Innovation Bridge

Welcome to the Innovation Bridge series, designed to help you discover aspects of innovation and the entrepreneurial mindset. The series is open to all University of Alberta students and postdoctoral fellows (PDF) who want to explore how their skills can open opportunities, whether your goal is to start a new initiative yourself or assist other organizations in successful ventures.

Students and PDFs are in a unique position — they are talented, creative, analytical, problem solvers and innovators, yet they rarely rank themselves high in their business skills. Having an entrepreneurial mindset means more than starting a business that sells a product or service. You need innovation and creativity to create solid policies, develop new processes and establish best practices. These are the skills that graduate programs and fellowships build and can be transferred to any organization.

The Innovation Bridge series will explore questions that relate to the entrepreneurial mindset and will help you bridge your skills with the larger entrepreneurial ecosystem — an ecosystem that needs you.

Upcoming Sessions

Developing a customer mindset

January 29, 2025 | 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. MT | Online

Register in CampusBRIDGE » |  Zoom Link »

Description:
Ever find that you have a great idea or an approach to do something differently?  What should be your next steps?  Many first-time entrepreneurs get very focused on their solution but forget to focus on understanding the problem they are supposed to be solving. In this workshop we will discuss strategies you can employ to properly understand your customer-base and what their needs and wants are.

Presenter: Peter Keith
Working his way from 14-year-old dishwasher to an award-winning chef and entrepreneur in just ten years, Peter Keith won international cooking competitions, worked in some of Canada's top restaurants, and earned a U of A BCom and MBA before opening his first business in 2018. Peter has quickly become a sought-after voice in Western Canada's food and small business community and was awarded the Culinary Federation's "Canadian Chef of the Year" and  Edmonton's "Top 40 under 40" in 2022. Today, he teaches the undergraduate entrepreneurship capstone course at the University of Alberta School of Business.  He is the Director of the eHUB Ideas Lab, where he supports students with their business ventures.

More sessions are to be announced for 2025. Stay tuned...

Previous Presentations

To see previous presentations, view the list below. Past presenters welcome questions from current graduate students and PDFs. To connect with them, email gradpd@ualberta.ca.