Beyond survival. Beyond limits.
Beyond Birr (ብር) is a free, in-person summer entrepreneurship program for Ethiopian and Eritrean youth aged 14 to 18 in Calgary. Over three weeks, our Innovators build real businesses with mentors and guest speakers who look like them and have walked a path they can learn from.
Three weeks. Real businesses.
Team-based business development, guest speaker sessions, career-readiness workshops, a final pitch showcase, and a real pop-up market where every team sells to the public.
The program is free of charge, and every student team receives a $100 seed fund to launch their business for market day.
Why “Birr”?
Birr (ብር) is the national currency of Ethiopia. It represents money and financial value, but this program goes beyond financial gain. Entrepreneurship is about creating solutions, building communities, developing confidence, and using innovation to create meaningful impact.
The “beyond” is the purpose, growth, and impact that exist past the financial outcome. Birr as a cultural element lets students see entrepreneurship through a lens that connects their heritage with their future, and shows them that their ideas, experiences, and identities are powerful foundations for creating change.
What you'll get
Everything in the program is free. What you leave with lasts a lot longer than the summer.
What you'll get
Three weeks of the real thing, not a simulation.
- 12 hands-on sessions with a team of 5 mentors
- 10 guest speakers from the community
- $100 team seed fund to launch your business
- A real pop-up market on August 25 with real customers
- Final pitch showcase to present what you built
- Career-readiness workshops and a field trip to Calgary businesses
What you'll gain
The benefits of becoming an entrepreneur go far beyond profit.
- Leadership skills you'll use in every room you enter
- Creativity and resilience built by solving real problems
- Problem-solving abilities tested on a real business
- Confidence to turn ideas into action
- A network of mentors, speakers, and friends who look like you
- Cultural connection that links your heritage with your future
Mission & Vision
Think beyond survival
Beyond Birr empowers Ethiopian and Eritrean youth to think beyond survival and build futures of opportunity through entrepreneurship, experiential learning, mentorship, and cultural connection. We equip the next generation with the confidence, skills, and network to become innovators, leaders, and changemakers who create lasting impact in their communities and beyond.
Lasting prosperity
To empower a generation of Ethiopian and Eritrean youth to think beyond survival, embrace entrepreneurship as a vehicle for leadership and opportunity, and build businesses that create lasting prosperity for themselves, their communities, and future generations.
What we live by
These values belong to everyone in the Beyond Birr community: our admin team, guest speakers, mentors, and most importantly, you, our Innovators.
Communication
Speak up, listen well, and keep every teammate in the loop.
Respect
Every idea, background, and voice in the room matters.
Above & Beyond
Bring your full effort. Then go one step further.
Hibret / Hadnet (Unity)
We build together, as one community.
The people behind the program
Kalkidan Debele
Founder / Program LeadFounded Beyond Birr to challenge the idea that entrepreneurship is only about profit. Leads the program end to end: the sessions, the mentors and speakers, and the vision behind it all.
Bettiel Woldeghiorghis
Volunteer LeadLeads the volunteer team that keeps every session running, making sure each Innovator has the support, encouragement, and community they need in the room.
From first idea to first sale
Twelve sessions across three weeks, Monday to Thursday, 10AM to 2PM.
Foundations
Meet your team and mentors, explore what entrepreneurship really means, and start shaping your business idea with guest speakers from the community.
Build
Turn ideas into products. Team-based business development, branding, pricing, and career-readiness workshops, with your $100 seed fund putting real stakes behind every decision.
Our Innovators sell to the public
The moment the whole program builds toward: every team launches their business at a real pop-up market, with real products and real customers. Come out and support them.
Showcase & field trip
Innovators present at the final pitch showcase and visit Calgary-based businesses to see where their journey can lead next.
Ready to think beyond?
Applications are open for Summer 2026. Reach out and we'll walk you and your family through it.