杏吧原创 Ariana and her startup, Golshani Atelier

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Ariana Golshani, a 4th year finance student and the founder of Golshani Atelier, a high-end custom clothing retail service. “I found that there wasn’t a space where women have the power to take part in the designing of their ideal garment”. She started Golshani Atelier to provide a space for women to feel comfortable in what they’re looking for and where they can receive quality advice.

What inspired you to start this company?

One of the main factors that led to Ariana starting her business was her friend group at the time, who were all very into fashion. She also worked in fashion at a luxury high-end lifestyle clothing store called The Serpentine in Toronto, where she learned a lot about luxury fashion and got to know the behind-the-scenes of the industry. “It just happened – my friends knew the trade and they weren’t finding what they were looking for so I wanted to help bring their ideas to life”.

As for post-graduation, Ariana wants to work in the private sector and gain more experience within her field of finance. However, she remains very hopeful about her business and said “whatever happens, happens… if this takes off, I’ll reassess and make Golshani Atelier my priority”. Ultimately, she hopes to secure funding and investors so that she could balance both.

Ariana鈥檚 Lightbulb Moment:

Ariana’s lightbulb moment happened during a photoshoot where one of the models reached out to her to create the perfect gown for a specific event. “We went through the design process together and once I saw how happy she was because the dress was made to her liking and her family also enjoyed the whole experience of shopping for fabric, seeing the different textures and how I could make different materials drape on her body, and we finished the gown in a reasonable timeline, so they were all impressed with the final product. That’s when I had my lightbulb moment, where I thought this could be something”

Although initially a passion project she planned to do on the side, Ariana said her first real moment of believing in her business happened at the Nest pitch night this past summer. The reaction from the audience and feedback from both the judges and other mentors present for her pitch, including Tony Bailetti, the Director of 杏吧原创’s Technology Innovation Management (TIM) master’s program, Eduardo Bailetti, the Business Development Officer of the TIM program, and David Mosley, the Founder of the Baypointe Group Inc. and an Innovation Hub mentor, who all contributed to Ariana fully believing in herself and her business idea. “They were asking a lot of questions and that really made me think. I thought, if they’re taking the time to press me about this, then they see something, and if they see something maybe I should too”.

Who has been your biggest support system for you in your entrepreneurial journey?

One of Ariana’s biggest support systems is her friends and many other people she’s spoken to about entrepreneurship. Another support was Roland Few, an Instructor of Entrepreneurship in 杏吧原创’s Sprott School of Business. Ariana had him as a professor last year and was able to have insightful one-on-one conversations that helped her with Golshani Atelier. “John has been very helpful, the Launch program facilitators Jonathan and Julie, [Monika], Mitch, and Jess. It’s a nice ecosystem at the Hub, there’s good vibes”.

Do you feel more confident in your role as an entrepreneur because of your experience with the Innovation Hub?

“For sure. It helped me gain confidence in myself to see this through and helped me hone in on my own skills in terms of selling [my business idea]”. Through her participation in the Launch program, Ariana was able to form connections and learn from her fellow program participants. “It was nice to meet with other student entrepreneurs and see if there’s a way to help each other. The first few workshops were sit-downs where we got to hear everyone’s entrepreneurial journeys and see the stories of other people at the Hub”.

What would you say to a student who is interested in one of our programs?

“Just try, why not” *laughs* “Seriously! If you don’t try, you’ll never know”. Ariana expressed that the Innovation Hub is where she learned the most information about entrepreneurship. As opposed to a traditional classroom setting, she said “It feels more personal” and loved getting to connect with other aspiring entrepreneurs.

杏吧原创 Nura and her startup, Wayso

I sat down with Nura Hashi, a 4th year student in the Industrial Design program at 杏吧原创 University, to discuss her business Wayso. “Wayso is a portable and sustainable bidet company,” Nura shares. “It aims to free you from the shackles of public bathrooms without a built-in bidet and allows you to carry your lifestyle needs with you wherever you go”.

