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Dream of getting acquired one day? Get first-hand insights from a founder who’s done it

Founders

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Dream of getting acquired one day? Get first-hand insights from a founder who’s done it

Derek Hopfner, DMZ alum and Co-Founder of Founded, gives an inside scoop on the motivation behind building the startup and getting acquired, along with advice founders should consider to achieve a successful exit someday. 


When Founded launched in 2017, co-founders Derek Hopfner, Shane Murphy and Travis Houlette were driven by the company’s mission to make the legal side of business an effortless experience for entrepreneurs. 

Within a few short years, thousands of dedicated business users joined Founded. Fast forward to this year: the company made the announcement that they had been acquired by RBC Ventures!
In the coming months, the platform will merge with Ownr, RBC’s existing platform for small business incorporation – but the whole Founded team is staying intact and moving under the RBC Ventures umbrella, together.

Getting acquired is what many young startups hope and dream for one day, but many overlook the meticulous planning and strategic considerations that need to happen at an early stage. We spoke with Derek Hopfner about the experience of scaling Founded, and what startup founders can do early on to position themselves for a successful exit.

Take a look at our Q&A with Derek to hear what he had to say. 

Founded company logo
What does Founded do?


Founded is an online legal platform with a focus on making entrepreneurship easy. When starting a business, there is an endless number of things that entrepreneurs need to think about early on, so taking away the legal components and making it really simple for them was something that was really important to us. 

An entrepreneur can join Founded (soon to be Ownr) and can use the platform to navigate various legal tasks as their company grows. This includes anything from preparing an employment agreement for a new employee to creating website terms of use and privacy policy. You can even create an employee stock option plan, something that’s gaining popularity from startups.

Founded platformIt sounds like the platform is valuable to companies at all stages of growth, not only young startups looking to get incorporated?


That’s true! Many entrepreneurs start their company on Founded, but we also bring on companies that have incorporated elsewhere and want to benefit from using Founded’s technology for legal work going forward. 

A nice way to think of it: there are a lot of programs in the accounting field, like Quickbooks, that help entrepreneurs with the accounting side of things. Founded is like that, but for the legal side of things.


What was the motivation behind creating Founded? Were you ever an entrepreneur who experienced similar challenges with getting legal support?


I’m a former lawyer, so I actually saw it from the other side where I did a lot of corporate commercial work with businesses. Oftentimes, legal work was expensive for startups or they saw it as complicated. They didn’t want to meet in a lawyer’s office – they wanted to do things electronically, quickly and seamlessly.

Two out of the three of our founders are lawyers: myself and Shane. Travis is our CTO and Head of Product, and he had the experience from an entrepreneur’s standpoint. Shane and I saw the problems through a lawyer’s lens. We’ve got a good combo between the three of us!

Founded team
What was the process of scaling the company? Did you have a funding strategy?


We launched in October 2017, so we were in operation for about three years before getting acquired. 

We were really lean on funding. We had some angels that supported us but never completed an institutional round of venture capital funding. We also had support from the Ontario Centre of Excellence and government programs like IRAP.

We grew our sales and revenue and always reinvested it back into the company. That meant hiring for sales, marketing, developers – but we have always had a lean team. 

Our primary marketing strategy involved using Google Ads, high-quality blog content, and partnering with local entrepreneurship centres like the DMZ, MaRS and Enterprise Toronto. That’s really what allowed us to scale. 

We also had a really strong product, so word of mouth helped a lot. People would use the platform, have a great experience, and go on to encourage their friends to use it.


How did joining the DMZ help Founded?


During our time at the DMZ, the company got to a profitable state, which allowed us to continue growing without having to rely on funding.

There are two big things in particular that come to mind that allowed us to do this: we gained a stronger understanding of how to accelerate our sales processes, and learned how to read and analyze our data to then base our strategy around it.

Everything was super helpful – marketing was great, product was great, the programming was really holistic.Founded acquired by RBC

Many founders’ biggest dream is to get acquired and get that big exit. Was getting acquired a goal you were working towards from the early days?


It wasn’t necessarily the goal. When we started the company, we were really driven to make entrepreneurship easy.

When you decide to take money from funders, you have to realize they’re not doing it purely to support you and your goal to build a company – they do expect some sort of return to the investment that they’re making. I think most entrepreneurs realize there needs to be some thought towards an exit strategy.
We had been working with RBC for two years. It was never our goal to get acquired at this exact time – it was pretty organic. 

I think it’s helpful to start thinking about it early on when starting a company. That being said, if you were to ask me five years ago if the largest bank in Canada were to acquire a legal technology company, I would have never imagined that!


What advice would you give a founder that is interested in getting acquired? What are some important things a founder should consider? 


It’s important to understand, early on, what the implications are if you’re taking funding, especially from VCs. Understand how dilution works. Angels are one form of funding, but once you move to institutional funding, there are strong expectations for returns on their investments – to the tune of 10, 15 or even 20 times the initial investment. You need to find a path to hit those metrics. 

Next, in the early stages of building a company, take a look beforehand at the exit opportunities that may exist in your particular industry. It’s not a bad idea to look at each industry and understand the valuation multiples which exist. In most cases, you’re putting your whole life into your business – likely a lot of financial resources. So, if you have two choices that you’re equally passionate about, why not go with the industry that has a multiple exit of traditionally 15x revenue, versus another that might only be 2x or 3x. 


Now that you’ve gone through most of the acquisition process, do you have any important lessons learned to share with other founders?


Be open to business opportunities as you are growing the company because you don’t know where they’re going to lead. I don’t think it was really on our radar that RBC was going to be our acquirer when we started working with them a couple of years ago, but that turned into something real this year. Where you start with a company is not where you’re going to end up, and I think being open and fluid about that is important. 

If you’re having discussions about an acquisition, it’s going to take a lot of your time – a lot more than you’d think. It’s so important to make sure your team is still focused on delivering value each day with the acknowledgement that this acquisition might not go ahead.

Also, don’t put 100% of your time and efforts into the acquisition, or you’ll leave your business behind. You need to continue to drive value to your customers and keep building a strong business. That’s really the best counterpoint to any negotiation. If things fall through, you can then walk away at any time and continue pursuing your business.

startup team communication
When should a founder communicate with their team that an acquisition could be in the works? 


I think it depends on the team and its size. Because of COVID and everything that was going on in the world, we kept our team focused on building the product and helping customers until the later stages of the acquisition.  That was the right decision because of the uncertain environment the world was in

Communication strategies will differ from one company to the next. Do what’s best for your company, for your team, and for the environment you’re in.


Thanks, Derek! Now, what’s next for you and the Founded team? 


We’re all now RBC Ventures employees! The whole team came over, which I’m super happy about. We get to pursue the exact same thing that we were doing before, but with a much bigger budget and more resources.

I’m as excited as ever to continue to deliver on the same mission to help entrepreneurs all across  Canada, and ideally look to new jurisdictions as well.  We’re lucky in that everything is kind of the same for us, but now we just have more opportunities and resources to deliver!

Congrats to Derek and the entire Founded team on your success, and thank you for your commitment to helping entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey. Keep up with Founded over the coming months as it integrates with RBC Ventures’ Ownr to bring the best business formation and legal tools together under one roof.

How to pivot with purpose: A Q&A with Hop In’s CEO

Hop In’s CEO and Co-Founder, Erich Ko, proves why adaptability is key to entrepreneurial growth

Hop In is a DMZ Incubator company that provides logistics software services to offer customized corporate shuttle solutions for the daily commute. The startup helps companies retain more talent and access a larger hiring pool while providing employers with a comfortable and efficient commute to work.

Erich Ko is the CEO and Co-Founder of Hop In. What started as a business idea discussed between a few friends has evolved into a startup with a real purpose: to improve economic development issues and make transportation more accessible for workers everywhere.

We asked Erich about what fuelled his interest to become an entrepreneur, his experience in the Startup Certified program, how Hop In was conceptualized and how the company has pivoted its strategy this year.

Here’s what he had to say.

 

Let’s talk about your personal entrepreneurial journey. When did you join Startup Certified? How did you hear about it? 


I was a student working at Ryerson’s Legal Innovation Zone Law Practice Program in the same building as the DMZ. By working at the front desk, I was introduced to startups, and through that, I was connected to the Sandbox. 

Natasha, Sandbox’s then-Director, introduced me to the Startup Certified program. It seemed really cool and had a structured approach. I joined in the Fall of 2017 and wanted to learn as much as I could!

I joined a startup called Curexe at the time. They have since been rebranded as Cevnn Payments.

What was your role within the startup? What areas of the business were you working on?


It started as a marketing role, and I worked on content marketing and organic growth. However, there were only three of us at the time, so I did everything and anything and developed my skills that way.

After that placement was complete, I ended up going back to consult with them for a few months. I helped them grow the team and scale up a little bit as well.

What made you interested in pursuing entrepreneurship?


Before that placement, I had been working for the government for six years. I ran into the “red tape” problem – something that you hear about, but don’t believe it until you see it. I figured that there has to be a faster way and a better way for me to have an impact. I turned to startups. It seems to really be the best way to change something in the world.

I’ve also been restless my entire life! I got in a lot of trouble as a kid and I was doing some things I wasn’t supposed to. Entering the entrepreneurial world helps you channel that energy. I know it sounds cliche, but it really does. 

I can work 40-50 hours straight without sleeping and nobody will say anything (besides my mom!) You’re constantly solving problems; it’s challenging. You never know what the day holds for you, so this was the perfect fit for me. 

This, I know, is what I’m going to do with my life.

Let’s talk about Hop In. What was the story behind creating the company?


I actually grew up with my two co-founders! One of them is my best friend, and our CTO was my brother’s best friend growing up. 

One night while drinking at the bar, we were discussing how we had all lived every problem possible when it came to commuting. That’s when we decided we would try to build an app to solve commuting issues.

Fast forward to today, we’ve snowballed into a bigger problem that we didn’t even know was there in the beginning. There’s a huge economic development issue that is the root of these commuting problems. 

There are these gaps left behind by transit in areas that are outside of the Torontos of the world. Workplaces in these areas aren’t always accessible. We provide a last-mile solution to connect them from the transit system to the workplaces. 

We also realized recently that we can help people from marginalized communities and the shelters, so we are actually working on different job programs to help people get access to better opportunities that they normally wouldn’t have. 

Hop In provides more than just transportation – can you explain how Hop In helps employers?


We help companies expand their hiring pools. One of our companies is Maple Lodge Farms in Brampton. We helped them hire their first employee from Scarborough, which is really not a possible transit route if you don’t have a car, right? That’s the value we add to the companies.

We go to a company and do a needs assessment for free. Employees tell us all about their commutes and schedules. Then, we plug that information back into our internal software system and design customized routes and schedules based on the employees’ needs.

If employers have issues with retention, it’s something that Hop In can also help with. The employer usually covers the cost completely. 

We work very closely with recruitment agencies and staffing agencies. We’re members of the Brampton Board of Trade as well and work closely with all the bodies that contribute towards the development of a city, development of commercial properties, and management of all of those work sites. Hop In works with everybody in that spectrum. 

Our operations are primarily based in the York Region, but currently, we are working on programs with 107 municipalities across Ontario! Our main areas are GTA-focused, and now we are getting out to the rural areas and small towns. 

How does the shuttling aspect of Hop In work?


We work with chartered bus companies that normally do events. For them, working with us is a no-brainer. It’s a new stream of revenue for them, especially during COVID as no one is going to events.

With our bus operators, we are constantly looking at data: tracking rides and optimizing routes. For example, if there were a Raptors game or Leafs game or a parade, we can reroute instantly.

The bus companies we work with are also certified to provide accessible transportation for people with disabilities. We just finished up a pilot with Durham Deaf Services to transport their learners to the facilities.

You mentioned that there has been less of a demand for bus services due to COVID-19. How has the pandemic changed how you operate?


For the first couple of months, everyone was just trying to figure out their place in this world now. We took that time to help those in need. We realized we weren’t going to generate revenue for at least a few months, so we figured we might as well do something productive with the time and help out. 

Hop In paired up with restaurants in Vaughan, Markham, and Brampton and we delivered around 100 meals and free rides to work for healthcare workers. We’ve actually now donated over 20,000 disposable masks across Canada!

We also had to shift the focus of our customer demographics. We had been working with tech companies, but they all started to work from home, so we doubled down on the essential factories and manufacturing facilities that had to stay open.

We did pivot, but nothing too big for us. Our core model stayed the same.

What advice would you give other university students or other aspiring entrepreneurs if they want to start a business?


I have three things. The first one is you just got to go for it. It’s going to be tough, things don’t always go as planned. 

If it’s something you really want to do, then there are a lot of opportunities and you can find help from places like the DMZ. The DMZ taught me so much about design thinking – that was the biggest thing for me to understand how to actually validate this thing!

My second piece of advice is to listen to your customers. I really didn’t understand this point until last year. Build what your customer needs – not necessarily what sounds nice.

The last thing? It’s all about perspective. Especially during times like this – with COVID and the economic crisis happening at the same time – there is always a way. The situation that we’re in is creating a host of problems, but the reason why we exist as entrepreneurs is to solve problems.

A lot of people thought we were dead because we are a transportation company, but we pivoted and we became an essential service to a lot of industries. In times like these, take a look from every different angle and make sure you leave no stone unturned.

I’ll be honest… we are not without our freakouts! But it’s been really, really fun because we’ve just been throwing pasta at the wall and seeing what sticks, right? Every day we are throwing something new out there to see what happens. It’s been kind of fun experimenting that way.

 

Want to learn more? Visit Hop In’s website and follow them on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

What’s it like being a “parentpreneur” during the pandemic?

For parent founders working full-time from home, managing a company while raising kids has been one of the more trying aspects of the pandemic.


Between handling screaming children while on conference calls at home and dealing with the stress of sending kids back to school, parents with young children haven’t had it easy this pandemic. Remote working as a result of COVID-19 has greatly affected life at home as we know it, and in some cases, has completely changed family dynamics and parenting styles.

Most entrepreneur parents, or “parentpreneurs”, have the privilege of working from home, even in the absence of a pandemic. That doesn’t mean keeping kids home for remote learning has been easy.

DMZ founders share their experiences while working from home with kids. Inevitability, there have been challenges – but parents have also seen some surprising silver linings come out of it. 

If you’re a parent in a similar situation, you might find comfort in hearing that no family has perfected life during a worldwide pandemic. Hear what these founders are saying!


The switch to distance learning and remote working

Tweepsmap’s Samir Al-Battran, Founder & CEO and Erin Heywood, Manager of Operations, are a parent duo with three school-aged children. As soon as the pandemic hit in March, Tweepsmap had already begun remote work. Samir and Erin felt prepared ahead of their school’s shutdown and, all things considered, were appreciative of their situation as parents.

“We’re lucky. Not everyone has the luxury to work from home or has a business that can continue without much disruption,” explains Erin. She adds that it helps that her children have two tech-savvy parents and enough devices in the home to make distance learning physically possible for three kids in one household.

Zeze Peters, Founder & CEO of Beam.city is also a parent of three: two school-aged children and a newborn. He claims that parenting during the pandemic has been both amazing and tricky – something that many parents can relate to: “Before COVID, my wife and I were complaining that we didn’t have enough time to spend with our kids. Mid-school year, we got our wish – but not on great terms.”

 

Balancing work and family life

Kate Mansouri, Founder & CEO of Pennygem has had her hands full in 2020. For Kate, it’s been a year of firsts – she’s growing her first startup and has become a mother for the first time. Most of the Pennygem team consists of women that have children, so as a leader, Kate has been understanding of parenting struggles during a pandemic. 

“It’s been tough for them. Sometimes parents are sitting in a meeting, their kids walk in and ask a million questions and they have to turn the camera and microphone off to attend to the kids. It can be tough to stay on track and be productive having your kid around,” Kate explains. “I, myself, have to wake up at 5:00 a.m. every day. My most productive times are from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., and then in the evening when my baby goes to bed.”

For Samir and Erin, working for the same company has both its benefits and drawbacks. “The challenge is that kids are screaming while you’re trying to have a call with a customer, so it’s been different – and Erin can’t work as much as she could before because she’s taking a lot of the load from our children being at home.”

Zeze’s sentiments are similar, stating that client meetings and managing a team has been a little tricky with the kids home from school. “Sometimes they’ll come in and join my meetings, which actually doesn’t always bother me, but it does break your workflow. There’s a concept in technology called context switching: going from business work to funding work, to team management work, writing technology, to responding to emails and then, of course, dealing with kids. A context switch takes your mind from one mode to another mode. Working from home, my daily productivity went through the floor. As an early-stage startup, every hour matters, especially when I’m leading a team,” Zeze says.

Plans for this school year

In August, provincial governments and school boards across the country began announcing plans to send kids back to the physical classroom this fall for the 2020-2021 school year. The COVID-19 pandemic posed yet another dilemma for parents. While at-home work productivity would surely improve, the potential spread of the virus amongst kids is something parents have to take into consideration.

While Kate has a newborn baby and doesn’t yet have to make a decision on whether to send her child to school, she knows most of the parents on her team have found it difficult balancing family and work life, and will likely be opting to get kids back into a routine. “I think [the parents] would be taking the option of having kids go back to school. It’s been very tough on some of them. Many moms are looking for ways to take their children back to daycare or school, even if it’s part-time,” Kate explains.

Erin and Samir say they’ve made the decision to keep their three kids home for remote learning, at least for the start of the year. Erin mentions that, in continuing remote learning, there will be bumps in the road – but it won’t feel like the same emergency it was in the Spring for her three kids. “The school has a set mandated time for teacher-led learning every day. The kids will have to be in front of a computer, and some people are complaining about screen time – but frankly, this is the choice you’re making for your child if you decide to keep them home.” Erin also says that if class sizes were smaller, they would consider sending their children back to school. But with potentially 25-30 in a classroom, there won’t be much physical distancing.

Samir mentions that the decision to keep kids home will help with the consistency of their learning. “We’re thinking about sustainability. If things get bad again and schools shut down, it would be disruptive to their school year. If we get them online from the beginning, at least they will have more stability in their learning.”

Zeze and his wife have also opted to keep their two school-aged children in the virtual classroom for now. “As good as the intention is to have teachers bear the brunt of the cleanliness for large periods of the day, it’s just hard to be perfect,” Zeze explains. “There are hundreds of kids. With COVID, even though small kids may not have strong symptoms and develop issues, it may not be the same for their parents and grandparents.”

In it for the long haul? Parenting WFH tips and silver linings

As the digital workplace and classroom may very well be our reality for the next while, we asked founders if they have tips to offer other parents for improving work-life balance and family dynamics in the current environment. Parents also explain that amidst the pandemic, they have seen some benefits to keeping the family at home – and have been embracing the silver linings that have come with it.

Erin and Samir are grateful that they even have the ability to work from home and spend more time with the family. In terms of tips for keeping the family happy and productive, Erin adds: “Each case is different, every child is different. You can’t listen to what everyone is telling you. Try to come up with a solution that works for your own kids, your company and your life. It’s important to listen to your kids and what their needs are.” As an example, given the government’s social bubble restrictions, Erin and Samir have been flexible with allowing their daughter to spend more time than usual socializing with friends online. 

A practical solution for Zeze’s family was to establish a consistent daily routine in which his kids finished school work first thing in the morning. “Before they did anything else, they had to get their school work done early in the morning. By about 10:00 a.m., they would be done for the day. My wife and I could get back to being productive with our own work.”

As a founder whose team has been working in a digital format since the company’s inception, Kate doesn’t plan to bring her startup into an office setting post-pandemic – at least not full-time. Her team sees great value in Pennygem’s remote working policy. 


Kate explains that some mothers on her team have appreciated the extra bonding time at home with children. “My hope is to provide them with an opportunity to have meaningful input, but at their own convenient time. It’s working really well for us. We’re very flexible,” Kate adds. “The situation was a big eye-opener for a lot of people. We were required to work from home all of a sudden, and many of us have discovered that it’s working. It’s tough, but you learn to work around it.”

Zeze adds that a silver lining to this crisis has been that his family is making special memories that they will cherish forever. “The kids have picked up arts and crafts, they paint now too. We’ve been having barbecues together, we’ve built a farm full of fruits and vegetables which the kids have helped plant and harvest. Every day when they go out to play, it’s cool to look out the window and see them playing in the backyard. It makes us feel happy.”

If you’re a parentpreneur working from home with kids, share your experiences and tips with the DMZ on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Basecamp 2020: Hear from the grand prize winners

It’s been yet another successful summer for aspiring student entrepreneurs in Basecamp, DMZ’s eight-week intensive student incubation program helping rising innovators create tech solutions to tackle some of the world’s most pressing issues. 

It’s also been a summer like never before for Basecamp. This year, due to COVID-19, DMZ transformed the program into a completely virtual format. While Basecamp programming looked a little different than in previous years, the digital structure paved the way for new partnership opportunities with international organizations, allowing the DMZ to host over 40 rising student entrepreneurs from around the globe!

Keep reading to learn more about what made this cohort special, and hear from the winners about their Basecamp experience and what the future holds for their companies.

A 2020 snapshot

Basecamp 2020 received a record-breaking number of applications from high school and university students. Following a competitive application process, 41 student applicants across 26 company teams received acceptance to the program. This year’s cohort represented both high school and university students from several countries around the world – from Canada and the U.S., to Egypt, Syria, and even Japan!

