Participants Indigenous Peoples; People from rural, remote, and northern communities

Lighting Up the North

Yukonstruct designed Lighting Up the North, a suite of partner-focused programs with tailored support, connections to resources, and activities that help entrepreneurs spanning multiple target groups to be better equipped to step into entrepreneurship, grow businesses, and access the right funding for their ventures.

Smiling young Asian entrepreneur pointing at laptop screen when discussing figures in financial report with colleagues at meeting

With a focus on bringing entrepreneurship curriculum into schools, the project also aims to motivate and extend support for future entrepreneurs through network building, storytelling, and mentorship. In parallel, the program aimed to increase the capacity of investors to consider capital instruments that are stage- and context-correct for businesses that break down traditional models that have proven to be inequitable. Integrating activities under three thematic areas – Youth Skills, Inclusion and Social Innovation, and Ongoing Support for Local Investment Ecosystem – the project brought together a variety of existing collaborations and newly identified stakeholders in the region to explore cross-cutting barriers and opportunities to expanding the Yukon as an innovation hub.