EPIC Discovery Program

Background EPIC Disovery

Overview

The EPIC Discovery Program is aimed to help current students and recent graduates from any faculty that have a business idea and are looking for support on how to build a viable business model.

In this program, members will the opportunity to work closely with an experienced mentor, have exclusive access to online digital tools and resources, and be connected to our EPIC community of entrepreneurs and business owners. Graduated members of the program will have the chance to earn digital badges to showcase your entrepreneurial growth and accomplishments to share on digital platforms.

This program is aimed to support highly motivated individuals who are dedicated to learning about entrepreneurial foundations, how to build a business model framework, and how to test and validate a business idea. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; apply today!

Eligibility

  • You have a for-profit business idea
  • Your business idea solves a compelling problem with an innovative solution
  • You are a highly motivated individual or team who has a passion for entrepreneurship
  • You are a current student or recent graduate (within 7 years; post 2016) from the University of Windsor & St. Clair College

If accepted into the Discovery Program, all applicants should dedicate:

  • 1-2 hours per month to meet with your mentor and/ or discovery coach
  • At minimum 5 hours a week to work on your business

This program may involve in-person activities, subject to COVID-19 health and safety directives from the University and/or the province. These activities will take place at the University of Windsor, EPICentre. All applicants applying to this program must comply with the University of Windsor’s Return to Campus policies. More information can be found at https://www.uwindsor.ca/returntocampus

Benefits

Through this program, participants will receive:

  • Digital badge(s) to add to your LinkedIn and other digital platforms to showcase your entrepreneurial growth
  • One-on-one mentorship and coaching
  • Dynamic tailored resources
  • Up to 1 year to complete the program that is tailored to your needs
  • The chance to work at EPICentre’s coworking space (COVID permitting)
  • Opportunity to be apart of an environment with like-minded people, entrepreneurs and changemakers

Participants in the Discovery Program will learn how to:

  • Construct a compelling value proposition
  • Validate who you will sell your product or service to (your customers)
  • Conduct a competitor analysis and additional market research
  • Pitch your business idea

Badges

Client logo
Client logo

Our badges are a representation of the skills you have learned and the tools that are now apart of your entrepreneur’s toolkit. Throughout the Discovery Program, each time you complete a major task, successfully test a component of your business model, or move past a major hurdle, you will earn another check towards the badge. When you complete all the requirements, you will be issued a digital badge that you can share with others and post on your LinkedIn and other social media sites.

Level 1: Idea Validation Badge

The objective of this badge is to acquire the knowledge and skills to test your idea, understand your idea’s impact on potential customers, and begin to create a functional business model around it.

Skills learned in this badge

– Problem identification, problem/solution fit assessment, customer discovery, value proposition creation, and primary and secondary research techniques.

Level 2: Marketing Validation

The objective of this badge is to acquire the knowledge and skills to develop a business model, grow your understanding of the market, and progress towards a minimum viable product (MVP).

Skills learned in this badge

– Advanced market research, detailed competitive analysis, foundations of product-market fit, and MVP fundamentals.

Application

This program is currently being revised. Please check back soon or contact us at epicentre@uwindsor.ca for any questions about our programs.

Logo EPIC Discovery
QUESTIONS

Contact sydney.thompson@uwindsor.ca with any questions.

past

Participants
Discovery Participant 3 Taylor
Taylor Lanoie, B. Comm (2016)
Taylor credited the success of running her own social media management company to the guided mentorship she has received from EPICentre. The program has also boosted her confidence that enabled her to navigate the business world.
Taylor Lanoie, B. Comm (2016)
Taylor credited the success of running her own social media management company to the guided mentorship she has received from EPICentre. The program has also boosted her confidence that enabled her to navigate the business world.
Taylor Lanoie, B. Comm (2016)
Taylor credited the success of running her own social media management company to the guided mentorship she has received from EPICentre. The program has also boosted her confidence that enabled her to navigate the business world.
Discovery Participant 2 Jaydee
Jaydee Tarpeh, B. Sc. In Biology and Economics (2016)
As a former international student, Jaydee was determined to help international students better transitioning into a new education system and culture in Canada. The EPIC Discovery Program helped him test his idea of whether an online platform will be the best way of delivering the service.
Jaydee Tarpeh, B. Sc. In Biology and Economics (2016)
As a former international student, Jaydee was determined to help international students better transitioning into a new education system and culture in Canada. The EPIC Discovery Program helped him test his idea of whether an online platform will be the best way of delivering the service.
Jaydee Tarpeh, B. Sc. In Biology and Economics (2016)
As a former international student, Jaydee was determined to help international students better transitioning into a new education system and culture in Canada. The EPIC Discovery Program helped him test his idea of whether an online platform will be the best way of delivering the service.
Discovery Participants 1
Andrea Swartz and Daniel Dupont, Computer Science
Andrea and Daniel came to EPICentre to learn how to add value to the software they are building. They were also keen to learn how to solve customers’ pain points from first principles through technology.
Andrea Swartz and Daniel Dupont, Computer Science
Andrea and Daniel came to EPICentre to learn how to add value to the software they are building. They were also keen to learn how to solve customers’ pain points from first principles through technology.
Andrea Swartz and Daniel Dupont, Computer Science
Andrea and Daniel came to EPICentre to learn how to add value to the software they are building. They were also keen to learn how to solve customers’ pain points from first principles through technology.