What is Up Start?

Up Start is designed for Waterloo students and recent graduates who want to turn their work into commercial ventures. Whether you’re working on a graduate degree or a capstone project, we aim to accelerate your success and help you make an impact on the world.

Turning technology into a product is challenging, which is why Velocity and the Waterloo Commercialization Office (WatCo) are combining expertise in startups and technology transfer to accelerate your ambitions.

If you’re building something that can help people, businesses, or society thrive, we want to hear from you.

Up Start is a Velocity/WatCo funding program created to support Waterloo student researchers, founders, and recent alumni in technology commercialization and in leading emerging startups.

Up Start guides innovators through the process of turning ideas into ventures that will disrupt the marketplace and create positive societal impact.

If you’re interested in applying your work beyond the university, this program is for you.

Note: The Up Start program does not take equity in any ventures and does not require applicants to adhere to WatCo tech transfer agreements to participate.

Bring your ideas to the real world and build a business that makes an impact

Accepted teams will work closely with Velocity and WatCo advisors to conduct market research, develop business plans, and receive funding support.

Up Start works in alignment with the Velocity Cornerstone program, forming a community of student founders eager to start their careers in entrepreneurship. Successful applicants will build their business plans through customer discovery and validation, supported by fellow student teams, Velocity coaches, founders, and WatCo business advisors. The goal is to gain enough traction to attract further investment before graduation by learning firsthand what it takes to be a startup founder.

Overview

Via the Up Start initiative, Velocity and WatCo will provide guidance with early-stage commercialization steps and market discovery. The program will include: ‍

‍Automatic acceptance and participation in Velocity’s Cornerstone program

Cornerstone is the culmination of the student entrepreneurial journey. Test your business ideas by engaging directly with customers, validating your business plan, and gaining firsthand knowledge of your target market while joining a network of founders to share resources.

Advisory Meetings  

After building a foundation through Cornerstone, you will meet with advisors from Velocity and WatCo for ongoing mentorship and support to advance your business.

Funding

Successful applicants may receive up to $15,000, contingent on completing Cornerstone and achieving subsequent milestones.

Eligibility and requirements

We are looking for research projects that have commercial potential and researchers with an interest in bringing those ideas to market, as well as students or alumni actively working on businesses with high commercial potential.  

This includes graduate researchers, capstone teams with the intention to commercialize their work, or active student/alumni founders pursuing a business.  

To qualify you must meet the criteria below: 

• Be a current student (undergraduate, graduate, or post-doc) or alum who graduated less than a year ago from the University of Waterloo 
• Obtain an acknowledgement of support from your supervising professor (if applicable)
• Are prepared to commit 25 hours of time over a single term to in-person/online working sessions plus independent work necessary to develop ideas to meet business milestones

If you have any questions about the program, eligibility, or wish to discuss any details, please contact  John Dick

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Applications for Winter 2025 are now closed. Thank you for your interest!