All News
March 19, 2025
Every year, North Forge hosts their RampUp Weekend, one of Manitoba’s largest business idea pitch events. Over three days, participants form teams to develop and pitch a product, service, or solution to a panel of judges for the chance to win $10,000 towards their business idea.
This year, five MITT students attended, including three who stepped into the spotlight to pitch their concepts to an audience of over 350 attendees.
Rhoda Daguman, a student in the Human Resources Learning and Development (HRLD) program, presented her idea, which focused on helping job seekers who often spend hours tailoring their resumes for each job application—something she has done herself.
She shared about the experience: “The North Forge RampUp Weekend wasn’t nerve-racking for me at all. The vibe was open, safe, and genuinely exciting. It was my first time applying my HR innovation skills outside the context of my formal HR role and employer, which made the experience even more meaningful.”
Joining her was Nicholas Werenich, a Software Developer student in the PTEC program, who helped bring a tech-based solution to life over the weekend. Werenich’s team placed fourth overall — an incredible achievement!
Reflecting on the event, he shared: “I met so many nice people. Despite being 17, people treated me like another team member, and my suggestions were taken seriously.”
Leading up to the event, students had the opportunity to participate in a virtual info session hosted by Whitney Morgan, Director of Operations at North Forge. Morgan offered valuable pitch preparation tips and encouraged students to take the leap.
Through our partnership with North Forge, we’ve been able to continue empowering students to start their own businesses. Earlier this term, we welcomed them to MITT for a panel discussion on how to discover your business idea and get it funded.
Thank you to North Forge for providing opportunities like these, which help students develop practical skills relevant to industries.
