Entrepreneurship: The Challenge

This is a structure-based conversation that will briefly describe the basic company stages.  This is important to know as different stages come with different levels of risks, resources and  needs.  Most importantly, each stage comes with different expectations from investors.

Although each company goes through its own unique growth path, the trajectory typically follows these transitional stages:

1. Concept
2. Seed/ Early-Stage Startup
3. Growth and Expansion
4. Later-Stage Company

The conversation will focus on addressing the challenges that come from transitioning from “Concept” to “Seed/Early-Stage Startup” and then sustaining enough of growth to expand the company.

The first two stages, “Concept” and “Seed/Early-Stage Startup” are the most high-risk.  During these stages, gaining validation is key in order to accrue funding.  How does one go about doing this?

The conversation will illustrate the different types of venture capitalists and how to navigate the challenge of pitching in a highly competitive environment.  The goal is to illuminate certain issues that aspiring entrepreneurs should have in mind as a rough roadmap of what to expect on their entrepreneurial journey.

Attendees should come prepared with any questions they may have about validating a concept, pitching, incorporation, accruing funding and sustaining growth.

Panelists:

Julia Johnston, Zoomer Media Inc.

 
Calling all dreamers, visionaries, designers, developers, hackers and changemakers! 

Think you have an idea that could become the next best thing? Looking for a team to bring it to reality? In need to resources and connections to build your own business? Well, look no further!

The Entrepreneurship Hatchery and Nspire Innovation Network are proud to present Accelerator Weekend: the University of Toronto’s premiere 27-hour business-model competition.

All students are invited to join this challenge that brings together multidisciplinary teams who, with guidance from succesful entrepreneurs and technical mentors, develop a business canvas around an idea and pitch to a panel of judges.

Apply now, and discover the entrepreneur in you!

What is in it for you?

Accelerator Weekend is not just a one-stop, pitch competition weekend where only the winners walk away with $2000: it is an experiential learning platform where you can get a taste for what entrepreneurship looks and feels like, and really discover if it is the right thing for you.

1. Meet and work with new people with diverse skills and from various backgrounds
2. Mentorship in the development of your business model from peer and professionals with experience in entrepreneurship
3. Networking and collaboration with individuals from a variety of professional fields (IP law, marketing, consulting, finance)
4. Access to Nspire’s network of connections and resources, and a direct route into
   the Hatchery – your incubator on campus!
5. Two post-event activites you’re automatically entitled to:
   1. Tour of the TELUS Innovation Centre, where you can explore vairous communication and machine-to-machine technologies
   2. Hands-on field trip to SickKids Hospital, where you have the opportunity to meet with researchers and determine solutions to problems they are facing.

For more information and to apply, visit: http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/accelerator-weekend-tickets-14346353329

NASA, ETRI and the University of Pennsylvania have unlocked their patent portfolio to allow creative minds globally to invent and design new products using their technologies – ranging from new robotics, to materials, electronics and structural components and more.

They’ve placed half a billion dollars’ worth of technology onto Marblar (http://www.marblar.com/) a product development platform to serve as inspiration for you to create new products.

In an added twist, Samsung Innovation will be developing the most promising ideas into their next products and are offering 10% of the royalties for any they take into development.

This is your opportunity to not only create Samsung’s next product, but to use NASA technology while doing it.

Learn more and submit your concept at Marblar.com

You could use these ideas to apply to the Hatchery!

Join us to learn all you ever wanted to know about how to get involved at the Hatchery! Our Executive Director, Joseph Orozco will be present to answer all questions and provide guidance.

Join us for our ongoing Hatchery Idea Market session at Bahen Centre, Room 7180, on Wednesday 4-6PM.

This weeks topic is Money and Start-ups and will be led by David Tomljenovic, MBA, serial entrepreneur and investor.

Yesterday, the Hatchery hosted the first Idea Market session for fall 2013. With an attendance of over 20 students, alumni, and professionals interested in entrepreneurship, a successful inception for the community was achieved. Representatives from Elsie, the women engineering alumni group of University of Toronto as well as from Women in Science & Engineering were present to kick off the Hatchery Female Circle.

The Hatchery’s Idea Market sessions will continue throughout the fall, every Wednesday from 4-6PM.

The Hatchery will be kicking off its Idea Market series next week on October 2, 4-6PM in BA7180.

The Idea Market aims to invite all those interested in the activities and projects undertaken at the Hatchery to help explore their entrepreneurial spirits. The Hatchery team and staff will be there to serve a basic introduction to its inner workings and answer any questions you have about the programs and entrepreneurship in general. Students from a variety of disciplines will also be present to network with their ideas and meet like-minded budding entrepreneurs with similar interests.

Additionally, next week’s Idea Market will also feature our first Hatchery Female Circle, where we will be joined by Women in Science & Engineering (WISE) and Elsie, a group for University of Toronto Women in Engineering Alumni, with opportunities to connect with women entrepreneurs.