Conestoga events

Groundwork: 10-day startup challenge

June 1-10, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. | Waterloo campus

Conestoga's Venture Lab for Tech business incubator program invites all Conestoga students and alumni to join us for Groundwork, a ten-day startup challenge.

Most ideas stay ideas because they feel too big to start. Or worse, they become businesses built on assumptions that don’t actually solve real customer problems.

Groundwork is Venture Lab for Tech’s starting point for recent grads, alumni and students who want to explore an initial tech business idea. In this ten-day sprint, you will move from assumptions to a data-backed, low-fidelity Proof of Concept (POC) that solves real pain points.

Throughout the 10 days, you will have:

  • Workshops, coaching and mentorship with experienced coaches and founders
  • Groundwork roadmap tasks: hands-on work to move your idea forward
  • Access to co-working space at Waterloo campus
  • Confidence backed by data

By the end of the 10 days, you will have:

  • A specific, evidence-based problem statement
  • A working proof of concept to show potential customers
  • The confidence and evidence required to take your next steps in the startup world

Designed to give you the confidence and evidence you need to take your next steps in the startup world, Groundwork prepares you for the deep-dive incubation offered in our three-phase Venture Lab for Tech early-stage business incubator program. 

To register:

Register to participate in this workshop through the sign-up form.

Location:

Waterloo campus, 108 University Ave. East, Waterloo

For more information:

Email Tracy Jolliffe for more information.