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It’s time for tech companies and startups to turn awareness into action.

With another International Women’s Day celebration behind us, it is easy to let the focus on women in tech fizzle out. We can’t let that happen. 

Women in tech continue to be underrepresented and face discimintation. There is no shortage of material about how this hurts tech companies and startups. 

Most of us want to change this narrative, but the path to real change can feel unclear. 

Where do we begin? What does solidarity and allyship actually look like?

We spoke with four women changemakers in the DMZ community and heavily leaned into the tech ecosystem to find out.

1. Take a stance, neutrality is not enough.

  • Technology is one of the strongest social and political forces of our time. 
  • The expectations of tech users and producers have changed, the days of “we just make the tech” are long over. 
  • If tensions or allegations arise, listen to women and acknowledge the structural bias that works against them. 

“There is this feeling that because code is based in logic and math that tech is neutral. It never was. Code is a language produced by humans, and humans have bias. If we hope to fix our issues around diversity, we (tech industry) need to acknowledge that, outright.”

–Dr. Chris McKillop, CEO of Turalt-the technology of empathy.

“To say you are neutral is like saying you do not see colour, it is just not possible. Women’s experiences are different than men’s, it is just a fact. Take a stance.”

–Nouhaila Chelkhaoui, Program Lead, Accelerator & Women’s Founders at the DMZ.

“You need to have an opinion, even if I don’t like it, I would rather that. Right now, we need leaders who are willing to push the envelope.” 

– Lisa Soodeen, COO of StonePaper, fuels visibility and control of your value and content chains. 

“I always tell my staff if you can do something, do something… Women don’t get to start at the same line as men. If you can do something to rectify that, you should do it.” 

– Vanessa Shiu, Manager, Administration, Diversity & Inclusion. 

2. Closing the tech gender gap requires a shift in culture, not seperate programming.

  • Women of colour, trans women, women with different socio-economnic status  and so many more all have unique experiences and interests.
  • But, that does not mean your tech company or startup needs separate programming or initiatives for each identity. 

“Programs like BIF (DMZ’s Black Innovation Fellowship) are not about having separate programs. It’s about creating additional resources and space within the programs we have.” 

– Vanessa Shiu, Manager, Administration, Diversity & Inclusion. 

“If you are saying ‘oh we need to do a D&I thing’ as if it’s a separate thing then you have a problem…When I introduce myself as a CEO men still have a reaction and no one says anything…

We need to develop a culture based on mutual respect and empathy.” 

–Dr. Chris McKillop, CEO of Turalt-the technology of empathy.

“Ask women where they want to be and figure out how you can help get them there. It’s not about sympathy, but how you can help get them their next seed round. ”

–Nouhaila Chelkhaoui, Program Lead, Accelerator & Women’s Founders at the DMZ.

“No two people are the same, mentorship is so important… I used to be the only woman in the room, and I’m black and didn’t have a tech background. The men around me had jargon and similar interests, you feel like an outsider… We just need to feel valued, we need resources.” 

– Lisa Soodeen, COO of StonePaper, fuels visibility and control of your value and content chains. 

3. It’s not just about getting women in the door, but creating an inclusive space for them to thrive long-term. 

  • More than half of women in tech leave the industry for other fields. 
  • Hiring lots of women at once won’t close the tech gender gap; prioritizing and understanding their role in the industry’s growth will. 

“When you don’t have anyone around you that looks like you, you feel like an imposter, especially when you add being a racial minority. 

Imposter syndrome can happen unconsciously, things build up and then women leave… If women are not on your calendar invites you need to ask yourself why.” 

–Nouhaila Chelkhaoui, Program Lead, Accelerator & Women’s Founders at the DMZ.

“I used to record meetings, go home and listen to them every night and try to make sense of it all…It’s important to speak in a way anyone can understand,

 if someone else does not understand you, you have failed, not them. ”

– Lisa Soodeen, COO of StonePaper, fuels visibility and control of your value and content chains. 

“If you’re in any sort of leadership capacity, make sure to invite and encourage input on the work environment you’re creating. Is your space consistently looking at the potential of everyone on your team? From management to new employees and interns? Listen to what your teammates are saying. And when you do get negative feedback, accept it and take steps to make necessary changes. Make it clear that you’re working on inclusivity and offer your team some sort of way to provide feedback anonymously.”

