Frequently Asked Questions

Propel prioritizes accepting companies from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island. However, we do consider companies that are outside Atlantic Canada or looking to relocate to Atlantic Canada.

Propel’s Accelerator was developed for technology startups. If your company uses technology to solve a problem then we can help.

We have helped companies in Medtech, Fintech/Banking, Sports and Entertainment, Travel, Engineering, OceanTech, CleanTech, and  many other industry sectors.

Part-time solo founders or full-time founding teams with staff. Our program is customized to the stage you are in.

Problem/Solution Fit (Ideation)

We‘ll help you validate your idea using best-in-class methodology.

Path to Market (Early Product Development)

We'll coach you along the way!

Product Market Fit (Growth)

We’ve got you covered!

Yes, with the exception of some fireside chats and one on one calls our online accelerator allows you to work through the programming material at your convenience.

Yes

Once you have completed our online application, our team will evaluate your application for fit and may invite you to complete the LEAN CANVAS and TRACTION ROAD MAP on LEANSTACK.com. The final step is a virtual interview through Zoom.

Our goal is to help founders when they need it so we are always accepting applications.  Once a company graduates from our programming and a space opens up, we begin working with the next company in the program queue.  

To get added to our queue, fill out your application to get started.

Four to six weeks, on average, to go through the application and assessment process, though this may vary depending on volume.

Upon acceptance to the program, we’ll work with you to decide the best time to start based on your individual situation and needs of your company. You can expect to start within 4-12 weeks.

Propel does not take any equity in companies.

There is no up-front cost to participate. However, Propel does recoup a small portion of the cost of participation if the company raises debt or equity financing during the program or in the following 12 months. In that case, the company is required to pay Propel a sponsorship fee of 5% of the total amount raised.  The sponsorship fee is capped at $5,000.  These fees help to cover a small portion of the basic costs of running the Accelerator, and that is why we view it as a sponsorship fee.

Customized programming: Every company is different.  We employ world-class startup methodologies from Leanstack.com and GrowthX.com and focus on helping you execute a search for a scalable and repeatable business model.  We promote an applied experiment-based approach to validate key assumptions and continually iterate  through LEAN SPRINTS.‍

Dedicated coaching: Learn from our experienced founders to provide guidance, feedback, and accountability during your startup journey.‍

Virtual Delivery: Propel provides access to premium content without the cost and disruption of travel or relocation.‍

Incredible Mentorship: Without walls or classrooms, Propel's virtual mentorship chats and councils bring world-class thinkers and doers to your startup.‍

A Community That Feels Like Home! Starting a company can be solitary and challenging - the Propel Ecosystem of active and alumni companies means you aren't alone in your journey.‍

Fun! Propel’s dedicated staff cares deeply about developing founders, but we are also all about collaboration and support, creativity, taking risks, embracing failure, transparency, and moving quickly. We want you to push yourself past your comfort zone and take your company to the next level. You will work hard, but have fun in the process.

Propel is 100% virtual. You will be matched with a Startup Coach and meet regularly with them via zoom to update your progress and receive feedback. In addition, our on-line learning will keep you busy refining your business model - this includes gaining valuable insights from your customer discovery, refining your revenue model, crafting your offer and perfecting your pitch to customers. There will be amazing speakers from around the globe dropping in for valuable Fireside Chats with our companies throughout the program.

No, Propel does not provide funding for your startup.

Propel is keenly focused on customer revenue being your best friend when it comes to financing your venture, and our core focus is on generating cash this way.

Our program is customized to the needs of each individual startup so the length of time a company is in our program will vary. If your venture is at an early stage, you will probably require at least 3 months to validate Problem/Solution fit.  Other start-ups who already have early revenue may spend twelve months in our program to develop a market acceleration plan that validates Product/Market fit.

Examples include Hey Orca!, AnalyzeRe, LeadSift, Swept, Alongside, Vendeve, Pacta, Agyle Intelligence, TripNinja, Side Door, Room Service and many more. We have accepted more than 400 companies into our programming since Propel started as an accelerator.

We are 100% Virtual. Our Startup Coaches are spread across Atlantic Canada so you can reach out to any of them to arrange a meeting.

Yes, definitely! There is no downside to applying more than once. Many of our most successful founders were not accepted on their first try, but chose to keep making progress on their business, reapply to the program, and were ultimately accepted.