How many 7-year-olds not only know what they want to be when they grow up, but actually begin to put their career aspirations into practice?
Canaan Kimball ’26 is one of those rare individuals. His childhood “innovation notebooks” and entrepreneurial pursuits, such as lemonade stands and odd jobs for neighbors, started him on the path to Lehigh at an early age.
Kimball started playing football in kindergarten and launched his first business around age 7. Now he is preparing for a dream career as a full-time entrepreneur.
But first, the Mountain Hawks kicker is getting ready for his last Rivalry game against Lafayette.
“Rivalry is such a big deal. Winning this game is up there with winning a major championship. It’s amazing, such a cool part of the LU experience, and I’m so thankful to be a part of it,” he says.
Creative and Competitive Drive
As a student at Nease High School in Ponte Vedra, Florida, Kimball wasn’t really aware of Lehigh until an LU football coach visited him during his senior year and he researched the Integrated Business Engineering (IBE) program, which felt like a perfect fit. “It’s rare to find this combo, football at a high level at a school that offers such a great academic opportunity, and I was all for it.”
“As a kid,” Kimball continues, “I didn’t know what entrepreneurship was, but I always wanted it, and I was obsessed with it. My creativity then directly translates to what I’m doing now, and my passion for being an entrepreneur has only gotten stronger.”
He credits his parents with his work ethic, saying his desire to “work as hard as I can at everything I do,” comes from both his stay-at-home mom who “sacrificed so much to be sure I had the chance to chase my dreams,” and his father, a pastor and football coach, who sometimes worked side jobs to provide for his family.
He says his LU football career and the team’s evolving culture reinforced his already strong business acumen.
“I have learned so much from watching our coaches — how they treated us and created a real team. We’re so close, and we always pull together. It’s actually taught me a lot about how to lead a business, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” he says.
“Canaan came in when Lehigh football turned into a player-led program, where everyone has a voice and understands our common values and standards,” says Kevin Cahill, head football coach.
“He’s always been driven […] He’s in one of our toughest majors, he runs two businesses, and football takes 20 hours a week during the season. And he never misses anything. Canaan exemplifies how we stay focused: Always be where your feet are. So, if he’s in class, he’s in class. If he’s at practice, he’s at practice. And always having fun and giving 100 percent.”
Double Duty
Kimball is earning degrees in IBE and mechanical engineering and was awarded the Leonard P. Pool Memorial Prize as a junior for a student with outstanding entrepreneurial passion. In his free time, he works with Stoke Ventures, a product development firm, where he provides support for marketing, mechanical engineering, and operational processes. He has also founded or co-founded two businesses.
The first, Screenwise Eating, LLC, helps kids with eating disorders through a system of progressive rewards.
“Our approach combines behavioral therapy with engaging technology, so children can develop healthier eating habits and meal structure,” he says.
When Kimball’s strength-training coach, Eric Markovcy, came to him with the idea, he jumped on it.
“Eric’s son, Ryan, was a micro-preemie, weighing only one and a half pounds,” Kimball explains. “As he grew, they tried everything to get him to eat, but it was tough.” Ryan’s parents instituted a system where the boy would earn a small reward when he took a bite — maybe a page in an e-book or a little game. Then the reward would be paused until Ryan took another bite.
“It was a painstaking process, but it worked, and we wanted to share this philosophy with others, so we developed an app (called YumEats) that parents and caregivers can use to help their children learn to eat better,” Kimball says.
During the bite/reward process, data is being tracked, such as the total consumed and time elapsed. Ryan is now 10 years old and thriving. Kimball and Markovcy are in trials with autism therapy companies, because a large percentage of kids with autism also struggle with eating challenges, according to Kimball.
“Applied behavioral analysis encompasses the gold standard therapy in the autism space, and we’re helping incentivize kids to break or form habits. I’m confident this program can be adopted on a widespread basis,” he adds.
More Wins in the Kitchen
Kimball’s family loves pickleball, and what could be better than a friendly game played with a deck of cards that introduces challenges such as holding hands or sharing a paddle with your partner throughout the game?
Although launched less than a year ago, Deal and Dink is already making money through sales on the company’s website, Amazon, and TikTok.
“I have plans to add a couples edition and a drinking edition,” says Kimball, who's waiting for the next Shark Tank open call to pitch his game to the show's investors.
A Little Help From Friends
Kimball is the student the Ventures Lab at Lehigh had in mind when it began, says Mike Rinkunas ’02 M.Eng’08, director. “We’re all about creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship, about understanding a problem — what it is; and who it impacts, and helping students understand design thinking. Canaan gets all that and exhibits the drive people look for in an entrepreneur."
Rinkunas or another mentor meets weekly with Kimball to gauge his progress in meeting agreed-upon milestones and help him make valuable connections.
“Canaan has that special combination of passion, confidence, and humbleness. We just help him think in ways to advance his venture and himself, to build something sustainable after he graduates. He’s already got the grit, drive, and determination.”
