What’s BEST?

The BEST program supports entrepreneurial programs and initiatives at Lassonde focused on enabling engineering students to develop business skills and understand what it takes to launch a start up enterprise.

BEST Certificate

The BEST Certificate integrates technology, law and business into creative problem-solving and innovation and is designed to teach, promote, focus and recognize student entrepreneurial skills and knowledge, incorporating multidisciplinary courses from various Faculties across the University.

The BEST Certificate acts as a roadmap which students navigate throughout  their degree, ultimately leading to either

  • starting their own ventures, or
  • playing a greater role in the management of technological innovation in large organizations.

The certificate focuses on the themes of:

  • Innovation
  • Design
  • Business
  • Law
  • Tech Project
  • Professionalism
  • Communication
  • Experiential Co-op (Optional)
Learn More

BEST DONATION

Doug and Sandra Bergeron – both Silicon Valley entrepreneurs – previously committed $2-million to create the Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science & Technology program (known as BEST) at York University in 2012.

The donation from Sandra and Doug Bergeron (the total of $10 Million), who graduated from York University with a degree in Computer Science is the largest ever by an alumnus.
In recognition of this exceptional and continued support from the Bergeron family, the School’s new home has been named Bergeron Centre for Engineering Excellence.
The 167,500 sq. ft., five-storey Bergeron Centre for Engineering Excellence won’t offer you typical engineering school experience. The space has been designed to ‘flip the classroom’ so that students will come to campus for active learning sessions with professors, classmates and mentors.

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Student Start Ups
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Courses, workshops and experiences
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Dedicated faculty and mentors
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Involved students and innovators

EXPERIENCE

BEST integrates curricular and experiential activities for Lassonde and York students to develop business skills and understand what it takes to launch a technology start-up enterprise and play entrepreneurial roles in large organizations

International Experience
International Experience
One week boot-camp
Visit to Israel Technion/TAU Start Ups Incubators Venture Capitalists
Tourists Sites
Team building planning, reflection
BEST Co-op
BEST Co-op
Co-op based on Lassonde Co-op
Co-op One is working for founder CEO of company
Co-op Two is creating own company in BEST Lab
Opportunities in Canada/Silicon Valley/Israel
BEST Activities
BEST Activities
Innovation and creativity workshop
Pitch competition
Start-up weekend
IP workshop
Business planning
Creative problem solving
Communication workshop
Campus activities Launch YU)
BEST Lab
BEST Lab
Base for start up ventures
Access to physical resources
Mentorship
Weekly workshop
Access to funding and technology
Peer learning and idea exchange
Opportunity for BEST research