A new youth-driven innovation hub is making waves in Calgary’s startup ecosystem. Ascend Calgary, launched by University of Calgary sophomore Sam Cruz, is providing a dedicated space where young people can collaborate, create, and showcase their projects—whether in startups, hardware, DJing, or storytelling.
Cruz was soon joined by co-founder Seleem Badawy, who was inspired by the vision, as well as Yash Anowar, Nina Dolojan, Guzel Hanly, Adam Sarwinata, and Rumeza Fatima, who became part of the founding team after experiencing the first session.
“There is so much untapped potential in this city. Let’s keep creating, building, and collaborating until we witness the change we want to see. Long Calgary,” said Cruz, reflecting on Ascend’s growing impact.
Operating out of House 831, Ascend hosts weekly sessions where 30–35 youth gather to work on their passion projects and demo their progress. Since its launch in January, the initiative has gained strong backing from Tate Hackert, founder and president of ZayZoon, Scott Bakken and Jonathan Zoeteman, founders of Socality, the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurship, and Evan McCann of the Hard Part Podcast.
Cruz sees Ascend as more than just a meeting space—it’s a mindset shift for young people who are often searching for opportunities instead of realizing their own potential.
“Young people spend so much of their time worrying about the future. We spend so much time looking for opportunities that we sometimes forget—we are the opportunity. Ascend is about shifting that mindset. If you don’t find a path that excites you, you create it. Stop waiting for the right moment—start building your life today.”
With 100K+ Instagram views since January, Ascend is quickly gaining traction. The team envisions the space as a catalyst for Calgary’s innovation ecosystem, fostering collaboration and ambition among the city’s next generation of creators and entrepreneurs.
For more, visit Ascend Calgary’s Instagram page.
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