What’s happening at the Hunter Hub this fall?

Every season brings fresh opportunities, and this fall is no exception. The Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking is gearing up with a lineup of returning programs designed to help changemakers create real impact.

As UCalgary’s entrepreneurial hub, the Hunter Hub meets students, faculty, researchers, and alumni where they are. Whether individuals are just starting out or scaling bold ideas, the Hub provides a dynamic community and the support needed to move entrepreneurial journeys forward.

Keep reading to learn more about what’s happening at the Hunter Hub this fall.

Launchpad

UCalgary’s flagship entrepreneurship program is back for 2025. 

Launchpad is a six-month co-curricular experience designed for the UCalgary undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, staff, faculty, and alumni who want to build a tech venture or gain entrepreneurial skills by joining a team. 

Over the course of this program, participants work on real startup projects through weekly expert-led sessions, hands-on workshops, and personalized coaching. Whether you’re launching your own idea or looking to collaborate with others, Launchpad provides the structure, mentorship, and support to help you develop your venture and your career.

At the end of the program, top teams will be selected to pitch their ventures at Launchpad Liftoff, a high-energy public event where participants present to a panel of entrepreneurs, investors, and innovation experts. Finalists will compete for funding and prizes to help take their startup to the next level.

Applications for Launchpad are open until Sept. 28. 

Business Playbook

Business Playbook is an eight-week co-curricular program for UCalgary undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, staff, faculty, and alumni who want to launch a traditional business.

Through hands-on workshops, expert mentorship, and weekly deliverables, participants learn the practical skills needed to build and launch a business. By the end of the program, participants will have the confidence to launch their business or apply for funding with a fully developed, agile business plan.

The program is open to UCalgary undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, staff, and alumni. Designed as a counterpart to Launchpad, Business Playbook is for those who have a traditional business idea such as a brick-and-mortar shop, service-based company, or consultancy. 

Applications for Business Playbook are open until Sept. 21. 

Experience Ventures Solutions Lab

The Experience Ventures Solutions Lab, powered by the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, is a unique future skills-building program for UCalgary students to learn about and champion social innovation. The lab teaches students to leverage entrepreneurial thinking as they tackle complex issues and design creative solutions with local impact.

This year, Solutions Lab participants will dive deep, developing ideas and tools for the Buy Canadian movement. The aim is to create solutions that reduce our national reliance on foreign goods and services while supporting the Canadian economy. 

Over the course of nine weeks, participants will be placed in teams as they work with UCalgary collaborators and community members to develop a solution to this year’s challenge. Participants will attend five weekly workshops designed to build the skills they need to tackle the challenge question effectively. Towards the end of the program, each team will submit a five-minute video pitch for a panel of judges to assess. Every participant receives an honorarium upon completion of the program. 

Applications for Experience Ventures Solutions Lab are open until Sept. 21. 

Upcoming Events

Launchpad Information Session

Sept 18, 2025 | 5:30-7 p.m.

Curious if the Launchpad program is the right fit for you? Join us for this information session to learn everything you need to know before applying.

Sign up here.

Launchpad Team Formation Sessions

Sept 24 and 25, 2025 | 5-7 p.m.

Don’t have a tech venture idea or looking to join a team for Launchpad? Connect with peers, share your skills, or pitch an idea at our Team Formation sessions on Sep. 24 and 25.

Sign up here: Sept 24 | Sign up here: Sept 25

Hunter Hub Skills Clinics

Oct. 7, 14, 28 and Nov. 4, 6, 18

Join us for exclusive one-hour sessions hosted by industry experts to fuel your entrepreneurial journey at any stage.

Sign up here.

GCEC

The Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking will host the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC) Conference from Oct. 2–4, 2025, making Calgary the first Canadian city to host the conference in nearly a decade. 

The conference is the world’s largest annual gathering of entrepreneurship educators and leaders, drawing over 500 attendees from around the globe.

If you would like to volunteer for GCEC, you can sign up here.