What you'll get
In addition to an opportunity to win prizes, you also get these sweet benefits
Show off your skills and improve your portfolio
Incorporate multiple skills in entrepreneurial thinking, research, design, tech, and pitch presentations.
Access our Resume Database
Get ready to update your resume and portfolios! We're giving ProtoChallenge attendees exclusive invitations to update your resumes to the Resume Database for career opportunities to some of the best tech companies around.
Work with different types of people
Get practical experience and work with different types of students.
Team members work concurrently on different tasks (market validation, technical feasibility, prototype design, pitch presentation).
Enjoy food & sweet swag
Who doesn't love free food? We'll provide healthy options and accommodate for all dietary restrictions. Thanks to our sponsors, we'll also be providing some sweet swag for you.
Connect with experts
While teams work, you'll get expert guidance from our mentors to improve your idea. They will help you by posing important questions and providing feedback.
We have mentors from the University of Calgary, Critical Mass, Fresh Angles Inc., and more!
Learn from the best
Learn from industry professionals from Fresh Angles Inc. and Market Grade Inc. in our presentations.
In the Design presentation, you will learn techniques to form a useful idea, verify its relevance and importance to the market, guidelines about making a well-designed and usable prototype.
In the Pitch presentation, you will learn how to make a good pitch presentation and prepare for questions by the judges.
Pitch your idea for the Calgary Tesla Award
Win or lose, you can also compete for $2500 in the Calgary Tesla Award hosted by Skunkworks Cooperative.
All you have to do is come twice to Skunkworks and then pitch your idea. While you're at Skunkworks, you can improve your idea and make it better.
Attendees
Open to all gendered students early in their career
Students
Free
Free for students enrolled in high school and post-secondary institutions, including undergrads, grads, and post-docs.
We will ask to see your student ID at the door.
New Graduates
$5
New grads (graduated less than 12 months) and other students taking continuing educational programs including bootcamps can attend for $5.
We will ask you for payment at the door, so please bring cash!
Prizes
Thanks to Skunkworks and Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation for the prizes
First Prize
$1000
A $1000 cheque awarded to the winning group, support to continue the idea, and more!
Second Prize
$600
A $600 cheque awarded to the second place group, support to continue the idea, and more!
Third Prize
$400
A $400 cheque awarded to the third place group and more!
Most Disruptive Idea
$300
A $300 cheque awarded to the group (may also be eligible for first three places) and support from 656.26nm Technology Inc
Platinum Sponsor
Skunkworks Cooperative & University of Calgary's Faculty of Science
Skunkworks Cooperative is a group of innovators who talk about discovery, invention and innovation at the University of Calgary. The Faculty of Science is the place where curiosity sparks discovery.
Gold Sponsors
Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Hunter Centre strives to teach students to develop the skills to recognize opportunities, embrace challenges and extend Calgary’s entrepreneurial “can-do” spirit while also providing them the foundations critical to starting a business.
Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences
The Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences (PIMS) mandate is to promote research in and applications of the mathematical sciences, to facilitate the training of highly qualified personnel, to enrich public awareness of and education in the mathematical sciences, and to create mathematical partnerships with similar organizations in other countries (with a particular focus on the Pacific Rim).
Silver Sponsors
Clio
Clio helps lawyers build a better practice.
Bronze Sponsors
Lighthouse Labs
656.28nm Technology Inc.
Critical Mass
Community Sponsors
Speakers
Josh Malate
Co-Founder of Fresh Angles Inc.
Josh is a Co-Founder of Fresh Angles Inc., a consulting firm that is focused on helping small and medium sized organizations in Calgary address their most pressing business needs. Josh’s work includes business plan development, financial modelling and market analysis. From 2013-2016, Josh founded, grew and sold a real estate investment company that owned a portfolio of properties, including a 32 room hotel. Prior to his work in real estate, Josh worked as an infrastructure engineer for 4 years managing large capital projects. A lover of music, Josh serves as a Program Coordinator with the Bishop Grandin High School Music Program, Director of Rhapsody Winter Corps and currently plays in the University of Calgary Wind Ensemble. Josh is completing his MBA at the University of Calgary, holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Calgary and is a registered Professional Engineer with APEGA.
Kris Hans
Strategist of Market Grade Ltd.
Kris is an ideas generator capable of turning dreams into reality and truly a social entrepreneur. He continues to undertake diverse roles and responsibilities that bring his skills and experience to serve Calgary’s many communities — a testament to the value that he places on civic participation and social enterprise.
Currently, Kris is Co-Founder and Strategist at Market Grade, an interdisciplinary marketing and design consultancy, and W21C‘s inaugural Entrepreneur in Residence at the O’Brien Institute of Public Health, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. Kris teaches Business Management, Strategic Planning and Economics for Business at the University of Calgary and Business Communications at Mount Royal University. He has also taught Entrepreneurship and Marketing in the past, and continues to work with students and start-up ventures to help grow their businesses and diversify the Alberta economy.
