Humber Polytechnic BMO Launch Me Competition Distributes $130,000 to 15 Student Startups

The Longo Centre for Entrepreneurship hosted the 2026 BMO Launch Me Competition, drawing 34 finalists to pitch at the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation. Judges from BMO, the Brampton Entrepreneur Centre, IDEA Mississauga and the City of Toronto evaluated five‑minute presentations followed by Q&A.

A total of $130,000 in startup funding was split among three competition tracks. In the Groundbreaker category, Nicholas Ndur‑Osei Jr. secured first place and $15,000 for Content Elevation. Evan Mangiarelli earned $10,000 for Running Uphill, while Ceylan Adiguzel, Darya S. Tabatabaei and Khoi Phan received $10,000, $5,000 and $5,000 respectively.

The New Graduate Startup Competition awarded Ting Wang $15,000 for Fancy Here Studio, Johnattan Ramcharran $10,000 for QoinRing, Ana Alvarez Rodriguez $5,000 for Billy Productions, and Nina Pimentel‑Soares $5,000 for ThreadWorks Redesign.

In the Women Innovators Competition, Hoang Y Vy Nguyen took first place with $15,000 for Yon Crochet. Katherine Dela Cruz Munar, Maria Angelica Handog and Amaka Nwegbu each earned $10,000 for Tálihéa, Studio Handog and MiRoadMap, while Genevieve Amaka Awa received $5,000 for KvieveRoot.

John Lam, director of the Longo Centre, emphasized that the program gives participants “time and space to focus on their venture.” He noted that the competition follows a year‑long sequence of workshops, mentorship and networking designed to lower the barriers of starting a business.

Participants highlighted the program’s structure. Mangiarelli, a Media & Communications student, said the mentorship helped his team refine a business plan for an immersive content studio. Nwegbu, a UX Design graduate, described her app MiRoadMap as a visual guide for newcomer students seeking services like driver’s licenses.

The awards signal growing entrepreneurial capacity among Humber’s students and recent graduates. By channeling $130,000 into early‑stage ventures, the competition aims to accelerate product development, market entry and job creation.

Watch for the funded startups’ progress over the next year as they move from prototype to market, and for the next cohort of BMO Launch Me participants who will compete for similar support.