Meet the new Ideate program
Ideate is a two-week experience where you take on a shared challenge, develop an idea, represent your faculty, and compete for prizes.
What is Ideate?
Ideate is a two-week Hunter Hub program where you’ll explore a shared challenge, develop and test an idea, and turn it into a 90-second pitch.
You don’t need to see yourself as an entrepreneur or have an idea ready to go to take part. Ideate is a place to explore entrepreneurial thinking, build skills, and experience what the Hunter Hub has to offer. Just bring your perspective and curiosity.
The core learning is self-paced, with optional skill-building sessions and additional mentorship support available when you need it.
Open to UCalgary undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a master's, MD, JD, or DVM degree. It is not open to PhD candidates or postdoctoral fellows
Spots are limited, only 10 teams from each faculty will be accepted for the fall 2026 cohort on a first come, first served basis.
Enrollment closes October 11, 2026, at 11:59 PM MST.
Have questions?
Join us for a virutal information session on Sept 21 at 12:30 PM.
Learn how Ideate works and what to expect during the program. You’ll also have a chance to ask questions before signing up.
Fall 2026 Theme
How would you make life on campus better?
Every Ideate cohort starts with a new shared challenge. This fall, we’re asking you to look at the UCalgary experience and find something you think could be better. What would you change, improve, or rethink?
Bring your perspective, explore the problem, and develop an idea over two weeks.
You don’t need to show up with the answer. That’s what Ideate is for.
How Ideate works
Attend the info session
Learn more about the program and ask questions at our virtual information session.
Choose your team + sign up
Come with a team of 1–4 students from your faculty and we’ll give you a place to start.
Explore the challenge
Start with the cohort’s shared challenge and work to explore the problem and develop an idea.
Test + refine
Use the self-paced learning content, optional skill-building sessions, and mentorship to test and strengthen your idea.
Make your case
Turn your idea into a 90-second video pitch. The top team from each faculty will move onto the live finale.
Live finale
One team from each faculty advances to the Campus-Wide Finale to deliver their pitch live, answer questions from the judges, and compete for a share of $4,000 in prizes.
Fall 2026 key dates
Oct. 13, 2026
Enrolment confirmation sent
Oct. 18, 2026
Participation confirmation deadline
Oct. 19, 2026
Ideate begins + self-paced learning module released
Oct. 26, 2026
Optional in-person skill-building session
Oct. 26, 2026
OCTOBER 26–30
Mentorship hours available
Nov. 1, 2026
90-second video pitches due
Nov. 16, 2026
90-second live pitches at the Campus-Wide Finale
Build skills you can take anywhere
The skills you build through Ideate can be applied well beyond the program, from your degree and future career to projects and opportunities you take on next.
Frequently asked questions
Did we not answer your question? Email us at hunterhub@ucalgary.ca.
No. Each Ideate cohort starts with a shared theme. This fall, you’ll develop an idea around how you could make life on campus better.
No. Ideate is designed for students from all faculties and no previous business or venture experience is required.
Ideate is open to UCalgary undergraduate students and to graduate students pursuing a master's, MD, JD, or DVM degree. It is not open to PhD candidates or postdoctoral fellows. You don’t need an existing idea, business experience, or venture experience.
Enrolment is first-come, first-served, with space for up to 10 teams per faculty. Once a faculty’s spots are full, additional teams will be added to the waitlist.
Teams can range from one participant up to four. On a multi-person team, you can choose to have one person pitch or have everyone speak — just keep the 90-second limit in mind and plan for efficient handoffs between speakers.
Teams for this program must be made up of students within the same major. If you're a double major, you'll need to choose one major to compete under — you can't apply under both.
We'll provide the theme for the semester — beyond that, it's entirely up to you. As long as your idea aligns with the theme (and is appropriate), you have full creative freedom.
Fall 2026 challenge: How would you make life on campus better?
Since the pitch is only 90 seconds, teams aren't permitted to use slide decks or any digital material, including tablets for speaking notes. You're welcome to bring written notes for reference, but no other materials are allowed.
Fourteen teams, one representing each faculty, will pitch live. Each team has 90 seconds to pitch followed by two minutes of questions from the judges. A total of $4,000 in prize money will be awarded.
Judges decide how the $4,000 prize pool is split, based on team performance against the provided rubric. At least three teams will receive prize money, but the exact breakdown is left to judges' discretion.
Enrolment closes October 11, 2026, at 11:59 PM MST Sign up
Where could Ideate take you?
Ideate is only the beginning. The skills and experience you gain through this two-week program can go in different directions. Apply them to your degree or career, continue developing your idea or explore another Hunter Hub opportunity.
KEEP BUILDING
Continue developing your idea after the program concludes. Join the Innovation Sandbox and gain access to our co-working space and mentorship opportunities.
KEEP EXPLORING
Explore more Hunter Hub programs. Find the next opportuntity that fits where you are and where you want to go.
KEEP GROWING
Apply what you learned to your degree, career and future opportunities. Keep building your skills through upcoming events and experiences.