OCIF INVESTS IN MINDFUEL TO EXPAND PROGRAMMING AND SUPPORT CALGARY'S FUTURE FOUNDERS AND INNOVATORS

CALGARY, AB, Oct. 27, 2026 /CNW/ -- The Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund (OCIF) will provide up to $1.5 million to The MindFuel Foundation over three years to strengthen Calgary's pipeline of future founders, innovation talent and startups.

OCIF funding will significantly expand MindFuel's available programming to help youth turn promising ideas and prototypes into venture-ready skills, startups and future careers in Calgary. It will support the creation of the MindFuel Institute, a new founder development and venture creation program that supports participants with strong innovation and commercialization potential.

Additionally, OCIF funding will strengthen connections between participants and Calgary's innovation ecosystem through MindFuel's Connect2Innovate-AI (C2I-AI) platform. C2I-AI gives youth access to mentorship and industry experts, internship and funding opportunities and hands-on experience in support of their prototype development.

The investment in MindFuel aims to create 14 Calgary startups, three direct high-skill jobs within MindFuel and 60 indirect high-skill jobs in Calgary startups.

"The next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs will shape Calgary's economy. We need to ensure they have more opportunities to stay, succeed and grow their companies in our city," said Calgary Mayor, Jeromy Farkas. "MindFuel's program can help them develop the skills and connections needed to build a career and a life in Calgary."

Calgary's innovation ecosystem relies on a strong pipeline of skilled talent, entrepreneurs and new ventures. OCIF's investment will enable more Calgary youth to progress from innovation and prototype development to venture creation and commercialization, strengthening Calgary's capacity to develop and retain future scaling companies.

"Calgary's youth are central to our city becoming the innovation capital of Canada, and our future success depends on our ability to support and retain bright minds and big ideas," said Brad Parry, President and CEO of Calgary Economic Development and CEO of the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund. "OCIF's investment in MindFuel helps young Calgarians turn those ideas into real companies -- creating jobs, solving complex global challenges and strengthening our economy."

"MindFuel is committed to developing the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs and skilled talent who will drive Canada's economic prosperity," says Cassy Weber, CEO of MindFuel. "With OCIF's support, we will expand youth innovation and talent development pathways, transforming promising ideas into real-world solutions, commercial opportunities and economic growth for Calgary."

MindFuel exists to strengthen Canada's capacity for innovation by helping youth build skills, apply knowledge and move ideas into action. With a 79 percent talent retention rate in Alberta, alumni have contributed to the development of successful Calgary companies, including FREDSense, CalgaryToSpace and While She Is True.

Notably, 13 per cent of youth projects supported through MindFuel's innovation programming have been commercialized in less than four years, and program alumni from nine projects had raised more than $43 million in venture capital as of Sep. 2025.

"My journey with MindFuel began in Grade 10, when the Tech Futures Challenge opened my eyes to possibilities in STEM and entrepreneurship I had never imagined," said Aarushi Bhargava, Tech Futures Challenge alumna. "Through the Challenge, Project90 and my internship with MindFuel, I gained the skills, confidence and support to turn ambitious ideas into real-world solutions. That's the power of this investment. When you empower one young innovator, you're not just investing in their future -- you're investing in the people they'll inspire, the opportunities they'll create and the communities they'll impact."

"There is simply no other program like MindFuel's Tech Futures Challenge. It takes learning beyond the classroom, giving students the opportunity to apply their knowledge, explore innovative ideas, and develop real-world solutions -- like the BeeWise Hive Monitoring and Ventilation System our team displayed at last year's challenge. As a mentor, I've seen firsthand how this experience builds confidence, critical thinking and future-ready skills. With OCIF's investment, even more students will have access to these transformative learning and talent development opportunities," said Steven Schultz, Teacher, Lacombe Composite High School and Advisor, Tech Futures Challenge Team United Robotics of Lacombe (URL) Project BeeWise.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY CALGARY INVESTMENT FUND

The Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund (OCIF) was created as a wholly owned subsidiary of the City of Calgary in 2018 to build economic resilience and diversification. OCIF invests in initiatives that grow and diversify our economy, create jobs and training opportunities and attract investment to Calgary. Since inception, OCIF has generated $1.1 billion in economic activity, a 12x return on funding committed, while supporting more than 1,100 companies and creating over 4,300 jobs for Calgarians. Learn how OCIF is fuelling Calgary's economic future at opportunitycalgary.com.

Media Inquiries: 
Lee Todd
Senior Director, Communications and External Relations
Media Line: 403 880 7040 
Email: [email protected] 

ABOUT MINDFUEL

The MindFuel Foundation (MindFuel) is a registered Canadian charity dedicated to building youth innovation capacity and developing the next generation of Canadian innovators. Since 1990, MindFuel has invested more than $140 million in STEM education, skills development and innovation programming, reaching hundreds of thousands of young people in all provinces and territories.

Through digital learning, applied STEM and AI experiences, hands-on innovation challenges, mentorship, and pathways to entrepreneurship and meaningful careers, MindFuel equips young Canadians with the skills, confidence and connections to transform knowledge into action, ideas into solutions, and innovation into economic and societal impact.

Media Inquiries:
Cassy Weber, CEO
The MindFuel Foundation
[email protected]

SOURCE Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund Limited