Harry W. MacLauchlan (1926–2002) combined his entrepreneurial initiative, work ethic, business judgment, and people skills, with a deep commitment to his family, community, and province. The MacLauchlan family has endowed an award to help advance and encourage entrepreneurial students at UPEI to build innovative ventures that will grow and benefit Prince Edward Island communities.   

The Harry W. MacLauchlan Entrepreneurship Program

The Harry W. MacLauchlan Entrepreneurship Program is dedicated to the development of students having an entrepreneurial outlook who will create and lead new ventures on PEI.

2025 Applications Now Open!

We are thrilled to announce that the applications for the Harry W. MacLauchlan Entrepreneurship Program are now officially open! This is your opportunity to showcase your entrepreneurial spirit, innovative ideas, and passion for making a positive impact in Prince Edward Island.

How to Apply:

Complete the Application Form and include a copy of your team’s business model canvas. Submit your application to hwm_startups@upei.ca.

Application deadline: 11:59 pm (AST) on Thursday, February 6, 2025

Eligibility:

All participants must be full-time UPEI students and at least one member of each team must be enrolled in or have successfully completed one of the following courses: 

• BUS 3710: Entrepreneurship and New Venture
• BUS 4680: Self Employment
• BUS 7200: Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• CS 3840/ENGN 3430: Technology Management, Entrepreneurship
• ENGN 4840: Sustainable Technology Development and Commercialization
• SCIE 3010: Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Science  
• UNIV 3100: Entrepreneurship Venture Development 
• UNIV 3200: Entrepreneurship Venture Implementation

Why Participate?

By joining the Harry W. MacLauchlan Entrepreneurship Program, you not only get a chance to win a share of the $67,000 prize money but also gain invaluable experience, mentorship, and networking opportunities within the PEI startup ecosystem. This is your moment to turn your entrepreneurial dreams into reality.

Categories and Prizes:

Each Entrepreneurial Award has a 1st place prize of $2,500 and a 2nd place prize of $1,000:

• Most Innovative Venture 
• Positive Impact Award 
• Best Market Research 
• Best Financial Plan 
• Scalability Award

Each Pitching Award is valued at $2,000:

• Most Effective Slide Deck Award 
• Q and A Specialist Award 
• Dynamic Pitch Delivery Award

The remaining $43,500 will be awarded to finalist companies in the MacLauchlan Panther Pitch final event, as determined by the judges for the final pitches.

There will be many workshops offered throughout the program to enhance participants’ entrepreneurial skills! Some of these sessions include:

• Partner Networking Mixer
• Business Plan Basics
• Speed Networking with Mentors
• Financial Fundamentals
• Pitching Fundamentals
• Risk Mitigation

For any inquiries, please reach out to us at hwm_startups@upei.ca.

Don't miss this chance to be part of the Harry W. MacLauchlan Entrepreneurship Program and make a lasting impact on the entrepreneurial landscape of Prince Edward Island!

Best of luck to all applicants!