Startup Studio
Build a real startup in one semester.
Build something people want.
Discover a real problem. Form a team of software engineering, computer science, and business students. Use AI to accelerate development, learn directly from entrepreneurs, and launch a working product that delivers value to real users.
Startup Studio combines entrepreneurship, software development, and hands-on learning.
You'll work with industry mentors, test your assumptions with prospective customers, build a working solution, and develop a business model grounded in evidence.
AI is part of how you build, but understanding the problem, making decisions, and validating the solution remain your responsibility.
This course has been featured in the media: see coverage.
Fall 2026 Course Information
Startup Studio (SENG 455/BCOM 450) is offered in Fall 2026.
Course Overview
This project-based course (SENG 455/BCOM 450) at the University of Victoria gives students the tools and skills to rapidly develop and transform innovative ideas into working projects. Experience startup-style development with:
- Team-based project development with real deliverables
- Industry mentorship from successful entrepreneurs
- Agile development practices and modern workflows
- Human-centered design thinking methodologies
- Interaction design and user experience principles
- Real-world challenges with tight deadlines
- Self-directed learning and problem-solving
- Cross-disciplinary collaboration between software engineering, computer science and business students
What You'll Build
Each team takes an idea from problem discovery to a working solution, gathering evidence of its value along the way.
Teams work toward:
- A validated problem: Evidence from prospective users that the problem is worth solving.
- A working product: A deployed software solution, such as an application, AI-powered service, agent, or automation workflow.
- Real-user feedback: Evidence of how people use the solution and what they value.
- A business model: A clear value proposition, target customer, and plausible path to revenue.
- A compelling startup pitch: A demonstration of the product and the evidence supporting the opportunity.
- A maintainable technical foundation: Documented architecture, key decisions, constraints, and validation of the solution.
The goal isn't simply to build more software. It's to learn whether you've built something people actually want.
Teams comprise both business and computer science students, closely mentored by industry professionals and successful entrepreneurs.
Many teams carry their venture forward into UVic's PitchIt and PlanIt competitions for a chance at real prize money. Prior teams have gone on to build real startups from these and other investment opportunities.
Building with AI
AI changes what a small startup team can accomplish in a semester.
Students are encouraged to explore AI-assisted development and AI-native products, including agents, automation, and intelligent services.
But building faster isn't enough.
Successful teams need to understand what they are building, why it matters, and whether it actually works for their customers.
In Startup Studio, students learn to combine AI capabilities with human judgment, collaborative understanding, and continuous validation.
Learn From Industry Leaders
Past mentors and guest speakers have included founders, investors, and executives from companies like:
Instructors & Mentors
Teaching Team
Margaret-Anne Storey
Professor, Computer Science
University of Victoria
Former Chief Science Officer at DX (2021–2025, acquired by Atlassian in 2025) · Expert in developer experience & engineering tools
Claudia Smith
Professor, School of Business
University of Victoria
PhD in Entrepreneurship (Strathclyde) · 2024/25 Gustavson Outstanding Faculty Award · Researches entrepreneurial identity & mindset
Industry Mentors
Mike Anderson
Co-founder of Echosec Systems and Intlabs
Rob Bennett
COO & Program Director
VIATEC
Jerome Etwaroo
Director
Coast Capital Innovation Center
Nicole Smith
Founder & CEO
Flytographer
Brandon Wright
Founder & CEO
BRNKL
Annabel Youens
Founder
FairShare & Appreciation Engine
Notable Guest Speakers
Guest speakers in past course offerings have included:
Jack Campbell
Co-Founder & CEO
RentSimple
Don Mattrick
CEO, Prometheus Ventures Inc
Former President at EA, Microsoft, Zynga
Steven Myhill-Jones
Entrepreneur/Investor, Founder of Latitude Geographics
Chairman/CEO Daily Journal Corporation
Maxwell Nicholson
Founder
Blossom Social
Juan Orrego
Co-Founder & CEO
Cuboh
Lachlan Shum
Founder
Focal
Aislinn Sirk
Research Partnerships & Innovation Manager
University of Victoria
Garry Van Soest
Serial Founder
Andrew Wilkinson
Co-Founder & Chairman
Tiny Capital & MetaLab
Course Schedule
Note: Dates and topics subject to change. See Brightspace for updates.
