Meet young entrepreneurs launching businesses this summer

For group of students, being accepted into the Summer Company program has given them the full experience of running their own business.

Those students include Jacy Liu, 16, of  J.C Designer Cakes. The Whitchurch-Stouffville resident started baking when she was eight years old because she enjoyed helping her mom make desserts.

“We spent our weekends trying out new recipes together in the kitchen, which sparked my curiosity for baking,” she says. “By the time I was around 11, I became deeply passionate about cake decorating. I watched many baking shows and tutorials, constantly teaching myself new techniques and styles to take my skills to the next level.”

The York Small Business Enterprise Centre administers the Summer Company program annually in partnership with the provincial government. Dedicated to students ages 15 to 29 who are registered to return to school full time in the fall, Summer Company provides training on business planning, finance and marketing and pairs each student with an experienced mentor to provide one-on-one support. The program also provides participants with the opportunity to receive a grant of up to $3,000 to help launch their business.

“Some of the most important lessons I have learned from the Summer Company program is how to properly manage business finances. Learning how to calculate accurate ingredient scaling, track expenses and manage profit margins gave me a real-world understanding of what it takes to be an entrepreneur,” Jacy says. “I have also learned a lot about customer engagement in advertising. Stepping out of my comfort zone at public events to share my business taught me how to build connections, handle feedback and effectively pitch my products to an audience.”

Applications for this year’s cohort of participants were received and vetted by the York Small Business Enterprise Centre in early 2026. The Summer Company program attracted a significant increase in demand in 2026, with nearly three times as many applications than in previous years, reflecting a growing interest in entrepreneurship among youth, the Centre reports. Applications for Summer Company are now closed for this year and will reopen in 2027.

Community members are invited to meet students from the Summer Company program on Friday, July 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Upper Canada Mall at 17600 Yonge St., Newmarket, on the lower level near Market & Co.

In addition to Jacy, participants include Adam Nunvar (Mount Wellness), Brooklyn Perrin (Little Flippers), Chris George (Clear Sky Services), Emmanual Herrada (Balam Shield Systems), John Wang (Insculpo), Liam Chuang (Pivotal 3D), Mykhaylo Kapelyukh (Gown Rental Company), Rachel Arnolds (Puppy Love by Rachel), Ryker Manherz (Deck Doctors) and Sarina Tan (Nextstep Learning).

Representatives from the York Small Business Enterprise Centre will also be available to answer questions about the program and other services available to local business owners and entrepreneurs.  For more information, visit yorklink.ca/SummerCompany.

Photo of Jacy Liu, a participant in the Summer Company program, courtesy of J.C. Designer Cakes.