Innovation and entrepreneurship skills development

The StartupReady program

An entrepreneurial mindset is fueled by curiosity, geared towards problem-solving, and driven by a desire to bring about change in the world. FUSION Concordia is collaborating with District 3 Innovation Center (D3), FutureBound, and GradProSkills to launch StartupReady, a program designed to support undergraduate and graduate students in developing an entrepreneurial mindset and its accompanying skill sets.

The StartupReady program consists of three parts, each one building upon the previous and opening a subsequent opportunity for students to continue down the StartupReady pathway.

Step 1: Interactive Workshops – A series of six FutureBound/GradProSkills workshops in the areas of project management, design thinking, customer discovery, entrepreneurship, pitching and prototyping.

Step 2: Online Startup Course – A four-week journey through the How to Build a Startup: The Lean LaunchPad online course with weekly facilitated check-ins and support from the District 3 team.

Step 3: Entrepreneurial Challenge – An immersive, six-week experience rooted in teamwork and problem-solving. This final step on the StartupReady pathway will call on students to apply the skills and knowledge gained from the workshops and online course to a real-time challenge.

Upon completion of all three steps of Concordia’s StartupReady program, students will earn a StartupReady certificate that will further qualify them to successfully contribute to Montreal’s vibrant start-up community, and beyond.

FUSION Concordia collaborators

• Alexandra Allen
  Talent Coordinator, District 3 Innovation Centre
• Kristy Clarke
  Manager, Graduate Professional Development
  
• Tey Cottingham
  Advisor, FutureBound
• Jane Sommerville
  Director of Programs, District 3 Innovation Centre
• Andrea Taylor
  Program Coordinator, FutureBound