– Vanessa Shiu, Manager, Administration, Diversity & Inclusion. 

“We know women don’t get as much funding, but ask yourself why? There is a root issue here… We all have subtle biases, you have to look in the mirror first.” 

–Dr. Chris McKillop, CEO of Turalt-the technology of empathy.

Startup and tech entrepreneurs are known to disrupt the norm and be a catalyst for societal change. First principles thinking shows us the value of questioning our daily practices, how making decisions based solely on standard practice can hold us back. Taking a stance and committing to action on women’s issues is an avenue for Canadian tech entrepreneurs to set themselves apart. Consumers reward industry leaders who take a stand. 

Women are the founders of modern technology programming. It is time to honour that by stepping outside of our comfort zones to stand in solidarity with women in tech.

Are you up for the challenge?

How the DMZ Became the World’s #1 Incubator: Looking Back at Our First 10 Years

Over the past 10 years, the DMZ has evolved from an informal student coworking space into the world’s top university-based incubator and accelerator program. How was this made possible? Through a vision to empower people to go bigger. Bigger than themselves. Bigger than our space. And bigger than imagined.

As we celebrate our tenth-year anniversary, we reflect on how the DMZ became a globally-recognized, powerhouse incubator for tech startups.

How the DMZ came to be

In 2010, a student at Toronto Metropolitan University approached the school’s then-President, Sheldon Levy with a request. The student had an idea for a business but he couldn’t find support on campus to bring it to fruition. Sheldon, as the visionary leader behind Ryerson’s transformation to what it is today, recognized the opportunity and founded the DMZ, then known as the Digital Media Zone.

When the Digital Media Zone was launched in April 2010, it was conceptualized as an open space for Ryerson students to work on business ideas. It had a 100% acceptance rate and the initial goal was to simply fill the space, test the concept and build energy. Spearheaded by its first Executive Director, Valerie Fox, the space was given its name because most students at the time were working on business ideas in the digital media field.

From the beginning, there was significant interest in the Digital Media Zone. Showing signals of early success, Valerie Fox and the leadership team made a transformative decision to open it up to the public. No longer would you have to be a Ryerson student – or even a student at all, for that matter – to belong to the space. This change marked a turning point, and the Digital Media Zone started receiving applications from tech founders across Canada, as well as volunteer mentors, advisors and corporate partners who wanted to be part of something new.

Then came another turning point for the Digital Media Zone. With the tech startup market growing quickly, the space was being flooded with applications and increased attention. The Digital Media Zone was becoming the benchmark for incubators, so a decision was made to give it a new face and further develop its programming. First, the Digital Media Zone was rebranded to become the DMZ, signaling it had become tech sector agnostic. Second, additional staff members were hired to build out its internal capacity, startup programs and investor network. And third, the Entrepreneur in Residence (EiR) program was established to attract additional outside industry mentors and community champions. Together, these changes set the course for the DMZ’s accelerated growth and success.

In July 2015, Abdullah Snobar took over the role of Executive Director, after working at the DMZ for several years as the Director of Business Development and Community and before that with startups in several capacities. Building on the momentum already underway, Abdullah had a vision to take the DMZ even higher, driven to uncover new ways to  help its startups grow. He set to work, talking to entrepreneurs and listening to their pain points, trying to understand how the DMZ could serve them better. He invested in rebuilding the DMZ so it offered more functional workspaces, better communal areas to host events and investor meetings, and home-like amenities, such as coffee, snacks and showers. Abdullah knew that if he could get more people into the space – from founders, to EiRs, to investors – it would elevate the DMZ’s visibility. He also knew that a comfortable environment would support founders as they spent long hours taking advantage of their short runway to build a startup.

Next, the DMZ set out to build a mission statement and clarify its values. The DMZ took a different approach to other incubators, deciding to put an emphasis on supporting founders, rather than startups. This, in turn, led the DMZ to begin accepting applications from founders who showed incredible potential, even if their startup idea wasn’t there yet. The DMZ also put considerable resources into expanding its program team, growing it to become the largest department.

Finally, with much success at home in Canada, the DMZ turned international, quickly attracting global attention and bringing founders from around the world to within its four walls.

What does the DMZ look like today?

Today, the DMZ is ranked as the top university-based incubator in the world by UBI Global, standing out as the best amongst over 200 programs in its category.

