Review the prompt
Every week, we post a new challenge focused on a real community need or opportunity.
Youth ideas deserve a real chance
Pitch your idea.
Build it with a mentor.
NextGen Innovators runs weekly, Shark Tank-inspired pitch challenges where youth entrepreneurs submit a short video, receive practical feedback and may be selected by one of five volunteer mentors.
No polished prototype required.
A clear idea and willingness to learn are enough.
This week’s pitch
How might we make everyday life more accessible in our community?
Submissions close
Sunday at 11:59 PM
JM
JordanProduct mentor
AK
AminaMarketing mentor
✓
Selected for mentorship
One prompt. One video. Five mentors. Real feedback.
Weekly challenges
Volunteer mentors
Actionable feedback
Early-stage friendly
The process
A simple path from idea to action.
You do not need a full business, a team or a prototype to take part.
Record your pitch
Explain the problem, your idea, who it helps and what support you need in a short video.
Submit your video
Upload your pitch using the secure submission box before the weekly deadline.
Get feedback
Mentors review submissions and share feedback. Five mentors each select one entrepreneur.
This week’s challenge
How might we make everyday life more accessible in our community?
Pitch a business, service, tool or community initiative that removes a barrier people experience in their day-to-day lives.
Your video should include
- 1 The problem you want to solve
- 2 Your proposed solution
- 3 Who would use or benefit from it
- 4 Why your approach is different
- 5 What support you want from a mentor
Visuals and prototypes are optional.
Use anything you already have, but do not delay your submission because your idea is still early.
How selection works
Mentors choose ideas they genuinely want to help grow.
Each week, five volunteer mentors review the submitted pitches. Every mentor selects one entrepreneur whose idea aligns with their experience and interests.
Every submission receives feedback
Participants receive helpful notes on their idea, pitch and next steps.
Five founders are matched
One entrepreneur is selected by each participating mentor for a collaboration cycle.
The idea stays yours
Mentors volunteer their knowledge. NextGen Innovators does not take ownership or equity.
Founder progress
Build in public, one update at a time.
Entrepreneurs can share milestones after their pitch, while mentors and other founders respond with practical advice and encouragement.
Feedback consensus
Choose the direction that best reflects the mentor feedback.
This label is not a permanent verdict. It helps founders clearly show whether they are developing, pivoting or pausing an idea.
5mentor reviews considered
Develop selected: ReLoop Market will remain active and its next milestone will focus on mentor-supported validation.
“I refined my target audience from everyone in Markham to students and young professionals who want affordable, low-waste options.”
“I interviewed 20 customers. Most people liked the sustainability angle, but they said trust and item quality would decide whether they actually use it.”
JM
Jordan M. Product mentor
That is an important insight. Try a simple verification checklist before building a full rating system.
“I created a clickable prototype and tested the listing flow with six users. Five completed it without help.”
SL
Samira L. UX mentor
Great progress. Ask the one person who got stuck to narrate what they expected to happen at each step.
Structured mentor feedback
More useful than “great idea.”
Every review combines clear ratings with written strengths, challenges and a practical next step. Founders can mark reviews as helpful and discuss the advice.
Overall mentor score
4.1
★★★★★
Based on 5 mentor reviews
JM
Jordan M.Product strategy mentor · Verified mentor
Strong environmental impact and a problem that many people immediately understand.
The idea needs stronger customer validation around trust, item quality and repeated use.
Volunteer opportunity
Help a young entrepreneur take their next step.
Share your experience, review weekly pitches and choose one idea you feel excited to support.
5mentors per round
1founder selected each
4–6weeks of guidance
Questions
Before you submit.
Do I need a prototype or visuals?
No. You are encouraged to show anything you have already made, but a prototype, slide deck or polished visual is not required.
How long should my pitch video be?
Aim for two to five minutes. Focus on clearly explaining the problem, your solution and the support you need.
What happens if I am not selected?
You will still receive feedback and can use it to strengthen your idea before entering another weekly challenge.
Do mentors receive payment or equity?
Mentors volunteer their time and do not automatically receive equity. Any future arrangement must be agreed upon separately by both people.
Ready to begin?
This is much stronger. Your next step should be testing whether convenience or price matters more to this group.