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Weekend
Create, develop, and pitch a business idea in just 50+ hours for a chance to win $10,000!
Get ready for RampUp Weekend 2026! Held April 10–12, 2026, North Forge’s flagship 50+ hour competition will once again bring together aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, and tech enthusiasts to transform bold startup ideas into viable business plans. Past winners have gone on to build multi-million dollar companies — proof that Manitoba is home to the talent and entrepreneurial spirit needed to create globally competitive businesses and fuel local economic growth.
April 10-12, 2026
North Forge’s RampUp Weekend is an intense, hands-on event where aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, and tech enthusiasts come together to develop startup ideas from concept to viable business plans within a short time frame, typically 50 hours.
Participants pitch their ideas, form teams, and work collaboratively to build a minimum viable product (MVP). With mentorship from industry experts and access to resources like the North Forge FabLab, teams refine their business models and prototypes. The event culminates in a final pitch competition, where teams present their projects to a panel of judges, often leading to prizes, investment opportunities, or further support from North Forge’s programs.
This event is designed to accelerate the startup process, foster collaboration, and provide participants with a real-world experience of what it takes to launch a successful business.
New for 2026:
To keep the kickoff event fast-paced, memorable, and fair for everyone, we’ve updated the pitch process this year. Here's how it works:
Step 1: Submit a 1-minute video pitch
Anyone who wants to pitch their startup idea must submit a one-minute video explaining their idea. Judges will not watch past one minute.
Step 2: Purchase a Pitch Ticket
When submitting your video, you’ll also purchase a Pitch Ticket ($10) for RampUp Weekend. This small fee helps North Forge continue to deliver a high-quality event and provide meaningful support to founders in our ecosystem.
Step 3: Top 30 Ideas Pitch Live
A North Forge judging panel will review all submissions and select the 30 most promising ideas to pitch live at the RampUp Weekend Friday kickoff event.
But here’s the twist…You won’t know if your idea was selected until the live event on Friday night. All founders who submitted a pitch will sit in the audience. Throughout the evening, the 30 selected founders will be called to the podium at random to deliver their one-minute pitch.
Step 4: Audience Voting
After the 30 pitches are complete, the audience will vote for their top three favourite ideas. The 10 ideas with the most votes will move forward into the weekend to build teams and develop their startup.
PURCHASE A TICKET & SUBMIT YOUR PITCH HERE.
Submissions due by 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 5.
Meet the 2025 Winners
1st Place
$10,000
A workforce management platform streamlining how businesses handle staffing.
2nd Place
$5,000
A worker rights hotline aggregator connecting employees to resources and union support.
Fan Favourite
$500
ARMOIRE
A digital virtual closet app that helps users organize their wardrobe and plan outfits.
How it Works
🚀 Friday - APRIL 10
The energy kicks off with rapid-fire pitches — just 60 seconds to sell an idea! This year, 30 founders are selected from video submissions, but they won’t know if they’re pitching until they’re called up live during the event. Once all pitches are delivered, the crowd votes and the top 10 ideas move forward. Those founders handpick their dream teams, and the real work begins — brainstorming, strategizing, and mapping out the business’s game plan.
🔥 Saturday - APRIL 11
It's full-speed ahead! Logos are designed, websites launched, prototypes built, and real customer validation happens in real-time...it’s an entrepreneurial tornado! Expert mentors roam the rooms, pushing teams to refine their ideas and navigate the inevitable pivots.
🎤 Sunday - APRIL 12
The stakes are high, and the pressure is on! Teams fine-tune their business models, polish their pitches, and get last-minute coaching from mentors. Then teams take the stage for the final showdown! Five minutes to pitch, five minutes for judges’ Q&A, and then...it’s decision time. Prizes, recognition, and maybe even the launch of Manitoba’s next game-changing startup!
Notable Companies from RampUP include
Permission click is software that creates digital permission slips and facilitates payment collection for kindergarten to grade 12, was recently acquired by Intrado Corporation for its innovative product.
Taiv is a TV box that allows restaurants and bars to play content that is better targeted to their audiences.
Go Oil is a mobile oil change company, has sold over 40+ franchises in Canada and the United States!
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RampUp Weekend FAQ's
RampUp Weekend is an exciting, high-energy event where participants pitch tech-enabled, science-based, or advanced manufacturing business ideas, form teams, and build a startup over the course of three days. It’s an opportunity to bring your idea to life, meet potential co-founders, and compete for amazing prizes.
Friday, April 10, 2026 – 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM at 100 Innovation Drive
Saturday, April 11, 2026 – Full day (8:00 AM to 10:00 PM) at 100 Innovation Drive
Sunday, April 12, 2026 – 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at 100 Innovation Drive, then
Final Pitch at 5:00 PM at Location TBDAnyone with a passion for innovation! Whether you're a designer, developer, engineer, business expert, marketer, student, or dreamer—you’re welcome to join. You don't need to come with an idea; just bring your skills and enthusiasm.
No. Only new ideas that haven’t been launched or incorporated are eligible for pitching. RampUp Weekend is about building innovative startups from scratch, so bring your boldest, most future-focused ideas!
Your idea should be tech-enabled, science-based, or in advanced manufacturing.
Last year we had over 70 people pitch, which made the kickoff event run very long and made it difficult for the audience to remember each idea.
The new process helps ensure the event stays high-energy while highlighting the most promising ideas. If your video is deemed to be in the Top 30 of submissions, you will still live-pitch at the RampUp Kickoff Event on Friday night.
Your 1-minute video pitch should explain:
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The problem you're solving
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Your solution
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Who it's for
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Why the idea matters
Keep it clear, concise, and compelling. And remember... we won't watch beyond 60 seconds of any video!