The DMZ has a growing team of over 30 staff and it occupies more than 40,000 square feet of space overlooking downtown Toronto. As of 2019, the DMZ has supported over 448 startups, which have collectively raised more than $714 million in seed funding and fostered over 4,000 jobs.

The DMZ is also home to world-class mentors and partners. It has opened international offices in New York City and Amman and is doubling down on a number of local initiatives.

What has helped the DMZ succeed?

Perhaps the biggest factor that helped the DMZ get to where it is today has been an unwavering commitment to its values: Founders first. Equity over everything. Be great. These values have set the course and helped the DMZ make difficult decisions along the way. They’ve also given rise to the DMZ’s four core offerings for founders: coaching, community, support with customer acquisition and access to capital.

Another factor that has contributed to the DMZ’s success has been its leadership. The DMZ has brought on an advisory council made up of exceptional individuals – including Ryerson’s President, Mohamed Lachemi – who are committed to the DMZ’s values. Some of the individuals who have been foundational in shaping and leading the DMZ include Raymond Chang, Alan Shepard, Valerie Fox, Sheldon Levy and Hossein Rahnama.

By thinking big, acting with laser focus and bringing in people who believe in its vision, the DMZ has grown its impact larger than it ever could have initially imagined.

What makes the DMZ special?

Reflecting on the accomplishments, challenges and victories of the past decade, these items stand out as particularly salient:

  • The DMZ has had the ability to influence post-secondary curriculum and policy. It’s brought industry and academia together (and also kept them separate at the right times) and developed a new model for experiential learning.
  • The DMZ has created a place where people are supported to work on their dreams. It’s a space infused with passion, purpose and energy. Founders are putting themselves out there, knowing that their ideas could either fail fast or impact the world significantly.
  • The DMZ has helped shape tech startup culture, transforming it from something that was considered simply “cool” to something that’s more mature. The majority of founders at the DMZ no longer set out for the coolness factor. Rather, they do it to fill an underserved gap in the market – often investing and risking serious time, money and resources.
  • The DMZ has helped change the conversation on employment. By empowering people to become job providers, rather than job consumers, the DMZ has helped the wider community rethink their view of tech startups.
  • The DMZ has helped bring attention to Toronto’s burgeoning tech sector. Over the past decade, the DMZ has been honoured to host notable visitors, including Prince Charles, Arlene Dickinson, Jack Dorsey and Prime Minister Trudeau. The DMZ has also expanded Canada’s presence internationally and helped high potential founders from around the world make Toronto their home.
  • The DMZ has created a benchmark across the world, offering best in class support that’s structured and customized around the needs of each individual founder and startup. Respected as the top incubator globally, other programs look up to the DMZ as the gold standard and are asking how they can model on its success.

What’s in store for the DMZ?

This year, and in the years ahead, we’ll continue to be driven by our values and mission, seeking answers to our most important questions:

  • What else can we do to support our founders and community?
  • How can we work more closely with governments to facilitate relationships with tech startups?
  • How can we embolden more corporations to work with tech startups?
  • What can we do to push even harder on the international scene, helping Canadian startups become global powerhouse businesses, while also attracting even more talent to Canada?
  • How can we continue to foster a “grit effect” and attract founders to our space who have both passion and perseverance?
  • And perhaps most importantly, how can we ensure that what we’re doing is not just a hidden secret for the DMZ? How can we continue to put equity above everything, supporting different communities and ensuring no one is left behind?

Building the momentum of the past ten years, our vision is to keep going bigger. Bigger for our founders, bigger for our community and bigger with our impact.

If we’ve gone from being an informal student coworking space to the world’s top incubator in only 10 years, just imagine what we can achieve in the next decade.

The Finalists Are In! Student entrepreneurs will shoot their shot to win grants up to $15K!

Finances are no longer keeping students from turning their entrepreneurial dreams into a reality. The DMZ’s Student Grant Program provides the funding, network and tailored skill coaching needed to become industry-leading innovators and change-agents.

Our selected finalists (listed below) have a cutting edge solution to some of the world’s biggest problems and are hard at work to take their business plans and pitches to the next level. They will present their ideas to a panel of judges who will determine who walks away with the cash!

Want to support these student entrepreneurs while they take the big stage?
RSVP here.

When?

  • Thursday March 12th, 7:00PM 

Where?

  • DMZ Sandbox @ Ryerson’s Student Learning Centre (SLC), 341 Yonge Street, 3rd floor. 

Why?

  • Discover 2020’s biggest startup and tech trends.
  • Build connections with DMZ’s thriving community of world-leading entrepreneurs, business leaders, tech experts and startup founders. 
  • Show support for the finalist!

Stage One: Eligible Finalists for $5,000 Student Grant.

  1. CompTech: Redefining compression therapy through our new compression tech that greatly increases the patient’s quality of life.
  2. Myotics: Merging prosthetics with computer vision and Artificial Intelligence to bring forth adaptable and intuitive control to forearm amputees and consequently overcome the financial limitations with modern advanced prostheses.
  3. SANA: We leverage existing mobile technology to connect extremely rural regions to medical personnel.
  4. Sensofine: Glucose monitoring packages, including patches and the app: An innovative non-invasive real-time solution for you to become the master of your blood sugar level.
  5. SmartEyes: A mobile application that combines object detection and audio cues to aid the blind.
  6. Takionics: Helping restaurants reduce food waste and operational costs by forecasting the amount of menu item sales.

Stage Two: Eligible Finalists for $10,000 Grant.

  1. May Contain: Connects people with food allergies to allergy-friendly restaurants, locally and abroad.
  2. Quad Clover: Performance monitoring leg wear that eliminates injuries arising from imbalanced physical movements or bad tendencies and, post-injury, guides and validates a successful recovery all through a real-time feedback warning system.
  3. Scuto: A growth and management platform for photographers. We also provide unique search tools for clients to find the perfect photographer for their wedding.
  4. Teem: One-stop shop SaaS platform for teamwork, where you can find your teammates, collaborate and review each other’s performance.

Stage Three: Eible Finalists for $15,000 Grant.

  1. Pre-Incubators for Change: Removing all barriers to fitness programming and industry education for youth.
  2. Ftr.: Industry leading recording artists, music producers, and mixing/mastering engineers available for hire at the click of a button. Collaborate effectively with ft
  3. Vimto: We provide education and automation of sales development to help SMEs scale internationally.

RSVP for the Sandbox Student Grant pitch night! 

Learn more about The DMZ’s Student Grant Program here.

We hope to see you there!

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.

DMZYYZ applications NOW OPEN.

“(At DMZYYZ) you tap right into the middle of a network, not just 2 or 3 LinkedIn meetings, but you dive into a community and you are surrounded by customers and mentors.”

– Kata Ludvig, 2019 DMZYYZ Participant from Hungary CMO of BankZee

DMZYYZ is a two-week intensive soft-landing program in Toronto, Canada. The program fuels integration between international growth-stage startups and the North American market.

The North American innovation ecosystem is made of global Industry-leaders, and we’re just getting started.  DMZYYZ is your personalized ticket in.

Toronto has reached a whole new level, on and off the court.


WHY DMZYYZ?

This is not one size fits all, but a tailored two-week program based on your business.

  • Need to improve your growth strategy but completed your product testing?
  • Need investor support but not marketing?
  • Wherever you are on your journey, DMZYYZ will meet you right there.

HOW?

Week 1

  • 1-1 COACH- personalized coaching from our Entrepreneurs in Residence (EiRs).
  • TAILORED LEARNING- sessions with cutting-edge industry champions.
  • INTRODUCTIONS- pitch coaching and scheduled meetings with investors who make sense for your business.

Week 2

  • TICKETS TO A WORLD LEADING TECH CONFERENCE-  connect with DMZ’s community and alumni of serial entrepreneurs from Canada and America.
  • CONTINUED COACHING, NETWORKING AND SUPPORT- from DMZ’s team, community and EiRs while you are here and once you have gone home.

Meet one of  DMZ YYZ’s Entrepreneurs in Residence (EiRs) Phillip Gales:

“Harvard Business and Cambridge Engineering graduate, he’s raised $12 million from international VCs. He will teach you how he built an oil and gas data analytics company funded by Y-Combinator (W14).  He currently runs inate.ai, a company that optimizes startups and automates VC due diligence utilizing AI.”

Meet the rest of DMZYYZ’s EiRs (bios found in coaching subsection of page).

“We really benefited from the space. It was great going to meet with investors and seeing people interested in not just money making but also what we are trying to achieve.”

