CONCEPT BY VELOCITY
Concept is Velocity’s entrepreneurship and pre-incubator program at the University of Waterloo. They provide information, guidance, and programs for the entrepreneurially-minded and tailored pre-incubator programs for aspiring startup founders. Their mission is to provide experiences that inspire and inform entrepreneurial students from all backgrounds and life experiences. Whether you have an idea, are working on a project, or have an early prototype, Concept wants to help you.
As an AFM student, you can leverage Concept by booking a coaching session, where you can meet one-on-one with founders or past startup employees who can give advice based on their past experience. These sessions can help you prepare a pitch or provide general guidance about the startup landscape. You can also get involved by checking out one of their intro sessions and events to learn more about the organization and what services will help you turn your idea into reality.
Concept’s big event is the Concept $5K Grant. Every year, $20,000 in grants are awarded to students with creative and innovative tech ideas.
To earn the grant, students must apply and be selected for the semifinals to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges from the local startup community. Each applicant has three minutes to present and show the judges why they deserve a place in the finals. Ten teams compete in the finals for a chance to win, and four of those teams will walk away with a $5K Grant!
