Founders Fast Track: Sprint to Success
Accelerate your business in 8 weeks
Innovation Factory’s Founders Fast Track is an intensive training program to help equip your start-up as you prepare for your first fundraise with the essential tools, resources, and skills you need to succeed.
Applications open twice a year.
About Founders Fast Track
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be part of this engaging 8-week training program. Founders Fast Track offers a complete curriculum at zero cost, covering subjects such as pitch refinement, investor communication, funding strategies, and due diligence preparation. Qualified start-ups will receive mentorship, participate in networking activities, and attend educational workshops.
Founders Fast Track finishes in an demo day where your company will have the opportunity to connect and pitch to a minimum of three angel or pre-seed/seed stage investors.
The top 10 best-performing start-ups will be offered an exclusive invitation to pitch for cash prizes and more at Innovation Factory’s flagship competition, LiONS LAIR, in front of an audience of 350+ people.
Who should apply to Founders Fast Track
You should apply to Founders Fast Track if your business:
- Is past proof of concept
- Is in the start-up to SME stage of business
- Is an innovative and scalable technology, product or service
- Falls within one of the following sectors: Life science, information and communication technology (ICT), advanced manufacturing, smart transportation and/or cleantech, and social innovation
- Is ready to engage with our training sessions and expert mentors
- Is able to participate and engage with us at our Hamilton and Halton office locations
Attendance is mandatory for all training sessions unless otherwise communicated with the Venture Growth team. Failure to meet program requirements will impact your eligibility for the Lions Lair pitch competition.
Interested in applying? Sign up for notifications
Complete this quick form to receive email notifications when applications open for the next cohort.
Interested? Apply now!
Apply now for the upcoming cohort of Founders Fast Track beginning on May 7, 2025. Applications close April 13, 2025.
Innovator Spotlights
Find out how Founders Fast Track and LiONS LAIR have helped these innovators take their businesses to the next level.
