DMZ and GroundBreak Ventures join forces to tackle Canada's housing crisis by scaling innovative solutions

At the forefront of addressing Canada's urgent housing crisis, tech incubator DMZ, in partnership with GroundBreak Ventures, will support eight innovators with access to expert-led mentorship, business coaching, peer-to-peer support and networking opportunities to scale their solutions and transform the way Canada delivers housing.

Today, the national housing crisis presents one of Canada's most significant social and economic challenges that extends beyond just major cities. By harnessing the expertise and resources of the innovation economy, new approaches to housing development can be rapidly scaled and implemented across the country. Designed to revolutionize Canada's housing production capabilities, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's (CMHC) Housing Supply Challenge is a 5-year program launched in 2020 that reduces barriers to housing supply by developing and scaling housing solutions.

As a designated Scaling Hub for the initiative, DMZ, in partnership with GroundBreak Ventures, will support eight of the 18 Level-Up semi-finalists selected for the program, including Indigenous and French-operated businesses. The eight semi-finalists supported by DMZ and GroundBreak Ventures include: Association des groupes de ressources techniques du Québec (AGRTQ), Innovation Building Group, One Bowl, Promise Robotics, Tapestry Community Capital, Student Housing Implementation Work Unit (UTILE), Ratio.City and Vancity Community Foundation.

Sherif El Tawil, Senior Director of Programs and Global Operations, DMZ: "Together, we're accelerating the deployment of cutting-edge housing technologies and championing a sustainable and inclusive approach to urban development. The innovation economy is pivotal in addressing Canada's housing crisis, driving innovative solutions that streamline building processes and significantly reduce costs. The housing crisis in Canada needs to be a collaborative approach, and we're committed to making safe, sustainable housing accessible to all Canadians."

While this marks the official announcement of DMZ and GroundBreak Ventures' partnership as part of the CMHC Level-Up competition, the two organizations have been working together since 2022. The two organizations initially teamed up to help Canadian startups transform the global real estate landscape by launching the PropTech Incubator stream within DMZ's flagship Incubator program.

Scott Kaplanis, Managing Partner, GroundBreak Ventures: "Issues surrounding housing affordability and sustainability are top-of-mind for virtually all Canadians. It is our unwavering belief that a commitment to investing in - and embracing - homegrown technology and innovation is crucial to unlocking the productive capacity of our incredible real estate industry."

Other Scaling Hubs supporting semi-finalists in the program include Foresight Canada, The Decision Lab, Highline Beta, and the University of Toronto's School of Cities. Each contributes uniquely to the overarching goal of transforming the housing landscape with CMHC's support.

www.groundbreakventures.com

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