LOI Labs Batch 15 Founder Application

*APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED*

*NO NEW APPLICATIONS WILL BE REVIEWED, PLEASE COTACT KYLE AT kyle@theleagueofinnovators.com ABOUT FUTURE APPLICATION PERIODS*

Hey Team, Kyle Moore, Labs Program Manager here - Welcome to the LOI Labs 15 Application!

Our team is stoked to see you here. The world needs more young founders. And last time we checked, League of Innovators (LOI) is North America's largest startup accelerator for founders under 30 making that happen. 

Don't believe us? We have 1,700 kick ass alumni and over $1.3B in enterprise value to back it up. 

LOI is a virtual, hands-on founder accelerator that works intensely with more than 250 founders per year to help them start and scale their big ideas. And the craziest part of it all? It's free.

- Some of our alumni: SmartSweets, Blume, Reusables, Spare, OhhFoods, Blossom Social, Plufl, Aruna Revolution, 3Common, Marlow, Benny and many many more

- Why LOI Started: It took Ryan Holmes 20 years to go from selling pizza to launching Hootsuite (1,000 staff and $1B+ valuation). So Ryan launched LOI to help more young people start and scale their big ideas. 

- What is The Labs Program? It’s a free, virtual, founder cohort focused on helping take those in the product market fit zone ($0-$50K in revenue) get to $1M and become full time entrepreneurs.

The program offers 12 weeks of high value workshops, panels and AMAs with $100m + founders, pitch coaching, peer groups, product testing, investor intros, access to 1,700 alumni group on Slack, 100 hours of lesson recordings and a package of perks/discounts to build your startup (legal, tech stack, AWS etc)

- All you gotta do is: fill out this 20 minute form so we can get to know you better. (It can look intimidating but the bulk of the typing is in the middle *little heads up there, my gift to you*) 

So, cue this Application Season Spotify playlist I have so beautifully curated (it's 2 hours long but don't worry this application is an easy one), pour a coffee, and get started. It's time to seize the day and take an important step forward toward your entrepreneuring dreams.

If you have any questions about the application or just want to connect throughout the process, please email me at kyle@theleagueofinnovators.com

For more info on the process, read this long and boring (but important) overview document with details on the Application Process, Labs Program Overview, Our Mission, and how to Join the Community. 

**Application Deadline: Monday August 4th, 2025 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time**

**Early Acceptance Application Deadline: Monday July 14th, 2025 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time - Successful Early Acceptance applicants will be given a longer interview and early notification of their acceptance into the program**

Also please note that occasionally, correspondences from our team may be delivered to your spam folder (even google thinks our offer of 12 weeks of acceleration programming for free is too good to be true). If you don't hear from us within a week of the deadlines, please check your spam folder before reaching out!

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Email *
Watch this 1 minute clip from our founder:
What is your name? *
What is the name of your startup? (ie. SmartSweets) *
The best email to reach you at? *
Phone number? *
LinkedIn URL? *
Instagram URL? *
How'd you hear about LOI? *
If you selected 'Other' above, please let us know how you heard about LOI. If a person or organization referred you to apply, write their name so we can buy them a coffee:
Please provide a description of your startup (50 words max.) 

Example: SmartSweets is a Canadian company offering low-sugar, high-fiber candy alternatives, such as gummy bears and peach rings, using natural sweeteners like stevia and allulose. 
 *
What kind of startup are you building?  *
What pain-point are you trying to solve with your startup? (100 words max.)

Example: I recognized that traditional candies are coated with excessive sugars, contributing to health issues like obesity and tooth decay. Consumers often face a dilemma between satisfying their sweet cravings and maintaining a healthy diet. SmartSweets addresses this by offering delicious, low-sugar candy alternatives, allowing individuals to enjoy sweets without compromising their health. 
 *
Why are you the best person to solve this problem? (100 words max.)

