On Tuesday, March 26th, 2024, the virtual halls were abuzz with excitement and anticipation as the Acceleration+ Graduation Ceremony unfolded, marking the culmination of months of hard work, dedication, and innovation.
Graduating Companies
The ceremony highlighted the power of collaboration, mentorship, and resilience within the international startup ecosystem. Among the attendees were the nine graduating companies, each poised to make waves in their respective industries:
- Cropinno
- Expertic PGS (TagTrace)
- Deeploy (Tactive)
- SaaSend
- BI InfoTech
- WUX.ai
- Rhegworth
- Big Zoolutions (Big Health Solutions)
- Deschool Online
Impact of Acceleration+ Program on Graduating Startups
The Acceleration+ program has been a catalyst for transformative growth and success for its graduating startups, including Deschool Online and Deeploy from Cohort 3.
Deschool Online: Acceleration+ played a pivotal role in refining Deschool Online’s sales process, enabling them to navigate seasonality challenges and launch with a clear plan for 2024. Through strategic connections facilitated by the program, founder Ritu Jhaveri gained valuable insights and partnerships, including collaboration with a charity funding STEM school activities. Additionally, Deschool Online leveraged TechPlace’s ecosystem to expand its network during events.
Deeploy: For Deeploy, Acceleration+ provided crucial support in defining target markets and sales processes, resulting in eight active licenses and 23 leads. The program also facilitated a successful soft launch of its global solution in January 2024, showcasing Deeploy’s commitment to innovation. With Acceleration+, Deeploy launched a new global website and utilized TechPlace’s hot desk to foster connections within the startup community.
Remarks and Acknowledgements
The event commenced with inspiring remarks from speakers, including Shann McGrail, CEO of Haltech Regional Innovation Centre; Karen Linseman, Vice President of Operations at Innovation Factory; Izabela Goclik, Manager of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Burlington Economic Development and TechPlace; and Miryam Lazarte, Founder and CEO of Global Startups. Their words set the tone for a celebration of achievement and the limitless potential of the international startup community.
Gratitude was also extended to the program advisors and service providers whose guidance and support were instrumental in the success of the cohort. Their expertise and dedication underscored the collaborative spirit that defines Acceleration+.
Cohort 3 Advisors and Service Providers
Arshad Merali
Corbet Faucett
David Quinn
Gail Martin
Hugo Brenton
John Holland
Rajiv Jagota
Randy Stackaruk
Tawfik Alwan
Thomas Moffatt
Tom Turchet
Marketing: Content Innovo
I.T. Roadmaps: Brian Lenahan
Sales: Mark Elliot, Karen Kelly, Conestoga College
Hiring: Pocketed Grant Platform
Intellectual Property: Bereskin & Parr
Investment Readiness: David Wright, Gail Martin
Testimonials from Clients
“It’s the perfect environment to develop your business in the north american market”
— Andrés Pineda, CEO, Deeploy Canada Inc.
“This is a must-do program, as it allows you to validate your product sales strategy in the North American market; the sales training sessions and advisory board meetings and insights are invaluable.”
— Daniel Duarte, CEO, Expertic PGS Tecnologies Inc. (TagTrace)
“Acceleration+ isn’t just a program; it’s a dynamic ecosystem that nurtures and accelerates businesses, making it an indispensable resource for any entrepreneur aspiring to thrive in Canada. I highly recommend the Acceleration+ program for its role in providing a thorough understanding of the Canadian market.”
— Ritu Jhaveri, CEO, Deschool Online Inc.
Awards
In recognition of outstanding achievement, awards were presented to two graduating clients. Rob McGill from Angel One presented the Outstanding Pitch award to Cropinno, highlighting their exceptional presentation skills and innovative vision. Brian Lenahan then awarded the AI Excellence award to Deeploy, acknowledging their groundbreaking advancements in artificial intelligence.
Looking Forward
As the ceremony drew to a close, it was evident that the spirit of innovation and collaboration fostered by Acceleration+ would continue to propel these startups forward on their path to success. The Graduation Ceremony served not only as a milestone but as a springboard for the next phase of growth, innovation, and impact.
With each startup poised to make its mark on the world, the future of entrepreneurship shines brighter than ever, fueled by the passion, ingenuity, and determination of these remarkable founders. As Cohort 3 moves on to the next phase in their journeys, we eagerly anticipate the groundbreaking achievements that lie ahead for these trailblazing international startups.