Keeping in line with today’s emerging tech trends, Basecamp companies found themselves exploring a number of diverse and non-traditional industries: medtech, edtech, fintech, cleantech, and more. Teams all shared a common goal: to develop a technology solution that would drive positive impact and address some sort of social, economic or environmental issue that our society is faced with.   

Over eight weeks, teams spent over 160 hours in workshops and with industry mentors to soak in as many new learnings as possible and turn their business idea into a viable startup company. Programming covered everything from problem validation and prototyping, go-to-market strategies, to pitching and storytelling. 

Basecamp finalists

After a jam-packed summer, teams were given the opportunity to present a company pitch to a panel of judges for the chance to take home one of three grand prizes: $5,000 in business grant money and an accounting package from Logan Katz worth up to $13,000. Six finalists were chosen based on having a driven and coachable founding team, a robust business model, a unique market solution, and an effective business presentation, among other determining factors.

The six finalists included: A Friendlier Company, Snowball, ConchShell, Madaki, Project Lightbulb and Anaxa..

Basecamp 2020 grand prize winners

Following the final pitch presentation, the top three companies were selected by a new panel of judges as the Basecamp 2020 winners: ConchShell, A Friendlier Company and Project Lightbulb. Congrats to the winners!

Hear from the winning teams about their Basecamp experience and what the future holds for their companies.

ConchShell
Founders: Jin Schofield and Sarvnaz Alemohammad

ConchShell is a real-time American Sign Language translator that helps the deaf and speech-impaired navigate life independently using a wearable bracelet. The bracelet tracks the user’s actions through sign language and voices a translation out loud for others to hear. 

“ConchShell has developed dramatically since the beginning of the DMZ Basecamp program.  We completed dozens of interviews for customer validation with ASL users, reached out to professionals in the industry, and developed software through DMZ’s various helpful workshops, as well as through connecting with the many amazing and knowledgeable people in DMZ’s Basecamp network. We learned to be bold in our decisions, develop thorough business models and pitches, and make the most of our potential!

In the next year, we intend to complete our first prototype and run, make two iterations of our pilot program, and open limited sales functionality.  We are thankful for the DMZ for all of the guidance and direction we’ve received in the last two months. We could not have done it without the DMZ!” 

– Jin and Sarvnaz, Founders, ConchShell 

A Friendlier Company
Founders: Kayli Dale and Jacqueline Hutchings

A Friendlier Company is creating a smart, centralized reuse system to eliminate single-use food packaging waste. The company gives food service providers reusable takeout containers, and once used, A Friendlier Company handles all reverse logistics, washing, and redistribution for reuse. The containers are lightweight, stackable, and are competitively priced to disposable plastic containers. This zero-waste system generates up to 60% less greenhouse gas emissions than single-use alternatives.

“We’re excited to begin pilots with our reusable takeout system in the Guelph area with prepared meal companies and local restaurants. We have been accepted into Innovation Guelph’s Seeding Our Food Future program which focuses on creating circular economies, like our reuse system. Throughout the fall we will continue expanding and piloting with various food service providers to perfect our reuse system and gain consumer feedback. We are so excited to get started and reduce single-use plastic waste!

Basecamp prepared us to confidently pursue our business full time. The program introduced us to incredible speakers that were experts in fields like marketing, prototyping, personal branding, sales, legal, financing, and pitching. Our biggest takeaway was learning how to tell our story and brand through pitching. We learned that effectively communicating our idea is just as important as the idea itself and is key to our success as a company. The community of young entrepreneurs we worked with was incredibly supportive and inspiring. Thank you DMZ Basecamp!”

– Jacqueline Hutchings and Kayli Dale, Founders, A Friendlier Company

Project Lightbulb
Founder: Colette Benko

Project Lightbulb is a virtual science education that guides students through curriculum outcomes using hands-on experiments that only require paper and materials you will find in the environment. Project Lightbulb believes every child should have access to engaging education that fosters their curiosity and problem-solving skills.

“The next steps for Project Lightbulb will be to continue building our program by developing more experiments so that we are ready to begin piloting in the late fall.

​​​I was very fortunate to meet so many like-minded youth that are working on incredible projects during my time at Basecamp. I am very inspired by my peers and I look forward to working with some in the future. Furthermore, I have learned many important skills and things to take into consideration when building a successful business. Prior to the program, I didn’t realize the importance of having a strong network. Basecamp allowed me to start building that network, learn new skills and continue to grow it as I move forward with Project Lightbulb.”

– Colette Benko, Founder, Project Lightbulb

 

Thank you!


Thank you to our 26 amazing teams who have accomplished so much over a short period of time and who made Basecamp 2020 a huge success. Congratulations on your achievements! We can’t wait to see what the future holds for you.

Evrlinx announced as #HackTheCurve winner

Congrats to Everlinx for taking home the grand prize! 


It goes without saying that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected every single Canadian in one way or another. Within the first weeks of the pandemic emerging and intensifying in North America, the DMZ realized that our country could lean on its ecosystem of tech innovators for help in flattening the curve.

That’s why we launched #HackTheCurve – a platform that challenged teams to develop a solution that could alleviate some of the greatest difficulties being faced by front line workers, small businesses, and everyday Canadians as a consequence of COVID-19. 

Despite a tight application deadline, we received more than 200 applications representing over 400 individual participants coast-to-coast. After a busy two weeks consisting of 11 expert workshops and virtual events, DMZ mentor check-ins, strategy meetings and around-the-clock prep for the final pitch, we are excited to announce that Evrlinx is our #HackTheCurve winner!

Evrlinx (formerly Infinite Supply) took home the $15,000 cash prize and $200,000 business services package. The team will also receive membership in the Biomedical Zone, in addition, to Entrepreneur-in-Residence support from the DMZ. Read our interview with the winning team below.

Thank you to our partners who made #HackTheCurve a success: Innisfil Accelerates (Financial Partner), Moneris (Payment Provider Partner), as well as several other contributing partners, including Logan Katz, Goodmans, Fasken, Involve Design, Founded, Heroku, Twilio, Hubspot, and AWS.

Evrlinx

We asked the team some questions about their winning solution and the process they took to achieve success.

Tell us more about Evrlinx.

Evrlinx is an online B2B marketplace that connects buyers and suppliers of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) across Canada. Our goal is to ensure all our front-line workers in Canada have access to the PPE they need. With global supply chains becoming more unreliable, we created Evrlinx to strengthen our Canadian supply chains and help keep our frontline workers safe. 

What issue related to COVID-19 was your team trying to address?

Our team is concerned with the lack of safe, cost-effective and certified PPE available for all types of frontline workers in Canada. Why are there perceived shortages? Why are frontline workers receiving low quality PPE? How many countries are blocking the export of PPE to Canada?

Briefly explain the process your team went through in two weeks to establish your business solution.

First, our team conducted a very comprehensive brainstorming session to discuss the pain points we were observing in the PPE market. We wanted to figure out what problems needed attention and broke the problems down into their pieces to get to the root cause of the problem. Once we established the problem we were trying to solve we became experts on the subject through comprehensive customer interviews, which gave us the information to build our first MVP and future app prototype.

Did your team take advantage of DMZ’s supports throughout the duration of #HackTheCurve? 

