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Other Funding Opportunities.

Beyond the Velocity $5K Grant, there are a wide variety of funding opportunities available to University of Waterloo Students with entrepreneurial aspirations. These range from scholarships and grants to investment opportunities. At Concept we want you to receive the best support for your entrepreneurial journey, we hope this helps point you in the right direction to success!

Dr. Stanley F. Leavine Scholarship

A scholarship, valued at $2,500, is provided annually to an outstanding third- or fourth-year undergraduate student enrolled in any program who has a demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in medicine or medical research, as evidenced by work or volunteer experiences and/or involvement in entrepreneurial activities related to medical innovation.

Hult Prize

A year-long competition that crowd-sources ideas from MBA and college students after challenging them to solve a pressing social issue around topics such as food security, water access, energy, and education.

Knowledge Integration Experience Awards

One or two awards, valued at up to $1,000 each, will be provided annually to full-time undergraduate students enrolled in Year Two, Three, or Four of the Bachelor of Knowledge Integration (KI) program to help support an activity which will enhance their learning experience such as an international exchange, an entrepreneurial venture, or other worthy project.

Quantum Valley Investments® Problem Pitch Competition

The competition invites teams of up to four students to choose an important industry problem and thoroughly research its history, scope, and impact. Students pitch their findings to a panel of judges to compete for a share of up to $30,000 in grant funding.

GreenHouse Social Impact Fund

This fund was established by GreenHouse, the social impact incubator located at St. Paul’s University College.  The fund is used to support University of Waterloo students that are enrolled in a GreenHouse program in advancing their ideas into action.  Funds are awarded and celebrated 3 times a year at the GreenHouse Social Impact Showcase

The E-Launch Awards

The E-Launch Awards are awarded to the winners of a pitch competition among students in the E Co-op program. Up to five scholarships of $5,000 are awarded each term.

The Norman Esch Enterprise Co-op Awards

The Norman Esch Enterprise Co-op Awards are awarded to engineering students in the Enterprise Co-op (E Co-op) program. Up to five scholarships of $5,000 are awarded each term.

World’s Challenge Challenge

The World’s Challenge Challenge (WCC) at the University of Waterloo is a competition where teams of two to four students pick one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (also known as Global Goals) and propose a solution.

Map The System

Map the System is an annual global competition run by Oxford University that requires students to use systems thinking to understand complex social and environmental challenges. Finalists at the Canadian leg of the competition are eligible for up to $10,000 in “apprenticing with the problem” funding.

Ali Arts Entrepreneurship Award

An award, valued at $2,500, is provided annually to a full-time undergraduate student enrolled in Year Two, Three, or Four in the Faculty of Arts who is pursuing an entrepreneurial endeavour. Selection will be made on the basis of academic achievement (minimum 75%) and a letter (1-2 pages maximum) describing the student’s passion for entrepreneurship.

Engineer of the Future Fund

Funding requests may include, but are not limited to Capstone Design projects; direct expenses related to product development, including materials and supplies, prototype development, IP and patent registration and overhead costs.

Joe C. Lee Math Entrepreneurial Scholarship

A scholarship, valued at up to $1,200, is awarded annually to a full-time undergraduate student enrolled in Year Two or Three in any program in the Faculty of Mathematics (excluding Computing & Financial Management and Software Engineering). Selection will be based on scholastic excellence (minimum 80% average), a demonstrated passion for entrepreneurship, involvement in the community, and related extracurricular activities, e.g., completion of side business projects, participation in competitions, etc.

Peace Incubator Fund

Through the Peace Incubator Fund, new social impact startups supported by the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement are able to access seed funding once per semester to accelerate their learning and stimulate the development of their venture.

Randy Bauslaugh Arts Entrepreneurship Award

An award, valued at $2,000, is provided annually to a full-time undergraduate student enrolled in Year Two, Three, or Four in the Faculty of Arts who is pursuing an entrepreneurial endeavour.

Stu Clark Investment Competition

The Stu Clark Investment Competition represents a prestigious, international academic competition designed to mimic the real world process of starting a new venture while rewarding innovative thinking and entrepreneurial spirit.