Example: As the founder of SmartSweets, I have a deep personal connection to the challenge of reducing sugar intake without sacrificing the joy of candy. I've had my own struggles (including my Grandma) with sugar cravings and the health impacts have motivated me to create a solution. Through extensive research (100 phone calls) and relentless recipe testing (50 batches) in my kitchen, I developed a line of delicious, low-sugar candies that allow others to enjoy sweets without compromising their health. You can see my IG page (linked here). This personal experience and dedication uniquely positions me to be the best in the country to address this problem effectively. 
 *
List the top 3 insights that your team has gained from talking to potential customers / users. (100 words max)

Example: Based on chats with potential customers, our team has learned 3 key insights:

1) Health-Conscious Choices: An overwhelming 98.4% of surveyed individuals expressed willingness to switch to healthier candy options if taste is comparable to traditional sweets.

2) Taste Over Health: Despite health considerations, 89.2% of respondents prioritize taste when selecting candy, indicating that flavor remains a critical factor in purchasing decisions.

3) Emotional Consumption: Nearly half (46.9%) of participants associate candy consumption with emotions such as stress, happiness, boredom, and sadness, highlighting the emotional connection consumers have with sweets.

 *
Is your organization incorporated? *
In the Labs program we accept all ventures regardless of your incorporation status.
Are you seeking dilutive funding (VC funding, equity, SAFEs, etc.)? *
If so, how much funding are you seeking? (please share any terms you are using if you have them)
Have you raised any funds? If so, how much have you raised and the type of funding - dilutive (equity) vs non-dilutive (grants, awards, loans, etc.)? *
It is absolutely okay if you have not raised funds. Please write "Bootstrapping/Not Applicable" here.
Share 3 facts that showcase the traction you have gained on this idea?

Example:

1) We've grown our Instagram page to 700  followers showing a community cares about kicking sugar out of candy 

2) Our products are now available in over 4 stores in my city and I've messaged 50 other stores via email, linkedin or phone calls

3) In our first 3 months of business, we've done $40,000 in sales

 *
Traction can look a lot of different ways depending on the stage of your start-up. Some examples could be funds raised, grants received, pitch competitions wins, advisors brought on-board, number of sales, letter of intents, user waitlist, number of user interviews conducted, strong community/network, etc.
What has been your revenue in Canadian dollars to date? If you are still pre-revenue, when do you plan on generating revenue? *
It is absolutely okay if you have not made any revenue, just let us know when you plan on generating revenue. 
Who's your dream founder/investor coffee if you could learn from anyone in the world (ie. Sara Blakely, Zuckerberg, Serena Williams etc)
Who would be a dream brand or what would be a dream class you'd like to learn from? (ie. Uber founder on how to build an app or Airbnb founder to talk about fundraising)  
Self-Assessment
Please answer the following questions by selecting an answer between 1 and 10. 1 = I have no idea, 5 = I have an idea, but it could be wrong, 10 = I'm an expert

Note from Kyle - Don't worry if you self assess as having low scores. These scores aren't held against you during the application process and are simply here to help me best assess how I can craft our curriculum to bolster these skills. As the Labs Program Manager, I value honesty and authenticity very highly.
How much do you know about product development? *
How much do you know about building a customer centric business? *
How much do you know about pre seed/seed stage investment and initial fund raising? *
How much do you know about building a brand? *
How much do you know about pitching? *
How much do you know about leadership? *
How much do you know about building a team? *
How much do you know about back end systems and goal tracking? *
What area(s) do you need the most help with? How can the League of Innovators empower your entrepreneurial journey? *
Please elaborate here on how the League of Innovators program can help you (and your team) to build your entrepreneurial skillset, entrepreneurial mindset with a social purpose. What is/are those big rocks or challenges that you need to overcome in order to move the needle on your startup?
Full names and ages of all Founders/Co-Founders (Please separate them by a comma and space) *
Is 50% or more of your founding team 30 years old or younger? *
This is important because the League of Innovators exists to support the next generation of change makers and innovators. 
Where is your founding team located? (Province/Territory) *
League of Innovators is open to residents of Canada (including international students studying in Canada) and Canadians living abroad. We are open to supporting any youth in Canada despite their status. If you are living outside of Canada please let us know where you are by choosing other and inputting your location (we can make a case by case exception).
Required
What city is your founding team located in? (Please write full city name) *
If we offer in person meetups in your city, would you attend?
Clear selection
Please check all that apply to your (co)founding team. *
At LOI we want to ensure that diversity thrives in our community and that our program has an equitable representation of the future generation of changemakers and leaders.
Required
Do you have any accessibility needs we should know about?
If so, please let us know how we can best support you. Please keep in mind that all of the Labs programming is delivered virtually, but that doesn't mean this still isn't important or doesn't show up in the virtual space. For example, we provide closed captioning on all our Zoom calls.
Have you participated in an accelerator, incubator or entrepreneurship community before? *
If so, which one(s)?
What drew you to apply to this accelerator vs going to another one? We'd love to hear what stuck out to you... *
How can we save you money?
Tell us about the teams that you're working with so we can try and provide as much value to you as possible through your participation in our programming. (we're on the home stretch btw you're almost done!)

