presents · YEEP Cohort 03
50 Changemakers.
10 Teams.
Ideas to Impact
YEEP Hackathon Cohort 3 is an 8-week innovation journey for Black and racialized youth across the Lower Mainland, culminating in a 3-day live hackathon to build, test, and pitch venture-ready ideas for a chance to access $7,500 in seed funding.
From community challenge to a pitch-ready venture.
A practical pathway from idea to pitch.
YEEP, the Youth Entrepreneurship & Empowerment Program, is a Thrive4Blacks initiative that helps young people develop entrepreneurial thinking, leadership, problem-solving skills, confidence, and practical business knowledge.
Cohort 3 combines guided learning, mentorship, technology exposure and social-impact thinking with a live hackathon experience.
Learn · Build · Pitch · GrowEntrepreneurship meets technology, mentorship and social impact.
Cohort 3 builds on the momentum of YEEP 1.0 and 2.0 with a sharper focus on the skills young people need to turn ideas into practical solutions.
Social entrepreneurship & community-rooted problem solving
Generative AI & ethical technology use
Team-based innovation & business model development
Mentor-guided learning every step of the way
Prototyping and pitch readiness
A full venture-building experience, not just a workshop
Designed for scale, depth, and measurable youth impact.
For youth ready to explore what’s possible.
Participants do not need to arrive with a finished business idea or a technical background. They need curiosity, commitment, and a willingness to learn, collaborate and solve problems that matter.
Apply to Join →The registration form lets you apply as a Participant or a Mentor.
From community challenge to viable solution.
Eight weeks, eight milestones — each one bite-size, practical, and mentor-guided.
Where ideas come alive.
Discover & Define
Teams validate their problem, identify who is affected, and sharpen their problem statement.
Ideate & Build
Teams refine their solution, develop their business model, and create a prototype or visual representation.
Pitch & Launch
Teams rehearse, present to judges, answer questions, and take part in the Venture Showcase and Awards.
The hackathon concludes with a public-facing Venture Showcase where youth teams present their solutions to judges, partners, mentors and community stakeholders. A planned $7,500 seed award pool recognizes outstanding teams across three categories:
What success looks like.
Through YEEP Hackathon Cohort 3, participants gain:
A strong program, backed by strong collaboration.
Community leadership, youth engagement, recruitment, wraparound support, and local coordination.
Technical learning support, AI exposure, ethical technology guidance, and innovation-focused collaboration.
Funding support helping create meaningful opportunities for youth learning, participation, and community development.
Entrepreneurship curriculum, mentor preparation, learning resources, coaching, and program evaluation.
Interested in supporting YEEP Hackathon 3.0? Partner with Thrive4Blacks to help expand youth access, mentorship, seed funding, and innovation opportunities.
Become a Sponsor →Your support creates visible, measurable youth impact.
During YEEP Hackathon Cohort 3, youth teams receive seed funding to bring their ideas to life, and mentors receive support to make the program accessible and rewarding. We're inviting sponsors, funders, employers, institutions, and community partners to help fund that seed pool and mentor support.
Gain Unmatched Visibility
Meaningful visibility with a highly engaged audience through media exposure, community connections, and digital platforms — well-attended by government, community partners, and decision-makers.
Ensure High-Impact, Flexible Investment
Align your support with what matters to you — innovation, sustainability, or community values. We offer set partnership packages and are glad to shape a tailored one with you.
Support Community Growth
Help empower youth and community leaders to drive meaningful change — building a more vibrant, resilient local economy powered by the region's youth.
Help build Cohort 3.
This is an opportunity to invest in youth potential, community innovation, and the next generation of problem-solvers — whether you’re applying as a participant or mentor, or you’re a partner ready to back them.