Clarifying the early startup journey is part of what draws Mina Demian to advising. After obtaining his MBA, he founded Grants Ease AI, a tool which helps founders write grant applications and find funding opportunities.
Now part of the Expert Advisor Program, Mina helps startups prioritize their next move.
“When you’re an early-stage founder, it requires you to take a 30,000-foot perspective,” Mina says. “You need to look at your marketing, you need to look at your sales, you need to look at your product and features. And so, my job is to create clarity of what needs to happen next.”
Mina sets clear, actionable goals to reduce the noise from the startup ecosystem. Making it easier for founders to know where to begin while managing multiple roles.
With over 10 years in the non-profit sector, Mina’s expertise lies in his strong ability to connect with clients. Having a business himself, he understands the difficulty of being a founder and acknowledges the unique background everyone brings to their startup.
“I come with a lens of compassion. I want to hear where you are in life, not just your business. I want to support both you as a human being and your business,” he says.
His recommendation for startups? Know how to use grants properly.
“The biggest piece of advice that I can give to founders as they think about non-dilutive funding is that it needs to be a lever,” Mina continues. “You want to make sure you’ve identified the problem, and there’s a grant specifically associated with solving that issue.”
Ultimately, Mina wants to help program members brainstorm solutions while equipping them with the right tools and proper terminology to succeed.
“I have, over my years, worked with hundreds of startups, and I’ve seen certain patterns, and I hope to excavate those patterns for people who approach me for the first time.”
Learn more about the Expert Advisor Program.
Access to the Expert Advisor Program is included with your Innovate Calgary hub membership. Interested in becoming a member? Download the Membership Brochure.