There are a variety of events taking place through the month of November. These free events will build your entrepreneurship mindset, develop your skills and connect you with other innovators.

Check out all the free events and registration information here.

Witness a live pitch competition, visit the Indigenous Winter Market, participate in lunch hour learning opportunities, and so much more.

EIT Month coincides with Global Entrepreneurship Week and International Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, but UM supports are available year-round.

• Stu Clark Centre for Entrepreneurship
• Partnerships, Knowledge Mobilization and Innovation
• The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning
• IDEA START
• Faculty of Science – Science Innovation Hub
• Lab 2 Market Prairies

Explore the many opportunities that support and celebrate entrepreneurship and innovative thinking at UM.

WINNIPEG – Manitoba’s brightest young innovators will take centre stage this fall at the Falling Walls Lab Manitoba Finale, a global showcase for big ideas with the potential to change the world.

The event takes place on Wednesday, September. 11, at 4:30 p.m. onwards at the Desautels Concert Hall, University of Manitoba, and will bring together students, researchers, and entrepreneurs who will each deliver a dynamic three-minute pitch outlining their vision for breaking down barriers in science, technology, and society.

Falling Walls Lab is part of the Falling Walls Foundation, launched in Berlin in 2011 with a mission to celebrate breakthrough thinking across disciplines. Each year, winners from Lab competitions around the world converge in Berlin for the Falling Walls Science Summit, representing more than 60 countries. The Manitoba Lab is organized by IDEA START in partnership with the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg.

“The Lab gives participants a platform to share their passion and creativity in a way that sparks real dialogue,” said Hans-Joachim Wieden, Professor, Associate Vice-President Partnership, Knowledge Mobilisation and Innovation, Microbiology, “It’s about showcasing fresh perspectives and inspiring collaboration for a better future.”

Alongside the pitches, attendees will enjoy special performances designed to celebrate creativity and innovation in many forms.

The Honourable Mike Moroz, Minister of Innovation and New Technology of Manitoba, will attend as Chief Guest. Minister Moroz’s presence underscores the province’s commitment to supporting innovation, research, and technology in Manitoba.

At the Finale, a distinguished panel of judges from the province’s business and academic community will evaluate the pitches and select a winner. That individual will go on to represent Manitoba, Canada on the international stage in Berlin this November.

Past Falling Walls Lab participants from around the world have presented ideas ranging from climate solutions and medical breakthroughs to cutting-edge digital technologies. Manitoba’s competitors are expected to bring the same spirit of ingenuity to this year’s showcase.

The event is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required to assist with planning and catering arrangements. Community members are encouraged to register early through Eventbrite.

Organizers are also seeking volunteers to help deliver the event. Those interested in supporting the showcase can register by emailing Poonam Chopra, Falling Walls Lab Manitoba Project Event Lead. 

The Falling Walls Lab Manitoba Finale promises not only to highlight the talent of local innovators but also to connect Winnipeg audiences with a global movement that bridges science, entrepreneurship, and society.

“Every idea begins with one person willing to challenge the status quo,” said Moses Levy, Director IDEA START. “This event is about celebrating that courage and connecting those ideas with the community.”

For more information, visit the Falling Walls Lab Manitoba page through the University of Manitoba and IDEA START.

Participants from all disciplines are invited to apply between June 1 and July 15, 2025, for the chance to take the stage at the Desautels Concert Hall, University of Manitoba, on Thursday, September 11.

About Falling Walls Lab Manitoba

Originally inspired by the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Falling Walls Lab promotes interdisciplinary innovation worldwide. Since its Manitoba debut in 2022, the event has featured aspiring innovators pitching everything from novel vaccines to clean-energy solutions. In 2024, Nolan De Leon took the title and went on to represent the province in Berlin.

Falling Walls Lab is an internationally recognized competition that challenges presenters to “break down walls” — from scientific and technological barriers to social inequities. The winner of the Manitoba Lab will earn the opportunity to advance to the prestigious global finale in Berlin, Germany, where they will participate in the Falling Walls Science Summit.

Ready to Break Down Barriers?

Whether you’re a student, researcher, or early-career professional with a breakthrough idea, Falling Walls Lab Manitoba offers an unparalleled opportunity to showcase your innovation on both provincial and international stages.

Applications open June 1 and close July 15, giving aspiring changemakers a six-week window to prepare and submit their entries. Don’t miss your chance to represent Manitoba, connect with fellow innovators, and help break down the barriers by sharing your innovation to the world.

Register for the info session on July 8, Tuesday at 2PM

Stay tuned to the IDEA START website for dates and registration details. Apply today!

For inquiries, email ideastartcommunity@umanitoba.ca

It was the second event for Reyes’ initiative called Port-a-Kindness. The first was a mobile campus hangout in collaboration with the International Centre in February.

Reyes’ unexpected entrepreneurial journey all began with an invitation to Better Together.

Better Together is a 2-day experiential learning opportunity to build entrepreneurial thinking skills and collaborate with others in interdisciplinary teams. Participants also engage in a rapid design sprint to develop and share a validated solution to a campus challenge. Over 150 UM community members – staff, faculty and students – have participated in the past two years. It is hosted by Janine Carmichael and Meaghan Ewharekuko from The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning.

“Originally, I thought Better Together was about starting businesses so I didn’t think it was for me. My friend encouraged me to come, and I learned that entrepreneurial skills can be used to address all kinds of problems, not just those of customers,” said Reyes.   

Reyes’ team worked on addressing theft at campus retailers, a challenge submitted by the University of Manitoba Students’ Union.

“At Better Together, the tables are set with big pieces of paper and supplies like sticky-notes, markers and fidgets. We started by deeply understanding the problem before brainstorming solutions and developing our pitch. I remember jotting down “mobile campus hangout” during the event. I even took a picture of it.” said Reyes.

After Better Together, the idea continued to percolate.

“I met Daniel Heschuk from the Faculty of Science Innovation Hub at Better Together. Like Janine, he has supported me with meaningful suggestions. I learned at Better Together about other entrepreneurial supports on campus and I’m now taking SCI4000: The Entrepreneurial Mindset for Scientists and Engineers. This course has been very timely for this season of my journey. My instructor, Joshua Zaporzan, has helped me develop my idea, too,” Reyes added.   

After Better Together, Reyes connected with others on campus, including the International Centre, Science Students’ Association, UMSU, and IDEA START. Rajeev Koyal, Program Manager at IDEA START, invited her to set up her initiative outside their space in UMSU University Centre.

“So many people are longing for meaningful connections with others. Our mobile campus hangout helps with that. And our gratitude wall helped the UM community take a moment to reflect on what is good. Gratitude and connection are like an antidote to uncertainty and loneliness.”

Reyes is grateful for the support she has received from many entrepreneurial supports on campus.

“Not only that, many other people stopped at the gratitude wall to offer to be involved. This may just be the beginning.”

Got an entrepreneurial idea? Not sure where to go for assistance?

IDEA START is UM’s new unit dedicated to ensuring entrepreneurial thinkers and doers are connected with the right support at the right time. That may be the Faculty of Science Innovation Hub, Partnerships, Knowledge Mobilization and Innovation, The Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, Stu Clark Centre for Entrepreneurship, UMSU Ventures, or other supports on and off campus.

If you are a student, staff, faculty or alumni reach out so the UM community can support you.