Toronto Metropolitan University’s DMZ held its highly anticipated Insiders Event at the global startup ecosystem’s headquarters in downtown Toronto. This exclusive showcase featured a selection of the most innovative high-potential early-stage startups from DMZ’s portfolio, offering attendees the chance to witness transformative solutions across various industries.

The eight participating startups pitched their tech solutions to an invite-only gathering of esteemed investors, corporate leaders, and DMZ’s global partners, with the goal of securing investment from DMZ Ventures’ newly launched corporate fund.

The investment fund, managed by the for-profit arm of DMZ at Toronto Metropolitan University, DMZ Ventures, will make up to 10 investments per year, ranging from $100,000 to $250,000 CAD. The fund will support promising pre-seed and seed-stage startups, primarily from DMZ’s portfolio, and is strongly committed to backing underserved founders. 

The startups that participated at the Insiders Event represented a wide range of industries, from PropTech and AI to EdTech. Pitch participants included: Azrah Manji-Savin, CEO and Co-Founder of Syzl; Paul Greenberg, CEO and Founder of Creatubbles; Juan Leal, Co-Founder and CEO of Leasey.AI; David Abrams, Co-Founder and CEO of HILO; Julian D’Angelo, Co-founder and CEO of Talin; Gloria Oppong, Co-Founder and CEO of Cleanster, Sheida Mirjahani, Co-Founder and CEO of Flowjin; and Ali Jozi, Co-Founder and CEO of StructurePlus. 

Juan Leal, Co-Founder and CEO of Leasey.AI, a platform that streamlines and automates the leasing process, took home the largest investment at DMZ Insiders, securing $100,000 CAD. “We couldn’t be more thankful to DMZ for this opportunity; they’ve believed in us from day one, and there’s no better partner we could have asked to back us, said Juan Leal CEO and Co-Founder of Leasey.AI. “With the funds, we plan to continue to advance the product and differentiate ourselves in the market by focusing on product development and customer acquisition.”

Two additional surprise investments were made at the event, surpassing the event’s commitment to awarding $150,000 CAD. Flowjin, an AI-powered tool that turns long-form video and audio content into short-form clips for social media was awarded $75,000 CAD, and Talin, an AI-powered talent acquisition and sales platform for staffing and recruiting, was awarded $75,000 CAD. All three startups are actively seeking investment opportunities to fuel their business. 

The launch of DMZ Venture’s fund expands on DMZ’s world-leading incubator programming, which includes mentorship, coaching, legal support and opportunities for global expansion, completing its full-spectrum offerings for end-to-end early-stage tech startup support.

“Our unparalleled proximity with our ventures through DMZ’s due diligence sets this fund apart; no other investors understand their startups as deeply as we do,” said Abdullah Snobar, Executive Director of DMZ, CEO of DMZ Ventures. “Each startup we back undergoes rigorous vetting and earns DMZ’s stamp of approval, which is why we’re not just backing startups, but winners — founders and ideas that we truly believe in.”

The Insiders Event also set the stage for Collision week, North America’s largest tech conference. DMZ’s presence at Collision includes a booth (E276) where attendees can engage with startup showcases, network with corporate and VC leaders, and participate in unique activities, including photo-ops with DMZ’s giant camel and a chance to win exciting prizes. 

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About DMZA global startup ecosystem, DMZ at Toronto Metropolitan University equips the next generation of tech entrepreneurs with the tools needed to build, launch and scale highly impactful startups. By providing connections to customers, coaching, capital and a community, DMZ’s world-leading Incubator programs help innovators reach the next milestone in their entrepreneurial journey – whatever that might be. Through its award-winning programming, DMZ has helped more than 830 startups raise $2.69 billion in capital and create 5,100+ jobs. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with globally-accessible programming, DMZ has a widely-recognized international presence with offices in Vietnam, India and the U.S., and partnerships across North America, Latin America, Africa and Asia. Learn more at dmz.to.

About DMZ VenturesDMZ Ventures is the for-profit investment arm of Toronto Metropolitan University. From day one, DMZ Ventures supports startup founders by helping them build foundations, forge connections and fuel growth. DMZ Ventures’ main areas of focus include: startup equity management for DMZ’s portfolio companies, the oversight of Zone Startups Network (accelerator programs based in Vietnam and India) and enabling Canada’s startup investment landscape through DMZ’s Angel Investor Program.

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  • DMZ Insiders awards $250,000 CAD in funding to high-potential startups Leasey.AI, Flowjin and Talin, announcing new DMZ Ventures early-stage fund
Luvy Hardy
DMZ
luvy.hardy@torontomu.ca