Featured on ConceptJuly 3, 2022
Nine industrious teams are headed to the $5K finals
20 hopeful student teams pitched during two nights of competition at Velocity’s Concept $5K Semi-Finals and nine have advanced to…
Concept Blog
Stay up to date on exciting entrepreneurship opportunities, successful student innovations, funding recipients, and all things Concept.
Featured on ConceptJune 20, 2022
Meet the 20 Teams that Pitched in the Concept $5K Semi-Finals
The Concept $5K pitch competition offers the opportunity for University of Waterloo student led teams with innovative solutions and high potential business ideas to showcase their…
Featured on ConceptJune 20, 2022
Using predictive models to support Niagara wine growers
Three graduating engineering students turn their Problem Pitch idea into budding startup
Featured on ConceptMay 13, 2022
Meet Concept’s aspiring team: Cauchy Analytics
Winner of Concept’s $5K grant competition introduces a hands-free and non-invasive device to help doctors get real-time imaging of the…
Featured on ConceptMay 2, 2022
Students Show Passion for Problems at Welcome Week Event
Thank you to everyone who joined us at BMH Green (between SLC & MC) on Monday, May 2 for our Welcome Back Spring 2022 event! We're back from 11 am - 2 pm on May 4 (due to 100% chance of rain May 3, we have moved to the following day).
Featured on ConceptApril 26, 2022
Waterloo Experience (WE) Accelerate Students Aspire to Solve Climate Issues
Throughout the Winter 2022 term, 27 students from the University of Waterloo participated in the Waterloo Experience (WE) Accelerate Innovation…
Featured on ConceptApril 7, 2022
An inside look at the Zero Work program
by Rachel, First-Year AFM Student How Zero Work set me on the path for future success Looking to prepare for…
Featured on ConceptApril 4, 2022
Congratulations Winter 2022 Quantum Valley Investments® Problem Pitch Winners
This semester The Problem Lab saw a group of six amazing finalists deliver their deep understanding of important commercial problems affecting a…
Featured on ConceptApril 4, 2022
Winter 2022: Concept $5k Pitch Winners
The sun is starting to come out and Concept students are shining brighter than ever. This term, 22 teams pitched…
Featured on ConceptMarch 31, 2022
Co-op Problem Award Recipients
Every semester, the Co-op Problem Awards are presented to co-op students who conduct exceptional analysis of a problem affecting their…
Featured on ConceptMarch 21, 2022
Who Will Win? Meet the Winter 2022 Concept $5k Finalists!
As you may already know, each term Concept rounds up some of the most innovative students at the University of…
Featured on ConceptMarch 2, 2022
Women In Innovation
Concept is proud to be represented by many amazing women in innovation. We are committed to providing support and opportunity…
Featured on ConceptFebruary 17, 2022
Cohort Ready for LiftOff
Concept and its partners extend a welcome to the first cohort of Black entrepreneurs accepted to LiftOff Waterloo Wellington. Liftoff…
Featured on ConceptFebruary 1, 2022
Concept and its innovation partner Problem Lab are ready to award $47,750 to student innovators
It’s an exciting time for University of Waterloo student innovators and a new term means new opportunities to compete to…
Featured on ConceptNovember 29, 2021
Fall 2021: Concept $5k Pitch Winners
As the days get shorter and colder, we all start to anticipate time off at the end of the year to unwind, relax, and spend…
Featured on ConceptNovember 15, 2021
Falling into the Concept $5k Finals
Each term at Concept, the most eager students get their pitches ready and apply to the Concept $5k Pitch Competition. This term 20 teams were selected to pitch over the span of two evenings.
Featured on ConceptOctober 22, 2021
Pitch Perfect: A Mini Guide to Pitching
Have you ever dreamt of the secret formula for giving the perfect pitch? What if we told you we have a guide to pitching that will teach you just that? We’re…
Featured on AdviceOctober 13, 2021
How Passion Turned Into $5k
Being passionate about your problem space and solution is an overlooked aspect of creating a successful venture. Passion is a key motivational factor for Miraal Kabir and…
Featured on ConceptSeptember 15, 2021
Innovation at the University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is home to many innovative minds and has fostered more than a handful of successful businesses like Embark and Nicoya. Therefore, it is essential that the proper systems are created to support these students and push them forward in all and any of their endeavours.