| Week | Tentative Topics | Format |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Course Introduction, Ideation & Opportunity Recognition | Workshop |
| 2 | Creativity for Ideation, Team Formation | Interactive |
| 3 | Value Proposition Canvas Workshop | Workshop |
| 4 | Customer Discovery, IP & Founder Insights | 🚩 Milestone 1 – Project Proposal (Oct 2) |
| 5 | MVP & UX Prototyping, Project Management | Hands-on |
| 6 | Milestone Presentations | 🚩 Milestone 2 – Proof of Concept (Oct 16) |
| 7 | Business Model Canvas, Industry Insights | Workshop |
| 8 | Product Development, Customer Validation | Team Work |
| 9 | Milestone Presentations | 🚩 Milestone 3 – Release Candidate (Nov 6) |
| 10 | AI in Business, Technology Trends | Panel Discussion |
| 11 | Scaling & Growth Strategies | Case Studies |
| 12 | Funding, Legal Framework, Next Steps | Preparation |
| 13 | Final Startup Pitch Presentations 🎊 | 🚩 Milestone 4 – Final Pitch (Dec 4) |
| 14 | Final App Submission & Reflection | 🏁 Milestone 5 – Final Submission (Dec 11) |
Recent Outcomes
3 of 5 Fall 2025 teams are continuing their ventures
— after receiving investor interest, moving forward through UVic's Co-op Entrepreneurship Program to keep building with mentorship and resources.
"Our students didn't just learn entrepreneurship, they practiced it."
— Dr. Margaret-Anne Storey
"Seeing multiple ventures continue with investor support shows what's possible when students are given the tools, the space, and the confidence to build something important."
— Dr. Claudia Smith
What Past Teams Have Built
A snapshot of Fall 2025 project areas — real problems, real users, in 12 weeks:
Community Engagement
A tool helping neighbourhoods and groups organize and stay connected.
Sports Team Services
An AI-enabled platform supporting sports teams' day-to-day operations.
Travel Planning
An app to simplify and personalize trip planning.
Task Management
A productivity tool built for teams and individuals.
Home Inspection
An AI-assisted tool built for home inspectors.
What Students & Mentors Say
"I look back on Startup Programming as one of (if not the) most impactful class I took throughout my entire Software Engineering degree... These are skills I use daily in my work as a Program Manager on the Edge browser team here at Microsoft."
— Scott Low, Former Student, now Principal Program Manager at Microsoft
"I think this is a terrific course, and the students will likely learn more from this than any other undergraduate course they take; and I feel I've learned as much as the students too."
— Ian Bull, EclipseSource (Mentor)
"The teaching team and mentors made this the most valuable course I have ever taken and I convinced a few of my friends to take it in the future."
— Matthew Van Brummelen, SheTrains team
"This course was a huge learning opportunity for both technical and soft skills. Even though I worked at a startup company for a year, the experience isn't the same as building an application from scratch with my peers."
— Cobey Hollier, Tandem team
"Aside from the technical aspect of building an app, I also learned lots about building for the consumer. Looking at a product through the lens of a value proposition was eye-opening."
— Joe Zlonicky, Decidr team
"I learned a lot while working on this project, possibly the class that I learned the most from during my four years at UVic."
— Huy Nguyen, StaShare team
The course has also inspired similar offerings elsewhere, including at Carnegie Mellon University.
Questions?
Reach out to Margaret-Anne Storey or Claudia Smith — we're happy to help you figure out if this course is right for you.