Applications are now open for the 2025 CoLab Program, an innovation accelerator backed by Teachers Life. This 10-week, fully virtual program invites 50 Canadian youth aged 18-29 to collaboratively develop solutions that address the mental health crisis in Canada.
Participants will engage in Challenge Sessions with inspiring keynote speakers, Co-Creation Sessions with industry mentors, and Entrepreneurial Sessions to enhance business skills. In addition to receiving thoughtful mentorship, participants will also be provided with entrepreneurial tools and resources throughout the program to support their thinking through each stage of ideation. At the end of the program, participants will apply for grant funding from a grants and awards pool of $60,000+ to launch their minimum viable solution into the Canadian market. Each participant will also receive a $500 honorarium upon completion of the program.
Program Details
- Duration: July 3 – August 26, 2025 (Grants & Awards Ceremony: September 10, 2025)
- Application Deadline: June 3, 2025
- Eligibility: Canadian residents aged 18-29
- Cost: Free
- Format: Fully remote
Focus Areas
This year’s CoLab Program is focused on the Mental Health Crisis in Canada. Many of the current mental healthcare programs, services and systems in Canada do not adequately address the traumas, complexities, and intersectional nuances that have been excluded from mental health care resources, information and research. To capture the depth of this crisis, we held a panel discussion with eight esteemed experts in the field of mental health in Canada who helped us curate a list of four sub-focus areas.
We are asking participants to develop innovative solutioning for a target population that addresses at least 1 of the 4 sub-focus areas within the Mental Health Crisis in Canada.
- Accessibility and Navigation of Mental Health Services: Exploring systemic barriers and design constraints affecting access to mental health care.
- Stigma and Misinformation: Developing strategies to de-stigmatize mental health issues across various communities.
- Diversity and Cultural Sensitivity: Ensuring mental health resources are inclusive and culturally appropriate.
- Inclusive and Evidence-Based Research: Promoting research grounded in inclusive and unbiased data.?
2025 CoLab Program Speakers
Participants will benefit from insights shared by leaders in the mental health space during virtual Challenge Sessions.
Calissa Ngozi
Calissa Ngozi is a dedicated mental health advocate and entrepreneur who specializes in empowering teenagers to overcome challenges and embrace their potential. With a background in both mental health initiatives and entrepreneurial ventures, Calissa uniquely blends personal experience with actionable strategies to inspire young people to cultivate resilience and creativity in the face of adversity.
By sharing her journey and lessons learned from navigating both personal hardships and the world of business, Calissa motivates teenagers to develop strong emotional intelligence and a proactive approach to problem-solving. Her mission is to create a supportive environment where young people feel equipped to face life’s obstacles and encouraged to pursue innovative ideas that lead to lasting change.
Michael Redhead Champagne
An Ininew public speaker, writer, community advocate and on-screen personality, his storytelling connects communities across North America and around the world. Michael’s commitment to action and solutions comes from his experiences growing up in Winnipeg’s North End, his identity as a member of Shamattawa First Nation and his connection to the child welfare system. He aims to walk his talk, revolutionize harmful systems and ensure those with lived experience design, deliver and evaluate any initiative that affects them. Woven through his work, you’ll find the teaching of mino bimadisiwin, an Ininew phrase that roughly translated means “the good life.”
This teaching and many others are reflected as he engages audiences with laughter and optimism while encouraging people to build bridges to address our most urgent challenges. His continued exploration and celebration of Indigenous cultures affirm how these philosophies have nurtured generations past and hold solutions for contemporary social issues. Michael believes that from sustainability to wellness to governance, Indigenous knowledge will save the world. His message is one of honouring relationships, appreciating gifts and taking action. Michael’s work educates and inspires leaving people ready to move the necessary mountains to help themselves and their communities.
Efe Fruci
Efe Fruci, a distinguished TEDx Speaker and serial entrepreneur emerges as a seasoned professional career and confidence coach, boasting a wealth of over 10 years of experience. Her dedicated mission revolves around guiding individuals, particularly women, in constructing unshakable confidence and acquiring the essential steps to lead successful, purposeful lives. Renowned as the author of Faith Over Fear, Efe Fruci’s literary work transcends conventional self-help, employing positive psychology to inspire others to recognize and embrace their innate greatness. Through her empowering words, individuals are emboldened to dream audaciously, navigating life’s challenges with a profound sense of confidence.
2025 CoLab Program Mentors
Mentors play a key role in bringing guidance and leadership to the CoLab Program. Mentors provide expertise, skillset, and insight into the problem area through Co-Creation Sessions and Mentor Office Hours.
Emma Aiken-Klar
Emma is an anthropologist, educator, consultant, and coach with nearly 20 years of experience using human-centered approaches to tackle innovation and organizational challenges. Trained in anthropological theory and ethnographic methods, she turns insights into strategic guidance for clients.
