“Startups have this energy,” Tharsan Rasasakaram says. “Things move quickly, and you have to be ready to adapt. But that also means there’s space to try things and figure out what works.”
It was his first time inside a startup.
The placement with Tression Inc. was made possible by Experience Ventures — a program powered by the Hunter Hub of Entrepreneurial Thinking at the University of Calgary and funded by the Government of Canada’s Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiative (I-WIL). The program’s goal is to enable college and university students to practice entrepreneurial thinking alongside real-world innovators.
Rasasakaram discovered the opportunity at a McMaster job fair where Tression was exhibiting. He was studying life sciences, but applied expecting to gain new skills and maybe a few insights into the world of startups. What he didn’t expect was how much ownership he’d have — or how much he’d grow in such a short time.
“I thought I’d just be shadowing or observing,” he says. “But from the beginning, I was part of the process. I wasn’t just helping — I was contributing.”
Tression is focused on designing fashionable compression wear that removes the stigma often associated with medical garments. Led by founder Parisa Agahi, the company aims to create versatile products that can be worn in everyday settings — from the gym to the workplace — while supporting wellness and confidence.
“We’re building quickly,” she says. “And that creates real opportunities for students to see how ideas take shape — and to influence how they grow.”
And that’s what Tression offered Rasasakaram: a high-trust environment where he could be treated as a collaborator, instead of just an intern. From the outset, Agahi approached the placement as a mutually beneficial two-way learning opportunity.
“I was on the social media side of things, to get the company’s name out there,” Rasasakaram says. “I had very limited experience in social media, but then Parisa taught me a lot and we learned together.”
He was invited to participate in meetings, explore problem areas the company was working on, and share ideas about usability and user experience. He didn’t come from a technical background, but that wasn’t a barrier.
“Parisa asked what I wanted to learn and where I felt I could contribute,” he says. “That made a big difference. It gave me permission to be curious.”
As the placement progressed, Rasasakaram spectated the entrepreneurial process, including customer research, product direction, and digital strategy. Rather than being limited to a single task or department, he was encouraged to explore connections across roles, which deepened his understanding of what startups actually do.
“I started to understand how each decision connects to another — how design, tech, and business all influence each other,” he says.
Agahi points to that system-level thinking — and the mindset of being able to apply it in unfamiliar and dynamic environments — as a huge asset for any organization.
“Students bring a unique lens. They’re not set in their ways, and that’s a strength. They can spot things others might overlook.”
She also found that having Rasasakaram on the team sparked reflection within the company about workflows, user needs, and the experience of new team members.
“When you bring someone in through a program like this, you learn a lot about your own assumptions,” she says. “It pushes you to communicate better, explain your decisions, and stay open to new perspectives.”
That spirit of openness defined the placement and shaped what both Rasasakaram and Agahi took from the experience.
For Rasasakaram, the biggest takeaway was confidence that he could contribute meaningfully, even without being an expert in a field. For Parisa, it was a renewed appreciation for mentorship and the energy that students bring.
“It made me realize that entrepreneurial thinking isn’t just for founders,” Rasasakaram says. “It’s for anyone who wants to solve problems, try new things, and stay curious.”
Agahi agrees and says she’d be eager to participate in Experience Ventures again.
“The structure is flexible, but the impact is real,” she says. “And it’s exciting to know that as a founder, you can be part of someone else’s growth story.”
Although Rasasakaram joined Tression for a 1-year placement, he was asked to stay on while he continues his studies — now in the respiratory therapy program at the Michener Institute. He sees it as an opportunity to continue earning, learning, and building his skills while the venture grows.