Student Stories | Spring 2021

Ingenuity Update

Students walking in CASES Building

Imran Bagha, founder of Northern Writing Consultants, was inspired to offer a service to help a community of students and professionals achieve excellence in writing and communication.  


A Northern Ontario School of Medicine student, trained public speaker, former consultant, teacher, and journalist, Imran was able to bring his business concept to life with the help of Ingenuity – Lakehead's first business incubator space.

 

Imran Bagha, Owner, Northern Writing Consultants

Imran Bagha, Owner, Northern Writing Consultants

 

In November 2018, Lakehead University opened the doors to its first business incubator, Ingenuity, that is allowing entrepreneurial thinkers, like Imran, to access the tools and space to create, grow, innovate, and explore. 

Students in Ingenuity Makerspace Lab

 

Housed in the Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering and Science (CASES) building at Lakehead Thunder Bay, Ingenuity gives students pathways to launch businesses and achieve success. Through one-on-one support, physical workspace, prototype development, and connections to financial and marketing support, Ingenuity is empowering students to explore the world of entrepreneurship.   

Since its establishment two years ago, Ingenuity has hosted over 75 workshops and events as well as four competitions with over 1,100 participants. Resources also include speaker series, boot camps, lunch and learns, and community partnerships. 

Beyond programming, these resources support growth and provide valuable knowledge from experienced professionals to encourage business development. Ingenuity is creating a thriving community of entrepreneurial thinkers that has resulted in the start-up of nine businesses in Thunder Bay. A resourceful and creative entrepreneur, Imran Bagha is using his talents to serve our community. 

On its own, an idea or a concept has no traction. But with access to state-of-the art equipment and support from donors, students have the capacity to bring bold ideas to life. 

"Through its space and resources, Ingenuity has provided me with an invaluable connection to other entrepreneurs, in a space where we can work, collaborate, and dream together. Simply sparking a conversation or bouncing ideas off a fellow entrepreneur would not be possible without such a dedicated space.

Most critically, the space provides a professional environment for work to take place – from video conferences to client meetings. This makes a significant difference to student entrepreneurs trying to maintain a professional image when the alternative would be meeting clients at the library or video-calling them from their dining room table at home. The Ingenuity space gives legitimacy to the work that student entrepreneurs pursue, and in my opinion, it is essential for budding entrepreneurs to fully realize their potential."

 

For more information, contact:

Lee-Anne Camlin
Philanthropy Associate
807-343-8010 Ext. 7792
lee-anne.camlin@lakeheadu.ca

Samantha Lennon
External Relations Associate
416-646-1416 ext. 2822
samantha.lennon@lakeheadu.ca

 

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