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You won’t know in advance. That's what makes it so exciting!
All founders who submitted a video pitch will attend the kickoff event, and the selected founders will be called to the stage randomly during the event until all 30 pitches have been delivered.
You’re encouraged to stay and vote for your favourites that will move through to the next round! Many participants join teams after the pitches and help build the startups that move forward.
Friday kicks off with:
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60-second pitches from participants — in 2026, the Top 30 ideas will be pitched to the crowd!
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Voting and idea selection
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Team formation around the top ideas
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Initial brainstorming to begin MVP development
What happens on Saturday?
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Teams dive into building:
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Business plans, logos, websites, and product mockups
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Mentors will challenge ideas and guide teams through pivots
What happens on Sunday?
The final stretch! Teams:
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Finalize their pitch decks and product demos
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Present their business in front of a live audience and a panel of judges
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Compete for over $15,000 in prizes and in-kind support
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Iain Crozier – Founder & Managing Partner, Trillick Ventures
Katie Hall Hursh – Managing Partner, Women's Equity Lab
Judge # 3 TBD
First Place:
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$10,000 cash
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3-month North Forge FabLab membership for 2 team members
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$150 training credits
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Accelerated entry into North Forge’s Founders Program: Pathfinder
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Prototyping with RRC Polytech’s ACE Project Space
Second Place:
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$5,000 cash
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3-month FabLab membership for 2
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$150 training credits
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Accelerated entry into North Forge’s Founders Program: Pathfinder
Fan Favourite:
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$500 cash
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3-month FabLab membership for 2
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$150 training credits
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Nope! Come solo or with friends. Teams will form organically after the pitches on Friday night.
Click here to register and secure your spot! Space is limited.
Yes! Everyone is welcome to attend the Friday Kickoff and the Sunday Finale. Come cheer on the teams, get inspired, and experience the energy of Manitoba’s startup community. There is a $10 cost to attend for the weekend, whether you pitch an idea or sit in the crowd.
(Note: Saturday is reserved for participants and mentors only.)
Absolutely! You can join a team and contribute your skills to someone else’s idea.
Come prepared to share your drive, enthusiasm, and talents as you develop new insights on how to transform an idea into reality.
There is so much to do in 50+ hours! We suggest bringing these items with you to set up for success:
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Laptop, tablet, or any preferred device you want to work on for the weekend
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Mobile phone
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Charging cables for all devices
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Portable battery charger – just in case
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Reusable water bottle
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Wear comfy clothes and shoes
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Create or update your LinkedIn profile to help new team members understand your strengths
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Open mind to learn and connect with other participants
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You bet! We will have everything you need to fuel yourself throughout the weekend! If you have any dietary restrictions, please make note on your registration form.
For Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning, you can park for FREE in our parking lot at 100 Innovation Drive!
For Sunday’s Pitch Finale at Desautels Concert Hall, there is ample free parking in short walking distance to the venue. Take a look at this map for guidance.
Meet the Judges
Iain Crozier
Founder and Managing Partner, Trillick Ventures
Iain Crozier is a dedicated father of four, seasoned entrepreneur and venture capitalist. At Trillick Ventures he brings deep operator-led experience to venture investing. He previously led and scaled a 25-year-old family business by 7x in seven years, leading to a successful exit. Today, he leverages his background to mentor founders, advise leadership teams and help build a stronger, more investable startup ecosystem in Manitoba.
Katie Hall Hursh
VP, Megill-Stephensen Company & Managing Partner, Women's Equity Lab
Katie Hall Hursh provides strategic leadership to Megill’s subsidiaries while championing the development of greater access to capital for early-stage companies through WEL. Passionate about building sustainable enterprises and advancing economic equity, Katie is committed to strengthening both the business community and the innovation ecosystem in Manitoba.
Dennis Agbeha
Director, the Prairies at RBCx
Dennis Agbegha currently leads the RBCx regional team across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, supporting RBCx clients while building strategic client relationships to drive growth. He stewards RBCx in the market, fostering strong relationships within the ecosystem, and provides insights and guidance to startups, companies and internal banking partners.
Become a RampUp mentor
As a RampUp Weekend Mentor, you will be able to provide guidance, advice, and guide our aspiring entrepreneurs through the tough problems and pain points they’re trying to solve. An experienced mentor like you will impart knowledge, expertise, and wisdom from your area of expertise to enhance their mentees’ business ideas.
Mentors for roles and fields include but are not limited to:
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Marketing and branding
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Graphic Design, User Experience and User Interface (UX, UI)
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Sales
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Accounting
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Business Advising
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Business Model Development
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Advanced Manufacturing
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Engineering
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Back End Developer
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Front End Developer
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Pitch Scrubbing
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Youth Mentorship
What do you gain as a RampUp mentor?
You’re able to connect and learn from the diverse perspectives of our participants from various backgrounds and generations.
Individuals of all ages and with different backgrounds think and act in different ways – we want all perspectives! Our participants range from post-secondary students, professional students, and workers, to retired individuals! The business relationship between a mentor and a mentee allows for people to learn similar ways of thinking and differences that could provide innovative perspectives and solutions.
Gain the opportunity to make a change in someone’s entrepreneurial journey!
You’ll be first in our participants’ minds! Do you remember the teacher, boss, or coach who did or said something that impacted your life in a positive way? Step into the opportunity to do that for someone else!
Able to strengthen your knowledge, experiences, and lessons.
Put your knowledge and lessons into practice by sharing them with the community! Guide our participants through challenges, point out common problems, and enrich the lessons you learned with fresh perspectives.