Will you be the next Waterloo Apprentice?

Students with an entrepreneurial spirit from across University of Waterloo’s six faculties will be competing this weekend for the title of UW Apprentice.

The inaugural event, organized by Waterloo students, will bring eighteen competitors together with five startups based in Kitchener-Waterloo. The startups will provide the competitors with real problems they’re dealing with in their business. The students will then try to come up with the best business solution.

Students connect to entrepreneurs

“Waterloo students are so innovative we wanted to provide a way for them to connect to entrepreneurs,” says Banuja Sivarasah, a graduate student in accounting and UW Apprentice co-president.

(l-r) Banuja Sivarasah and Nimra Alam

Competitors will work in teams during the three-day competition that starts on Friday but ultimately only one student will be crowned UW Apprentice. “There’s always that one person who catalyzes the progress,” says Nimra Alam, co-president of UW Apprentice.

Sivarasah says the competition will be exciting, in part, because the competitors come from across the university. “We have a lot of diversity in the competition. Students in each faculty learn to solve problems in very different ways,” says Sivarasah. “It will be exciting to see what kind of innovative solutions they come up with.

“We’ve got engineering, accounting, business, science and environment students competing. They all have something to bring to the table,” added Sivarasah who lived at University of Waterloo’s VeloCity Residence for two terms. Living with other entrepreneurs on campus inspired Sivarasah to get more involved with the startup community. “Accounting offers a more traditional approach,” said Sivarasah. “These kinds of events let me do something I love and support other entrepreneurial students at the same time.”

Bigger and better next year

Three of the startups that will provide case studies and help with judging are currently part of the University of Waterloo’s VeloCity program -  Tripzaar, Fora and Oikoi. Another startup involved in the competition is, Kik, a VeloCity alumnus.  NightClub Booth will also offer ideas and support.

Alam and Sivarasah are both graduating this term but they are hoping UW Apprentice becomes part of campus life every year.  “Our team wants to make UW Apprentice bigger and better next time,” says Alam. “They know the potential.”