The Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business, established in 2002, is an immersive educational environment for entrepreneurs. Located within Canada's most innovative university, in a region ranked among the top startup ecosystems in the world, the Conrad School is the academic engine for entrepreneurship on campus, offering programs that are entrepreneurial by design.
Undergraduate
Enhance your undergraduate degree by joining Conrad School's specialized programs, experiences, and courses.
Graduate
Commercialize your ideas and earn your master's degree or complement your studies with graduate offerings.
News
Celebrating Excellence in Teaching
The Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business in the Faculty of Engineering is proud to share that Professor Chris Holt has been named a recipient of the 2024 Outstanding Performance Award!
This award is a reflection of the energy, drive, and passion Professor Holt brings to the classroom. His dedication to student learning, his ability to make complex concepts accessible, and his commitment to fostering a dynamic and inclusive learning environment make him a standout educator at Waterloo.
Alumni Impact Series: Jerome Mugambi - Transforming trauma into community‑driven mental wellness
From a motorcycle crash in August 2022 to founding a peer‑powered mental wellness platform, Jerome Mugambi embodies the resilience and community mindset fostered in Waterloo’s MBET program.
Within twelve months of the accident, he rode coast‑to‑coast across Canada to confront fear head‑on, built a nationwide motorcycling community, and reignited his passion for basketball through youth coaching.
Today, his startup OpenUp uses AI‑assisted mentor matching to make mental health support radically accessible, an idea refined through League of Innovators, DMZ, YSpace, Innovation Factory, and Builders Club Waterloo.
The Conrad School welcomes new director Dr. Felix Arndt
Entrepreneurship scholar and global leader joins the Conrad School to advance innovation and interdisciplinary growth.
The Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business is excited to welcome Dr. Felix Arndt as its new director, effective July 1, 2025. A global leader in entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability, Dr. Arndt brings deep academic expertise and a proven track record of turning research into real-world impact.
We are thrilled to have Dr. Arndt lead the Conrad School into its next chapter of growth, global engagement, and interdisciplinary innovation.
Events
Conrad Blender ft. Guest Speaker Ryan Gallagher
Join us for a Conrad networking meetup with students from the Conrad E Co-op, BETS, BET 300, and MBET programs.
We’re excited to welcome Ryan Gallagher, CEO of Scribenote, an Enterprise Co-op alumni and winner of the Problem Pitch Competition, as our invited speaker. Ryan will share insights from his entrepreneurial journey and lessons learned while building his startup.
This is a great opportunity to connect with fellow students, alumni, and members of the Conrad community.
Register today! Spots are limited.
Blog
Rebuilding trust in giving, one smart contract at a time
Part-time MBET student Alex Salsali turned a personal story into a mission-driven venture.
Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust: The Magic of Collective Success
"As a child, I believed in the magic of these words, certain that a sprinkle of pixie dust could make anything possible. As I grew, I traded wonder for realism and magic for logic. But somewhere along the way, I realized pixie dust is real, just not in the way I once imagined.
On March 7, an email arrived in my inbox, my paper had been accepted at the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada (ASAC) 2025. A monumental milestone as a first-year PhD student. Yet, the real magic was not in that acceptance. It came later that evening.
At 8:49 PM, another email arrived. My supervisor, Shavin Malhotra, the guiding force behind the paper submission, had shared the news with the entire department. Almost instantly, my inbox came alive, messages of joy, encouragement, and celebration poured in. What had started as a personal milestone transformed into a collective success.
In that moment, I realized pixie dust does exist, just not as a shimmer in the air, but as something far more powerful. It’s the unseen force of people who uplift you, the ecosystem that nurtures you, the mentors who guide you, the staff who support you, and the colleagues who walk beside you, celebrating, encouraging, and making your victories their own".
Winning, Learning, and The MBET Edge: My VCIC Nationals Experience
Sarah Cestnick, a full-time MBET student, reflects on her recent experience at the VCIC Nationals.
"Walking into the Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) Nationals, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s one thing to analyze startups in a classroom setting – but pitching investment decisions in front of seasoned venture capitalists? That’s a whole different ball game.
If there’s one thing the Master of Business, Entrepreneurship, and Technology (MBET) program does well, it’s this: it doesn’t just teach entrepreneurship – it immerses you in it.
Most students analyze businesses in a classroom through cases. MBET students sit down with founders and analyze businesses that could change industries. Most students read about venture capital. Student Venture Fund (SVF) students sit in the room with investors to make real investment decisions."