Ottawa, ON —Fulbright Canada, in partnership with Alacrity Canada and powered by the Startup Science platform, is proud to announce the launch of the Fulbright Canada Entrepreneurship Initiative (FCEI) and the 2025 Entrepreneurship Summit. This initiative supports high-achieving early-stage entrepreneurs and changemakers as they transform bold ideas into scalable businesses that address real-world needs.
The 2024–25 FCEI entrepreneurs are advancing pioneering solutions in artificial intelligence, healthcare, education, and social enterprise, reflecting Fulbright Canada’s commitment to fostering opportunity, innovation, and leadership through merit-based exchange opportunities.
Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators
“The Fulbright Canada Entrepreneurship Initiative represents an exciting opportunity to further our mission to advance academic excellence and mutual understanding between Canada and the United States,” said Dr. Michael Hawes, CEO of Fulbright Canada. “With the support of our partners at Alacrity and Startup Science, we are building a dynamic program where promising entrepreneurs gain mentorship, networks, tools to scale their impact, and an incredible opportunity to bring their innovative ideas to life.”
“At Alacrity Canada, we believe the future of entrepreneurship lies at the intersection of research, innovation, and real-world impact. As a founding partner of the Fulbright Canada Entrepreneurship Initiative, we’re proud to support a program that transforms academic insights into market-ready solutions", said Golriz Fattahi, COO of Alacrity Canada. "By bridging the gap between academia and industry, we’re not just fostering new ventures; we’re cultivating a generation of entrepreneurs poised to drive meaningful change and shape a more sustainable and equitable future.”
Meet the 2024–25 FCEI Entrepreneurs
Each FCEI entrepreneur brings a distinct vision and depth of expertise to the program, shaping ventures that span emerging technologies, healthcare, and career development.
Yusuf Baykal Bozkurt - Innovator for Early Childhood Development
Founder of Beonbrand Inc., Yusuf Bozkurt is developing AI-driven tools to support child development and equip parents with resources to foster emotional intelligence and resilience. Drawing on his background in media and technology, Yusuf aims to make early learning solutions more available and effective for families worldwide.
Cole Scanlon - Social Impact Strategist & Growth Marketing Expert
Founder and CEO of Banyan Strategy Group, Cole Scanlon brings his leadership in growth strategy, performance marketing, and AI-driven tools to help small businesses succeed. His pilot program at the University of Toronto supported local entrepreneurs and led to the creation of BizBoost AI, a tool that empowers small businesses to audit and improve their online discoverability.
Sonali Sharma - Health Tech Entrepreneur & AI Advocate
Founder of Clarifyia, Sonali Sharma is using AI to enhance health literacy by simplifying complex medical information into clear, multilingual content for patients. By leveraging natural language processing and machine learning, Sonali is helping bridge communication gaps between healthcare providers and patients.
Ayushi Sinha - Leader in AI-Driven Healthcare & Business
Ayushi Sinha is the Founder and CEO of Turmerik, an AI company transforming global clinical trial infrastructure. As a Fulbright Fellow, she is collaborating with medical AI researchers at the University of Calgary who have been published in JAMA and Nature. Ayushi holds a degree in Computer Science from Princeton, where she completed her thesis on facial recognition. She previously served as a product manager at Nines, where she helped bring FDA-approved machine learning tools to clinical workflows, and worked on scalable AI infrastructure at Microsoft. Her work bridges machine learning, global health, and regulatory innovation.
Changxiao Xi - EdTech Entrepreneur & Mentorship Advocate
Co-founder of Empowerly, Changxiao Xie is developing strategic partnerships to expand college and career guidance services across North America. Changxiao’s initiative focuses on leveraging technology and mentorship to equip students with the tools needed for academic and professional success.
Fulbright Canada’s 2025 Entrepreneurship Summit
These five exceptional entrepreneurs will be featured at Fulbright Canada’s 2025 Entrepreneurship Summit at the Brookstreet Hotel in Ottawa on May 15, 2025. The Summit will feature presentations from the five FCEI entrepreneurs, a keynote address from Owen Matthews, Founder and Chairman of the Board at Alacrity Canada, and networking opportunities with mentors and thought leaders from the Fulbright Canada and Alacrity Canada communities.
Throughout the year, the FCEI entrepreneurs will engage in mentorship, venture-building training, and collaboration to refine their business models, connect with stakeholders, and grow their initiatives.
For more information about the FCEI Summit, please contact alumni@fulbright.ca.
Learn more about the Fulbright Canada Entrepreneurship Initiative here.
About Fulbright Canada
The Fulbright Program is a merit-based residential academic exchange program established in 1946 to promote mutual understanding, support academic excellence, and contribute to peace, prosperity, and stability. The program is widely regarded as the gold standard in educational exchange and a powerful instrument of public diplomacy.
The Foundation for Educational Exchange between Canada and the United States of America (aka Fulbright Canada) operates the Fulbright program in Canada, providing exchange opportunities for exceptional students, scholars, and researchers in the two countries.
Media Contact
Stacey Vincent
About Alacrity Canada
Alacrity Canada is a leading organization dedicated to advancing innovation and fostering economic growth by integrating industry, academia, and government support for high-potential technology startups. The Alacrity Odyssey program is designed to cultivate and elevate the next generation of entrepreneurs. Leveraging a proprietary demand-driven innovation model, Alacrity mentorship aids in forming and developing technology companies tailored to address specific industry challenges.
For more information, please visit Alacrity Canada at www.alacritycanada.com
About Startup Science
Startup Science is a powerful startup assistance program management platform offering tools, courses, and resources for startup founders.
For more information, please visit Startup Science at www.startupscience.io