CEED 10th anniversary | Faculty of Engineering

Two people smiling, one wearing a CEED shirt. — Faculty of Engineering

Centre for Entrepreneurship and Engineering Design

CEED 10th anniversary

Celebrating a decade of innovation and impact! For ten years, the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Engineering Design has been shaping the future, empowering thinkers and change-makers. Join us as we reflect on our journey and look forward to the next decade of creativity.

10 years of impact and innovation

For the past decade, the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Engineering Design (CEED) has been a hub for aspiring entrepreneurs and visionary engineers, fostering groundbreaking ideas and transforming them into real-world solutions.

From student startups to design projects created by Faculty of Engineering students, their impact can be felt beyond our campus boundaries, improving the lives of many in the Ottawa community.

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Key milestones in the centre’s story

November 2015: Announcement of the Chair in Entrepreneurial Engineering Design

Professor Hanan Anis was awarded the Chair in Entrepreneurial Engineering Design by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada. This prestigious position brought $1 million in NSERC funding to the Faculty of Engineering over five years, with the objective to enhance design and entrepreneurship education and opportunities for students.

December 2015: Establishment of the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Engineering Design

The existing design and prototyping spaces—the Makerspace, the Brunsfield Centre and the Sandbox—along with the Ideas and Concepts student entrepreneurship competitions, were integrated into the newly established Centre for Entrepreneurship and Engineering Design within the Faculty of Engineering.

January 2016: First cornerstone engineering design class

A group of eight students participated to the first edition of a client-based engineering design course.

April 2016: First edition of Design Day

CEED hosted their first-ever Design Day, an event created to showcase engineering design projects and celebrate the achievements of uOttawa engineering students. Today, Design Day continues to be held twice a year at the Faculty of Engineering.

April 2018: First Simon Nehme Summer School

The Simon Nehme Summer Entrepreneurship School, a two-week boot camp style program, saw its first of many cohorts.

September 2018: Opening of the STEM Complex

The STEM Complex opened, becoming a hub for multidisciplinary collaboration and innovation. The first-floor features CEED-led design and prototyping spaces, including a new Makerspace and Brunsfield Centre, a collaborative space for competitive teams, and training facilities such as the MakerLab and the Manufacturing Training Centre.

Interior of the STEM Complex with people mingling and interesting lighting.

March 2019: First MakerLaunch cohort

The MakerLaunch program is introduced to support uOttawa students and recent alumni in fast-tracking the commercialization of new technologies.

Group of panelists on a stage at the MakerLaunch launch event.

January 2021: Launch of the School of Engineering Design and Teaching Innovation

Building on existing programs under the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Engineering Design, the School of Engineering Design and Teaching Innovation is launched to provide experiential learning opportunities to every engineering program.

Audience listening to a presentation at the School of Engineering Design and Teaching Innovation launch event.

2025: CEED today

Today, CEED is recognized as the hub for hands-on design and entrepreneurial skill development at uOttawa. Well established within the Faculty of Engineering, CEED operates with a dedicated team of four support staff and engages over 75 undergraduate and graduate students each year. Through its design and entrepreneurship courses, programs, events, workshops, and collaborative spaces, CEED continues to be an integral part of the student experience, fostering innovation and real-world learning.