What is Riipen Labs?
Riipen Labs is a structured, short-term experiential learning program designed to help students build practical skills through guided, team-based projects.
Funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Innovative Work-Integrated Learning initiative, the program provides:
A 30-hour project experience
A $600 stipend upon successful completion
Exposure to real-world problem-solving in a structured environment
Projects are designed to simulate real work scenarios while remaining supported and clearly scoped.
Who is Eligible to Participate?
To participate in Riipen Labs, students must:
Be enrolled at an eligible Canadian post-secondary institution
Be enrolled in at least one course (current or upcoming term)
Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person
Be located in Canada for the full duration of the project
Not be an international student
Eligibility is verified and required for payment.
How do I Join Riipen Labs?
Students must apply to a cohort and, if selected, will be assigned to a project team.
Helpful guides are available in the Help Centre, including:
How are projects structured?
All students in a cohort work on variations of the same project
Students are assigned to teams (up to 5 members)
Projects are completed over a fixed timeline with mandatory milestones
There is no employer selection process in Labs. Assignment is managed by Riipen.
Why do I need to verify my identity?
Riipen Labs is a government-funded program.
Identity verification is required to:
Confirm eligibility
Ensure compliance with funding requirements
Enable payment processing
Failure to complete verification will result in ineligibility for payment.
How many hours are required?
Students must complete 30 total hours
Most students contribute approximately 8 to 10 hours per week
All hours must be logged on the Riipen platform
Work beyond 30 hours is not compensated.
What are milestones and why are they important?
Milestones are mandatory checkpoints throughout the project.
Each milestone has a fixed deadline.
Missing a milestone results in:
The project being marked incomplete.
Loss of eligibility for payment.
Extensions are not permitted under any circumstances.
What happens if I miss a deadline?
Missing any milestone or required deadline will result in:
Removal from the project
Ineligibility for the $600 stipend
These deadlines are strict due to funding requirements.
How does payment work?
Students receive $600 upon successful completion of all requirements.
To be eligible, students must:
Complete all 30 hours
Meet all milestone deadlines
Submit all required deliverables
Complete required surveys
Log all hours accurately
Partial completion is not compensated.
What deliverables are required?
Students must submit all required deliverables through the Riipen platform, including:
Reflection
AI interview (HeyMilo)
All required surveys
Deliverables must:
Align with the hours being claimed
Limited redaction is allowed, but submissions must still clearly demonstrate the work completed.
Failure to submit complete deliverables will result in loss of payment eligibility.
How do teams work?
Riipen Labs is a team-based experience.
Students are expected to:
Collaborate actively with teammates
Contribute fairly to deliverables
Communicate regularly
If a team member is unresponsive:
Continue working with your team
Notify Riipen promptly
Your eligibility for payment depends on your own participation and completion.
How do I interact with the employer?
Riipen Labs is a low-touch employer experience.
Students interact with the employer during a scheduled kickoff call
Additional interaction may occur during scheduled Q&A sessions
Outside of these sessions, students should not contact the employer
All project work is guided through provided materials and structure.
Can I use AI tools?
Yes, AI can be used as a support tool.
However:
You must still complete the full 30 hours
Deliverables must reflect your own understanding and effort
AI must not be used to complete the entire project
You may be required to demonstrate your process and contribution.
What happens if I am inactive in the project?
If you:
Miss deadlines
Fail to engage
Do not complete required steps
You will be:
Marked incomplete on the Riipen platform
Ineligible for payment
Staying active is required to remain in the program.
How many projects can I complete?
Students may complete 1 project per funding year (May 2026 - April 2027)
What happens after I complete Riipen Labs?
Riipen Labs is designed as a starting point.
After completion, students often progress to:
These programs offer longer, employer-connected experiences.
Where can I find the full participation agreement?
The full participation agreement is available in the Help Centre.
Students are responsible for reviewing and understanding all requirements prior to participating.