Create, develop, and pitch a business idea in just 28+ hours for a chance to win $1,000!

Get ready for RampUp Lite 2026! Held November 13-14, 2026, this fast-paced, two-day entrepreneurship challenge brings together aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, and creatives to turn early-stage ideas into real business concepts. Participants will pitch ideas, form teams, test assumptions, build their business models, and compete in a final pitch challenge with support from experienced mentors along the way.

More than a competition, RampUp Lite is an opportunity to build new skills, make connections, and take the first steps in your entrepreneurial journey, all in just two days.

SUBMIT YOUR PITCH

North Forge’s RampUp Lite is a fast-paced, hands-on entrepreneurship challenge where aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, and creatives come together to turn early-stage ideas into promising business concepts in just two days.

Participants pitch their ideas, form teams, test assumptions, and work collaboratively to develop their concepts. With guidance from experienced mentors, teams explore their target market, refine their business models, and prepare to bring their ideas to life.

The experience culminates in a final pitch competition, where teams present what they’ve built to a panel of judges for the chance to win a $1,000 prize.

More than a competition, RampUp Lite gives participants practical startup experience, valuable connections, and an opportunity to take the next step in their entrepreneurial journey.

How it Works:

Step 1: Choose How You Want to Participate
There are two ways to take part in RampUp Lite, and you do not need to have an idea or pitch to participate.

Have an idea you want to pitch?
Submit a casual, unpolished 60-second video by November 9, 2026 telling us:

What your idea is
What problem it solves
Why you think it has potential

No professional production is needed. Keep your video to 60 seconds or less. Judges will not review anything beyond the 60-second mark.

Just want to participate, learn and build?
No problem! You do not need to submit a video or pitch an idea to attend RampUp Lite. Simply purchase your $10 ticket, join us Friday night, choose one of the Top 10 teams, and spend Saturday helping turn an idea into a business.

No video submission means no opportunity to pitch your own idea, but it does NOT mean you can’t participate in RampUp Lite.

Want to pitch your idea at RampUp Lite? Submit a 60-second video introducing your idea before the deadline. Keep it to one minute, judges will not review anything beyond the 60-second mark.

Step 2: Purchase Your $10 RampUp Lite Ticket

Everyone participating in RampUp Lite must purchase a $10 ticket for the two-day challenge on November 13–14, 2026.
Your ticket includes the full RampUp Lite experience, including food, networking, mentorship, team building, business development, and the opportunity to be part of a team competing for the $1,000 prize.

Whether you submit an idea or simply want to join a team, your $10 ticket gets you into the full RampUp Lite experience.

Step 3: Top 30 Ideas Are Selected

After video submissions close, the North Forge team will review all eligible submissions and select the Top 30 ideas to pitch live on Friday, November 13.

Here’s the twist: Founders won’t know if their idea made the Top 30 until Friday night.

If you submitted a video, arrive prepared and ready to pitch. Throughout the kickoff, the selected founders will be called up to deliver their 60-second pitches.
If you did not submit a video, sit back, hear the ideas, meet the founders and start thinking about which team you might want to join.

Step 4: Top 30 Pitch + The Audience Votes

Each of the Top 30 selected founders gets 60 seconds to pitch their idea live.
Once all pitches are complete, the audience votes for their favourite ideas.
The Top 10 ideas advance and become the teams that will spend Saturday developing, testing, validating and building their business concepts.

Step 5: Everyone Joins a Team
This is where everyone becomes part of the challenge.

If your idea makes the Top 10, congratulations! You’ll begin building a team around your idea.
If you pitched but your idea didn’t make the Top 10, your RampUp Lite journey isn’t over. You’ll join one of the Top 10 teams and bring your skills, experience and perspective to help build the business.

If you never submitted an idea at all, this is your moment to jump in too. Choose a Top 10 team, meet your teammates and get ready to start building.
You don’t need to be a founder. You don’t need an idea. You don’t need to pitch. You just need to be ready to contribute.

Step 6: Build, Validate + Prepare
On Saturday, the Top 10 teams get to work.

With support from mentors and North Forge experts, teams will test assumptions, validate the problem and solution, explore their customers and market, develop their business model, refine their concept and prepare their final pitch.
You’re not expected to arrive with all the answers. The point is to build it together.

Step 7: Final Pitches + $1,000 Prize
At the end of the challenge, teams take the stage and pitch what they’ve built.

The final pitches are judged, and one team will be named the RampUp Lite winner and receive the $1,000 prize.
The winning idea will also earn a pathway into North Forge’s four-stage Founders Program at the Pathfinder level, along with direct entry into the Top 10 at the 2027 RampUp Weekend.

Pitch submissions are due by 5:00 PM on Monday, November 9, 2026.

SUBMIT YOUR PITCH

Meet the RampUp Weekend 2026 Winners

1st Place

$10,000

LinkedAI

LinkedAi helps businesses work smarter with custom software and automation that connects existing tools, streamlines workflows, and reduces repetitive tasks.

2nd Place

$5,000

Bike Locker

Secure bike lockers that give cyclists a safe, locked space to store their bikes and help protect them from theft.

