How does it work?
The program will be completed online between September and March. Each step of the process will determine if your business idea will be successful, get support and buy-in from your customers and guide you to a business launch, all with minimum risk and no cost. You’ll receive activities to complete every week, guidance and mentorship from experts within the Mawji Centre, and training from guest speakers at various steps of the journey.
Program
In the first half of the program, you will define your goals, outline your idea, validate the problem you aim to solve, and conduct interviews. You’ll also build a pitch deck and learn how to present your business idea, with the chance to compete in our annual Pitch Competition for prizes.
In the second half, you’ll de-risk your idea through assumption mapping and planned testing. You’ll gain foundational marketing skills, design a logo, and craft a compelling elevator pitch. We’ll guide you through essential financials and the steps to legally launch, including registration, licensing, taxation, insurance, and basic bookkeeping. The program concludes with the Business Innovation Showcase, where you’ll display your business idea and connect with the startup community for further support.
Benefits of participating:
- Evaluate your idea and business model
- Test your assumptions
- Evaluate the competitive landscape
- Work on your pitch
- Design a minimum viable product and get feedback
- Create financial and marketing plans
- Show off what you’ve created
To apply, you must:
- Have a legal business idea that you’re interest in exploring
- Be enrolled in at least one course at NAIT or one of our post-secondary partners
The program will run over two terms, from September to March, as well as a summer cohort option. The time commitment will vary based on your business idea and weekly assignment.