For those non-bidet users out there, a bidet is a device to help you cleanse your private areas with water after going to the washroom. It is a common household item in 80% of the world including Italy, Japan, India and Argentina. The goal of Wayso is to add beneficial value into users lives in an ethical and honest way and in a fun way. “It allows users to bring their lifestyle needs with them wherever they go”, Nura says.

What inspired you to start this company?

鈥淚 noticed a barrier first within my own lifestyle. The [public] bathroom experience in North America 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 offer bidets so, for regular bidet users, they would have to use other objects鈥�. The workarounds Nura describes bidet users resigning to are surprising to hear: a watering can, a cup, or an empty water bottle. The variety and creativity with the workarounds speak to the pressing need for a solution. She knew that millions of people in Canada were encountering this obstacle and thought to herself, 鈥�Why is there a gap? 尝别迟鈥檚 fix it鈥�. Ultimately, it was the desire to improve the daily experience of bidet users – while also promoting bidet use as a healthy option for other Canadians –  that inspired Nura to create Wayso. 

Nura plans to continue with Wayso post-graduation, “God-willing, I hope to really pursue Wayso because I know what it can be and the value it can add in people’s lives [through] changing the bathroom experience and that industry. I hope to work on this and pursue my masters. And I want to travel. Through whatever I’m doing [Wayso] will be there with me”.

Nura鈥檚 Lightbulb Moment:

Nura’s lightbulb moment happened a few years ago when she was having lunch with her dad. “He’s a very good listener, we were chatting and I was expressing my frustration. Why do I have to use random, makeshift objects? How can I improve my lifestyle? I couldn’t rely on the outside world, I would have to plan throughout my day and make calculations (which bathroom she could use, how much water she could drink, etc)”.

Her dad was very supportive during that conversation and encouraged Nura to solve the issue herself. He postulated that she likely wasn’t the only one experiencing the same frustrations. He was right. Millions of Canadian around the country shared stories of bidet workarounds and less than optimal bathroom experiences. Hearing her dad’s advice got her gears running – Nura made a commitment to start Wayso and hasn’t looked back since.

Who has been your biggest support system for you in your entrepreneurial journey?

One of Nura’s biggest supports is her faith as well as her close friends and family. She credits her mom for pushing her and believing in her like no one else, “I get such a strong mindset from her, that’s not something you can really teach”. She also says, “my close friends and family have never doubted me. My older sister has heard a lot of my stressful moments and the not so pretty sides of entrepreneurship”.

How has the Innovation Hub helped you in getting your business to the next step?

“I participated in the Launch program in Winter 2023, it was my first time pitching and in the entrepreneurial space so I was nervous.” Nura said the nervousness started to wear off as she realized she had access to industry professionals every week and was able to ask them anything both during and outside of class. She learned how to storytell and translate the skills she had in Industrial Design and apply them to entrepreneurship. “Being around students that were hungry [for entrepreneurship] was nice to see and we were able to learn from each other, everyone was open and encouraging. It was very collaborative”.

Nura encourages curious students to try one of the Hub’s programs, “You never know until you try. See if it’s for you and you’ll leave with something. If you don’t love it, you’ll at least leave with clarity and if you do love it there’s so many more programs to join”.

What advice would you give to build confidence in a student at 杏吧原创 who has an idea but doesn’t know if they should go after it?

“Building confidence starts internally with believing in your capabilities. Whether you believe it or not, you have to believe you can”. She also encourages students with an idea to practice pitching. “Put yourself in positions you’re afraid of because you’ll know you’ll grow. It’s never easy but the more you do it, the easier it’ll get. Have a strong mindset and know who you are”.

Nura is a prime example of how finding your passion space and putting in the effort can propel your business forward, and we were honoured to have her participate in the Winter 2023 Launch program. We’re happy to announce that Nura will be joining the Innovation Hub team as the Ideas program facilitator for the Fall 2023 – Winter 2024 school year!

