Entrepreneur in the Making

A Nigerian women in a chef's jacket smiles with an array of food and cake in front of her.

Sekinah Alagbe grew her catering business, Saffy's Eat and Treats, after receiving funding from the Scotiabank Entrepreneur in the Making Program. Read more about Sekinah's entrepreneurial journey

Funding for your small business

The 2026 recipients of the Scotiabank Entrepreneur in the Making Program (EITM) have been selected.

This program provides up to $3,000 in funding to help entrepreneurial NSCC students and alumni from equity-deserving groups* kick-start or grow their small businesses across Nova Scotia.

EITM is available at all 14 NSCC campuses, thanks to the generous support of Scotiabank. There are also up to $3,000 in granting opportunities available through campus specific programs and partners, thanks to Truro private donors.

Recipients also receive mentorship and guidance from NSCC, Scotiabank and the local business community.

2026 EITM recipients 

Recipient	Campus	Student or alumni
Akshat Pawar	Pictou Campus	Student (Business Administration)
Evan Thompson-Mackay	eCampus	Alumni (Ivany, Applied Media and Communication Arts 22, Ivany, Screen Arts ‘24, eCampus, Start-up Accelerator ‘26)
Valentine Njoku	Ivany Campus	Student (Aircraft Maintenance Technology – Mechanical)
Erin Crowell	Akerley Campus	Student
Tajudeen Rufai	Amherst Learning Centre	Alumni (Practical Nursing ‘25)
Desiree Gordon	Lunenburg Campus	Alumni (Culinary Arts ‘08)
Brendan Humeniuk	Sydney Waterfront Campus	Alumni (Building Systems Technician ‘26)
Andrea Power	Annapolis Valley, Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS)	Alumni (Remote Sensing ‘08, Geographic Information Systems ‘09)

Truro Campus private donor grant recipients

Recipient	Student or alumni
Kim Upshaw	Alumni (Human Services '99, Social Services '25)

*In Canada's Employment Equity Act, currently the four designated groups are defined as women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities; whereas members of visible minorities means persons, other than Indigenous peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour. As members of equity-deserving groups, NSCC will also give preference to applications from qualified candidates of a minority sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression.