Buildspace x McMaster - Important Read
Hey all, I'm not sure how exactly you got to join this team but the main point is that you got here, so thank you for joining and I'm glad you're here 🎉
You probably have a lot of questions which I will be looking to answer at Sunday's popup event in JHE 264, but for now let's answer a few of them for those who have absolutely no idea what this club or Buildspace is.
What does this club offer?
TL;DR: Access to a community of individuals who believe in building and have the willingness to support you.
This is a program, in coming seasons people will apply on a rolling basis and will have to be accepted to continue associating this club with their idea. The chances of us turning them away are slim, but that's only because some people will work on ideas that definitely should be more private or even potentially dangerous and I don't think anyone would want to promote that and we cannot associate that with McMaster.
I want this club to be simple and effective, it's often a hard combination but it's possible with each of you.
Who should join?
- If you want to build virtual assistive technologies to help impaired people. Cool, join 👌
- Want to build a database for people to learn programming languages because you think current platforms are convoluted. Cool, join 👍
- If you love music and want to make an EP or album. Cool, join ✅
You'll notice that all we are really looking for is for our members to have an idea and a passion for working on it, that's it.
In all honesty, I am not some club professional and for the most part if you've been invited to join then you have just as much say in how this club forms and develops as I do.
One thing that I never want this club to lose is that:
We are trying to bring together people, to work on ideas they want to work on and support them in doing so.
Other than that, if a professor likes to garden on the side and wants to join Buildspace at Mac to help find others then by all means 🏡.
No idea is too small or too large to join this club/community and even those who are non-students at Mac and have this passion are more than welcome as well.
So to clarify, if you have a family member with a willingness and idea they'd like to work on let them refer them, we'd love to help. If 99% of people will turn their idea away, we will foster a community which gives them hope.
What's the end goal?
Really there is none and if there is then I definitely don't see anything happening anytime soon where this doesn't exist. People will always have ideas and can always gain from a helping hand and support.
Caution: We are not offering one-on-one mentorship, our members will join and I'm sure that by week 2 (W2) or W3, you will find some people to work with, but we are not personally connecting or holding hands.
The willingness and work should stem from the member and any additional support/marketing comes from them looking for help and interest in others.
Since we are fostering this environment I truly believe there exists a future where people begin working on an idea, struggle, look for help, make progress, market correctly, and begin finding opportunities (all from just working on something they love to do and having the willingness to work on it. Crazy, right?)
I'm not saying it's that simple but I believe that professors, clubs, faculties will look at this club as a spring for amazing talent and it really just starts with you and an idea.
So for the mentors who are here to help the groups who have earned their stripes and proven their willingness to report back and continue to support their project then welcome 😎
For the members who just want to build something cool, welcome 😎
And for anyone else looking to create something I'm sure it will be cool and I hope you are ready to change McMaster as we know it 😎
Welcome to Buildspace at Mac, let's create some cool stuff.