Pathway to Commercialization
Most founders walk into a meeting with a funder with one question: "How do I get money?" It's the wrong first question.
Funding is a tool. It helps you reach a specific milestone, and it only works when you know which milestone that is and what has to happen before it. Founders who can show that sequence get better conversations with funders. Founders who can't are often told to come back later, without a clear sense of what "later" means.
You'll start from the commercial outcome you're aiming for, such as your first paying customers, a signed pilot, or repeatable revenue, and work backwards to identify every milestone that has to come first. The session is built around the companies in the room, with participants sharing real examples and working through them together.
What you'll leave with
A draft milestone map for your company, built during the session
The specific milestone your next dollar of funding should unlock, and why
A sharper ask for your next conversation with an investor, funder or support program
A short list of gaps to close before you apply or pitch
How the session runs
The reframe: Why funding is rarely the first problem, and what funders look for when they assess readiness.
Define the destination: Set a concrete commercial outcome to plan back from.
Work backwards: Map and sequence your product, customer, team, regulatory and financial milestones. One volunteer builds their map live with the facilitator.
Pressure test: Pair up and test each other's maps using the questions a funder would ask.
Match milestones to capital: Where grants, non-dilutive programs, angel and seed capital, and customer revenue each fit, including Alberta Innovates programs.
Who should attend
Early- to mid-stage founders and operators who are raising, planning to raise, or considering applying for a grant or other support programs. Especially useful if you've been told "not yet" and want to know what "ready" looks like.
What to bring
A laptop or notebook, a working knowledge of where your company stands today, and a willingness to share. We'll provide the template.