Our goal was to attend every workshop, decipher what material was pertinent and see how we could apply the information to our business. Since there was too much to do, we used the divide and conquer approach. For each of the workshops, we sent one or two teammates to take notes while the others worked on our solution. As a group, we decided which elements we should implement. 

Why do you think your team was able to succeed in this challenge?

We had amazing team dynamics and were motivated to see our solution out in the world. Every day we would meet virtually and work on making our business better.  

Does your team have plans as to how you would like to use the money you’ve won?

We are investing the prize money back into Evrlinx. The funds will be allocated to platform development and business setup costs. We need Evrlinx to be out in the world. 

Do you have any advice for other innovators who want to succeed in developing/pitching a new business for challenges like #HackTheCurve?

We have five key points:

  1. Cohesive and dedicated teams win challenges. Create an open environment with easy communication and guide your team to think beyond the challenge. 
  2. As a team, early on, define the problem you would like to solve within the competition and stick with it! You will refine, iterate and pivot around the problem throughout the challenge.  
  3. Work on your pitch/slides as you’re working not at the end. Pitch decks can help guide your thinking. 
  4. Do your research! Talk to users, stakeholders and industry experts. Use the information to iterate.  
  5. Practice and prepare for your pitch over and over again. Get feedback on every slide and be prepared for all possible questions. 

Questions for Evrlinx? Reach out to the team at hello@evrlinx.com and check out the website here


Thanks again to everyone involved in making #HackTheCurve a success. 

Questions? Email us at dmz@torontomu.ca

Ashu and Andrew met in DMZ’s first Sandbox cohort in 2018. Now, they’re revolutionizing the mortgage industry.

Ashu and Andrew's headshots

Andrew Wells (Pinch, CEO and Founder, pictured left) and Ashu Syal (Pinch, Director of Product, pictured right) met in the DMZ’s first-ever Sandbox cohort in 2018.

Andrew was an enthusiastic new DMZ founder and Ashu was a newly hired DMZ Program Lead. This duo is now working together at Pinch Financial (Pinch), a DMZ startup that is utilizing AI to revolutionize the mortgage application process. Pinch is a digital platform that makes applying for a mortgage fast, easy, and secure. The platform connects people directly with lenders, taking brokers out of the equation to empower users to make their own decisions. Pinch’s blog makes real-estate insider knowledge accessible for everyone.

We sat down with Andrew and Ashu to learn more about Pinch and the journey that led them to develop the partnership of a lifetime. 

Pinch company logoWhy did you start Pinch?

Andrew: I had just graduated and was working at a bank as an account manager. I hated it. I saw first-hand how awful and inaccessible mortgage applications are, the process is a disservice to hard-working people. I knew there had to be a better way, so I started Pinch.

Broker’s wages have gone up by 400% in the past 12-15 years, but the everyday person’s income has not. I’m not saying all brokers are bad, but the system is broken. I started Pinch to shine a light on the toxicity of the whole process.

Pinch advertisingCan you tell me more about Pinch’s time at the DMZ?

Andrew: We joined the DMZ’s Sandbox program in 2018 with two staff members. Ashu was our Programs Lead and together we created Pinch’s first prototype, raised our first seed round, developed our MVP and then graduated to the Incubator program. We demoed at the 2019 Collision Conference in Toronto (Pinch team pictured on the left with Collision Conference’s Pinch feature TTC ad) and that really sparked important investor relationships at major banks.

We hired our first engineer, then two more engineers and then a designer, currently half of our current staff came directly from relationships we made while part of the DMZ community.

No one has ever done what Pinch is doing. The DMZ understood the gravity of that and gave us all the space, knowledge, and resources we needed to build our business, the right way.

Banking and real estate are both highly regulated industries. How did Pinch break in?

Andrew: It’s true, the mortgage process has not changed since 1997…This makes pitching new tech to banks uniquely hard. Our EiRs (Entrepreneurs in Residence) taught us how to find the right bank executives, stakeholders, and investors and speak their language… we needed that insider knowledge available to founders at the DMZ to successfully break in.

Andrew, what led you to approach Ashu to join your team full time?

Andrew: Everything was going well, but there was this disconnect growing among our marketing, financial and tech development teams. We needed someone who spoke each of our languages and could bring us together. Our best work always happened at the DMZ with Ashu. We knew he was our guy. 

Ashu, why did you want to join the Pinch team?

Ashu: My wife and I had just started applying for a house when Andrew approached me. It took us more than a month to get a mortgage. We went to open houses and people were outbidding us before we even walked through the door. The whole process felt impossible. It was so stressful. I have a lot of empathy for what mortgage applicants go through.

Pinch is creating new startup practices and utilizing old ones where necessary. They are setting people-centred standards not just for the homeownership industry, but for how we build technology in general. Pinch’s mission really aligns with my own values, I’m really excited to be here.

Team working togetherWhat’s next for Pinch?

Andrew: We are launching our product in a new and big way, with big bank partners. It is going to change the way people approach homeownership. It is a fundamental shift in how someone can get a property.

This (buying a house) can be the most important decision of someone’s life. Our team does not take that lightly. I started Pinch to make sure buying a house was accessible and secure for people. That human-centred mission will continue to always drive every decision we make. 

Whether our company is successful in 10 years or not…what we have done is pushed bank executives and mortgage brokers to truly grapple with this topic for the first time ever, and we are really proud of that.

Team chatting over coffeeAshu, what are you most looking forward to in the future?

Ashu: I wouldn’t be where I am today without the right people telling me to stop building my ideas in a basement and come into an incubator space… Making sure that pathway is open to others, particularly for those who historically have a hard time coming into this industry will always be important to me, will forever excite me, especially because of my time at the DMZ. 

DMZ startups like Pinch not only get the tailored support they need to become world-leading businesses but get access to the DMZ’s thriving talent pool of driven industry innovators. 

Learn more about DMZ Sandbox here.

Stepping up during COVID-19: How DMZ startups are finding tangible ways to support those affected by the pandemic

By now, most of us have felt the impact a global pandemic can have on our everyday living. Individuals, small businesses and global economies alike are already feeling the amplitude of the repercussions that have come with the COVID-19 virus.

Despite the chaos this virus has created, several DMZ companies (current and alumni) are pushing their traditional boundaries and devoting additional time, money and resources to help those in need. Some startups are cutting platform subscription fees for small businesses, while some are forming charitable partnerships within the community. Others have staff working around the clock to build new functionality to save customers millions of dollars. 

Kudos to these DMZ companies who are placing values before profit during this time:

AirMatrix

Drones are becoming a major part of our transportation system. AirMatrix provides the infrastructure technology to help cities effectively navigate drones in the sky. The startup’s platform gives enterprises and local governments a layered grid system by building precise highways in the sky to create safe, scalable and efficient transportation systems in high-dense areas.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought urgent use cases for drones in cities around the world, meaning AirMatrix’s technology will be integral in enabling and scaling drone operations needed to combat the spread of the virus in Canada. The company has already mapped and developed a significant network of skyroads in the downtown core of Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. AirMatrix is working with government to deploy their technology, which will be critical in flattening the curve and stopping the spread of infection.


