In the days leading to the event, we prepared a powerful power-point presentation that highlighted our project’s goals and the corresponding implementation plan. After heading up to Edmonton the night before, we rehearsed, rehearsed, rehearsed (and rehearsed a little more) so that we could best impress the Dragons with our eloquent delivery.
We rose fresh the next morning, indulged in the culinary largesse of Aramark’s fine cuisine, and ventured downtown to finally face the ferocious Dragons. After witnessing formidable performances from the other Alberta teams, we sauntered up to the front and delivered our presentation. Immediately after the face-off, we incurred their wrath (read: received useful feedback) and were given suggestions on how to improve our marketing approach to potential investors.
At last, it was time to dine on something more than a handful of petrified undergraduates. We meandered to a nearby restaurant and feasted on sumptuous food and beverages scarcely short of ambrosia. We also had the opportunity to feast on something more important: namely, the advice of the business tycoons themselves. We were awestruck by the plethora of wisdom and experiences shared over lunch, not to mention the honour of getting to know the Dragons on a more personal level.
After lunch, the Dragons and students converged in Alberta Ingenuity’s lair to discuss strategies for effective fundraising and networking. It was an open-floor conversation where we had the opportunity to learn from the Dragons and the other teams, free of the reticence that was more pronounced in the morning session. We were also able to address some of the challenges that each of the teams had faced up to that point. The day closed with a feedback session, where the teams discussed the format of the event with the Supreme Commander of the Dragons, Ms Jen Hill.
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