– Mohammad Saif Ahmad, 2019 DMZYYZ Participant from Jamaica, Founder of SmartTerm

RioAnalytics Founder, Victor Chaves from Brazil, saw an opportunity in Toronto and was able to take it because of DMZYYZ. RioAnalytics secured a lead investor for Series A round during DMZYYZ and generated 150+ customer leads. After DMZYYZ, RioAnalytics is now operating out of Toronto with staff and Victor is relocating to Toronto through DMZ’s Startup Visa Program.

“The calibre of the network within the DMZ community is huge. The amount of knowledge transfer that happens within the conversations you have is second to none.”

– Zoltan Czikos, 2019 DMZ YYZ Participant, Co-Founder of Hungarian-based startup, Neticle

After the program, DMZYYZ alumni have access to EiR online coaching, DMZ online content, investor introductions and community. Also, access to DMZ Toronto and DMZ New York offices for subsequent visits.

Applications are now open, it is time to start your global impact. APPLY NOW

 

‘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?

 

Natalie Gray, Cofounder of Cover, Kicks Off DMZ Women Founders Series

Women founders are a key part of a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, yet they continue to make up a minority and face unique challenges. Recognizing this, the DMZ has launched a new Women Founders Series that brings together female founders from across different startup communities for roundtable discussions and candid conversations. The series kicked off on December 4, 2019 with keynote speaker Natalie Gray, Cofounder of Cover. Here’s a recap of what happened.

Natalie Gray’s Journey to Become a Two-Time Founder

Natalie Gray was born and raised in Mississauga, Ontario. After completing an undergrad in commerce at Queen’s University, Natalie was drawn to New York City to attend business school at New York University. While there, she landed herself a coveted job  at Rush Communications doing brand partnerships and marketing. 

During her time at Rush, she realized she stood out among her peers when it came to working with numbers. Wanting to deepen her differentiating skills, Natalie returned to Canada at age 22 and completed a three-year math degree in just one short year at Queen’s University. 

Although the experience was intense, Natalie says it proved to herself that she’s capable of working exceptionally hard, managing her time methodically and achieving success under pressure. She thinks what helped her most was her passion and drive to create a dream career for herself – a mindset that had rubbed off on her while in New York City.

After graduating, she – like other millennials at the time – entered into a job market that was suffering in the wake of a recession. However, she came across an opportunity to join three other people in co-founding a startup called StyleKick. After two and a half years of hard work, challenges, setbacks and successes, the app was absorbed by Shopify in an acqui-hire. Natalie and her co-founders joined the Shopify team for a brief time on the product and design teams; however, they  were itching to get back to the startup scene.

One weekend, while away at a cottage with her original co-founder crew, the foursome came up with a new idea – an app that would enable users to upload photos of their possessions (like their car, home or pets) and get quotes from several l insurance providers at once. They built a rudimentary version of the app in just 48 hours and their next venture, Cover, was born.

In 2016, Cover was accepted into Y Combinator and, over the next several years, Natalie helped the startup successfully close several large rounds of funding. The company has grown to over 130 people with offices located in Toronto,  San Francisco, and Los Angeles. 

Key Issues Facing Women Founders Today – and Strategies for Approaching Them

Natalie’s keynote address, along with the “ask me anything” session that followed, produced an engaging, honest and candid dialogue. Many of the 25 founders around the table shared both their successes and challenges and asked Natalie for practical advice on critical issues facing their startups today.

From the conversations, three salient themes emerged:

1. Women Founders Continue to Face Discrimination

Natalie and many of the women around the table shared honest accounts of their experiences with discrimination in the tech startup space – and in particular when trying to raise funding. 

Although each person’s experience was unique, there were noticeable commonalities between them. And, in many instances, these personal stories highlighted the intersectional nature of discrimination based on gender identity, race, nationality, parental status and so on.

Natalie shared several tips that she’s found particularly effective when approaching difficult situations, including asserting herself and speaking with a confident and controlled tone, bringing the conversation back to the business itself if it strays, not honouring questions that have discriminatory underpinnings, and seeking out investors that respect women and see the value of diversity in business. She also shared strategies that can help ensure women are represented on boards, leadership teams and across different areas of the organization. Finally, she made the point that if an investor wants to pass up on a lucrative business opportunity because of their bias, it’s their loss and someone else’s gain. 

