LaunchPad Lab Fall 2023

Launching Student Entrepreneurs: Navigating the LaunchPad Experience 

All About LaunchPad Lab

LaunchPad Lab is an enriching 8-week program to equip student entrepreneurs with the skills and resources to build a business. Students come in with business ideas, and LaunchPad Lab is there to help accelerate their business ideas forward. 

Over the course of the program, students embark on a challenging 8-week learning expedition, honing their skills in problem-solving, constructing basic prototypes and learning foundational entrepreneurial frameworks. The heart of LaunchPad Lab is centred on its strong emphasis on customer discovery, a critical process that includes validating business problems through insightful customer conversations.

Acknowledgements

On behalf of The Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our wonderful donors who have made our LaunchPad Lab possible. With their support and belief in student development and entrepreneurship, we, as an institute, can foster and develop so many different talents. Furthermore, we can provide various opportunities and more experiences for our students. Thank you to the RBC Foundation and the Cathy and Bruce Williams Fund for Innovation and Entrepreneurship for your generosity!

LaunchPad Lab Student Focus Approach

Through the LaunchPad Lab methodical approach, students receive structured guidance, mentorship and real-world insights, making them better prepared to tackle the world of entrepreneurship and what it means to be a founder. 

Many LaunchPad Lab graduates have the opportunity to pitch their businesses at the JMH LaunchPad Competitions in the spring. The JMH LaunchPad Competitions provide a platform for students to showcase their businesses and offer valuable feedback and networking opportunities, further enriching the students’ entrepreneurial journey. 

This year, we have students who are focusing on ideas ranging from construction compliance systems to drone technology.

Student Testimonies 

LaunchPad Lab has seen some incredibly talented students throughout the years. These students came from all walks of life. Some are just starting their journey at Mount Royal University, and some are at the end of their degree, bidding farewell to student life and entering the alumni community. The LaunchPad Lab aims to propel these students into a successful career in whatever space they choose to thrive in. 

“I decided to join LaunchPad Lab due to the incredible opportunities I was provided, for my professional and personal development. I knew I would have the opportunity to develop and refine my own ideas. However, I also received incredible opportunities in terms of my professional career and networking. One of the most important things I learned is that it is okay to fail, and essentially, failure is a prerequisite to success. No one expects you to get anything right the first time or stick with something that doesn't work, which applies to all of life. Pivoting is inevitable. I think the thing I cherish most is the community and connections I've built. Even though I completed LaunchPad Lab a year ago, I am still highly integrated into the community. I now have a role with the Institute, which has been life-changing!”

Aliya Abdallah, LaunchPad Lab Student, 2023 JMH Competition Winner and CEO of Clean Energy Nutrition  (cleanenergynutrition.ca).

“I graduated from Mount Royal University's Supply Chain Management program in May 2023 and participated in the Fall 2022 LaunchPad Lab during the final semester of my degree. My journey at LaunchPad Lab brought me into a network of like-minded peers, faculty, and alumni, offering structured support and invaluable feedback for our business idea, "LookMa!" This experience allowed me to successfully juggle advancing our venture with my academic responsibilities, ultimately leading us to have the confidence to compete in the 2023 JMH LaunchPad Pitch Competition. A standout lesson was mastering the art of pitching to diverse audiences, which we refined through the program's 3-2-1 presentations, ensuring our elevator pitch for "LookMa!" was compelling.”

Carman Lim, LaunchPad Lab Student, 2023 JMH Competition Winner and Co-Founder of Look Ma! (LookMa!). 

Join Us!

In the heart of every student is a dream, a vision waiting to be realized. The LaunchPad Lab offers knowledge and a community of like-minded individuals who believe in your abilities. Unlock your dreams and make them into reality with LaunchPad Lab. Your journey begins here; let’s make it extraordinary.

Apply here!