Illuminate x Markham | Illuminate Universe

Illuminate x Markham, Ontario

The Future of

Social Entrepreneurship

Let's dive into the "Future of Social Entrepreneurship"!

Ever wonder how C-Suite executives and innovators make feasible decisions and manage their organizations? Jump right into the world of start-ups and connect with industry professionals at our upcoming business conference!

August, 2021 (TBA)

Join Our Team!

About Us

Illuminate x Markham presents: The Future of Social Entrepreneurship, Markham's premier high school business case conference presented by Illuminate Universe and its National Partners; Deloitte, CPA Ontario, and Concentra Bank. Virtually scheduled for April 10th, 2021, our flagship conference will bring together students around the world; engaging speakers, mentors, and cash prizes, fostering creative problem solving and innovation among youth.

Teams of 5 will compete head-to-head throughout a day of industry cases, networking sessions, inspiring keynotes, and entrepreneurial challenges. Led by a passionate team of high school changemakers, we are so honoured to share our vision while raising the bar for what business competitions can offer.

Through the conference, our members strive to become high-achieving, self-motivated leaders who network with like-minded individuals, earn regional recognition, and excel in the world of business. Not only do we aim to connect business enthusiasts in a competitive environment, but we also facilitate experiential learning through interactive workshops and simulations.

Let's "Pioneer and Prosper" together!

Conference Schedule (EST)

More info & updates are coming soon!

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Meet Our Regional Team!

AARON GUO

Hey everyone, pleasure to meet you! My name is Aaron, I’m a grade 11 student at Markville Secondary, and I’m thrilled to be Illuminate x Markham’s Conference Chair! My experience with Illuminate’s NHLC along with my passion for education and entrepreneurship sparked me to take on this position. Whenever I’m not planning my next conference, I love to cook and listen to throwbacks on repeat. Through Illuminate, I want to provide an empowering experience for the next generation of high school leaders. And on behalf of our 2021 executive team, I hope everyone will enjoy this transformative opportunity, even on a virtual platform.

brandon chen

Hey guys! My name’s Brandon and I’m a grade 11 student at Markville. As Sponsorships & Finance Director, my role is to secure all brand sponsorships, guest speakers, and manage all finances for the conference. I'm passionate about being an equitable, efficient leader in every situation I'm put in, and I hope to bring some of my experience leading this conference into my future career in management consulting. I'm extremely excited to be able to bring this great opportunity to life with my friends on the Illuminate team! In my spare time, I like to keep up on current affairs and socialize virtually with my friends.

LAUREL DONG

Hey all! My name is Laurel, and I'm in grade 11 at Markville Secondary, and I’m stoked to be the Marketing Director of Markham’s Illuminate Regional Conference. I’m in charge of content and design creation, as well as handling our social media presence. Through hosting the Future of Social Entrepreneurship, I hope to meet many liked-minded individuals and enhance my knowledge of the business industry’s ins and outs. During my free time, I like to listen to music, game, and learn about random topics and skills on the internet.

JERRY WU

Hey everyone, I’m Jerry (also a grade 11 at Markville). As the Registration and Recruitment Director, I’m responsible for managing recruitment targets and communicating with conference teams. I’m super passionate about the logistics aspect of business, and by hosting The Future of Social Entrepreneurship, I hope to expand my network with business professionals while improving my organizational skills. Outside of Illuminate x Markham, I spend my free time gaming with my friends, researching stock investments, and baking fun recipes with my family.

High School Coordinators & Ambassadors

Dorian chen

Hey everyone, my name is Dorian and I'm a grade 11 student at Markville Secondary! I'm very excited to a part of this amazing opportunity, and I'm so excited for this conference. I hope I get to meet new people, and (hopefully) win some prizes :)

erika chow

Hi, I am Erika Chow and I am a grade 11 IB student currently living in Richmond Hill. I am a 2 year JA alumni and enjoy learning about the business field. My hobbies are dancing, listening to music, watching youtube videos, and baking. I hope that through the Illuminate Regional conference, I will be able to learn more about business and also network with many business minded students like myself.

aricia chan

Hello! My name is Aricia, and I am one of the high school coordinators! I am currently a grade 9 pre IB student at St.Robert CHS. I am very interested in business, more specifically, entrepreneurship and marketing. In my spare time, I enjoy playing volleyball, drawing, and playing with my cat!

maggie liu

Hello! My name is Maggie and I am a grade 11 student at Alexander Mackenzie High School. In my spare time, I enjoy coding, listening to music, and being involved within the community. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in Illuminate x Markham and look forward to the experiences I will gain.

anoosha trehan

My name is Anoosha, I’m a grade 11 student at Richmond Hill High School and I’m thrilled to be a coordinator this year! Though I’ve never attended an Illuminate conference before, I’m super excited to meet many liked-minded individuals and hope to expand my network with business professionals. When I’m not doing things for school or at work, which is basically my second home nowadays, and I love to read and go on adventures with my doggo.

muxuan liu

My name is Muxuan Li and I'm a grade 11 student from Alexander Mackenzie High School. I was referred to apply for the conference by my friend Maggie Liu, who is also a coordinator for Illuminate x Markham as well. I believe The Future of Social Entrepreneurship will be a wonderful experience in my high school journey and I'm super excited!

raina sumpter

Hi! I am Raiana Sumpter, a 15 year old innovator at The Knowledge Society. I am interested in the future of food and cellular agriculture. I am incredibly intrigued by social entrepreneurship and hope to open a business in the future. Some of my other hobbies include reading, dancing, baking, and cooking.