2. Fostering Diversity within Startups is Necessary, Though Not Always Easy

Diversity is critical when it comes to business success. Diverse viewpoints, opinions and backgrounds strengthen a business and make it more resilient – this is something we know. Yet, it’s not always easy to achieve diversity, especially in the tech industry where certain groups are underrepresented. Moreover, some founders found it can be overwhelming dealing with day-to-day issues, let alone finding the time to put a thoughtful diversity strategy in place. 

To help, Natalie offered a few practical approaches that her company is taking to foster diversity amongst their workforce, including auditing the language used in job postings to reduce bias and promote inclusivity, being mindful that the images they post on social media reflect the makeup of their company, and empowering their team to tackle these issues in new, creative ways. .

3. Understanding Funding Options Empowers Founders to Make Better Decisions

The audience had many questions for Natalie about fundraising, given her unique expertise in this area. Natalie spent time explaining different funding options available to startups at various stages, and some of the key pros and cons of each. She fielded questions from the audience and helped to troubleshoot specific challenges that founders were facing. She also spoke about tactics founders can use to find people who will add value to your business, and how to know when it’s the right time to bring in an investor.

Natalie reminded the room that, as intense as investor pitches can be, the interview goes both ways––founders must assess if they’re a good fit for the business, while investors assess if the business is right for them. Since a startup is likely going to be working closely and over the long-term with their investors, it’s important to work with people who truly respect you and value the importance of intersectional diversity. 

All in all, the first edition of the Women Founder Series offered a unique opportunity for female founders to share their experiences and ask for advice. The conversation was candid, inspiring and packed with actionable tips. Thank you, Natalie, for kicking off our series with your impactful and highly useful conversation!

 

Want to attend to next event? Be the first to know by following us on social @RyersonDMZ

 

Mentorship for Better Technology Decisions: Lessons from Google Mentor Day with Madusha Cooray

In this episode of BusinessCast, powered by DMZ, Madusha Cooray sits down with host Robert Gold to talk about the benefits of technology-focused mentorship for founders and developers.

Madusha, who previously worked with over 2,000 founders at an incubator space and is now the DMZ lead for Google Developer Launchpad, shares important lessons from North America’s Google Mentor Day, which took place at the DMZ on July 20, 2019.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • What Google Mentor Day is all about, including who attended this year’s event and how it was structured
  • Four lessons about mentorship that are useful for any founder faced with a technology decision
  • How tech advancements are changing the speed at which startups can push out products
  • Why Google Developer Launchpad partnered with DMZ for this event and what’s in store for the future
  • The one thing Madusha encourages all disruptive innovators to keep in mind when looking for a mentor

If you’re facing tough technology decisions at your startup or are considering mentorship as a means of propelling your tech stack, you’ll benefit from this listening to this podcast.

Listen below.

Visiting Founders Share their Impressions of the Canadian Startup Ecosystem

In September 2019, the DMZ welcomed five companies from countries around the world to participate in DMZYYZ, a two-week, intensive soft-landing program in Toronto designed to accelerate business growth through access to coaching, customers, capital and community in Canada.

The participating companies included:

On the final day of the program, we sat down with each founder to chat about their impressions of the Canadian startup ecosystem. Here’s what they told us…

1. Canada’s diversity and openness is a strength

 
In 2018, Canada welcomed 321,065 immigrants. Almost 1 in 5 Canadians speak more than one language at home. Canada’s population reported 250 ethnic origins and ancestries. These are just a few of the statistics that reflect Canada’s diversity. 

Canada’s diversity, progressiveness and openness is often seen by people at home and abroad as a strength, since these attributes have a positive relationship with a healthy economy and thriving society. The founders we spoke with agreed.

“Before coming to Toronto, I hadn’t imagined a city like it existed,” said the founder of Brazil’s RioAnalytics. “You hear people say that Toronto is a great city, but you really have to come here to experience it. I want my team, as well as my family, to be exposed to this level of diversity.”

Kata Ludvig, the co-founder of BankZee from Hungary agreed, adding: “The thing that surprised me most about Toronto and the DMZ community was the openness of its people. People from around the world move here, and it’s easy to see why – Canada is accepting and diverse, making it a great place to run a global business.”

Banksy’s founder had an additional perspective on the matter, saying, “Being a female founder, I didn’t know what to expect. But I felt absolutely supported during my time here.”

