Kingston student entrepreneurs can now apply to Summer Company 2026

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Student entrepreneurs, aged 15 to 29, interested in exploring entrepreneurship and starting their own businesses can now apply to the Summer Company 2026 program as applications opened on Monday.

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According to Kingston Economic Development in a news release, the goal of the program is to help students transform their entrepreneurial ideas into operating their first business over the summer by equipping aspiring young entrepreneurs with essential training, mentorship and financial support to launch and manage their ventures.

“Summer Company unlocks Kingston’s entrepreneurial potential by giving students an opportunity to do something different,” Norman Musengimana, business development manager, start-ups & entrepreneurship, at Kingston Economic Development, said in the release. “We provide the training, mentorship, and resources to experience entrepreneurship. The real reward is witnessing that sense of accomplishment when they realize they’ve built something they didn’t know they were capable of. We are also proud to participate again in the Mayor’s Innovation Challenge and to welcome its winning team into the Summer Company program, as a pitch award to receive business bootcamp training and mentorship.”

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The 2025 program saw 12 new businesses developed, by offering a combination of essential business training through an intensive business boot camp, personalized mentorship from local business leaders, and up to $3,000 in funding (upfront award of $1,500 to put toward startup costs and up to $1,500 upon successful completion of the program) to help participants transform their innovative ideas into thriving summer businesses.

“Running my business with Summer Company gave me the confidence I needed to start this kind of work, and in teaching, how you need to portray that confidence,” Kaie Bain, Backyard Swimming with Kaie and 2024 Summer Company cohort participant, said in the release. “Summer Company showed me how to portray my company and my experience as well as my confidence.”

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Summer Company was originally developed by Kingston Economic Development Corporation in 2001.

Over the last 11 years, it has helped launch 162 new businesses in Kingston and provided $484,500 in startup funding. Summer Company is delivered by KEDCO and funded by the Ontario government.

Applications for Summer Company 2026 opened Jan. 19, with the application deadline of Friday, April 24, 2026.

For more details on the eligibility requirements, how to apply to the Summer Company 2026, or for more information about the program itself, visit investkingston.ca/summercompany.

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