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Our
Pre-Incubator.



A 9-month program for market validation.



IN PERSON OR REMOTE

Quarterly admissions


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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




Blue gradient dotBi-weekly EiR sessions
Green gradient dotMonthly Program Lead meetings
Black gradient dot Monthly founder talks
Black gradient dot Sales training

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.

We're in this together.
DMZ is committed to your growth. Here’s what we bring to the table in exchange for a 2% equity stake in common shares

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.

Founders will go through a sales bootcamp in the first month of the program consisting of a comprehensive sales workshop followed by a 1:1 sales audit conducted by our experts in residence. They'll evaluate key elements of your current sales process, identify areas of improvement and work with you to build an action plan.

DMZ WORKSPACE

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

Enjoy dedicated desk space at 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 Google Cloud to Apollo.

PITCH OPPORTUNITIES

Pitch to get your bag.

Select startups will have a chance to secure up to $25K in investment from DMZ Ventures and show the world what you’re building. The DMZ Startup Showcase puts the program's top founders on stage in front of investors and partners ready to back bold ideas.

Fundraising Support

Get a head start on your next raise

Founders will receive expert guidance and support on how to prepare for your future fundraise through workshops, expert 1:1 mentors, and feedback from angel investors .

Shahrzad Mirjahani &
Sheida Mirjahani
Co-Founders, Flowjin

Enhanced support for Black
and women founders:

Startups with a Black or woman founder receive:

  • Invitations to exclusive events and networking opportunities
  • Access to established mentors and peer support networks
  • Increased visibility through DMZ’s marketing and PR channels
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 functional launched MVP
  • Early market traction
  • At least one dedicated full-time founder and Tech lead
  • Availability to commit 6 hours per month to the program while building their business
  • Must be able to travel to Toronto to participate in DMZ Showcase


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.


2,447

businesses incubated and accelerated

$2.94B

in funding raised

23,043

jobs fostered in our
community

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.

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Alex Thibault

Business Strategy
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Ali Kiassat

Sales and Business Development
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Alnur Ismail

Engineering and Product
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Andrea Matheson

Scaling
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Andrew Ricchetti

AI, Analytics, Data Science
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Anthony Ilukwe

Product Design
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Anthony Lau

Product, Sales
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Arabi Siva

Marketing & Go-to-Market
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Berjesty Kozanoglu

User Experience Design
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Chris Bardos

GTM & Product-Market Fit
Person LinkedIn
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Corey Peck

Operations & Strategy
Person LinkedIn
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Dan Meshkov

AI and Machine Learning
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David Ceolin

Sales, Growth, Business Models
Person LinkedIn
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Duane Green

Fundraising, Business Strategy
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Frank Erschen

Pitching
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Gillian Riley

Business Strategy
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Gina Bowen

Marketing
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Hackim Farrell

Cybersecurity, Product
Person LinkedIn
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Irene Lee

Finance & Strategic Forecasting
Person LinkedIn
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Javed Maqsood

GTM Strategy and Customer Success
Person LinkedIn
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Jenn Nguyen

Product Design
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Jodi Echakowitz

Public Relations
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Karen Hogg

Customer Success
Person LinkedIn
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Lindsay Kruit

Finance and Operations
Person LinkedIn
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Mandeep Saini

Startup Finance & Operations
Person LinkedIn
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Mansi Vagt

Marketing, Brand Management
Person LinkedIn
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Mark Angelo

Business Strategy, Healthcare
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Martin Croteau

Strategy
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Melissa Malcolm

HR Strategy
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Michael Low

Sales, Procurement, Operations for SMBs
Person LinkedIn
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Mike Shoss

Product and AI
Person LinkedIn
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Mira Soullen

Marketing Strategy
Person LinkedIn
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Nathan Prescott

Digital Marketing
Person LinkedIn
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Navin Kaminoulu

GTM & PropTech Innovation
Person LinkedIn
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Neale Martin

GTM & RevOps Strategy
Person LinkedIn
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Nerys Parry

Real Estate Strategy
Person LinkedIn
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Prad Sekar

Pitch and Storytelling
Person LinkedIn
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Rafael Antiquera

Growth Strategy
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Shawn Compton

Technology
Person LinkedIn
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Shawna Stewart

HR, Operations
Person LinkedIn
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Shilpa Mandhan

Customer Success, GTM Strategy
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Sultan Mehrabi

Fundraising
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Tai Silvey

Business Development, Strategy
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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?



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