Emma applies social science, design, and foresight methods to explore human behavior and drive meaningful change across areas like talent engagement, organizational transformation, and service design. She is also an Assistant Professor at the Rotman School of Management and leads the Business Design Initiative. She holds a PhD in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Toronto and an MA from York University.
Jonathan Friedman
Jonathan Friedman is the Marketing Manager at EHN Canada. He has a background as a Child and Youth Counselor, Entrepreneur, Web Designer, and musician. After 8 years as a Child and Youth Counselor, he has seen firsthand how important it is for young adults to have access to meaningful support. Jonathan is very excited to be returning to the CoLab Program as a mentor again this year and to work with the amazing and innovative program participants!
Patrick Glinski
Patrick has built his career bringing unexpected people together. Drawing on skills from business, design, product development, and innovation management, Patrick is an expert at finding opportunities that exist between social and business impact and building organizations to deliver on them. Patrick has spent over 20 years as a global innovation, design, and digital leader.
Today, Patrick serves as President of Normative, where he runs the People & Operations function and oversees cross-functional teams focused on using human-centered design to solve business problems. He advises multiple SAAS and health startups.
Patrick earned his Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University, and is slowly working his way through a Master’s Degree in Inclusive Design with OCAD. He lives in Ottawa with his family and spends his free time training for Ironman races and dreaming of startups.
Niluka Kottegoda
Niluka is the Founder and Executive Director of the Dream Chaser Change Maker Foundation (DCCM), a venture-philanthropy based non-profit that is transforming student entrepreneurs (Dream Chasers) into purpose-driven changemakers. With 20+ years of retail leadership — most notably as a Vice President at Sobeys — Niluka offers a unique perspective from the intersection of business and social impact. Whether she’s advising youth-led startups or guiding corporations through social impact design, her work is rooted in generosity, curiosity, and results that matter. Niluka is a fierce believer in equal opportunity and the power of purpose, she’s here to help the next generation of entrepreneurs shape ideas that solve real problems, lead with integrity, and leave a meaningful legacy.
Keosha Love
Keosha Love is an award-winning artist, activist, and educator using poetry and storytelling to spark change and build spaces for collective healing. She centers themes like self-love, womanism, and Black joy as forms of resistance.
She’s the founder of Our Women’s Voices, a Toronto nonprofit uplifting women and girls through art, education, and over 70 community programs. With a background in psych and the arts, Keosha speaks on mental health, identity, and social justice.
Her work has been featured by CBC, Nike, and Facebook. She’s the creator of Black & Vulnerable and was named a TFC Community Hero. At her core, Keosha empowers others to tell their stories, boldly and unapologetically.
Faduma Mohamed
Faduma Mohamed is a Somali Canadian poet, playwright, actor, educator, and autism advocate. Her work explores the intersections of race, disability, and class through a bio-mythological lens. She has written and performed two one-woman shows, OUGHTISM and Golden Mind, reflecting on her experiences as a sibling of autism and challenging the notion of a “cure.” Her initiative, #OughtTheBox, has raised over $12,000 for autistic individuals internationally.
Faduma co-founded The Stage, a theatre-wellness program for children affected by gun violence, and founded LISTEN, a writing program for disabled and autistic writers. On screen, she starred in Ayan’s World (2020) and appeared in Shortest Way Home (2024).
She is currently working on her debut poetry collection, centered on themes of love, heartbreak, and healing.
Jonny Morris
Jonny Morris is the CEO at the Canadian Mental Health Association BC Division and has more than 20 years of experience in community-based mental health services, policy, and advocacy.? He has research and practice experience in suicide prevention, is a trained counsellor, and has taught child and youth care courses at the University of Victoria and Douglas College.
Jonny is committed to a vision of mental health for all, working at the Canadian Mental Health Association to lead system change efforts in preventing mental health problems, responding to crisis, and improving care when people need to go to hospital. As an advocate for reducing stigma, he regularly speaks with workplaces, colleges and universities, and communities about the opportunity to ensure mental health is a priority.
Previously, Jonny led the policy and legislation branch for BC’s Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions, helping build the newly formed ministry from the ground up. Jonny comes to his work with lived experience personally and as a family member.
Aqil Raharjo
Aqil Raharjo is a mental health innovator, designer, and brand builder passionate about reimagining care experiences for those facing mental health challenges. After navigating his own crisis and recovery, he founded The Empowerful Project—a creative initiative supporting young people post-psychiatric discharge through care kits, storytelling, and digital tools.
Aqil’s work has been recognized through programs like Press Start Co-Lab, The League of Innovators, CGLCC’s Out for Business, and Queer Tech’s Founders Qatalyst. As an award-winning designer and first-generation immigrant, he leads with heart and curiosity—bridging lived experience, strategy, and innovation to challenge systems and champion more compassionate approaches to mental health care.
