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Job Description

About the organization

Experience Ventures connects post-secondary students with innovative businesses through paid, hands-on placements. Saint Mary's University's Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre is the regional lead for Atlantic Canada.

Experience Ventures, powered by the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking at the University of Calgary, enables post-secondary students to make an impact alongside real world innovators through entrepreneurial thinking placements. Experience Ventures is funded by the Government of Canada and is delivered in partnership with post-secondary institutions nationwide.

Saint Mary’s University’s Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre is the Regional Lead Atlantic Canada partner in Experience Ventures.


Position description

Our hackathons are events where one or more businesses bring real challenges to a room of students. Challenges cover the spectrum of business problems. You will work in a team to understand the problem, come up with ideas fast, and pitch your solution to the business, all within a maximum of 16 hours spread across one week.

What you'll do

• Hear the challenge directly from the business partner
• Work in a mixed-discipline team to brainstorm and test ideas
• Build a practical solution and a short pitch
• Present to the business and get feedback on the spot
• Number of openings: 20 per hackathon
• Compensation: $350 honorarium on successful completion
• Hours: Up to 16 hours over one week

Save the date (event runs within each window; exact days confirmed with participants)

Hackathon Dates

Hackathon 2 (Virtual): October 12–19, 2026


Hackathon 3 (In Person – Saint Mary’s University): November 18–25, 2026

Programs / year of study: All disciplines, all years of undergraduate study

Qualifications

Who should apply

Anyone who likes solving problems with other people. You do not need to have a team; we form teams from students across programs.

Eligibility

• Registered as an undergraduate or college student at a Canadian PostSecondary Education (PSE) institution;
• A Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or is a person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act; and
• Must be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations.
• Has not participated in an Experience Ventures placement with Saint Mary’s University after May 2026

• $350 honorarium
• A real business challenge and pitch to add to your résumé
• Teamwork, rapid ideation and presentation skills
• Face time with business owners and students from other schools

Other

Application deadline: There are only 20 spots available for each hackathon. Spaces will be allocated as soon as a student is confirmed eligible, so apply early. Once the spots are all confirmed, additional eligible candidates will be added to a waitlist.