For Ameya Kale (MBET '22), entrepreneurship began not in a classroom, but in the kitchens of home chefs across India. After launching a home-cooked meal delivery platform, he found himself captivated by the startup world, but acutely aware of how much more there was to learn.
“I was drawn to the Waterloo region’s vibrant startup ecosystem and the MBET program’s reputation for blending academic insight with real-world application,” he says. “I wanted to immerse myself in a community where I could learn how to navigate early-stage ventures more effectively.”
Ameya’s goal coming into the program was clear: find his footing in a product-focused role, help shape solutions from the ground up, and connect with other founders to better understand the entrepreneurial journey.
Shifting mindsets: From ideas to impact
Through MBET, Ameya honed a mindset that continues to guide his work today. One that prioritizes asking the right questions before jumping to answers.
“The program taught me to approach problems with a human-centric lens,” he reflects. “Identifying the right problems, validating real needs, and testing assumptions early and often — those skills have become second nature.”
Using tools like customer discovery, rapid prototyping, and business model design, Ameya learned that even ideas that don’t make it to market can lead to powerful personal growth.
Learning by doing: Qord and the power of iteration
During the program, Ameya worked on Qord, a platform designed to help long-distance couples stay emotionally connected. While the product ultimately wasn’t launched, the journey of building it through user interviews, mentor feedback, and pitch coaching, proved to be one of the most formative experiences of his MBET year.
“One of the biggest challenges we faced was clearly articulating our idea in a way that resonated with both users and investors,” he says. “But through workshops and feedback, I learned how to communicate our value proposition with clarity and confidence — something that still serves me in every professional setting.”
Community, mentorship, and lasting support
Ameya credits much of his growth to the MBET faculty and extended community.
“Professor Mark Weber’s sessions on Leadership and Negotiation shaped how I approach team dynamics, and Professor Harvir Bansal’s marketing classes taught me to think strategically about customer acquisition,” he says.
He also points to hands-on consulting projects and mentorship from regional experts including Tom Hunter and Radhika Vaidyanathan from Gowling WLG as key to his experience.
“They supported us not only during the program but afterwards as well. Their advice helped us navigate early-stage decisions and understand what it takes to build a scalable business.”
Carrying the MBET spirit forward
Today, Ameya works full-time in product management, applying the same entrepreneurial principles to every challenge. Lean experimentation, customer discovery, iterative problem-solving.
“MBET gave me the confidence and structure to test ideas methodically,” he says. “It shifted my thinking from being idea-driven to being problem- and user-driven.”
He’s also continued to give back to the Conrad School community, facilitating design thinking sessions for current MBET and BET students.
Advice to future MBET students: focus on the process
To those just starting their MBET journey, Ameya offers a clear piece of advice: don’t get caught up in whether your project becomes the next big thing.
“Entrepreneurship isn’t just about launching a startup — it’s a mindset,” he says. “Embrace experimentation, seek feedback often, and be okay with ideas not working out. Some of the most valuable growth happens in the projects that don’t succeed. Use the program as a safe space to try, fail, learn, and evolve.”
As he looks ahead, Ameya remains committed to building products that are grounded in empathy and designed to solve real problems.
I see entrepreneurship as a way of thinking that drives impact, wherever you are. And thanks to MBET, I’ll always have that foundation.