Lydia Sequeira
Lydia holds a PhD in Health Services Research and a Master of Health Informatics from the University of Toronto. She has authored / co-authored more than 30 peer-reviewed papers on topics such as digital phenotyping, implementation science, predictive analytics for suicide risk and social determinants of health.
While working at the Digital Mental Health Lab at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and Canada Health Infoway, Lydia received research fellowships from AMS Healthcare and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and collaborated on several national research grants.
Lydia believes in inspiring the next generation and regularly lectures at post-secondary institutions across Ontario. She’s also dedicated to building and fostering community within the digital health field. She mentors with regional non-profit organizations and has held leadership roles within global medical informatics groups. In 2024, Lydia was honoured to be recognized for her work with a Women Leaders in Digital Health Award from Digital Health Canada.
Jessie Sidhu
Jessie Sidhu is a storyteller, creator and dreamer. She is a neurodivergent leader with a passionate dedication to creativity and advocacy. Jessie has graced stages across the globe, using her voice and vision to spread awareness and support for those navigating the complexities of mental wellness. Beyond her impactful work in mental health activism, Jessie is a Global Inclusion & Belonging Specialist and Educator, and also the founder of Punjabi Beats Collective. She strives to dismantle systemic barriers and foster environments of true belonging and empowerment.
Driven by her belief in the power of storytelling and education to effect positive change, Jessie continues to inspire and uplift communities, challenging norms and championing social justice wherever she goes. Jessie Sidhu @jessieesidhu CEO of Melanated Guide Inc. @melanated_guide
2025 CoLab Program Entrepreneurial Leaders
Entrepreneurial Leaders play a key role in providing invaluable insight to the youth changemakers of the CoLab Program. Sessions will leverage the expertise, skillset, and insight of successful leaders to support our youth participants through topics such as mental health, financial literacy, and the entrepreneurial journey.
Kyle Moore
Kyle Moore is a passionate mental health advocate, podcaster, and the Head of Mental Health and Labs Program Manager at The League of Innovators (LOI), Canada’s largest community of entrepreneurs under 30. With a mission to foster authenticity and champion individuality, Kyle has mentored hundreds of young entrepreneurs across Canada, creating spaces within LOI to promote mental wellness among the next generation of leaders. His unique blend of humour, genuine curiosity, and deep commitment to understanding people’s stories has made him a leading voice in the mental health space. Through various public platforms, Kyle is dedicated to breaking down stigma, raising awareness, and amplifying voices in the mental health community, empowering others to share their stories and thrive.
Jessie Sidhu
Jessie Sidhu is the CEO of Melanated Guide Inc., but fun fact, her company started with a YouTube series called “A Melanated Guide to Mental Health” right here at CoLab. Jessie was a participant in the program in 2022 and has built many other community initiatives, including Spotlight on an Open Stage, The Mental Health Spotlight, Punjabi Beats Collective, The Sikh Learning Library and many more. She is a Global Inclusion & Belonging Specialist and also works as a full-time writer. Her passion lies in merging creativity and activism. She is the pioneer of the Psychological Safety-First Framework on Inclusion and wants to help create spaces where people feel empowered and supported.
Jessie is a neurodivergent leader who has struggled with her own mental health her whole life. She now uses her knowledge and the power of storytelling to empower others to dream big and create authentically.
Scotiabank
Scotiabank Advice+ Centre for Small Business will provide participants with actionable business advice and innovative resources that will empower their entrepreneurial journey. This session will walk them through tailored financial strategies, business planning tools, and support systems designed specifically for small business owners.
Leveraging tools like the Business Plan Writer and Business Solutions Builder Scotiabank, the Scotiabank Small Business Advisors will help CoLab participants discover how to access grants, improve their cash flow, and enter new markets with confidence.
Thank You to Our Partners
We are thrilled to share that this year’s pool of grant funding has increased from $50,000 to $60,000+, thanks to the support of our grant sponsors, Gen Re and RMA!
Thank you also to all our additional partners, Kids Help Phone, jack.org, Loran Scholars, Common Good Solutions, League of Innovators, the Dream Chaser Change Maker Foundation, Melanated Guide, Cheekbone Beauty, Women’s Non-Profit Network and Future of Good for further supporting the Press Start CoLab Program.
How to Apply
Canadians ages 18-29 who are passionate about making a positive impact on Canadian mental health can apply here. The application process is straightforward, with no fees required.
The CoLab Program offers a unique opportunity for young Canadians to make a tangible impact on mental health challenges. By combining mentorship, collaboration, and funding support, the program empowers participants to transform innovative ideas into actionable solutions. Don’t miss the chance to be part of this transformative journey.
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