How Med-iBox leveraged the Empowered Startups’ methodology, network, and mentorship to build a promising tech startup in Canada
Med-iBox is a Vancouver-based SaaS company passionate about developing software tools to enhance the competitiveness of independent pharmacies by enabling them to better support their customers through well-timed touch points, services, and information.
After developing his startup idea and defining the business model in Empowered’s Global Startup Accelerator, Chien Vu Van entered Empowered Startups’ incubator to validate his business model and launch his startup in Canada. During their initial strategic planning session, Chien and the Startup Leader worked together to prioritize the assumptions in his business model and develop a strategy that would enable him to understand how his idea applied in a Canadian context. This included mentorship on how obtain quality feedback on his solution from customers and users, as well as how to validate that he had customers willing to pay for the solution before incurring development costs.
“The experience with Empowered Startups has been excellent. Our startup journey has been exciting but also challenging. It has been extremely helpful to have a mentor that can answer questions, unlock resources to grow in Canada, and provide encouragement” – Chien Vu Van, CEO of Med-iBo
Empowered’s Startup Leader then supported Chien through the execution of the strategy. The first step being to get feedback on the problems that Med-iBox wanted to address in its software. To do this the Startup Leader helped Chien create a job description for an intern, recruit two highly qualified interns to conduct interviews, and get feedback on the software. This involved securing a grant to cover a portion of the interns’ compensation, and then design the problem interview questions so that Chien could maximize his learning and better map out the platform. The Startup Leader also connected Chien with marketing and communications partners to help him to launch his startup.
“Between the Startup Leader and the Empowered Startups Platform, there is everything you need to learn about life, business, and networking in Canada” – Chien Vu Van, CEO of Med-iBox
As Med-iBox continues its startup journey, it will develop a demo of its software, which its recently hired interns will use to gather further feedback from independent pharmacists and prioritize features in demand for app development. Chien can continue to rely on Empowered’s extensive network for support as he develops his product, secures his first customers, and grows his company.
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.