Fan Favourite

$500

Bookmark

An online marketplace connecting students and alumni to easily and safely buy and sell used textbooks helping them save money and give items a second life.

How it Works

PRIOR TO THE EVENT

Submit Your Pitch!

Want to pitch your idea at RampUp Lite?

Submit a casual, unpolished 60-second video by November 9, 2026, at 5:00 pm telling us about your idea, the problem it solves, and its potential.

Our team will select the Top 30 ideas to pitch live on Friday, November 13, BUT you won’t find out if you’ve been selected until that day. If you submit a video, show up prepared and ready to pitch!

*No submission means no opportunity to pitch.*

Friday - November 13

Pitch, Vote, Form Teams!

The Top 30 selected ideas will each have 60 seconds to pitch live on Friday. From there, the audience votes and the Top 10 ideas advance to Saturday.

If your idea isn’t one of the Top 10, don’t worry, your RampUp Lite journey isn’t over! You’ll join one of the Top 10 teams and bring your skills, experience, and perspective to help develop, validate, and build the business idea throughout Saturday, all with the goal of becoming the RampUp Lite winning team.

Saturday - November 14

Build, Pivot, Repeat!

Teams continue building with support and mentorship, refining their business models and preparing their final pitches.

At the end of the challenge, teams take the stage and pitch what they’ve built.

One idea will come out on top.

SUBMIT YOUR PITCH

Notable Companies from RampUP include

Screen shot of Permission Click interface

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!

Sponsorship Package

Discover how supporting RampUp Lite helps spark new ideas, empower aspiring entrepreneurs, and connect your brand with Manitoba’s growing startup community.

2026 Sponorship Package

Meet the Judges

Hyder Bilgrami

Communications, Public Affairs & Marketing

Former Head of Communications at Meta & Uber

Hyder is a strategic communications and public affairs professional with over a decade of experience across technology, telecommunications, and financial services. He has worked with organizations including Meta and Uber, mentored startups globally, and advised Canadian government organizations. He currently serves on the boards of Winnipeg Crime Stoppers and North Forge.

Meet the Judges - Katie Hall Hursh (4).png

Joelle Foster

President & CEO of North Forge

Joelle Foster is the Co-Founder, President & CEO of North Forge and an experienced leader in entrepreneurship, innovation, and early-stage investing. She is also Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Women’s Equity Lab Manitoba and serves on several boards across Canada’s innovation and research ecosystem. Throughout her career, Joelle has focused on supporting entrepreneurs, strengthening innovation ecosystems, and creating opportunities for businesses to start and scale.

Meet the Judges - Katie Hall Hursh (3).png

Chris Schmidt

Founder & CEO, Pluto Ventures

Founder & CEO, Parallel

Chris is an entrepreneur who builds companies at the intersection of consumer behaviour and technology. He has founded and exited two ventures and now leads Pluto Ventures, an AI technology company. Across his ventures, Chris focuses on identifying emerging trends and building scalable solutions. He also sits on several boards and has spoken at more than 200 events about entrepreneurship and AI.

RampUp Weekend FAQ's

RampUp Lite is an exciting, high energy two day challenge where participants pitch business ideas, form teams, and work together to turn an idea into a business. You do not need an idea to participate. For just $10, you can learn, meet new people, build alongside mentors, and compete for prizes, including a $1,000 prize, entry into Pathfinder, and direct entry into the Top 10 at the 2027 RampUp Weekend.
Friday, November 13, 2026 – 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Saturday, November 14, 2026 – 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM

Location: North Forge, 100 Innovation Drive, Winnipeg, MB
Anyone 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 Lite 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.
To keep RampUp Lite fast paced and engaging, only the Top 30 video submissions will be selected to pitch live at the Friday night kickoff. This gives each idea its moment while keeping the event moving and making it easier for the audience to follow along and vote.
Your 1-minute video pitch should explain:

The problem you're solving

Your solution

Who it's for

Why the idea matters

Keep it clear, concise, and compelling. And remember... we won't watch beyond 60 seconds of any video!
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.
What happens on Friday?

Friday kicks off with:

60 second pitches from the Top 30 selected ideas

Audience voting to determine the Top 10

Team formation around the Top 10 ideas

The HUSTLE begins as teams start exploring and developing their ideas

What happens on Saturday?

Teams spend Saturday working together to:

Validate the problem and identify their target customer

Conduct early customer and market research

Develop their proposed solution and value proposition

Explore the business model and key financial considerations

Prepare a three minute final pitch

At the end of the challenge, teams present to a panel of judges and compete for a $1,000 prize and direct entry into North Forge’s Pathfinder program.
Winner:

$1,000

Direct entry into North Forge’s Pathfinder program

A pathway toward the Top 10 at the next RampUp Weekend, following Pathfinder and subject to readiness requirements
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 Saturday 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.
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 28+ hours! We suggest bringing these items with you to set up for success:

Laptop, tablet, or any preferred device you want to work on for the weekend

Mobile phone

Charging cables for all devices

Portable battery charger – just in case

Reusable water bottle

Wear comfy clothes and shoes

Create or update your LinkedIn profile to help new team members understand your strengths

Open mind to learn and connect with other participants
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 RampUp Lite you can park for FREE in our parking lot at 100 Innovation Drive!

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