United Way, York Region launch communityBUILD Mash Up
Competition aimed at social-minded entrepreneurs with bright ideas that generate revenue and develop skills for sworkers, youth at risk, the homeless and the hungry.

Toronto Star
February 25, 2014
By Leslie Ferenc 

New solutions and out of the box ideas are needed to tackle food insecurity and youth unemployment in York Region where United Way is working with academia and business to solve pressing social issues.

York University and ventureLAB, a business innovation centre in York Region, along with United Way have launched the communityBUILD Mash Up. It’s a competition aimed at social-minded entrepreneurs with bright ideas for double bottom line ventures that both generate revenue and develop skills for workers including youth at risk, the homeless and the hungry.

“We are not going to social service, charity or fundraise our way out of our deep social issues,” said UWYR CEO Daniele Zanotti when the competition was launched.

“communityBUILD and Mash Up will help find new solutions to local priorities.”

As part of the Mash Up, competitors will participate in a two-day workshop.

Jeremy Laurin, CEO at ventureLAB said the communityBUILD collaborative offers a pool of talent built on the existing strengths of the partners while the competition is sure to attract young innovators “who have a deep sense of community and of giving back,” he said. Their ideas will address real needs to “contribute to the health and economic prosperity of this inspiring part of Ontario.”

York University has had a long-standing relationship with UWYR and its member agencies providing research to the charity as it works toward meeting community needs, said Robert Haché, Vice-President, Research and Innovation. The Mash Up could push boundaries and have local and national impact offering solutions to social challenges further afield.

It’s also an opportunity for creative ideas to be bounced around, added David Phipps, executive director of research and innovation who is leading the initiative at York.

The contest is open to for- and not-for-profit organizations across the Greater Toronto Area. Participants will have a chance to win a $5,000 consulting grant for their venture and to become a ventureLAB client.

The application deadline is March 8, 2014 and candidates will be announced March 15. Venture pitches and workshops will take place March 27. Interested participants can apply online by visiting ventureLAB’s website at www.venturelab.ca/communitybuildmashup.