杏吧原创 Alex and his startup, GRNshift

Alex has always been passionate about sustainable development, and it’s evident through his academic pursuit. Alex graduated with a Bachelor of Economics specializing in natural resources and the environment, and is currently pursuing a Master鈥檚 of Sustainable Energy Systems. He has spent most of his life traveling and has lived in 6 different countries, where he saw firsthand the range of social, political, and environmental issues in our world and how they are interconnected with one another. His upbringing exposed him to diversity and the desire to protect the quality of the natural world for the next generation. These experiences pushed Alex to create his own start-up, GRNshift, which aims to help create a sustainable future for our generation and generations to come.

GRNshift is an online marketplace that leverages AI systems to provide customers with tailored energy-efficient products and small-scale renewable technologies for their homes or businesses based on their needs and budget. His start-up delivers sustainable technology solutions to bridge the gap between incentives, providers, and users. The platform revolutionizes how sustainable technologies are accessed, understood, and adopted. GRNshift’s mission is to empower households and businesses to embrace sustainability by reducing their energy expenses and environmental footprint. GRNshift is committed to making sustainable living accessible by delivering comprehensive, insightful, and reliable solutions.

GRNshift鈥檚 Lightbulb Moment:

Alex’s passion for sustainable development grew deeper during his time as a program coordinator for the Innovation Hub. He was heavily involved in the Generation Changemaker and Changemaker programs which have a focus on social innovation and look through the lens of the UN SDGs. This role inspired him because as a coordinator, he helped cohorts of students turn their purposes into tangible community solutions.

Although he didn’t have one particular “eureka!” moment, Alex said his lightbulb moment happened within the window of one year: “I wanted to make sustainable living accessible and was able to identify a gap and approach through my academic studies and research”. Then, over the course of the winter break, Alex pulled his academic knowledge and readings together and merged his own ideas on top of that in order to come up with GRNshift. Taking his academic background on sustainable energy systems and his work experience with social innovation and the UN SDGs, his start-up GRNshift is aligned with achieving UN SDG 7 – “Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all”.

How has the Innovation Hub helped you in getting your business to the next step?

Alex thanks the Innovation Hub for providing him with countless opportunities to hone-in on a lot of skills that he otherwise wouldn’t get the chance to in a typical classroom setting, “the Hub helped hold me accountable and consistently pushed me to work on my business unlike any other organization or environment on campus”.

He also credits his coworkers at the Hub and his friends for being a support system in his entrepreneurial journey, “they have always given the time to listen and give feedback on my ideas and business”.

What would you say to a student who is interested in one of our programs?

Some words of wisdom that Alex would give to students is: “All the tools and resources you need to become the strongest version of yourself exist within the University, but you need to challenge yourself and put the effort into finding them”. Alex strongly believes that effort is the name of the game and if you put effort in, you will see noticeable differences between yourself and others around you. “This is one of the few places and times in your life where you are given the platform to pursue your passions and go for it. You’re given the time and space, so take advantage of the opportunities”.

To build confidence in a student who has an idea but doesn’t know if they should go for it, Alex says: “Seize the opportunity before you, the feeling of regret is far worse than the thrill of taking a chance. Don’t let the “what-if’s” of tomorrow rob you of your potential today”.

Favourite memory at the Innovation Hub?

Alex’s favourite memory at the Hub is when he became a Changemaker coordinator: “Having my first cohort of student entrepreneurs that I could guide and grow with was the first time I had peers close to my age, so growing with people as equals was exciting. Especially coming out of the pandemic, we had a few people in-person and a few online but it was nice to be surrounded with passionate people… everyone at the Hub wanted to create change”. During his time as a coordinator, Alex has been responsible for 6 cohorts of Changemaker students and 4 cohorts of Generation Changemaker (high-school) students!

We’d like to thank Alex for all of the hard-work he’s put into the Innovation Hub. The programs he’s worked on and the student entrepreneurs he’s connected with throughout his time at the Hub would not be where they are today without his help. Although he will be passing the torch to new program facilitators, you can still expect to see Alex around participating in Launch, delivering sessions, or judging at our pitch nights!

