Jose Cano launched UpGreen in 2017, intending to use his solar power technology to help home and business owners harness clean energy sources. The process began with running different scenarios to find a cost-effective design for each customer’s unique requirements. As UpGreen gained more customers, Cano realized he needed to optimize his processes for the design and development of solar power projects.
The App Takes Shape
Cano applied to the i.d.e.a. Fund™ for support to hire a software developer and a tech consultant to help better shape the business and bring its offerings to market through an advanced web application.
The i.d.e.a. Fund™ is supported by a $10-million Government of Canada investment, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). It is led by Boundless Accelerator (formerly Innovation Guelph) in partnership with five Regional Innovation Centres (RICs): Wetech Alliance, Haltech, Innovate Niagara, Innovation Factory and TechAlliance of Southwestern Ontario. The program helps high-potential ventures access the tools they need to succeed by providing financial and business advisory supports to develop or redesign products, services, processes, and technologies that reduce impacts on the environment and create made-in-Canada solutions.
Lummify
Cano used a portion of the funding he received to develop a prototype for a secondary product called Lummify, which is a free design and procurement platform that brings buyers and suppliers together for efficient and cost-effective solar power project development.
The process uses a request for quotes (RFQ) model. Once the best design is found, the user can invite distributors and manufacturers to bid on the project. This saves design and procurement hours as the Lummify software evaluates them virtually.
TechAlliance Helps to Grow the Combined Business
Needing validation support and capital to grow Lummify, Cano signed up to participate in the largest renewable energy conference in North America, RE+, in Las Vegas.
Cano reached out to TechAlliance to help prepare for the conference. Venture Growth Advisor, Dr. Martin Smith, connected Cano with user interface (UI) and user experience (UE) design experts and contacted another developer to refine the prototype further and prepare it for the conference reveal.
Cano was introduced to investors and funding advisors who helped with funding the startup and securing a lawyer to complete a full business evaluation. Cano was advised to spin off Lummify and use another portion of the funding to develop an intellectual property (IP) strategy. With their expertise in business-to-business sales, TechAlliance set Cano and his team up for success at the conference.
Through this process, Cano learned how to protect the company’s IP at conferences and tradeshows, and filed a provisional patent. He also learned what similar companies were offering to help determine what made Lummify’s platform unique. Cano organized letters of intent from customers and constructed a database of customers and investors.
Conference Impact
At RE+, the team presented the product to hundreds of potential customers, partners, and distributors, increasing awareness of their prototype and business, and validating the market for their model.
They received beneficial feedback from potential customers and industry veterans, which helped improve the product to reach 98 percent of the minimum viable product (MVP) standards and enabled them to start with users. Invaluable connections with potential investors were established at the Las Vegas conference.
TechAlliance Connections
Cano continues to work with TechAlliance to increase fundraising and secure capital for Lummify to grow the platform. TechAlliance has been vital in linking Cano to other incubators and programs supported by the federal and provincial governments to help make this possible. He is very grateful to TechAlliance for its structured advice on building the company.
Many entrepreneurial advice websites exist, but nothing compares to TechAlliance’s guidance. They connect you with the right people so you don’t miss essential growth aspects like intellectual property, readying for market, and sales strategies.
Dr. Smith noted, “The Lummify platform is an exciting app that streamlines the energy system design and procurement process. We’re thrilled to see it come to market and start changing energy usage habits across Canada and North America!”
To learn more about Upgreen visit https://www.upgreen.ca
To learn more about the i.d.e.a Fund™ go to https://www.techalliance.ca/i-d-e-a-fund/
To learn more about FedDev Ontario, go to https://feddev-ontario.canada.ca/en