Velocity $5K

The Velocity $5K pitch competition offers the opportunity for University of Waterloo student-led teams with innovative solutions and high potential business ideas to showcase their hard work and compete for grant funding. Participants receive valuable feedback, pitching experience, and idea validation from a network of experienced entrepreneurs and Velocity Coaches.  

Co-op Problem Award

Each semester, a $1,500 and $750 Co-op Problem Award scholarship is awarded to undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in co-op programs who provide the best analysis of a strategically important commercial problem relevant to a co-op employer or the employer’s industry.

Jack Rosen Memorial Award for Environmental Innovation

Funding is available annually to undergraduate or graduate students registered full-time in the Faculty of Environment who have presented an outstanding proposal in the Jack Rosen Memorial Award for Environmental Innovation competition.

Up Start
Up Start is for Waterloo students and recent graduates who want to transform their work into real world commercial ventures. Whether you are working on a graduate degree or capstone project, we want to accelerate your success and help you make an impact on the world. 

Engineering Capstone Specific Funding Opportunities

Adel Sedra Entrepreneurship Award for Capstone Design

Capstone Design teams selected as finalists of the Norman Esch Entrepreneurship Awards for Capstone Design will be entered in the Adel Sedra People’s Choice Entrepreneurship Award competition.
Selection is based on public choice: students, faculty, and visitors in attendance at the Norman Esch Entrepreneurship Awards pitch event, culminating each year’s Capstone Design Symposia, will have the opportunity to vote.

Magna New Mobility Award

Two awards, valued at $2,000 each, will be provided to an outstanding student group in any program in the Faculty of Engineering completing a Fourth-Year Capstone Design Project with a focus on projects that demonstrate a potential for significant innovation in the area of electric vehicles, connected vehicles, autonomous vehicles, automatic transmissions, or new mobility infrastructure. Electric vehicles and connected vehicles are considered priority areas.

Baylis Medical Capstone Design Award

Six awards, valued at $2,000 each, will be provided to student groups undertaking a Fourth-Year Capstone Design Project in any program in the Faculty of Engineering. Selection to be based on project proposals that, in the opinion of the judges, demonstrate a healthcare/biomedical focus. The award funds will be divided equally among the winning team members.

Bhattacharyya Capstone Design Award

An award, valued at $3,000, is provided annually to an outstanding student group in Chemical Engineering completing a Fourth-Year Capstone Design Project. The award will go to the project that, in the opinion of the judges, demonstrates an innovative and practical design solution to a problem having large potential long-term benefit to society.

Dematic Capstone Design Award

Three awards will be provided annually to student groups undertaking a fourth-year Capstone Design project in any program in the Faculty of Engineering. Selection is based on projects that, in the opinion of the judges, demonstrate innovation in the area of analytics, big data, machine learning, and optimization.

Design Analysis Competition

Three awards will be provided annually to student groups undertaking a fourth-year Capstone Design project in any program in the Faculty of Engineering. The Design Analysis Competition, sponsored by ANSYS AIM, is to encourage the effective application of appropriate engineering analyses in the execution of a design project.

MTE Consultants Inc. Design Pitch Award for Capstone Design

Six awards will be provided twice a year to student groups undertaking a fourth-year Capstone Design project in Waterloo Engineering’s fourth year Environmental, Geological, or Civil Engineering Capstone Design course. The top six design teams will be identified and progress to the finals where they will complete 10 minute presentations that pitch their design team as the best choice for Phase II of their project.

Norman Esch Award for Capstone Design

The Norman Esch Entrepreneurship Award provides a minimum of six awards, ranging in value from $5,000-$10,000 each, for student teams enrolled in the Faculty of Engineering’s Fourth-Year Capstone Design Project. The awards are open to student teams from all departments within the Faculty of Engineering.

Palihapitiya Venture Creation Fund

The Palihapitiya Venture Creation Fund provides two $50,000 awards to University-selected Capstone Design teams with the intention to transform their Capstone Design project into a promising startup post-graduation.