2. Canadians care about creating impact – not just profit

 
Social enterprises are on the rise, Millennials and Gen Z are asking more questions about impact, and climate change is an issue that’s top of mind. In Canada, social and environmental issues are talked about openly and often – and our visiting founders noticed that too.

The founder of Jamaica’s SmartTerm commented, “Going into the Investor Zone, we saw that the investors here have interests beyond simply making money – they’re interested in our ideas and the impact we’re trying to make to improve education. Finding thoughtful investors who actually believe in your mission is really exciting and encouraging.”

Creating positive impact is not only good business, it’s also the right thing to, and many of our international founders noticed that this is a prevalent attitude in the Canadian startup ecosystem.

3. Support for startups in Canada is extensive

 
Our visiting founders shared a similar sentiment: Canada offers superior support for both domestic and international startups.

Handiss’ founder discovered that through the DMZYYZ, he was able to test and validate his idea in a Canadian market. “Having B2B meetings here in Canada showed me the pain points people are facing and how we could adjust our business model to bring our business to Canada,” he said. The founder of SmartTerm added to this point, saying, “I learned that the way we explain, sell and offer education in Jamaica is different from the conversation in Canada. So, when we tap into the Canadian and North America market, we’ll have to pivot our messaging a lot. I wouldn’t have known the extent of this had I not been here on the ground.”

The founder of Banksy also agreed that Canada is a great place to grow a startup. In fact, while she was here, she was able to meet with four of the five major banks, secure a large customer, and expand her network substantially. “Coming to Canada through a program like the DMZYYZ is a major boost for your startup. For a foreign company, like mine, it’s a gateway into the Canadian market, and you get to tap right into the middle of the network, surrounded by experienced mentors and customers.” 

A similar sentiment was shared by Attila Balogi, the founder of Zyntern. He said, “If you’re thinking of coming to Canada or North America, there are lots of incredible resources to help you. Being part of DMZYYZ saved me months – if not years – of time, plus money. Before I arrived, I was already being connected to the right people in Canada. It’s a faster, more curated route than doing it alone.”

Want to learn more about DMZYYZ and how to apply? Check us out at https://dmzlegacy.torontomu.ca/dmzyyz/.

Three Lessons About Burnout and Mental Health in the Workplace

On October 8, 2019, as part of Mental Health Illness Awareness Week, the DMZ , Inkblot Therapy and the Ryerson Career & Co-Op Centre proudly partnered to organize a half-day event called Investing in Inclusion: Burnout and Work-Life Balance.

At the event, attendees heard honest and engaging firsthand accounts of burnout and workplace stress from keynote panelists:

  • Julie Sabine (Moderator), CMO, Inkblot Technologies
  • Cherry Rose Tan, Founder & CEO, For Founders by Founders
  • Hamza Khan, Managing Director, Student Life Network
  • Jason Tafler, CEO & Founder, Unyte
  • Sara Asalya, Graduate Student, OISE & Ryerson Employee

Why talk about burnout and workplace stress? Well, according to findings from Statistics Canada, 20% of Canadians will experience burnout at some point in their life. In addition, almost 40% of Canadians suffer from workplace stress, attributed most commonly to inflexible schedules, long hours, constant connectivity, tight deadlines and a lack of vacation time. By talking openly and bravely about their personal experiences, the panelists shone a light on these statistics and raised three important lessons:

1. Burnout can happen to anyone, at anytime

Although we often associate burnout with life in the high-pressure corporations, it’s prevalent across all industries and places of work – from the corporate world, to the public sector, to the startup ecosystem.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health defines burnout as, “a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress,” and says symptoms of burnout can include:

  • Feeling emotionally drained and unable to function at work or in other areas of life
  • Experiencing physical symptoms like back aches, headaches, loss of appetite or disrupted sleep
  • Becoming increasingly withdrawn and reclusive, and feeling disengaged
  • Calling in sick to work more often, lacking motivation and having difficulties getting things done
  • Experiencing a drop in confidence, feeling like a failure or having feelings of helplessness

Symptoms can affect individuals in different ways, and burnout often creeps up slowly – especially during busy times. 

Jason Tafler shared that, for years, he relentlessly chased after success, worked hard, and checked off all the boxes he thought he should. Yet, the results of his achievements weren’t good health and happiness. In fact, they were the quite opposite. One day, when he was sitting in a board meeting, he started to feel unwell. It was during a particularly stressful period at work where he was pushing himself to the limits. He looked down at his hands and saw, to his alarm, that they were turning yellow. He realized that something was seriously wrong and that he needed to get to a hospital immediately.

