September to April: Alberta’s Colleges and Universities run on-campus activities to expose students to Entrepreneurship as a viable career option. Those interested in becoming an entrepreneur can register their business idea and start working on the 10 steps to turn their idea into a business. At the end of April, each school selects who it thinks is their most promising first-time entrepreneur.
May & June: Those chosen by their post-secondary institution as the most promising first-time entrepreneur can participate in a summer skills development program. The skills development program starts with a Lean Startup Kick-off where students and aspiring entrepreneurs learn and apply the Lean Startup method and the Business Model Canvas. The summer skills development program then continues with twice-weekly web meetings.
June to August: Each school’s choice has the opportunity to compete for cash. The cash is made available through in a series of Lean Startup Challenges, and a pitch competition with regional pitch-offs and a final provincial pitch-off held during the Innovation Rodeo.
It is the intent of the program that when the following fall semester begins each school’s choice then returns on campus as a 150 Startups Ambassador or part-time Student Entrepreneur-in-Residence to inspire the next batch of 150 first-time entrepreneurs and help those from prior years to continue developing their business.
Activities
On-Campus Presentations
A series of presentations that are broadcasted live from post-secondary schools across the province, so others can watch, are recorded for future use. Recordings from prior presentations are available via the resources page.
Topics include:
- Ten Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs
- Ten Steps to Turn an Idea Into a Business
- Nailing Your Pitch on the First Try
- Will It Fly: How to Know if Your Idea Has Wings
Ask Me Anything (AMA) Sessions
Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessionswhere students can ask questions about 150 Startups, the $10,000 Giveaway, the Lean Startup Challenges, the pitch competition during the Innovation Rodeo or anything related to starting a business. The AMA sessions run Wednesdays from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM and are accessed via the web meeting link http://Join.me/One50Startups
Kick off Weekend
May 4-6″ The most promising first-time entrepreneurs as chosen by Alberta’s Colleges and Universities converge in Calgary for a weekend long event where they validate their business idea with the assistance of a team of other aspiring entrepreneurs from across the province.
Lean Startup Challenges
Lean Startups Challenges allow the first-time entrepreneurs chosen from each College or University have the opportunity to earn cash rewards by completing three different challenges that help first-time entrepreneurs turn their ideas into revenue generating businesses within six months of the kick-off weekend.
Pitch Competition
During the pitch competition, the judges are not looking for the best idea or the best pitch.
They are looking to identify the person who is the most promising first-time entrepreneur and they calculate their score based on this scoring rubric.
First-time entrepreneurs from College or University in Alberta have an opportunity to win $3,000 in daily cash prizes in the regional pitch competitions held at the Innovation Rodeo which is held Calgary Monday to Friday during the Calgary Stampede.
The winners of each day’s regional pitch competition then compete for $18,000 in cash the provincial pitch competition held at the end of the final day of the Innovation Rodeo.
Schedule
January
- $10,000 giveaway continues until March 31st
- Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions happen from 4:30-5:30 every other Wednesday – Jan 3, 17 & 31 – via Join.me/One50Startups
- Ten Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs presentations were held at The Kings University (Jan.15) & University of Calgary (Jan. 25). The recording of the 25-minute version of this presentation is available here.
February
- $10,000 giveaway continues until March 31st
- Weekly Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions happen from 4:30-5:30 every Wednesday – via Join.me/One50Startups
- Ten Steps to Turn an Idea Into a Business presentations at Keyano College (Feb. 5), Concordia University (Feb. 14)
March
- $10,000 giveaway ends on March 31st
- Weekly Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions happen from 4:30-5:30 every Wednesday – via Join.me/One50Startups
- Ten Steps to Turn an Idea Into a Business presentation at NorQuest College (March 6)
- Nailing Your Pitch on the First Try presentations at the University of Lethbridge (March 13) and Olds College (March 19)
April
- Weekly Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions happen from 4:30-5:30 every Wednesday via Join.me/One50Startups
- Will it Fly presentations – locations TBA.
May
- Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions move to twice a week (4:30 to 5:30 on Tuesdays & Thursdays) via Join.me/One50Startups
- Kick-Off Weekend
June
- Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions happen twice a week (4:30 to 5:30 on Tuesdays & Thursdays) via Join.me/One50Startups
- Inventures Student Track & North American wide Student Pitch Competition at Bow Valley College
July
- Innovation Rodeo (July 9 to 13)
- Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions move back to once a week on Wednesdays via Join.me/One50Startups
August
- Weekly Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions happen from 4:30-5:30 every Wednesday – via Join.me/One50Startups
September
- Weekly Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions happen from 4:30-5:30 every Wednesday – via Join.me/One50Startups
October
- Weekly Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions happen from 4:30-5:30 every Wednesday – via Join.me/One50Startups