Longo CfE Entrepreneur Launches Yon Crochet
HLOs: 
By Y Vy Nguyen
From a personal passion to a purpose-driven startup, Yon Crochet is a student-founded business rooted in creativity, wellness, and accessibility. Co-founded by Humber Polytechnic student Hoang Y Vy Nguyen alongside partner Yen Vy Hoang, Yon Crochet was born from a desire to make crochet approachable for complete beginners while sharing its powerful mental health benefits, created with the support of the Longo Incubator (LInc) program this past summer. What began as a therapeutic hobby has since evolved into an innovative venture offering all-in-one crochet kits and a gamified learning experience. Yon Crochet is now officially launched and reaching a growing community of makers. Hoang V Vy shares:
“Back in high school, I experienced a lot of stress from exams and assignments. During that time, crochet truly saved my mental health, and it gradually became my hobby and a therapeutic activity that helped me stay grounded. That experience inspired the idea behind Yon Crochet, spreading the joy of crochet to everyone by making it easy, fun, and accessible, especially for complete beginners. My name is Hoang Y Vy Nguyen, and together with my partner, Yen Vy Hoang, two immigrant LGBTQ+ women, we co-founded Yon Crochet. We provide all-in-one crochet kits designed specifically for beginners, including a gamified learning platform that helps learners stay motivated, have fun, and learn more effectively."
"Two years ago, I started Yon Crochet with zero knowledge of business or entrepreneurship; I only had a strong idea and a passion for crochet. As a student at Humber College studying Multimedia Design and Development, I discovered Longo Centre for Entrepreneurship (CfE) and its [Longo Incubator] Program designed for students with business ideas ready to be developed. Despite having no business background, I did my best to clearly explain my vision in the application and business plan, and I was incredibly excited to be accepted into the program. Through [Longo Incubator], I had the opportunity to learn, collaborate, and grow my business. I participated in hands-on workshops and worked closely with mentors and industry experts to refine my business model, validate my ideas, and build effective strategies. The program also provided valuable opportunities to network outside the classroom. I received free access to major startup events such as Startupfest and Elevate Festival, where I met thousands of founders and investors, practiced pitching in real competitions, and gained real-world entrepreneurial experience. One of the most impactful supports was receiving $3,000 in funding upon successful completion of the program, which was extremely helpful for product development, setup, and early-stage growth. Thanks to all of this support from Longo CfE, Yon Crochet was able to successfully launch. Now, we are preparing for the next stage of growth through BMO Launch Me 2025, and Yon Crochet looks forward to meeting everyone there.”
Yon Crochet is now accepting orders at yoncrochet.com.
Want to stay inspired and see what’s coming next? Follow along on Instagram @yoncrochet for behind-the-scenes peeks, new drops, and handmade highlights.
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