Jason recounted, “At that meeting, I wasn’t thinking about what I had achieved at work, or how much money I had in the bank. All I was thinking about was whether or not I’d make it to the hospital and, if I survived, how I needed to start focusing on what was really important to me.” Jason learned at the hospital later that night that he was suffering from internal bleeding, stating, “I worked myself to the point where I literally almost bled to death.”

Hamza Khan’s experience with burnout was different, yet many of the underlying factors were similar. Hamza always considered himself a high performer and believed that achieving success meant pushing himself hard. “I didn’t have a healthy relationship with work and I believed many unhealthy myths about success and productivity,” he shared. He said social media only worsened the problem, where ‘inspirational’ quotes on his feed about productivity, achievement and happiness added to the stress he already felt. 

As a result, Hamza started to burn out. He missed deadlines, his performance was lackluster and he started to suffer from long depressive episodes. He recounted experiencing an identity crisis at one point, where his expectations of himself weren’t matching his performance at work. It wasn’t until he realized that there was something very wrong that he started reaching out for help and making changes in his life.

Stories like these show that burnout can sneak up on any of us, at any time – even if we think we’re immune or following the right path.

2. It’s time for companies to talk openly about mental health

With one in five Canadians experiencing burnout at some point in their life and almost half of us suffering from workplace stress, it’s time to make changes in the workplace to support mental health and wellness. But how can we do this?

Cherry Rose Tan spoke about her experiences with workplace stress and said, “In the startup community, it’s time for founders to talk more openly about mental health and create safe spaces to share what they’re going through personally or at work. Instead of talking to me about your IPO, talk to me about how you’re feeling.” 

For Cherry Rose, a healthy work environment isn’t about creating room for a ping pong table, it’s about creating room for honest dialogue around the realities of mental health. After going through a series of traumatic events in her life, and wondering where she could turn to for support, she realized that she probably wasn’t alone. Having brave conversations is a way we can support each other and mental health in the workplace. 

Sara Asalya offered a similar viewpoint. After migrating to Canada, Sara landed a job that seemed good on paper. But she soon learned that the company cared more about sales quotas than about taking care of their employees. Despite mounting responsibilities at home and the stress of being in a new country, she pushed herself hard and kept going. “I felt so alone,” she said. “I wanted to be successful at work and a perfect mom at home, and there were high expectations. I was scared to bring up anything at work because I feared they’d question whether or not I could handle the job.”

When Sara reached her breaking point, she realized that she needed to unlearn what she had been taught about success, and instead take care of herself first. She also realized that her workplace had undermined her mental health due to its unhealthy power dynamics and micromanaging. “Most chronic workplace stress goes unnoticed. It’s time we talk about that,” said Sara.

3. New resources and communities are offering additional means of supporting mental health

There are many ways to support mental health – some conventional and some that are taking new approaches. Our panelists shared how they’re contributing to developing new and promising means of supporting mental health:

  • Inkblot is revolutionizing mental health care by offering confidential and convenient support – any time, any place. Inkblot’s Employee Mental Health Services create more positive and engaging workplaces and are utilized by forward-thinking organizations including the DMZ, League, 500px, tucows and TribalScale. Julie Sabine is the CMO at Inkblot.
  • For Founders by Founders is a mental health movement for the tech industry where founders and investors can pledge their mental health stories as survivors or allies. For Founders by Founders is based on the premise that change happens when we share our truth and have brave conversations. Cherry Rose is the Founder & CEO of For Founders by Founders.
  • Unyte offers a self-regulation device and immersive meditation experiences that leads users to reach new levels of calm and wellness. Using real-time biofeedback, Unyte provides an evidence-based guide that fosters a healthy coping lifestyle. Jason Tafler is the CEO & Founder of Unyte.
  • Fresponsibility is a word that means “a workplace culture that encourages self-managed co-workers to enjoy responsible freedom within a decentralized decision-making climate and minimum hierarchy.” Fresponsibility is built around five pillars: autonomy, radical transparency, open communication, people first, and intrinsic motivation. Sara Asalya is working to advance the concept of fresponsibility.

Burnout and workplace stress can be experienced by anyone, at any time, and dialogue is an important step to calling out the factors that contribute to unhealthy situations.

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