Forward Vision: Pitch Competition

about this event

Forward Vision (FV) is an award-winning interdisciplinary entrepreneurship program that brings together over 40 students and 20 industry professionals to develop innovative, business-oriented solutions to real-world sustainability challenges. Through a combination of a sustainability-focused workshop, learning modules, mentorship, and a capstone pitch competition, participants gain hands-on experience in entrepreneurship, collaboration, and social innovation.

This year's theme, Sustainable Business, encourages students to move beyond solution-building and critically examine the environmental and social challenges facing their communities. Participants from business, engineering, design, technology, and environmental disciplines work in interdisciplinary teams, supported by industry mentors and educational modules covering needs assessment, business planning, partnerships, and pitching.

Forward Vision (FV) is a two-part series that comprises a workshop, learning modules, and a pitch competition. The program brings together 40+ students and 20+ industry professionals in a format that cultivates innovative business-oriented solutions for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This event provides participants with opportunities to engage with experts, form valuable connections, and gain insight into creating sustainable change.

Forward Vision has had a significant impact at the SFU Beedie School of Business, earning the title "Event of the Year" twice in a row. Following the FV Workshop, over the course of 1.5 weeks, participants from engineering, design, business, environment, and tech-based faculties across SFU will work together in interdepartmental teams to innovate towards specific SDG tracks.

During this time, teams are exposed to several learning modules that focus on the essential elements of building a business and marketing plan, skills needed to evaluate and structure partnerships, and learn how to successfully mitigate any potential internal and external risks that come with planning. These are supplemented by industry professional mentors who will guide them in developing a successful project and memorable pitch by the end of the program. These mentors work closely with the teams to refine ideas, challenge assumptions, and provide actionable feedback to help them create their presentations, which will be showcased and evaluated in a capstone pitch competition on October 25 from 10-3pm at SFU Harbour Centre. This pitch competition is the culmination of the Forward Vision program.

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