Clout Jam

Clout Jam is a business management platform that specifically serves independent influencers, equipping creators with the right tools to prosper in business and thrive in life. In response to the current COVID-19 crisis, co-founders Trevor Mengel and Samantha Cutler have jump-started a unique campaign, #CloutForGood. This new initiative is designed to connect all types of influencers with pro-bono opportunities to help raise awareness of many Canadian charities, particularly those on the front line of the fight against COVID-19. Already, #CloutForGood has received notable attention from the community! Several charities have jumped on board to partner with Clout Jam, including Food4Kids, Foodbanks Canada, and UNICEF Canada, with new non-profits joining daily. Canadian influencers participating in #CloutForGood include: @drea_wheeler, @sashaexeter, @caleighfit, @carlingliski, @haylesbeth, @bylaurenp, @alessiasculpt and (of course) @thefitfatale, run by co-founder Samantha.

Get involved! Influencers and registered non-profit organizations can participate in #CloutForGood by signing up at cloutjam.com/cloutforgood or contacting trevor@cloutjam.com.

Crowdmark

Crowdmark’s collaborative grading and analytics platform helps teachers more effectively evaluate student work. With the abundance of school closures taking place as a result of COVID-19, Crowdmark has recognized the impact this will have on their community of students and educators.

That’s why Crowdmark has decided to offer FREE access to its grading and analytics platform to any institution that needs to move exams and homework online – even if the institution is not currently a customer! The company has also created a web page of resources available to educators, which will help institutions move exams online with Crowdmark.

Crescendo 

Crescendo is helping business leaders run remote teams of staff in a meaningful way. Crescendo’s goal is to make Diversity & Inclusion learning personalized, accessible, and measurable – and that doesn’t stop just because teams are working remotely! The tech startup empowers its customers to improve diversity and inclusion outcomes through scalable software and a personalized D&I learning Slack integration. Marginalized and vulnerable populations will inevitably be the hardest hit by effects of COVID-19, so Crescendo has made its D&I learning platform FREE for the next 6 weeks. This means businesses can be equipped with the right tools to scale their D&I strategy while enabling remote employees to practice inclusivity. Additionally, Crescendo has launched a comprehensive D&I guide for managers and employees.

Drizti

As a company that has set out to improve the supercomputing experience for innovators globally, it’s no surprise that Drizti is ahead of the game in supporting researchers who need it most right now. The speed and legitimacy of COVID-19 research is high-priority right now, and Drizti is taking actionable measures to help organizations such as endCoronavirus.org educate in order to end the outbreak. To show appreciation for the work that’s being done, Drizti has offered researchers their Supercomputing and High Performance Computing (HPC) expertise to help speed up the research and design of equipment. 

Embodia 

Embodia, Canada’s largest online education platform for Physiotherapists, has been a key leader during this global pandemic. With mass closures to physio clinics, Embodia’s tools are here to help practitioners continue serving their patients! The tech company has announced a FREE Telehab Solution, allowing Embodia members to keep their virtual office lights on and continue business as usual. This free solution pairs well with Embodia’s digital home exercise program software, giving patients an optimal at-home experience and path to recovery.

FitDrive

As social distancing has become the new norm for most people, the fitness industry has inevitably faced consequences. How do fitness trainers, who rely so heavily on close social interaction, adapt in times like these? Luckily, FitDrive has been in the remote training space for a long time! FitDrive’s software helps trainers and gym owners digitize their business via an app with easy-to-use client management tools and one-click workout sharing.

To help trainers go digital during COVID-19, FitDrive is making many of its services FREE, including one-on-one business consultations (booked through the website) and a 60-day trial of the app which allows fitness trainers to create, share and track workouts with clients at no cost. Additionally, FitDrive is hosting a webinar on March 30th that will help trainers leverage technology to keep clients engaged and revenue stable during these turbulent times.

GrowthGenius 

GrowthGenius helps small B2B companies source meaningful customer leads via a smart sales development technology and powerful database of over 200 million contacts. In light of COVID-19 self-isolation advisories, sales teams feel more challenged than ever – selling remotely is no easy feat. That’s why GrowthGenius is complementing its technology with additional support from its own expert team. The GrowthGenius team has created an Extrovert Support Line – the expert team is readily available to answer questions on how businesses can maintain relationships with customers and leads. GrowthGenius is helping customers put the ‘social’ back in ‘social distancing’!

Hopeful Inc.

Hopeful’s cost-effective platform supports non-profit organizations (NPOs) by providing a cost-effective, user-friendly tool that allows NPOs to track collected data, analyze social media engagement and receive actionable insights on marketing strategies. Between COVID-19 and a declining economy, Hopeful is seeing immense pressure on NPOs like never before. During times of economic hardship, people look to non-profits for services – and simultaneously, non-profits aren’t seeing as many donations. Due to increased social distancing, fundraising events, which are huge revenue drivers, are causing NPOs to turn towards online channels to raise funds. 

That’s where Hopeful can help! The company is using data analytics to help NPOs discover what social media strategies are working and create content that will lead to more funds. To help deliver on this, Hopeful is offering FREE access to NPOs that are at the frontlines of the COVID-19 fight for 60 days.

Inkblot

With the growing complexity of a global pandemic, it’s important to recognize that there will not only be implications on individuals’ physical health, but also their mental health. InkBlot’s platform, which connects clients to mental health professionals, has been essential in a world that is now depending on virtual services. Recognizing that people would be reaching out for additional mental health support, Inkblot has decided to waive its onboarding and platform access fees until June 30.  Inkblot counsellors are available as early as today. Beyond this, Inkblot is offering FREE 30-minute, fully-guided meditation sessions by video, which can be accessed via the company’s website.

Inkbox

Companies who aren’t typically in the business of creating healthcare products have been stepping up to the plate to provide frontline workers with materials to protect against contracting COVID-19. Inkbox, a semi-permanent tattoo startup, has been recognized as a true leader throughout this pandemic. The startup altered its operations to begin manufacturing personal protective equipment (PPE) for Toronto’s essential workers. To keep communities safe, Inkbox has already produced and donated 100 face shields – and is ramping up materials to begin producing 10,000 sheilds per week in May!

Beyond face shields, Inkbox is also manufacturing hand sanitizer, cloth masks and semi-permeable wound dressings, all of which have been in high demand from essential workers.

Layla Care

It’s common for people to have heightened feelings of stress or anxiety during a pandemic. As a mental health service, Layla Care wanted to do their part to help the community manage the negative emotional impacts of isolation. 

Over the next two weeks, Layla’s Supportive Counselling for COVID-19 Stress program offers a one-time, FREE of charge counseling service to support Ontario residents struggling with stress. Through phone or video chat, licensed therapists will consult with Ontarians in need on various topics ranging from anxieties driven by uncertainty around daily life and financials to worries about health or the health of loved ones.

LiveGauge

LiveGauge offers real world marketing ROI solutions to help brands and agencies analyze marketing spend via an automatic, consistent and objective measurement solution.

Using their own automated solution for passive population measurement, LiveGauge saw the opportunity to develop a COVID-19 tracker. The team has been working diligently to develop an app-based solution to help enforce social distancing, track the historical path of confirmed cases, and communicate who in the community may have been exposed to carriers.

LiveGauge’s first release of this contract-tracing app is set for the first week of April. Stay tuned for more updates! This digital solution will undoubtedly contribute to flattening the COVID-19 curve.

