On July 31, 2015, seven start-ups participating in EPICentre’s EPIC Founders Program pitched their ideas and demonstrated their prototypes at the EPIC Founders Demo Day to the community. The 12 founders making up these start-ups consisted of students and recent graduates from the University of Windsor and St. Clair College, and made up the first cohort of EPICentre’s EPIC Founders Program. This 12-week summer program is designed to provide young entrepreneurs with the necessary skills and tools to turn their ideas into feasible businesses by following the lean startup process.

Over the course of 12 weeks, the founders participated in the experiential education workshop series delivered by MaRS Discovery District. The workshops covered a variety of subjects necessary for the development of successful entrepreneurs such as value proposition, marketing and communications, pitching, and financial practices. EPICentre’s lean startup advisor Paul Foster, mentored the founders throughout the program to make sure they meet their milestones. Furthermore, the founders had the opportunity to meet and connect with many “day mentors” who provided them with valuable advice to help them refine their ideas.

It was the founders’ passion for their projects that made Demo Day such a success. They received excellent feedback from the community who came to support them and to see their demonstrations. Most of the founders will continue working on their ideas and are considering launching their startups soon. Photos of the Demo Day can be found below: