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Our
Pre-Incubator.



A 6-month program for market validation.



IN PERSON OR REMOTE

Bi-monthly admissions


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APPLY NOW

Download the Pre-Incubator info package



Pre Incubator presentation

Go from having your first customers to running a business.

But how do you actually do that? If you (like hundreds of founders we’ve worked with) have realized that building the product isn’t actually the hardest part, then the Pre-Incubator program is your perfect next step.

Taking a tailored approach to support each startup, the Pre-Incubator is focused on providing you with custom training to ramp up your customer acquisition efforts and turn your business into a sales-generating machine.

Your venture’s not a side hustle anymore...

You’ve got the beginnings of something game-changing, but you’re dealing with competing demands on your time, not to mention the fear that you’re building the wrong thing. Growth and scale seem like a pipe dream.

That’s why we created a container where you can refine your sales strategy and achieve market validation with our experts by your side.

  • Keep your autonomy; run the day and manage your time independently.
  • Tap into real accountability; cue our experts who act as your guiding hand to achieve your sales goals.
  • Focus on your biggest growth challenges; our network of experts and resources will help you take the next step


So, what’s this actually going to look like?

Pre-Incubator Timeline
Timeline for Pre-Incubator




Bi-weekly EiR sessions

Founders meet bi-weekly with their designated DMZ Expert-in-Residence (EiR). These sessions are designed to leverage our EiRs expertise to support founders in achieving their sales objectives through ongoing guidance and advisory.

Monthly Program Lead meetings

Founders will meet with their designated DMZ Program Lead on a monthly basis. Program Leads will act as the founder’s main point of contact in the program and ensure founders are getting the support they need when they need it.

Monthly founder talks

Every month founders will attend a virtual meetup with other founders in the program to share knowledge, business progress and challenges. These sessions will be led by EiRs or DMZ alumni founders who can offer guidance and their unique perspective during the talks.

Sales training

Founders will complete a mandatory two-part virtual sales training in the first month. Part 1 involves a session where founders come prepared to discuss their sales challenges in a group setting. Part 2 will be a series of 1:1 sessions with a sales focused EiR to dive deeper into the startup’s specific sales strategy and needs.

Pitch practice

Throughout the program founders can join monthly pitch practice sessions with our pitch coaches. Founders are encouraged to apply any feedback to continue fine-tuning their pitches throughout the program.

What you will get

BI-WEEKLY EIR SESSIONS

You don’t have all the answers, and that’s a-ok.

Founders meet bi-weekly with their designated DMZ Expert-in-Residence (EiR). These sessions are designed to leverage our EiRs expertise to support founders in achieving their sales objectives through ongoing guidance and advisory.

BI-WEEKLY EIR SESSIONS

You don’t have all the answers, and that’s a-ok.

Founders meet bi-weekly with their designated DMZ Expert-in-Residence (EiR). These sessions are designed to leverage our EiRs expertise to support founders in achieving their sales objectives through ongoing guidance and advisory.

SALES BOOTCAMP

It’s not always easy cracking the sales code.

Understand the strategy and sales skills needed to drive customer acquisition. Founders undergo a bootcamp within the first month of the program involving group and 1:1 tailored sales training, followed by comprehensive pitch practices.

DMZ WORKSPACE

Believe it or not, your barista needs some breathing room.

Enjoy day-pass access to DMZ’s headquarters in the heart of downtown Toronto with full-service amenities, meeting space, office snacks and more.

MEMBER BENEFITS

A dollar saved is a dollar earned.

Get $470K+ worth of business perks from 80+ partners and service providers, from AWS to Google Cloud to Apollo.

PRIVATE ACCESS

The nerdiest VIP passes in town.

Exclusive invites to industry networking events, conferences, community socials and workshops to learn from and connect with the right people.

GUIDANCE & TRAINING

Because YouTube’s not cutting it at this stage.

Startups join bi-weekly 1:1 sessions with their designated EiR and get access to 12+ hours of curated on-demand content designed to support other areas of their business.

Shahrzad Mirjahani &
Sheida Mirjahani
Co-Founders, Flowjin

Enhanced support for Black
and women founders:

Startups with a Black or woman founder receive:

  • A $5K grant upon sales training completion
  • Access to additional support and perks beyond the program’s standard benefits
WOMEN
FOUNDERS
BLACK
FOUNDERS

Yemi Ifegbuyi
Founder, Cozii Technologies

The Pre-Incubator is for tech founders ready to turn their product into a business

APPLICATION CRITERIA

We look for savvy startups and founders who will get the most value out of our programming and connections and have the potential to hit their target goals under DMZ mentorship.

  • An idea dedicated to solving a compelling problem using innovative technology
  • A launched MVP
  • Early market traction
  • At least one dedicated full-time founder
  • An in-house tech lead


APPLY

Founders-first approach

Anyone can have an idea—few have the grit and tenacity to do something with it.

We support the do-ers—the founders with exceptional vision, innate talent, and a coachable spirit—and open the doors you need to succeed.



822

Businesses incubated
and accelerated


$2.59B

in capital raised by
DMZ startups


14

International offices accessible
for startup expansion


neon waves background

When you have a million and one highly specific questions, our experts are ready with answers.

Meet our Experts-in-Residence

Our Pre-Incubator companies get access to 1 on 1 mentorship with our Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, subject matter experts who can help you take your company to the next level.

Alex Thibault

Business Strategy

Ali Kiassat

Sales and Business Development

Alnur Ismail

Engineering and Product

Andrea Matheson

Scaling

Andrew Ricchetti

AI, Analytics, Data Science

Anthony Ilukwe

UI/UX Design

Anthony Lau

Product, Sales

Arabi Siva

Marketing & Go-to-Market

Berjesty Kozanoglu

User Experience Design

Corey Peck

Operations & Strategy

David Ceolin

Sales, Growth, Business Models

Frank Erschen

Pitching

Gina Bowen

Marketing

Hackim Farrell

Cybersecurity, Product

Javed Maqsood

GTM Strategy and Customer Success

Jenn Nguyen

Product Design

Jodi Echakowitz

Public Relations

Karen Hogg

Customer Success

Mandeep Saini

Finance and Budgeting

Mansi Vagt

Marketing, Brand Management

Mark Angelo

Business Strategy, Healthcare

Martin Croteau

Strategy

Michael Low

Sales, Procurement, Operations for SMBs

Michael McCarthy

Business Strategy

Mira Soullen

Marketing Strategy

Nathan Prescott

Digital Marketing

Prad Sekar

Pitch and Storytelling

Rafael Antiquera

Growth Strategy

Raja Chakravorti

Business Development

Shawn Compton

Technology

Shawna Stewart

HR, Operations

Shilpa Mandhan

Customer Success, GTM Strategy

Sultan Mehrabi

Fundraising

Tai Silvey

Business Development, Strategy

Ted Killin

Writing & Communications Strategy

The unexpected benefit our founders rave about?
Community.

When you’re laser-focused with your eyes on the prize, entrepreneurship can be a lonely road. Our alumni founders have established long-lasting friendships with other founders who get it and grown a personal network that has served them years after exiting the program.

Group of people networking


Where will you be a year from now
if you got started today?



APPLY NOW

Still have questions?

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