Understand the startup journey to better connect with them

Propolys – Technology entrepreneurs incubator at Polytechnique Montréal

Après-demain Studio – CX Strategy

Context

In the startup world, incubators play a crucial role: they support entrepreneurs in the early stages of their journey, help them refine their projects, and provide valuable networks to build future partnerships or find clients. But how can an incubator stand out and highlight its unique approach?

That’s the question we explored with Propolys, the technology incubator at Polytechnique Montréal, specializing in sectors such as clean tech, medical technology, and cybersecurity.

Challenges

Our mandate had the following objective: to better understand the expectations and experiences of entrepreneurs who have gone through Propolys, as well as those considering joining an incubator. To do so, we conducted nearly 15 hours of interviews with alumni, student entrepreneurs, and even participants from other incubators.

This qualitative research, guided by Propolys’ strategic questions, allowed us to explore the key moments in their journey: discovering the incubator, deciding to join, their experience once inside, and the follow-up after their time there.

It also helped answer several essential questions:

• How do entrepreneurs search for and choose their next incubator?

• What are their main expectations of an incubator?

• Which services have had the greatest impact on their project?

Our approach

CX Strategy

• Workshop to define customer experience (CX) hypotheses and key research topics.

• Qualitative study with early-stage entrepreneurs and startup alumni.

• Analysis and mapping of customer journeys to identify key moments that matter.

• Prioritization workshop to rank recommendations based on value and feasibility.

Results

Following the interview analysis, several key insights emerged:

• The importance for incubators to focus on adapted communication channels and meaningful opportunities for connection.

• The value of a clear and distinctive positioning, driven by a human and accessible approach.

• Recurring expectations among startups for personalized support, flexibility, and stronger connections to the right ecosystem.

Based on these findings, après-demain studio led a co-creation and prioritization workshop to identify high-impact, high-feasibility tactics aimed at strengthening the incubator’s visibility and attractiveness. These tactics addressed both communication and marketing initiatives as well as enhancements to the startup incubation program.

This study enabled Propolys to refine its development priorities and improve its offering in line with its strategic goals for 2025–2026.