Incubation in Action: How Empowered Startups Helped Dream Cantech Grow Into a High-Impact Startup With Over $30,000 In Grants & Key Partnerships

  How Empowered Startups helped Dream Cantech grow into a high-impact startup with over $30,000 in grants and…

 

How Empowered Startups helped Dream Cantech grow into a high-impact startup with over $30,000 in grants and key partnerships

Dream Cantech Systems is a Vancouver-based startup using internet of things (IoT) technology to help people live rested and full lives by optimizing their sleep. Tuyen Do Nang founded the company after discovering a business opportunity while learning how to formulate and test business model assumptions in the Empowered Startups’ Global Startup Accelerator (GSA).

Going through the GSA gave me confidence that I could start a business abroad because we got practice in using the skills and not just theory. There are other programs out there but the GSA is best for business in the international environment.” – Tuyen, CEO Dream Cantech Systems

Tuyen then entered the Empowered Startups’ incubator to validate his business model in Canada and work with key partners to develop a minimum viable product (MVP) for his DREAM device and scale his company.

Coming out of the strategic planning session, Empowered Startups advised that having a technology partner would be critical to support the startup to create its MVP and address current technology gaps. Empowered Startups used its network to connect Tuyen with research experts and academic R&D facilities to help him find a partner that would turn his concept into an early-stage product. After meeting with several potential partners, we found a match in a university research lab.

Empowered Startups then helped Dream Cantech to leverage its capital by securing a grant through our partner Mitacs to partially fund the research project. As a result, Dream Cantech partnered with Simon Fraser University’s School of Mechatronic Systems Engineering and Mitacs provided a 50% funding match to fund the 2-year $60,000 research project. Mitacs then provided a second grant in 2020.

In addition to finding a key research partnership, Empowered mentored Tuyen to further validate his business model through user interviews and other testing methods. Empowered also helped Dream Cantech to generate interest for its product by connecting it with a marketing partner to build its launch website.

There is a lot of passion in entrepreneurship but the incubator provides the knowledge to make the dream come true. I was connected with great partners who helped me a lot. In a short time, I got an understanding of the Canadian market and without the incubator it would have taken a long time to adapt.” – Tuyen, CEO Dream Cantech Systems

Dream Cantech continues to commercialize its DREAM device as it goes through product testing and over the long term, sees it as one of a suite of integrated internet of things (IoT) solutions that users can use to monitor their health and live full lives.

 

About Empowered Startups
Empowered Startups is an Innovative Startup Incubator and foundry headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. With offices in Canada, France, and Portugal, we train/mentor/ and network entrepreneurs to successfully launch new businesses in diverse markets. As a foundry we also conceive, build and launch our own products and solutions. Empowered Startups is recognized by the Canadian Government as a designated start-up business incubator and is known internationally for growing ideas into sustainable businesses using both a virtual and on-site model. Our training tools and mentorship are used and recognized by leading global university labs, Startup incubators, and innovation hubs.

Photo by Julia M Cameron