Nimbus

Nimbus is changing the way higher education institutions facilitate online learning. With custom-branded digital solutions to help administrators increase student engagement, the Nimbus platform allows universities and colleges to build, modernize and centralize tutoring and mentoring programs.

To serve higher education institutions and students during this time, Nimbus Learning will be offering FREE access to their online tutoring platform to all partners, old and new, throughout this spring and summer! Nimbus is welcoming educational organizations that are not already using the platform and could benefit from support in developing a campus tutoring program to reach out.

Off2Class

Education management company, Off2Class, offers an extensive ESL Teacher Toolkit for schools and individuals who want to teach ESL online. With the need to find virtual options for in-person classes and tutoring sessions, Off2Class gives teachers and students a place to interact for mobile learning while maintaining social distance. With the current state of COVID-19 in mind, Off2Class has announced they are re-activating FREE trials for anyone who has ever signed up for an account – within their 6-year history! ESL educators should feel more empowered than ever to build their online business.

OnCall 

OnCall Health helps healthcare organizations launch and scale their own virtual care programs, and has demonstrated its commitment to helping the community during the COVID-19 outbreak. In response to the ongoing healthcare crisis, OnCall has released a FREE COVID-19 Self Assessment tool for all providers to use with patients. By utilizing the Self Assessment tool, providers can ensure that they are taking the necessary precautions to keep patients and their communities safe during this time.

Peekapak 

Peekapak’s e-learning platform primarily helps elementary students practice social-emotional skills. Through interactive gaming and personalized learning experiences, Peekapak’s leading curriculum teaches kids key social-emotional skills such as self-regulation, teamwork, and empathy. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak and the closure of schools globally, Peekpak wants families to feel supported during this time of uncertainty. Now, the company is offering FREE three-month access to their entire platform of resources to schools and districts impacted by closures. Additionally, the company has compiled a list of educational resources that will help students and families during this particularly difficult time. 

PheedLoop

COVID-19 has shaken the events industry – conferences, trade shows, and social gatherings worldwide have virtually come to a halt. PheedLoop, a company offering next-generation event management software, is acting fast to help event organizers power through the current crisis. Working in urgency to save the events industry, the company took on a challenge to accelerate the release of their new integrated live streaming platform, which is built into their robust event app, speaker portals and admin tools.

This newly launched live streaming functionality is now ready to be used by event organizers! In additional efforts to show commitment to the industry, Pheedloop is offering discounts to planners whose events have been directly affected by the COVID-19 spread.

PocketHealth

PocketHealth has seen an increased demand for its digital offerings since the start of COVID-19. Their product helps hospitals replace outdated systems of how medical images are given to patients. Formerly, hospitals like St. Michael’s in Toronto and Hamilton’s McMaster Childen’s Hospital would burn images onto a CD, which patients would then have to physically retrieve. This process was more demanding of the staff’s time and resources.

With PocketHealth’s platform, patients can now virtually receive and instantly access health records like MRIs, CT scans and X-rays. Since non-essential hospital visits have been limited due to COVID-19 restrictions, PocketHealth’s technology has needed now more than ever. Institutions are increasingly coming to recognize the need for this virtual method – so much that the company’s monthly deployments have jumped by more than 300 percent! As a result, PocketHealth has raised US$6.5-million in funding this month.

Portl Media

Portl’s platform delivers interactive content to rideshare passengers. Thousands of rideshare drivers for apps like Lyft and Uber have installed tablets to host Portl’s entertainment system, which doubles as an effective advertising platform. Marketers can benefit from highly-engaged consumers in this environment – the average ride time within a big city like Toronto is 17 minutes. During this difficult time, Portl has made changes that will allow advertisers to leverage the platform, but only for the greater good of making a difference during this pandemic. The startup is offering FREE ad space on screens throughout Toronto for all organizations that have a positive message regarding COVID-19.


REMITR

REMITR is a FinTech startup that offers small businesses a better alternative to bank wire transfers: a cost-effective, secure and non-stop global payment system.

REMITR has always championed entrepreneurs and small businesses, and they’re doing it again by offering all customers (existing and new) Zero-Fees for international AND domestic payments. All payments made via REMITR will be free of transaction fees up to April 30th. Click here to learn more and avail of this benefit.

Spiffy

It is inevitable that the restaurant industry will take a huge hit as operations are significantly scaled back to adhere to social distancing protocols. Spiffy’s modern e-learning platform helps small businesses in hospitality build more profitable operations via custom staff training modules, an engaging content library and robust reporting analytics. Spiffy recognizes that many of its customers will have difficulty weathering the COVID-19 storm. The tech company has made the decision to make their remote training platform FREE for the time being, encouraging restaurants to maintain productivity while still meeting health and safety guidelines.

Squiggle Park

Squiggle Park is a game designed to deliver content in a way proven to help kids master foundational reading skills. The Halifax-based platform is built by literacy experts and teachers to align with classroom curriculum – but is also designed to be fun for kids. While Squiggle Park’s content is designed for early learners aged 3 to 8, the company recently announced a new version of the game, Dreamscape, that is appropriate for kids aged 8 to 15.

Since COVID-19 has taken kids out of school, Dreamscape launched a partnership to get more kids excited and learning during an otherwise dreary time. The company partnered with Canadian Premier League soccer team, the Halifax Wanderers, to produce special content packs that feature stories about the team’s players, staff and club mascot. Kids can read the stories and are tested to earn rewards or receive the resources they need to improve their learning. The Wanderers’ players wrote the stories, which were then edited by educational experts to align with the Nova Scotia curriculum.


Trufan

Trufan’s leading social intelligence platform helps brands maximize the value they get from their audience and allows them to activate grassroots communities made up of super fans and micro influencers. As a purpose-driven startup, Trufan felt an obligation to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and provide whatever support they could to small businesses during this time – especially since consumer social media usage has gone drastically up.

To help brands leverage consumer engagement and grow online, Trufan has announced they will be offering a FREE 45-day trial on SocialRank, an audience segmentation tool, to startups and small businesses with less than 25K followers! Companies using Instagram or Twitter who would like to access the trial can get started by completing this short survey.

Ulula

For all types of organizations, measuring the health and well-being of employees can be challenging during a time like this. Ulula’s stakeholder management product connects businesses, workers, communities, and governments to de-risk operations and create value across global supply chains. To help organizations measure and mitigate the implications of COVID-19 on employees, Ulula has designed a tailored solution: the employee and worker impact assessment. This digital assessment tool will allow employers to take a rapid pulse on the workforce through indicators like worker mental health, perception of job protection, and more! Best of all, they’re offering the first assessment for FREE!

UXPLORE

UXPLORE’s platform helps organizations become more efficient and create economic value by augmenting human capabilities through automation solutions. The startup sees a future where rule-based and repetitive work tasks can be automated through an Intelligent Digital Workforce (IDW) that emulates human behaviour. UXPLORE’s IDW can be deployed as a practical solution for several use cases to improve efficiencies – including human resources, finance and accounting. Digital Workers can complete day-to-day repetitive tasks like managing and supporting customers, completing routine transactions such as order and ticket processing, and other time-consuming activities crucial for business continuity.

With the need for companies to work remotely due to ongoing physical distancing guidelines, UXPLORE is providing organizations with virtual capacity in the form of Smart Assistants and Digital Workers. UXPLORE recently announced they’re offering organizations FREE access to Maya, a new Smart Assistant built with AI technology that helps individuals find relevant and timely information related to COVID-19.

