ENTR 3730 - Special Topics in Entrepreneurship: LaunchPad Accelerator
September - December 2021
Fall 2021 Class Time: TBA
This course provides the opportunity for students to roll up their sleeves and apply the Lean Startup method to their venture inside a non-traditional classroom. Students experience the fast-paced demanding environment of a startup as they present weekly findings from engagements with potential customers, partners and mentors.
Is this for you?
You are serious about starting a new venture, either for-pro�t or social
You know you don’t have all the answers and are seeking critical feedback
You understand that launching a new startup involves talking to dozens of customers
You want to improve your venture, and therefore increase your chances of receiving funding through MRU’s JMH $75,000 LaunchPad Pitch Competition
No matter what stage you are in, connect with us as early as possible. Applying early means you get all the tips on your next steps and how to maximize your time building at startup at Mount Royal University.
Your primary motivation in this course is to accelerate your venture and take advantage of the time, mentorship, and connections that this course will offer. You understand that what you take away from this course is 100% up to you. You have already been exposed to the ambiguity of starting a business, and you are becoming more comfortable with that uncertainty. You know that the right answer isn’t in a textbook or inside the instructor’s head. You will not only have to find your own answers, but will also have to find the questions to ask.
What is expected of me?
Commitment - you demonstrate an obvious commitment to working on your venture.
Ambition - you set objectives and milestones that are ambitious, yet still achievable.
Effort - you put in the effort required to achieve your ambitious objectives and milestones.
Ownership - you take ownership over your progress. You don’t wait to be told what to do or look for external reasons for lack of progress.
Learning - you seek to learn, which at times will feel like failure, but will inevitably lead you closer to success.
Sharing - you share your experiences, good and bad, with the class and respectfully engage others who share.
Instructor:
Ray DePaul
Director, Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship
rdepaul@mtroyal.ca Ray DePaul was appointed as the inaugural Director of the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in February 2012. Before joining, Ray was the President and CEO of RapidMind Inc., a spin-off company from the University of Waterloo. Ray steered RapidMind through $11M of venture funding, significant market growth, and turned the company into an industry leader, resulting in the acquisition by Intel Corp. Prior to Rapidmind, Ray spent five years with Research In Motion (now BlackBerry) and was responsible for product management of the iconic BlackBerry. Today, Ray DePaul is a valued member of the Mount Royal and Calgary community as a mentor and advisor to students, founders, startups and faculty. Ray holds a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo and a Masters in Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University, where he was awarded the alumni award for Innovation in 2011. In 2016, Ray was named as one of three finalists for the national BDC Mentorship Award.
