Our entrepreneurial design courses give students the chance to turn brilliant ideas into business ventures in a step-by-step framework, equipping them with the tools and the skills needed. The courses offered are open to all engineering students.

Design and entrepreneurship courses with industry and clients

The Faculty of Engineering offers a full sequence of courses that develop students’ engineering design and entrepreneurial skills.

Working to solve real challenges for clients, students put theoretical concepts and knowledge into practice as part of their engineering and computer science education.

Undergraduate courses

GNG 1103 - Introduction to Engineering Design

This hands-on course introduces engineering and computer science students to the design process through team-based projects. Students develop a wide range of practical design skills while creating tangible prototypes. Topics include design thinking, the engineering design process, prototyping, conflict management and task management.

  • Introduces first-year students to engineering design through hands-on, team-based projects
  • Structured interaction with clients
  • 800 students enrolled per year
  • One client per section — students meet clients three times
  • See previous GNG 1103 projects 
Prototype of the JigX

Project example: Adjustable wood door hardware cutout jig

The JigX is a reusable jig that routes out the cutout for the flush bolts to speed up the process and increase manufacturing precision.

The JigX was proposed for Ambico, a client that needed a solution for the significant amount of time spent measuring and making the placement of cutout plates to install flush bolts in the side of doors. 

GNG 2101 - Introduction to Product Development

This course offers a hands-on, team-oriented approach introducing students to the fundamentals of product development and management. It equips engineering and computer science students with the skills to develop products, manage projects and understand the market, emphasizing creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship.

  • Builds on the knowledge acquired in GNG 1103, focusing on product development for engineers and computer scientists
  • Project theme is accessibility
  • Each student group has a client
  • Teams go and meet clients
  • At least three meetings  scheduled with clients at their desired location
  • Approximately 550 students enrolled per year
  • See previous GNG 2101 projects
     


 

Prototype of AdaptAble Rowing

Project example: Adapted fitness equipment

Team AdaptAble Rowing designed a lightweight attachment to a rowing machine for wheelchair users to exercise without getting out of their wheelchair. This solution was proposed for the Richcraft Recreation Complex, which was looking to adapt a rowing machine for manual wheelchair users.

GNG 4120 - Introduction to Technology Entrepreneurship

Through hands-on experience and real client projects, students learn to turn ideas into sustainable businesses. They acquire the tools and skills to identify market opportunities, create products, secure funding and form high-performing teams.

  • Provides practical experience in technology entrepreneurship, teaching students how to turn technical ideas into profitable businesses
  • Students find clients
  • Students meet with four potential clients per week over six weeks
  • 200 students enrolled per year
     
Moo Money logo

Project example: Moo Money

Moo Money is an innovative online financial education company that provides high-quality video lessons for children and young adults. The lessons are available through a website or application and feature diverse financial and educational media, including lectures on financial topics, interactive education games or quizzes, and real-time financial advice.

Moo Money was a solution to fill a financial knowledge gap in the education system. 

Graduate courses

GNG 5140 - Engineering Design

An open-ended, hands-on engineering design experience where students work directly with clients to meet real societal needs. This course immerses students in the engineering design process, where they learn to understand user needs, to create and test solutions. 

  • Students work in teams to solve client-based problems
  • This course often focuses on sustainability. Students explore how their projects intersect with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Select students present their projects at the U7+ Student Challenge, an international competition
From From left to right: David Bruce, Katia Krazem, Demsey Kirkwood

Project example: Composting toilet

As part of the U7+ Student Challenge on sustainability, a team of students from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Ottawa mentored by Professor David Bruce developed an innovative composting toilet solution to support climate refugees.

GNG 5120 - Technology Entrepreneurship for Engineers and Computer Scientists

This course provides a hands-on overview of launching and scaling a technology business. Students learn to evaluate market opportunities, create viable products, raise capital and assemble effective teams. They submit a final project applying these concepts to their own graduate research.

  • Students learn all about starting and growing a technology company, acquiring skills and tools to turn technical ideas into profitable, sustainable businesses
  • Students find clients
  • Students meet with four potential clients per week for six weeks
  • See a previous GNG 5120 project

GNG 5902 - Industry Internship Project

A graduate project course in which students apply their cumulative knowledge to address a significant engineering challenge. Students work in teams, each with a client and a technical adviser.

See a previous GNG 5902 project.

What you'll gain

Student writing notes on a whiteboard with two people in the background chatting

Students

  • Learn to work in a multidisciplinary team
  • Develop teamwork and interpersonal communication skills
  • Put your analytical engineering skills into practice
  • Understand and apply basic design process principles, entrepreneurial thinking and iteration methods
  • Get hands-on experience with an array of cross-discipline engineering tools
  • Work on important real-world problems
group of people huddle over a student presenting

Clients

  • Solve key design issues
  • Leverage technical knowledge
  • Identify potential employees for your organization
  • Build long-term relationships with professors