Which legal firm (if any) currently represents your company?Please include name and approximate cost (monthly or annual).

 *
Which accounting or bookkeeping firm do you use?
Include name and approximate cost.
 *
What insurance provider do you use for your company (if any)?
Include type(s) of insurance and approximate cost.
 *
Outside of legal, accounting, and insurance, what are the top 3 things your company spends money on right now?
E.g. salaries, ads, contractors, software, etc.
 *
Are you interested and eligible to participate in the Black Youth Entrepreneur Growth Program Stream in partnership with Black Entrepreneurs and Businesses Society of Canada (BEBC)? *
The Black Youth Entrepreneurs Growth Program is designed to provide Black Youth Entrepreneurs with access to the entire suite of Labs Accelerator Program benefits, including exclusive content, resources, workshops, peer community, business coaching, and a curated stream of resources and tools built specifically for Black Youth Entrepreneurs. To be eligible for the program your youth-led startup must have 1 or more (co)founder that self-identifies as Black on their application.Startups in the Black Youth Entrepreneurs Growth Program also get additional support and resources including: mentorship, masterminds, dedicated slack channel, exclusive entrepreneur in residence, grant and funding support, and community access to the BEBC network.
Your startup's website link
Google Drive Link to your profile picture/headshot (so we can share about you on socials if you make it in!) *
Links to any media coverage
Anything else you think we should know?
As a way to incentivize accountability throughout the program and to account for an ongoing increase in applications numbers, LOI does require a $120 deposit per successful Labs applicant(s) to secure their spot(s) in the program. This deposit is refunded at the end of the program so long as founder(s) meet the engagement requirements outlined in our Application Overview Document. Are you able to make this deposit if chosen for the program?

Note - The $120 represents $10 per week of live programming

As a charity our main priority is to help entrepreneurs at whatever stage of life and business development they find our community. If this deposit would represent a significant financial barrier, please let our team know, we're happy to chat about exceptions on a case by case basis.
 *
Time for a celebration dinner. Thanks for Applying! 
Thanks for taking the time to fill out your application to join the League of Innovators Labs Accelerator program. For real. It takes time and we appreciate you putting your best foot forward.

If you applied before the early acceptance deadline, you will hear from us July 16th, 2025. If you applied after the early acceptance deadline, you will hear from us on August 8th, 2025 about the next steps.

Should you have any questions in the meantime, you can reach out to me (Kyle) at kyle@theleagueofinnovators.com

This form is collecting emails and should send you a copy of your response that you may edit after submission.

Let's stay connected! 

- Subscribe to our meme filled startup newsletter: https://loi.beehiiv.com/subscribe 
- Follow us and slide into our DMs on IG @loiaccelerator 
- See who's hiring or speaking on stages on our Linkedin - @LOI - League of Innovators   
- Follow us for startup tips on X at @loiaccelerator
- Learn from our past alumni on YouTube  League of Innovators

Talk soon!
Kye

P.S. Share an IG story or LinkedIn post that you finished your application. We'd love to re-share it and toss you a follow back to stay in touch. 


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