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Startup Challenge Application 🚀 - Fall 2025

Startup Challenge Overview:

The Startup Challenge is a hands-on program tailored for aspiring entrepreneurs, providing guidance to develop their own startup that addresses a real-world problem. No prior idea is required to participate, making this program accessible to anyone interested in learning about entrepreneurship and developing their skills. 

The program provides tools and guidance to brainstorm, validate, and refine ideas from the ground up, ensuring a solid foundation for each participant. Each workshop will include interactive activities, group discussions, and hands-on exercises to ensure participants engage deeply with the material and leave with tangible outputs.

The program runs from October 16th to November 20th and includes four in-person workshops held on Thursdays (except Reading Week) from 2:30 to 4:30 PM at the Ronald D. Schmeichel Building for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Each week, participants will also have a 15-minute one-on-one advisor meeting during drop-in hours on Thursdays from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM, providing personalized feedback and support to help you refine your ideas and overcome challenges.

The Startup Challenge culminates in an exciting final pitch competition, where the top 10 participants showcase their startups to a panel of judges, competing for a chance to win up to $2,000 from a total prize pool of $5,000.


Key Dates and Structure:

  • Program Duration: Thursday, October 16 - Thursday, November 20
  • Workshops: Thursdays, 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM
  • Weekly Drop-in Advisor Meetings: Thursdays, 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM
  • Deliverables and Attendance: Workshops, drop-in sessions and key deliverables will be tracked, helping to identify the top 10 contestants for the final pitch competition.
  • 5 Hours per Week Commitment: Includes workshops, advisor sessions, and working on deliverables.


Program Schedule:

  1. Problem Definition: Thursday, October 16, 2:30 - 4:30 PM
  2. Drop-in Advisor Session #1: Thursday, October 16, 12:30 - 2:30 PM
  3. Exploring Solutions: Thursday, October 23, 2:30 - 4:30 PM
  4. Drop-in Advisor Session #2: Thursday, October 23, 12:30 - 2:30 PM
  5. Interest Validation & Traction: Thursday, October 30, 2:30 - 4:30 PM
  6. Drop-in Advisor Session #3: Thursday, October 30, 12:30 - 2:30 PM
  7. Business Model Development: Thursday, November 13, 2:30 - 4:30 PM
  8. Pitch Workshop (Optional): To be announced
  9. miniPITCH Competition (Optional): October 28 & November 11, 4:00 - 6:00 PM
  10. Drop-in Advisor Session #4: Thursday, November 13, 12:30 - 2:30 PM
  11. Final Competition: Thursday, November 20, 5:00 - 7:00 PM


Prizes:

  • 1st Place: $1,500
  • 2nd Place: $1,250
  • 3rd Place: $1,000
  • 4th Place: $750
  • Fan Favourite: $500
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