Want to learn more? Check out GRNshift below:

• Instagram: @grnshift
• Website:

What would you say to a student who is interested in one of our programs?

鈥淢y advice to any students interested in the Innovation Hub programs is to be open and curious about learning as much as possible from the workshop guest speakers (experienced business leaders), the course content, alumni of past programs and build discipline and commitment to researching, networking, partner building, and capacity building for your venture outside of class time. As founders, Linda and I put in a lot of extra hours outside of class time to build our venture, our community partners (seek and attend events related to building your venture), and prospective clients.鈥�

杏吧原创 Luke & Jake’s startup, CheapNite

CheapNite is a digital marketing platform aimed at helping users easily find restaurant deals, specials, and promotions in their local area. The mobile app, in early September, gives consumers all the best local deals at their favourite spots. The app doesn’t just give customers access to affordable nights out, it also gives business owners a quick and simple opportunity to showcase their deals like never before.

Restaurants can upload their information onto CheapNite鈥檚 鈥淒eal Builder鈥� to have their specials ready to be advertised on the app in a matter of minutes. With personalized analytics, businesses will receive weekly reports that show how they are performing on the app and give insights on how to improve. Using CheapNite, establishments can gain a competitive advantage over their competition all while giving their beloved customers the deals they love and desire.

CheapNite鈥檚 Lightbulb Moment:

Back in October 2022, Luke Meadus was hanging out at home when it happened… the craving. The craving for some good food. He 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 want to eat fast food 鈥� no 鈥� he wanted some quality, yet reasonably priced grub. During this time, money was tight for Luke and many of us can relate to the difficulties of being on a student budget. So, Luke went searching the web for food deals like half priced wings, all-you-can-eat ribs, nacho nights, taco Tuesdays, or happy hour specials. To Luke鈥檚 misfortune, all he could find were outdated blogs and restaurant websites that were confusing to navigate.

As he hopelessly sought answers to this timeless problem, an idea dawned upon him. What if someone solved this problem? What if someone were to create a platform that gave people access to all the best daily deals around town? Naturally, Luke went to his good friend Jake Ayre, and after some brainstorming, CheapNite was born. Since then, Luke, Jake, and the rest of the CheapNite team have been working vigorously to turn their idea into a tangible reality.

Who has been your biggest support system for you in your entrepreneurial journey?

We asked Luke and Jake what their major support systems have been in the process of getting CheapNite up and running. Two common themes arose during the conversation: each other, and the Innovation Hub. Luke and Jake praised the help and support they received from the Innovation Hub鈥檚 Hatch program, 鈥淲e received tons of good insights from talking to the experienced guest speakers. Having the opportunity to tell them about our startup and receive valuable, tailored advice has been extremely helpful for us鈥�.

The CheapNite team also emphasized the benefits they received from being at the Innovation Hub on a weekly basis. Being in a comfortable space where they get to test their assumptions with experienced mentors and peers around them helped them polish their vision. They found solace in being surrounded with fellow entrepreneurs who shared the same drive and passion that they possess.

What would you say to a student who is interested in one of our programs?

Some advice that Luke & Jake would give to students: “If you have an idea, join! If you have even the slightest bit of interest in entrepreneurship, this is the place to be. If you鈥檙e looking for a job, being a founder of a startup looks way better than any other position. Worst case, you boost your resume and secure a better job. Best case, you make a ton of money and fulfillment”.

CheapNite will be hitting app stores in September of 2023. Make sure to keep up with all things CheapNite below!

• Instagram: @cheapnite
• Website:

What would you say to a student who is interested in the Innovation Hub?

鈥淚 would tell them to also see how they can use the Hub to collect as many connections as they can because networking makes or breaks a start-up. The Hub is a great place for networking I was able to encounter potential mentors and collaborators through the Hub. I was also able to secure an internship opportunity through the Hub.鈥�

Fortunat also encourages students with business ideas to “come to the Hub and sit down with someone there, tell them about your idea because the feedback will let you know if you should go for it or not.”