Move past the blocker. Get to the next milestone.
Year-round, one-on-one venture support built around where you are, what you need, and what needs to happen next.
The Tribe Innovation Hub – AI Stream: Advisory Track provides tailored, one-on-one venture support for Black and racialized founders building AI-enabled ventures in Nova Scotia. Work with a dedicated Venture Success Partner to identify your most important next milestones, stay accountable, and access specialized expertise when needed.
This isn’t a cohort or a program you need to sit through. You come in with a specific challenge, milestone or decision you need to work through, and get focused support to help you move forward.
The Advisory Track starts with where your venture is today and helps you determine what needs to happen next.
Program Details
Support built around where you are
Not every founder needs the same support at the same stage.
The Advisory Track is designed around your venture’s current priorities, challenges, and next steps — whether you’re validating an idea, strengthening an MVP, preparing for a pilot commercialization, building your go-to-market strategy, or pursuing funding.
The support changes based on what you need. The focus on progress doesn’t.
Who the Advisory Track is for
The Advisory Track is designed for Black and racialized founders in Nova Scotia who are actively building AI-enabled ventures and need targeted support to move forward.
It may be a good fit if you are:
Moving beyond early validation
You already have an MVP, prototype, customer signal, or early traction and need more targeted support around product, commercialization, growth, funding, or market access.
Working through a specific blocker
Your venture is progressing, but a technical, commercial, funding, regulatory, product, or go-to-market challenge is preventing you from taking the next step.
How it works
1. Start with where you are
We begin by understanding your venture, current stage, existing progress, immediate challenges, and what you are trying to accomplish.
2. Define your next milestones
You’ll work with your Venture Success Partner to identify one to three meaningful priorities and turn them into practical, measurable milestones.
3. Work through them together
Your Venture Success Partner provides ongoing guidance, accountability, connections, and venture support as you work toward those milestones.
4. Access specialized expertise when needed
Some challenges require deeper expertise. When they do, Tribe can bring in specialized support around areas such as AI, technology, legal, finance, cybersecurity, commercialization, regulatory strategy, or other venture needs.
5. Show progress
The aim is not simply to have another conversation about your business.
Each cycle is built around tangible progress — a decision made, an assumption tested, a plan developed, an application submitted, a customer opportunity pursued, or another meaningful step forward.
6. Move toward the next opportunity
As your venture progresses, Tribe can help you identify pathways toward pilot commercialization, funding opportunities, accelerators, customers, partnerships, investors, or other ecosystem opportunities where appropriate.
What you can work on
Product & AI
- AI use cases, product strategy, MVP development, data readiness, technical decisions, cybersecurity.
Go-to-Market & Commercialization
- Business models, pricing, GTM strategy, customer acquisition, pilot commercialization, partnerships, market access, IP.
Funding & Investment Readiness
- Financial planning, grants, funding strategy, pitch development, investor readiness.
Your Venture Success Partner
Your Venture Success Partner is your primary point of support throughout the Advisory Track.
They help you prioritize milestones, stay accountable, navigate challenges, connect with resources, and identify when specialized expertise can help move the venture forward.
This is not simply mentor matching. It is a Tribe-led support pathway built around your progress.
Apply to the Advisory Track
Tell us what you’re building, where you are now, and what you’re trying to move forward.
We’ll review your application and determine the Tribe support pathway that makes the most sense for your venture.
Move past the blocker. Get to the next milestone.
FAQ
What happens after I apply?
You’ll tell us about your venture, the progress you’ve made and what you are currently trying to move forward. Tribe will review your application and determine the support pathway that makes the most sense for your venture.
Is this only for founders building an AI product?
The Advisory Track is for founders building AI-enabled ventures. AI should play a meaningful role in the product, service or business you are building rather than simply being a tool you occasionally use in your operations.
Can I access specialized experts through the Advisory Track?
Yes, when the needs of your venture call for deeper expertise. Tribe may connect you with specialized support in areas such as AI, technology, legal, finance, cybersecurity, commercialization, regulatory strategy and other areas relevant to your next milestone.
What does working with a Venture Success Partner look like?
Your Venture Success Partner acts as your primary point of support. Together, you’ll identify meaningful milestones, work through challenges, track progress and determine when additional expertise, resources or connections could help move the venture forward.
What kinds of challenges can I get support with?
Support can cover a range of venture needs, including product and AI strategy, technical decisions, go-to-market, commercialization, pricing, customer acquisition, cybersecurity, funding strategy, financial planning, grants, investor readiness and more.
Do I need to know exactly what support I need before applying?
No. You should have a sense of what you are trying to move forward, but you do not need to have the solution figured out. Your Venture Success Partner can help you identify the most important priorities, clarify the challenge and determine what needs to happen next.
Who is eligible for the Advisory Track?
The Advisory Track is designed for Black and racialized founders in Nova Scotia who are actively building AI-enabled ventures. It is best suited to founders who already have some progress behind them — such as an MVP, prototype, customer validation or early traction — and need targeted support around what comes next.
Is the Advisory Track a cohort-based program?
No. The Advisory Track is year-round and designed around the specific needs of your venture. There is no fixed curriculum or cohort you need to work through. You come in with a challenge, milestone or decision you need support with, and the support is built around helping you move it forward.
