksome’s Slingshot Venture Lab empowers you to turn ideas into action and lead with confidence. Through mentorship and team-building you’ll build resilience, adaptability, and the skills to lead with purpose. Whether leading a team, launching an initiative or stepping up in your community, this is your opportunity to unlock your leadership potential. 

Ready to lead the way? Let’s make it happen!

Key Focus Areas 

1. Entrepreneurship skills 

• Design thinking and creative problem-solving 
• Business model ideation and value proposition development 
• Effective pitching and storytelling for ideas 

2. Leadership through an entrepreneurial lens 

• Learning to take initiative and lead team projects with confidence 
• Gaining confidence in decision-making and problem-solving under pressure
• Encouraging creativity and innovation in group settings to solve challenges 

3. Applied learning and resilience 

• Hands-on practice with iterative project development to turn ideas into actionable outcomes 
• Developing strategies for overcoming common entrepreneurial obstacles, such as resource constraints or team misalignment 
• Exploring real-world case studies of successful young entrepreneurs to draw inspiration and practical insights

Program Features

Interactive Workshops: Feature real-world case studies of successful entrepreneurs and role-playing exercises that simulate leadership challenges

Mentorship Opportunities: Showcase guest speakers from DMZ’s network of industry leaders and successful entrepreneurs, along with personalized feedback to support your growth and success.

Experiential Learning:  Hands-on learning through activities designed to build trust, adaptability, and problem-solving skills in teams, with challenges that emphasize collaboration. Participants will also visit DMZ’s headquarters in downtown Toronto to explore proven business models and network with a vibrant community of experts, influencers, and entrepreneurs.

Final Showcase: Participants will showcase their entrepreneurial ideas or projects in a final presentation to peers, mentors, and parents, highlighting their creativity and hard work.

Program Outcomes

Upon finishing the program, participants will earn a certificate of completion and a digital badge to include on their LinkedIn profile showcasing their elevated leadership skills and potential.

About DMZ

DMZ is ranked the #1 university-based tech incubator in the world by UBI Global. Located in Toronto, DMZ helps tech startups build great businesses by connecting them with customers, capital, experts and a community of entrepreneurs and influencers. With a commitment to helping high-growth tech startups scale, DMZ fosters a vibrant startup community and fuels innovation in Canada.

The Venture Lab, co-created by DMZ and Branksome, combines academic excellence with real-world innovation to foster a dynamic learning environment. DMZ’s post-graduate instructors from tech and entrepreneurial fields bring fresh perspectives and hands-on expertise, enriching the program’s collaborative approach.