Featured on ConceptAugust 3, 2021
Springing into the Concept $5k Winners
Not only does the end of the term mean it's time to unwind, but it also means that we spring into the Concept $5k Pitch Competition.
Featured on ConceptJuly 27, 2021
The Many Decisions that led to DecisionHub
Making decisions is never easy, and having to make a group decision that impacts an organization further complicates the matter. University of…
Featured on ConceptJuly 16, 2021
The Competition Heats Up With The Concept $5K Finalists
As the province of Ontario opens up and life slowly begins to return to some sort of normalcy, UWaterloo students…
Featured on ConceptJune 11, 2021
Turning a Corner in Cornerstone: How ShopMe found their niche
To find success in the startup world, you need a killer product that people want, but you also need to…
Featured on ConceptJune 7, 2021
Kevin Li, Entrepreneurship Coach and Researcher
A LITTLE BACKGROUND Kevin Li is a highly valued member of the entrepreneurship world at the University of Waterloo. Not only is he a Concept Coach, but also…
Featured on Coach ProfileMay 21, 2021
Meet Nicole Troster, Entrepreneurship Coach
With 11 years of experience working with entrepreneurs and organizations that support them, it comes as no surprise to have Nicole Troster on our team of Concept Entrepreneurship Coaches.
Featured on ConceptMay 12, 2021
Student Innovator Spotlight: Iris Guo
Iris Guo is a 4th year Accounting and Financial Management student by day, and founder of OpenMeal and Neutrify by night.
Featured on ConceptMay 7, 2021
Advice from Keyma Prince: Entrepreneurship Coach
Keyma Prince is an entrepreneurship coach who offers some great advice about balancing a startup while being a student.
Featured on ConceptApril 22, 2021
Under New Direction: Welcoming John Dick as Interim Director
Experienced entrepreneur John Dick steps into the role as Interim Director of Concept.
Featured on ConceptApril 5, 2021
Fighting Climate Change with Innovation
Meet The Climate Change Fund Winners: University of Waterloo student teams helping to help fight global climate change with their innovative solutions.
Featured on ConceptMarch 26, 2021
Goodbye Winter, Hello Concept $5K Winners!
Meet the winners of the Winter 2021 Concept $5K pitch competition and their awesome innovations!
Featured on ConceptMarch 15, 2021
March to the Concept $5K Finals: Meet the Finalists
Meet the Winter 2021 Concept $5K Finalists! These student teams will pitch their startup ideas at the $5K Finals and compete for early stage grant funding
Featured on ConceptFebruary 25, 2021
The Climate Innovation Discovery Stream Winners
Meet the UWaterloo students tackling climate change related problems that were crowned as winners of the Climate Innovation Discovery Stream!
Featured on ConceptDecember 11, 2020
Cutting Edge Research from Concept Grad Fund Winners
Introducing the Concept Grad Fund Winners and the cutting edge research they are working on at the University of Waterloo.
Featured on ConceptDecember 3, 2020
Meet Your Fall 2020 Concept $5K Winners
Introducing the University of Waterloo student led teams crowned as the Fall 2020 Concept $5K Winners and Climate Change Grant Winner!
Featured on ConceptNovember 27, 2020
Hacking Hockey
University of Waterloo students spend a week hacking hockey with high profile partners and use 5G to help shape the future of sports tech innovation.
Featured on ConceptNovember 17, 2020
Congratulations to the Fall 2020 Concept $5K Finalists!
Announcing the Fall 2020 Concept $5K Finalists: 10 student led teams competing for up to $10,000 in early stage funding for their startup ideas.
