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Three factors motivated me to apply to the MBET��program, and finally pursue my dream of starting my own business: family support, a passion for innovation, and an interest in improving the efficiency of the use of natural resources. I was able to see how these three motivating factors are represented in the Kitchener-��ݮ��Ƶ��community when I recently attended the Business Excellence Awards.

The Business Excellence Awards are a way for the community to recognize and congratulate fellow outstanding businesses and individuals who are making an exceptional contribution to the Kitchener-��ݮ��Ƶ��community.

I’m a non-technical entrepreneur. Before my last term at the��Conrad Centre, my experience with Near Field Communication (NFC) was no more than using the access card to enter the building. Yet, in 2013 I surprised myself with my involvement in two startup ideas related to NFC.

My first NFC experiment began when my focus shifted for my project in����(New Technology-based Venture Creation)��from Ontario wine exports to an anti-counterfeiting merchandise software,��.

Whether or not an entrepreneur should make their hobby into a career is a large debate within the business community. This path does not work for everyone, but through the Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology (MBET) program, I have been able to take my hobby and turn it into a premise for my business, .

After injuring��myself racing��motocross, I decided to try a safer��motorsport��hobby so I turned to automotive tuning.��I love the artistic expression, representation of individual taste, and illustration of a car enthusiast’s personality that each vehicle embodies.

Harry Gandhi, an Enterprise Co-op (E Co-op) and BET 300 student, recently traveled to Silicon Valley to attend and a "Biotech Business Bootcamp" in the , the world's��largest biotech idea competition.

As entrepreneurs, most of us will probably end up going to Silicon Valley at some point, whether it’s to meet potential investors, build relationships or learn about the "Valley mentality."

These are five main take-aways I learnt in my recent trip to Silicon Valley.

In January I had the opportunity to travel to the region of��Kerala, in South-west India to participate in an International Conference on Entrepreneurship and Women: The Role of Business Incubation & Social Business Development. The conference was primarily based out of Assumption College, a women’s college that is affiliated with Mahatma Gandhi University.

At the conference, I had the chance to talk to and build relationships with a number of students and faculty at Assumption College. These students are keen, well spoken and many are driven to start their own business.

On Tuesday, January��28th,��St. Paul's��GreenHouse��hosted a talk,��Larry Smith presents, "So You Want to Change the World."

Victoria Suen, one of the Enterprise Co-op (E Co-op) students that attended the event, wrote about a few of her takeaways:

Have a big vision, expect more from yourself, consider the challenges you face, ask tough questions, develop your understanding, social enterprises are businesses.

I was elated to be part of one of the teams��selected in the top 5 finalists��for the .��Following the announcement, our team banded together to��strategize��a winning��plan of action. We had to take our "RBC+" socially responsible investing��solution for using big data to the next level!

When the week of the competition finally arrived, I think my team members and I were all both nervous and excited. The anticipation grew in the days leading up to our final moment of truth.

Calvin Chu has travelled from ��ݮ��Ƶ, Ontario to San Francisco, California to��Shenzhen, China all to develop his startup,��. What started as a fourth year design project during Calvin's Mechatronics degree��at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ quickly grew into an international entrepreneurial pursuit.

Palette��is a freeform, tactile interface that gives hands-on control of your favourite software.

Palette��is a hardware platform made up of a variety of modules that��lets you��build a physical��interface customized to your personal needs. Each module has a single physical input, like a button, dial or a slider. You snap together modules like��Lego, no coding or soldering required!

As an English major, working at the��Conrad Business Centre��had its share of challenges. Surprisingly enough, what I was challenged by the most was the business terminology everyone used. As my Co-op term comes to an end, I’d like to share with you how working here has demystified some simply mysterious terms for me. On top of that, I would like to talk about my experience working alongside this year’s cohort of��Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology��(MBET) students.

Ecosystem.��When I first came to Conrad, I heard this word a LOT. Actually, it was more like a phrase: “the entrepreneurial ecosystem” or “the ��ݮ��Ƶ ecosystem”.

Imran is different. Are you?

To cap off Global Entrepreneurship Week, we are happy to share a video of young entrepreneur Imran Jiwa. Imran, a University of ��ݮ��Ƶ��undergraduate student studying Arts and Business, has a strong entrepreneurial spirit, which naturally led him to the��Conrad Centre. Imran is currently enrolled in Conrad’s��BET300: Foundations of Venture Creation��course, an introductory undergraduate course that guides students through processes of turning an idea into a venture. Course instructor,��Wayne Chang, noticed Imran’s talent early on.