Capstone Catalyst Program

Turn your capstone project into something bigger.

Capstone Catalyst helps engineering students design innovative, high-impact projects with real-world potential, supported by Esch Foundation funding and the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business.  


Through hands-on workshops, you’ll learn how to: 

Identify meaningful, real-world problems worth solving.

Explore market potential and customer needs early.

Apply practical business and innovation tools in manageable steps.

Build momentum for your capstone across academic terms.

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Who can participate?

  • Engineering students in 3B and 4A terms. 
  • 4A students are eligible for seed funding to jump-start their capstone projects and explore commercial viability.
Capstone Catalyst Workshop

Upcoming workshops

  • Tuesday, June 2: Lean Canvas and Social Impact Workshop

Norman Esch Entrepreneurship Award

Learn more about the award and check back for application details.

Register for the workshop

Capstone Catalyst: Lean Canvas and Social Impact Workshop with David Rose

Turn your capstone project into a viable venture!

This workshop will guide you through creating a strong business case for your proposed solution, focusing on early market discovery, competitor scanning, value proposition design, and social impact assessment.

Featuring a $10,000 funding pool (with awards ranging from $1K to $2.5K), attending is the first step toward submitting your application for the Lean Canvas Norman Esch Award.

  • Date: Tuesday, June 2nd
  • Time: 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
  • Location: Conrad School Lecture Hall/Hub (PSE 2357/2317)