Platform Calgary

Startup 101: Your First Step Towards Entrepreneurship

Connect with likeminded innovators, startup resources and learn to navigate the complex web of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Alberta

Get ready to embark on your entrepreneurial journey with Startup 101, Platform Calgary’s flagship intro program for early-stage and aspiring founders. The startup world can feel intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Whether you’re shaping a new idea, exploring a career shift, or trying to solve a real-world problem, Startup 101 gives you the clarity and direction you need to begin.

This virtual session brings founders and innovators together in the heart of Calgary’s tech and innovation ecosystem. You’ll learn through hands-on activities, real examples, and guided exercises that prepare you for your next steps.

What Is This Workshop About?

What You’ll Learn

The foundational frameworks, methodology, and vocabulary that the earliest stages of a startup are built on:

The startup lifecycle — Formation, Validation, Growth — and how a tech startup differs from a small business
How to shift from an "idea-first" to a "problem-first" mindset
The mechanics of an effective elevator pitch
Why customer discovery matters and how it shapes better early decisions
What an MVP actually is (and isn't)
The basics of the funding landscape — bootstrapping, dilutive, and non-dilutive capital
How to navigate Calgary's startup ecosystem and where to find support

What You’ll Do

An interactive working session, not a lecture — you apply each concept live with peers:

Draft and practice your own elevator pitch using a structured framework
Work through a Problem Statement tool to strip out solution jargon and isolate a real customer pain point
Pressure-test your idea or area of interest against a problem-first lens
Collaborate with fellow participants and facilitators throughout

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What You’ll Walk Away With

Tangible, ready-to-use assets and the connections to take a confident next step:

A completed first-draft elevator pitch
A structured problem statement baseline that maps directly onto a Lean Canvas
A working command of startup language and mental models
Low-barrier connection to Calgary's startup community and resources
Clarity on where you fit in the ecosystem and a logical next step

Who This Is For

You have an idea and want practical steps to bring it to life
You’re curious about what support is available and how to access it
Startup terms like MVP, customer discovery or scaleup feel overwhelming
You want to meet other early-stage founders and build community

Co-Created & Facilitated By

This workshop is led by experienced builders who have taken products from early prototypes to scalable systems — and know where founders get stuck along the way.

Pricing

$25 Non-Members

$25 +gst Single Workshop Seat.

$10 Members

$10 +gst Single Workshop Seat.‍

Learn more about Platform Membership

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Startup 101: Your First Step Towards Entrepreneurship

What Is This Workshop About?

What You’ll Learn

What You’ll Do

What You’ll Walk Away With

Who This Is For

Co-Created & Facilitated By

Pricing

$25 Non-Members

$10 Members

Learn more about Platform Membership

Refine what you’ve built. Focus on what matters. Scale with intention.

You May Also Like:

Discover 101: Is Your Problem Worth Solving?

Startup 101: Your First Step Towards Entrepreneurship

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