Groundwork: 5-Day Tech Startup Challenge
Program Overview
Have an idea? Put it to the test.
You don’t need a business plan. You don’t need all the answers. You just need an idea you’re curious enough to explore.
Groundwork is a five-day, hands-on experience that gives you the time, tools and support to take an idea off the page and see what’s possible.
You’ll explore the problem, test your assumptions, build something real and get feedback along the way from Conestoga Entrepreneurship Collective (CEC) coaches, mentors and industry professionals. By the end of the five days, you’ll have a clearer sense of your idea’s potential, what you’ve learned and what to do next.
Maybe it becomes a business. Maybe it becomes a portfolio project. Maybe you discover it’s not the right idea after all.
That’s the point.
Bring the idea. We’ll help you do the groundwork.
What You’ll Get Out of It
A Hands-On Roadmap: Focused activities and guidance to help you explore your idea, test assumptions and move it forward.
Daily Action Sessions: Short, practical sessions that help you understand the problem, shape your idea and build quickly.
Coaching & Mentorship: Get feedback, advice and perspective from CEC coaches, mentors and industry professionals.
A Place to Build: Dedicated co-working space at Waterloo Campus, with quiet zones and collaborative meeting rooms.
A Proof of Concept: Build a tangible version of your idea that you can use to demonstrate what you’ve created and gather further feedback.
A Clearer Path Forward: Leave with evidence, insights and next steps to decide whether—and how—to take your idea further.
Need an Idea? Start Here.
The optional Groundwork Idea Clinic is a 90-min, hands-on session to help you find an idea worth exploring. You’ll tap into your interests and experiences, spot problems and opportunities, and turn them into ideas you can take into Groundwork.
You’ll also meet other students and potential collaborators along the way.
Tuesday, October 20 | 5:30-7PM | Virtual
Sign up for the Groundwork Idea Clinic here
Schedule Overview
Learn in the morning. Build in the afternoon. Get hands-on guidance from CEC coaches throughout the day, with the flexibility to join us in person at Waterloo Campus or online.
Monday, October 26 | Foundation & Discovery
9:45 AM: Registration
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM: Pinpoint real customer pain points. Learn how to define the why before building the what.
2:00 PM – Onward: Hands-on work block to help you understand your customers and map out your market.
Tuesday, October 27 | Turn Data into a POC
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Shift from discovery to rapid execution. Plan your core product features.
2:00 PM – Onward: Build block with mentors and coaches on hand as you start building your POC
Wednesday, October 28 | Build, Test & Iterate
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Mid-week check-in, tech support, and quick feedback loops to keep you on track.
2:00 PM – Onward: Build block to refine your POC. Mentors and coaches on hand to support you.
Thursday, October 29: Polish & Demo Prep
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Check-in + demo day walk-through (how to pitch what you built, plus a demo prep checklist)
2:00 PM – Onward: Final build work block + demo prep. Mentors and coaches on hand to support you.
Friday, October 30: Live Demos & Next Steps
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Showcase what you built, celebrate the wins, get expert feedback and plan your next move.
Questions?
We've got answers! Click "Contact the Host" under the "Hosted by:" section and we'll get back to you within 1-2 business days.
About Us
The Conestoga Entrepreneurship Collective equips Conestoga College students and alumni with the programs, resources and tools to pursue their entrepreneurship potential. Our flagship programs include: