Innovation U FAQs

  • General Questions

    We are offering our Innovation U: An Entrepreneurship Series both online and in-person at our Stanley A. Milner Library. Browse our courses and select "Register for event." Continue on to provide your first name, last name and email to complete your registration.

    Series 4 will be an online class from Apr. 8, 2024 to Apr. 29, 2024. 

    The courses within Innovation U are designed to be taken sequentially, with topics building upon one another. While it is recommended to register for all four courses in sequence, you can also take the courses on a stand-alone basis.

    Innovator in Residence will be available during select drop-in office hours to provide mentorship, answer any questions, and guide you along your innovation journey.

    If you want to learn more about entrepreneurship, have a question about your idea or course topic, or are seeking advice, we encourage you to stop by and meet our Innovator in Residence!

    There are four courses within Innovation U: An Entrepreneurship Series. Within Innovation U, you will learn the following:

    1. Idea Generation 
      • The best ideas come from problems we encounter in our day-to-day lives. This is an introduction to ideation—the start of solving any problem. Participants will learn tools and a proven framework to strengthen problem-solving skills and identify ideas to move forward with.
    2. Creating a One Page Business Plan
      • The Lean Canvas has been a favourite tool for entrepreneurs around the world for good reason. Designed to capture the important elements of your idea on one page, the Lean Canvas will help you test and validate your assumptions. This process will ultimately help you create solutions customers are looking for. 
    3. Design Thinking
      • In this introduction to design thinking participants will learn a problem-solving approach that puts customers’ needs above all else. Participants will develop a toolkit that can be applied to their ideas, products, or solutions. 
    4. Perfecting THE Pitch 
      • An elevator pitch is a brief, persuasive speech that entrepreneurs and innovators use to spark interest in their idea or business. In this final session, participants will learn the building blocks to create a memorable and effective pitch.