Featured on ConceptSeptember 28, 2020
The Climate Change Grant: Funding a Brighter Future
Concept and IC3 are partnering to off the Climate Change Grant for UWaterloo students working on innovative solutions to climate change issues.
Featured on ConceptSeptember 15, 2020
Celebrating a Year of Student Success
Celebrating the first year of Concept and all the amazing student success throughout! Through a wild 2020, UWaterloo students continue to shine and inspire.
Featured on ConceptAugust 5, 2020
Pandemic Challenge Fund Winners
Back in May, when the call went out to participate in The Pandemic Challenge, University of Waterloo students were quick…
Featured on ConceptAugust 4, 2020
Concept $5K Winners Spring Their Ideas Forward
Announcing the Concept $5K Winners for the Spring 2020 term! These University of Waterloo teams will receive $5K grants to turn their concept into a reality.
Featured on FundingJuly 30, 2020
Meet the Pandemic Challenge Fund Finalists
Introducing the University of Waterloo teams competing in the Pandemic Challenge Fund. A collaborative competition from the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Featured on ConceptJuly 21, 2020
A Farewell to Friends & Founders
Concept Director, Camelia Nunez says goodbye to the people and organization while recapping successes and the time she spent with Concept & Velocity.
Featured on ConceptJuly 20, 2020
Introducing the Spring 2020 Concept $5K Finalists
Last week we held another round of the Concept $5K Semi-Finals, however this semester was quite different. Although Ontario is…
Featured on ConceptJune 22, 2020
Concept $5K Applications: Tips Before You Submit
Create the best Concept $5K applications by following these tips and tricks. Once you're in, work on making the perfect pitch as you take the virtual stage!
Featured on ConceptMay 11, 2020
Springing into a Virtual Term
Whether you’re on coop or on an academic term, Spring 2020 will definitely be unique. You’re probably wondering what’s in…
Featured on ConceptApril 10, 2020
Graduate Student Startup Fund Winners
While Concept may be best known for the $5K Pitch Competition, we provide so much more for entrepreneurial UWaterloo students.…
Featured on ConceptApril 3, 2020
The First Ever Virtual Concept $5K Winners
Four incredible student led teams are crowned Concept $5K Winners after last minute changes to the pitch competition format.
Featured on ConceptMarch 30, 2020
A New Virtual Concept
Closing the book on this unique semester by switching to virtual content and new ways to engage with the Concept $5K Finals.
Featured on AdviceMarch 16, 2020
Highlights from a Discussion with Entrepreneurial Women
Our Highlighting Entrepreneurial Women event brought together a group of entrepreneurial women to share their stories and discuss the their experiences.
Featured on ConceptMarch 9, 2020
Introducing the Competitors for the Concept $5K Finals
Introducing the Winter 2020 finalists for the Concept $5K Finals; a pitch competition awarding $20K in grant funding to University of Waterloo Students.
Featured on GeneralFebruary 12, 2020
New leadership at Velocity
Adrien Côté steps into the new role of Executive Director, championing the vision for Velocity, Canada’s most productive startup incubator.
Featured on ConceptFebruary 11, 2020
Catching up with Ribbit, one of the Concept $5K Grant Winners
In Fall 2019, Ribbit won with their idea to create the world’s first autonomous regional cargo airline. Using the $5K grant, they've purchased hardware to retrofit a real airplane.
Featured on AdviceFebruary 5, 2020
What It’s Like to Co-op at a Startup
Three University of Waterloo students share their experiences completing a co-op term at a startup and provide tips on how to get hired.
Featured on AdviceFebruary 3, 2020
Catching up with Concept Coach: Abdallah El-Falou
Concept has a large network of coaches that give University of Waterloo students directions on their entrepreneurial journey. You can…
Featured on AdviceJanuary 27, 2020
Catching up with Concept Coach: Ashley Keefner
A resource we launched in the Fall is a network of coaches that give University of Waterloo students directions on…
Concept — May 12, 2022
Campus Ambassadors
The Velocity Campus Ambassador program was created to engage, support and connect students with entrepreneurship experiences that help foster ambitious…