Hello, friend!

Summer has just begun, and so has a new season of opportunities for tech entrepreneurs. This month, we're diving into the essentials of growth with expert insights, big program milestones, and curated resources to help tech entrepreneurs thrive.

📢 Inside this month’s newsletter:

• 💡 Can Product-Market Fit Drives Sales? Henrique Dias, an Innovation Cluster Expert in Residence, weighs in

• 🛠️ BuildUP’s first group is FULL, but you have one more chance

• 📚 Our summer reading list for tech entrepreneurs

• 🚀 LevelUP Business Accelerator applications now open

• 📅 Upcoming events for tech SMEs

Can Product-Market Fit Drive Sales?

Ah yes, the holy grail: revenue’s flowing, customers aren’t ghosting, and they’re even bringing their friends to the party. Feels like you’ve made it. Cue the confetti, right?

Not so fast. We asked startup founder and sales whisperer Henrique Dias to spill the (cold, hard) truth: just how important is product-market fit to sales? His answer might surprise you.

Read the interview and get the real tea. 

BuildUP Program is Breaking Expectations

We launched BuildUP, a free 8-week program helping skilled tradespeople become business owners. We planned for 20 folks. We got overloaded with applications. So, we upped the first group  to 35. And guess what? The second group already has 15 people on the waitlist — and it doesn't even start until Fall.

Want in before all the seats are full (again)? Apply for the fall group now.

This Employment Ontario program is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario. 

🚀 It’s official — applications for the LevelUP program are NOW OPEN! 🚀

We’re excited to welcome a new group of ambitious founders this August, as the LevelUP program continues to support Ontario's most promising tech entrepreneurs.

If you’re a tech founder with big goals, this is your chance to join one of Ontario’s most dynamic startup accelerators. Over 12 high-impact weeks, you’ll gain the tools, mentorship, and strategy to:

✅ Launch and refine your product
✅ Validate your market
✅ Build a scalable, fundable business model

If you have a tech-based and innovative venture with a minimum viable product (MVP) and are looking to refine your strategy, scale, and expand your market, LevelUP was built for you! 

💥 This is more than a program. It’s a launchpad.
📅 Deadline to apply: Tuesday, July 15
🔗 Apply now!

Flash en Bref

What's On Your Summer Reading List?

Whether you're poolside, lakeside, or hiding in an air-conditioned office pretending it's vacation, summer's a great time to reset your brain with fresh ideas. Our picks? Smart. Sharp. Zero fluff.

1. Pioneers by Neri Karra Sillaman. A powerful study of resilience and business longevity through the lens of immigrant entrepreneurs.
2. Blindspotting by Kirstin Ferguson. Uncovers the hidden forces shaping decision-making and reveals how the best leaders aren’t those with all the answers.
3. Why Workplace Wellbeing Matters by Jan-Emmanuel De Neve & George Ward. Evidence-based insights into how well-being drives engagement, innovation, and results.
4. This Is Strategy by Seth Godin. A fresh take on strategic thinking, embracing adaptability and intentionality.

Pack one of these and thank us later.

Events that Don't Suck (We Promise)

We’ve loaded up the calendar with events that actually move the needle — no snooze-fests here.

And October kicks off a brand-new Mastering Series:

Sales: From 0 to 100 Customers

Led by startup savants, Craig Elias and Brandy Old, this hands-on 5-week experience provides you with the coaching, tools, and know-how to finally unlock that sales code.

⚡ Join the waitlist before it fills up (and it will).

Trying to Scale? Stuck Somewhere Between MVP and Mayhem? 

You’ve built your MVP. You’ve got some traction. But scaling? That’s a different beast. Let’s tame it together.

Book a free 45-minute advisory session with the Innovation Cluster. No pitch, no fluff — just straight talk on how to move your business forward.

Claim your free session now.

The next step to scaling your startup is just a click away. Founder teams with early-stage MVP+ products turn to the Innovation Cluster for programming, training, and mentorship built to help SME tech leaders grow.

Here's how we can help:

• Business Accelerator: A 12-week accelerator program designed to propel you into the market so you can scale fast.
• Global Entrepreneur Incubator: Training and mentorship to establish and scale your market-ready tech venture in Canada.
• Dedicated Mentors & Advisors: Real-world guidance from 20+ business experts to navigate the challenges of building and scaling early-stage technology companies.
• Workshops & Bootcamps: Educational programs to help your founding team master essential business skills.

Book a free consultation to learn what the Innovation Cluster can do for you.