NAVIGATE

Introducing Brock LINC’s new early-stage entrepreneurship program, NAVIGATE.

NAVIGATE is a new hands-on program designed for individuals who are looking to explore and develop their business idea. The program is built around the Lean Startup methodology, which focuses on testing and iterating a business idea through extensive customer feedback.

This is an intensive 11-week program where participants will be guided through the Lean Startup process. This includes talking to ten customers each week and then iterating and pivoting the business idea based on insights and information gathered during those interviews. As part of the program, students will work weekly with Brock LINC staff, external mentors, and other entrepreneurs in the program.

All participants who fully complete the program will receive a certificate of completion and students who complete the program will also get credit towards the Innovative & Creative Thinking domain in Brock’s Campus Wide Co-Curriculum.

NAVIGATE will be delivered in-person at the Brock LINC every Wednesday from 3:00-5:00pm. The next program offering will take place from September – December 2024.

There is no cost to participate, though enrollment in the program will be capped to ensure small groups and personalized feedback and mentorship.

Applications for the next offering of the NAVIGATE program are CLOSED. 

Overview

NAVIGATE is Brock’s new early-stage entrepreneurship program. With a focus on the Lean Startup methodology, participants in NAVIGATE will learn about how to develop their business idea using a framework that emphasizes testing, iterating and pivoting. Participants in the program can expect to: 

  • Treat your business idea as an assumption or hypothesis 
  • Test your business hypothesis by talking to customers (a lot of them) 
  • Use that information to validate your hypothesis, or pivot your idea  
  • Rinse and repeat to develop a prototype   

Participants will be guided through the Lean Startup process. This includes talking to 50-100 customers during the program iterating and pivoting the business idea based on insights and information gathered during those interviews. As part of the program students will get experience talking to customers, partners and competitors.  

Sessions

The program will be delivered over an 11-week period with both synchronous and asynchronous learning components.

Each week, participants view the assigned videos and complete the assigned work and interviews prior to attending the weekly sessions. Each week participants will learn about the business model canvas and test hypotheses and share their findings with Brock LINC staff, mentors and other entrepreneurs in the program.

During the weekly sessions, each participant will present their progress, what they have learned as well as meet mentors and advisors to receive feedback.  

Weekly in-person sessions will take place on Wednesdays at 3:00-5:00pm at the Brock LINC.

Apply

Applications are CLOSED. The next round of applications will open in August 2024, for the Fall Cohort.

Contact

Please contact Cassie Conte, Program Manager, Brock LINC at cconte@brocku.ca if you have any questions about the program.

Eligibility

NAVIGATE is open to current Brock University students (both undergraduate and graduate students), Brock Alumni and community members in the Niagara region.

Individuals or teams can apply to be part of the program.

Other eligibility criteria includes:

  • You are able to attend weekly in-person sessions on Wednesdays from 3:00-5:00pm.
  • You have a business idea that you want to test and validate
  • During the program you can dedicate time each week to going out and talking to your customers
  • You are working towards developing an initial mock-up or minimum viable product of your product/service
  • You are open to receiving feedback and mentorship with your business idea