We're excited to showcase Jerome Mugambi in today's Alumni Impact Series, where we highlight the inspiring paths of our Master of Business, Entrepreneurship, and Technology (MBET) graduates.
Jerome, who graduated from the MBET program in 2022, embodies the resilience and community mindset fostered at the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business.
From Collision to Convocation
August 2022 changed everything. Jerome had completed the MBET program when he was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident. The crash left him with multiple injuries, including broken bones, torn ligaments, and internal trauma, followed by months of recovery in hospital.
While still in his hospital bed, Jerome FaceTimed Professor Mark Weber, then Director of the Conrad School. Their conversation turned to the upcoming convocation for his MBET class. “Give me ten days. I’ll walk across that convocation stage,” Jerome said.
Ten days later, supported by determination, grit, and the cheers of his classmates, he did just that. He walked across the stage to accept his MBET hood, proving that healing is faster and stronger when your community walks with you.
MBET’s Role in Shaping an Entrepreneur
The MBET program didn’t just sharpen Jerome’s business toolkit, it forged his leadership ethos.
Professor Mark Weber’s course on difficult conversations now guides Jerome through high-stakes investor pitches. Professor Nada Basir fuelled his drive for social entrepreneurship; Professor David Rose re-framed failure as data; and Professor Wayne Chang connected sports grit with startup hustle.
Layered together, those lessons became the launchpad for OpenUp’s mission-driven growth.
Cycling Through Fear: A Coast‑to‑Coast Comeback
Determined to turn trauma into triumph, Jerome set an audacious goal: ride across Canada within a year of the crash.
Logging 4,000‑plus kilometres from Ontario to Nova Scotia, he documented every leg for a growing online audience.
The journey wasn’t just physical rehab; it was exposure therapy.
If fear shows up, invite it to pedal beside you.
Building Communities on Wheels and Courts
Motorcycling: What began as a personal passion has grown into a grassroots network where riders exchange safety tips, share route recommendations, and check in on each other’s mental well-being.
Basketball: A former USports Academic All-Canadian and UPlay alum, Jerome now mentors a group of 15-year-olds through weekly “Mindset and Energy” calls. He also supports young adult teams through HQ Elite, guiding players on and off the court.
His mentorship approach, built on confidence loops, breath work, and film study, mirrors the peer-guidance model he would later embed into OpenUp.
Navigating the Solo‑Founder Journey with Community Support
OpenUp: Peer‑Powered Mental Resilience
OpenUp tackles the accessibility gap in mental wellness care by matching users with trained mentors who share their lived experience. An AI engine analyses intake surveys (sport, stressors, schedule) and proposes 3–5 potential mentors; the user chooses who feels right.
The platform’s first beta cohort of ten student athletes wrapped up in April 2025, posting a 42 % drop in self-reported isolation after six sessions. With proof of concept locked in, Jerome is gearing up a second cohort of early stage entrepreneurs and aims to support 100 mentees through OpenUp by the end of the year.
Isolation often makes mental wellness struggles worse. OpenUp is designed so no one feels alone, because community support can make all the difference.
Vision for the Future: Preventive Care at Scale
Jerome plans to integrate biometric data to provide early stress indicators, with the goal of rolling out the platform to students and high-pressure professionals.
He’s also considering a PhD to deepen his research and expand meaningful conversations around mental wellness.
The mission is clear: shift mental healthcare from crisis response to proactive resilience.
Accelerators Fueling Lift‑Off
Jerome leverages a network of five incubators including:
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League of Innovators
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DMZ
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YSpace
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Innovation Factory
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Builders Club Waterloo
Advice from Jerome: Community Is Your Greatest Asset
“Entrepreneurship is a team sport masquerading as an individual event. Your community is the oxygen—breathe it in and keep moving.”
The entrepreneurial path is tough but rewarding. Failures will come, but leaning on mentors and your network makes all the difference.
Find those who believe in you and never underestimate the power of connection.
Jerome Mugambi’s journey proves that when resilience meets community, startups don’t just launch, they can change lives.
Connect with OpenUp
- OpenUp LinkedIn
- Jerome Mugambi LinkedIn
- OpenUp Instagram
- Jerome's Instagram
- Email Jerome: jerome@openup.space
- Join the OpenUp wait list
