

Workshop: How to Bootstrap
How to Bootstrap: Starting and Building Your Startup with Little Capital
Think you need big funding to build a big business? Think again.
Join Nick Quain, seasoned founder and VP of Venture at Invest Ottawa, for a fast-paced, practical session on how successful entrepreneurs build startups from the ground up— without deep pockets.
In this workshop, you’ll learn how to:
Build a revenue-first MVP that doesn’t break the bank
Use scrappy growth tactics to acquire customers and scale
Minimize financial risk while maintaining full control
Adopt the bootstrap mindset to stretch every dollar like it’s your last
Whether you’re launching your first startup or navigating early growth, this session will give you the mindset, tools, and real-world strategies to go further with less.
Who Should Attend
Aspiring and early-stage founders
Startup employees looking to level up
Anyone curious about building or supporting a tech startup on a budget
Key Takeaways
Proven techniques to go from 0 to 1 with little capital
How to fund your startup through customer revenue, partnerships, side gigs, and more
Real-world examples from founders who’ve done it (including Nick himself)
About the Host
Nick Quain is the VP of Venture at Invest Ottawa, where he oversees all startup and growth programming. A founder himself, Nick bootstrapped much of his journey at CellWand, creators of the award-winning #TAXI service used over 20 million times across North America. Nick raised capital strategically—only when needed—and pioneered many of the bootstrapping tactics you’ll learn in this session, including:
Building MVPs with partners
Pre-selling to customers
Leveraging sweat equity, vendor financing, and more
📅 Event Details
📍 7 Bayview Station Rd, The Training Room (& Virtual)
📆 May 1st, 10-12PM
💬 Register Now!
⚡ Seats are limited—reserve yours now and start your startup journey with a Bootstrap advantage.