The DMZ wants to thank these startups who are stepping up to support others during uneasy times in the world. What is your business doing to support your customers or community? Let us know at dmz@torontomu.ca.

 

These Black founders are giving a new meaning to inclusive technology for the future

Black entrepreneurs and creatives have long been a driving force of innovation in the Canadian tech ecosystem. Yet, Black people face some of the most systemic and complex barriers when seeking tech opportunities. Calls to action around diversity in tech are everywhere, but that has not necessarily changed this story for Black entrepreneurs.

Black tech workers are:

  • The lowest paid group at tech companies in Canada, comprising 2.7% of the workforce
  • Left behind by most diversity initiatives that focus on people of colour without acknowledging the specific and varied experiences of Black populations

Black Innovation Fellowship (BIF) Founding Partner Isaac Olowolafe (Founder, Dream Maker Ventures & DMZ Advisory Council Member) understood this only too well and decided to do something about it. Other organizations that shared the same vision as Isaac decided to be a partner include Shopify, BMO, and Canadian Women’s Foundation.


“At the DMZ I learnt how to effectively express my ideas in a world that was dominated by people who did not talk or look like me. This is a bridge to being legitimized, to be able to figure out what your style is, on your own terms.”
– Manu Kabahizi DMZ Alumni Founder & CFO of Ulula

The DMZ values equity over everything and puts founders first.  Our BIF program takes a personalized programming approach, that is tailored for each founder so they can learn, develop and scale their business while staying true to themselves. 

The stories of black entrepreneurs in tech are diverse and full of innovative excellence. This should be celebrated.

So, we have decided to feature a few  Black entrepreneurs in our network that are making big moves: their achievements, their experiences, and what Black entrepreneurship and Black history month means to them.

Alexandra McCalla, DMZ BIF Founder and COO, AirMatrix.

“I really appreciate that BIF is not separate but is seamlessly integrated into the DMZ.We do not need separate programs, we just need space held for us… There is so much history here (black people in tech) and there may only be two black people in your office but it’s really important for you to take the time to think about how their experiences are different than yours.”
– Alexandra McCalla

Air Matrix:

  • Partners with cities to develop highways in the sky or integrated transit systems for drones. 
  • Secured pre seed round and won $100,000 from Communitech in 2019 and that’s only the beginning.
Manu Kabahizi, DMZ Alumni Founder & CTO, Ulula.

“As an entrepreneur, I know how important it is to put people first. My staff, my customers, partners. People matter and that’s something I really saw at the DMZ.”
– Manu Kabahizi. Manu is the new Head of the Accelerator Program at the Canadian Digital Service. Congratulations, Manu!

Ulula:

  • Committed to preventing human rights abuses and operational risks in business supply chains.
  • Utilizes enhanced two-way communication systems to ensure honest and continuous feedback loops between supply workers and operational teams across the world.
Farah Brunache, DMZ BIF Founder and CEO, Lagatos.

“What attracted me most to the BIF program was how candid they were about the experiences of black founders, especially black women founders. There was a realness and transparency. No gloss, you don’t usually see that.”
– Farah Brunache.

Lagatos:

  • Empowers digitally underserved communities by running hyper-localized and accessible Infrastructure as Service (laaS) platforms. 
  • Addresses the growing digital divide, which Farah witnessed in her home country of Haiti (where she is currently travelling to grow her consumer base).
Renee Raymond, DMZ BIF Founder and CEO, Daya Lens.

“There are barriers for black entrepreneurs and they need to be acknowledged. BIF does that. The DMZ community here has taught me how to see potential mistakes as a part of knowledge production. There is so much knowledge here.”
– Renee Raymond

Daya Lens:

  • Provides VR Stimulation that gradually exposes those with PTSD to triggering environments so they can get back to their day-to-day lives 
  • Grew from Renee’s work as a registered psychotherapist, where she saw the detrimental gaps in PTSD patient focused technology firsthand.
  • Website in development, reach out at renee.raymond@dayalens.com to learn more.
Leon Nsengiyumva, DMZ BIF Founder and CEO, Odessu.

“Representation matters, it’s cliche but it’s true. It is hard to not be around anyone that looks like you. We have a little community at the DMZ, it’s awesome… (Black history month) is an important time to reflect and programs like this are a step in the right direction.”
-Leon Nsengiyumva

Odessu:

Utilizes AI to fight the biases of the fashion industry.

  • Helps women find great clothing that actually fits, no matter their size, shape or age.
  • Driven by Leon’s belief that everyone deserves to feel good in their clothes.

 

Tell us about the black entrepreneurs you think
are changing the tech game.
Share and tag @RyersonDMZ with #DMZBIF

Find out more and APPLY to DMZ’s BIF program.

‘Being a student entrepreneur just got a little easier’

  • Got a great idea but don’t know how to make it happen? 
  • Want to get started on your entrepreneurial journey while in school? 
  • Willing to work hard and learn from the best? 
  • DMZ’s Sandbox Student Grant has you covered!!

The DMZ values equity over everything because everyone has unique barriers when it comes to getting their ideas off the ground. We are here to give you the tailored support to not only start a business but run a business. 

Toronto’s startup landscape is interdisciplinary. You don’t have to be in engineering or business to be a revolutionary startup founder. 

Diversity is one of Ryerson’s greatest strengths. To apply for the program, your idea doesn’t have to be tech-focused but does need to be a cutting-edge solution to a pervasive problem. 

How does it work?

    1. Fill out the Sandbox Student Grant application.
      • Your application consists of a brief description of your solution or product, the problem it solves and what makes you and your idea unique.
    2. Applications are reviewed by a committee!
      • Successful applicants receive exclusive coaching from DMZ’s Entrepreneurs in Residence team who have the insider knowledge that will take your business to the next level. You will also be paired with a pitch coach that will get you pitch ready!
    3. Pitch Night! On Thursday March 12th successful applicants will get the opportunity to pitch their solution to a panel of judges and the winners will be announced.
    4. Continued support from the DMZ!


Let’s hear from some of the past winners….

Contraverse

Meet founders Josh (Ryerson Media Production) and Marisa (Ryerson Masters Digital Media) who won a $10,000 Sandbox Student Grant in 2019 and are now pioneering the cinematic virtual reality industry, where VR allows users to become the main character in an out of this world storytelling experience. They have gone on to win a Canadian academy award, present their business in Berlin and managed a Hotdocs VR film Festival! Josh and Marisa said:

“The Sandbox Grant opened up so many doors for us! The biggest highlight was being able to hire developers that helped us get our product to the next level.”


Travelot

Next, meet Sam (Ryerson Electrical Engineering) who saw the $1 billion lost in non-refundable flights in 2017 and decided to create a solution. 

He founded Travelot, an online platform that allows travellers to sell their non-refundable flights and hotel reservations at a discounted price. The grant allowed him to complete market research with customers, onboard 126 users with 0 marketing costs, optimize his platform and business model and launch his beta website at the end of 2019. Travelot has made huge strides and will continue to do so in 2020, as Sam has learnt to strive for “continuous improvement over delayed perfection.”

We know that passionate students who think outside the box will be the entrepreneurs we need to solve the world’s biggest problems. 

Are you up for the challenge?

 

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