mika vohl

My name is Mika and I'm a grade 10 student at Stouffville District Secondary. I'm excited to take on the role of ambassador and get more people involved so they can join me in creating new experiences with Illuminate. Being both a German and Canadian citizen, I am keen on applying my global perspective to modern-day business affairs. During my free time, I like to cook, game, stay active, and socialize.

jaden zhu

Hi everyone! My name is Jaden and I am a grade 9 student at St. Robert Catholic High School. I am excited to work with Illuminate x Markham in order to develop my own leadership skills, as well as to gain new business knowledge and connect with like-minded youth in Markham. Even though we are unable to meet in person, I am hopeful that everyone has a meaningful and ILLUMINATING experience this year.

joshua lakdawala

Hi! I'm Joshua and I'm a grade 12 student at Erindale Secondary School. In my free time, I like to eat food, bike, and play Minecraft.

seyon Sooriakumar

Hi, my name is Seyon Sooriakumar, and I am a Grade 11 student at Pierre Elliott Trudeau High School. I'm thrilled to be a High School Ambassador for the Illuminate Conference. My ultimate goal in the coming years is to pursue a career in business management. In my spare time, I play soccer, play the drums, and enjoy spending time with my family.

jerry di

Heya! Name's Jerry Di and I’m a grade 10 student at St. Roberts CHS! I'm very excited to coordinate and assist with the launch of Illuminate x Markham’s Conference as an ambassador. On the few occasions where I’m not procrastinating or complaining about my workload. I’m obsessing over book endings and checking out the next season on MAL. Through Illuminate, I hope that we’ll be able to light up a little bit of this tumultuous year.

eunice song

Hi! My name is Eunice and I am a Grade 11 Student at Cardinal Carter Academy For The Arts. I am so excited to be a High School Coordinator for this year's Illuminate x Markham’s Conference! While noticing that many high schools are limited to many opportunities that will benefit students in discovering their potential careers, I am passionate to help students reach their potential in finding their interests.

nirja soni

My name is Nirja Soni and I am a grade 11 student at White Oaks Secondary School. I am excited to be the High School Coordinator for The Future of Social Entrepreneurship, Markham's premier high school business case conference. Personally, I believe that exploring things beyond schooling education is a great way to broaden my erudition and dexterity in a variety of fields. In my spare time, you can find me listening to music and watching a lot of shows!

olivia chen

Olivia Chen is a Grade 10 French Immersion student attending École Dr. Charles Best Secondary School. She is deeply passionate about marketing, public relations, and social impact. Inspired by the ever-changing landscape of the business industry, Olivia is always seeking new opportunities to hone her professional and personal skill set. She is excited to participate as a High School Coordinator for and lead a driven team of like-minded individuals.

elaine guo

Hi, my name is Elaine and I'm in grade 11 at Markville Secondary School. I am excited to be a high school coordinator take on this journey together with my team. With this experience, I hope to improve my communication skills expand while working with business professionals and my fellow students.

michelle wan

Hi there! My name is Michelle, and I’m currently in grade 10 at St. Robert CHS in the Pre-IB program. I’m interested in the health sciences and business and in my free time, I enjoy playing sports, watching anime and sleeping. I look forward to having fun at Illuminate’s case competition!

rizwan tahmeed

My name is Rizwan Tahmeed, a grade 11 high school student from Woburn Collegiate Institute with a keen interest in business, especially finance and management. Whenever I am not studying for a test or doing homework, I always attempt to learn skills for professional development and prepare myself for a future with technology.

soni rambharack

Hey everyone! My name is Soni Rambharack and I am a grade 12 student attending L'Amoreaux C.I. I took an interest in business management in grade 10, and have since invested as much time as possible expanding my leadership, speaking, and collaborative skills. I am excited to see what the Illuminate Team can teach me and I hope to apply my previous experience so that I can succeed and grow as an aspiring business leader!

aidan lao

Hi, my name is Aidan Lao and I’m a driven grade 11 student committed to life-long learning and making a difference. I’m both an entrepreneur and aspiring software engineer, and in my spare time I love to code and play piano. I also teach piano and enjoy helping others whether it be through volunteering or teaching. I look forward to meeting and connecting with you all at the Illuminate Conference!

The Next Generation of Business Leaders!

Christal Wang,

shimmer Co-Founder

Chris is a co-founder of shimmer, a venture focused on improving accessibility and cultural competency of mental health care for young adults.

Mash Chowdhury,

Deloitte Analyst

Mash is an energetic individual who’s currently an Analyst at Deloitte Canada, for Cyber Risk Advisory.

Our Workshop Speakers:

Frequently Asked Questions

Each team must have FIVE competitors/ registrants. If you don't have five teammates, we will assign other students to your team.

How many people will be on each team?

Any individual registrants or teams with less than five people will be merged together with others to ensure all teams have at least five people.

What if I don't have a team?

You will be sent a team registration form 2 weeks before the event. The form is due 1 week before the conference.

Email us if you filled it in late: markham@illuminateuniverse.com

You will be assigned a random team if you do not provide your team members' names.

What happens if I miss the team registration deadline?

Registered competitors will be sent a team registration form two weeks before the conference. Everyone must be registered in order to form a team. The form will ask for their names and emails.

When does

Team Registration happen? How do I register my team?

All team members need to each purchase a ticket by April 3rd, 2021.

Do I need to purchase a ticket?

Each team will elect a “Team Leader/Captain” on the Team Registration form sent out 2 weeks before the conference to receive communications from Illuminate (event reminders, prepped case details, etc.).

How will communications work?