Four Canadian young people will soon be getting $100,000 to drop out of school – and spend more time on their start-up businesses.

They are from Ontario and Quebec – and the students are winners of the Peter Thiel Fellowship – a controversial two-year program that encourages youth to turn innovative ideas into successful businesses.

The 2015 Theil winners range in age from 18 to 22 – and have all launched small, technology-oriented companies.

Toronto student Cathy Tie co-founded a start-up focused on improving the accuracy of genetic testing.

And Waterloo’s Harry Gandhi is designing contact lenses that can monitor glucose levels in diabetics – while Liam Horne, of Cambridge, Ontario is developing software to help retailers find the best place to open stores.

Montreal’s Simon Tian has founded a company that designs wearable technology – to help people perform day-to-day tasks in any environment.