ySpace Accelerator 2024 cohort wins! Migranium comes in first!

Over the past four years, I've had the privilege of mentoring four exceptional teams at YSpace, York University's startup accelerator.

The four teams have been:
HUEX Labs
NLPatent
Linggo
Migranium

Each team has achieved remarkable success, consistently placing in the top three, and most recently, Migranium took home first place!

After the latest win, someone called me a "lucky charm." While I wish that were true (and hey, a little luck never hurts in the world of startups), the reality is that these founders have put in countless hours of hard work, tears, and hustle that often go unnoticed.

What truly stands out about these teams isn't just their drive or ability to secure top spots; all the teams shared qualities.

These founders possess a few critical traits that I believe are core to the success of these teams, and I have firsthand experience with just how essential they are:

- Coachability: They listen, adapt, and are eager to learn at every step.

- Relentless Excitement: They are genuinely excited—and yes, perhaps a little delusional—about solving incredibly tough problems and figuring out their solutions.

- Self-awareness: They understand their strengths but are humble enough to acknowledge what they don't know, allowing them to bring in the right support.

- Problem-solving in real-time: Founders know they might have some of the answers, but they aren't afraid to figure things out as they go, learning and evolving to meet the moment's challenges.

- Sales-driven mindset: While it seems obvious that sales drive a business, founders understand the deeper connection between delivering real value and turning it into sustainable revenue. They're not just building for the sake of innovation—they're focused on solving problems that people will pay for, ensuring their business model is built on actual demand.

I have many more traits that I have found essential to be a successful startup founder - that will have to be another post :)

It's been an honor to witness these founder journeys and play a small role in their success. In the end, it's their passion, perseverance, and ability to embrace challenges that set them apart.

See you next year!

#startups #yorkuniversity #huexlabs #nlpatent #linggo #migranium #Yspace #Toronto