BEST Co-op
Students are offered an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of building and running a business in their field. During your work term, you and your mentor work together to plan and design your own business idea and establish yourself and your business moving forward.
- Available after your second year.
- Co-op consists of 2 work periods separated by at least one academic term.
- Upon completion of the program, you receive a co-op designation on your transcript. To receive this designation, the total duration across your 2 work periods must be at least 12 months and no more than 20 months
Streams
Stream 1
Students working on their own business idea at BEST Lab with BEST Faculty supervision
Stream 2
Students working with a BEST Lab startup with BEST Faculty supervision
What our students say about BEST Co-op
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BEST CO-OP | Koroush Toghrol, Mechanical Engineering, 2022
“After leaving my job in manufacturing in October 2020, I doubled down on my farming venture, KROP. Through the entrepreneurial co-op program at the BEST Lab, I began a journey that, as of February 2022, secured its first client and delivery. Between those two dates has been filled with ups, downs, success, failures, and many hardships. However, lessons learned from the focused entrepreneurial mindset of the BEST Lab have allowed me to push through and, more importantly, motivate my growing team of seven, to do so as well. KROP is an indoor vertical farm focused on micro-green and salad greens production. While our current clientele and business strategy are focused on boutique restaurants, greens-focused businesses, and premium subscription boxes, our end goal is straightforward: We are working towards a future where produce is grown locally, sustainably, and affordably; for everyone, everywhere. Our proprietary growing platform is piloted with micro-greens and salad greens to capitalize on their short seed to yield times. Still, it is being developed to handle many common and not-so-common farm crops. The goal is to be the primary producer of a nutritious, sustainable, and long-term diet.”
-Koroush Toghrol, Mechanical Engineering, 2022
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BEST CO-OP | Nick Di Scipio, Mechanical Engineering, 2021
"Having already experienced an unprecedented academic year due to COVID, it seemed only fitting that my co-op term was just as unique. The BEST Co-op program provided me with the flexibility to take my start-up in my own direction while connecting me with a community of like-minded and innovative individuals within Lassonde. Working with BEST also allowed me to see the value of my startup and gave me the essential tools to take my startup to the next level. My BEST co-op term became the starting point for a new chapter of MPN 3D in which we could work within the Lassonde community to learn, grow, and become more successful because of it. My co-op experience with BEST has showed me the importance of being a well-rounded individual by allowing me to simultaneously gain experience both in the business and engineering world."
-Nick Di Scipio, Mechanical Engineering, 2021
