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Four of Queen’s Partnerships and Innovation's (QPI) supported startups recently participated in a dynamic one-day workshop led by Andrew Jackson, the creator of the . The session, which took place on May 8, 2025, guided participants through a series of hands-on exercises designed to uncover and articulate the unique qualities that set their companies apart in their respective competitive markets.

Jackson, a seasoned executive with leadership experience at companies like JetForm (Adobe), InSystems (Oracle), and MD Financial (Scotiabank), has become a trusted partner in QPI’s entrepreneurial programming over the last ten years. His 5D Differentiation™ methodology has helped startups and scale-ups alike sharpen their messaging, align internal teams, and attract the right customers and investors.

“It was great to be back working with Queen’s Partnerships and Innovation,” said Jackson, who last worked with QPI as a co-developer and co-facilitator of the Wings Acceleration Program under the first Scale Up Platform project from 2019-2023. “I am always impressed and inspired by the calibre of companies being supported by QPI. And this particular cohort was special because I’d already worked with each of them through Wings and I could see how far they had come since the last time we worked together."

The workshop is part of QPI’s ongoing commitment to providing high-impact resources and programming for startups poised to grow through the Scale Platform, supported by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

The four companies, Demagel, LenSense, , and , each explored the differentiated messaging framework, completed a 5D assessment, and then received tailored recommendations to refine their positioning, all in the course of the one-day workshop. Each participant was also provided with an additional hour of 1:1 coaching from Jackson after the workshop.

“I was really impressed by the process,” says Prashant Agrawal, co-founder of Plantee, who attended the session. “It was a great follow up to Wings and one of the best workshops I’ve attended."

“The level of engagement from the participants was outstanding. It’s always exciting to see founders gain clarity and confidence in how they present their value,” says Rick Boswell, Assistant Director, Programs and Operations at QPI, who shared Jackson’s enthusiasm and sentiment about the companies who attended. “We’re looking forward to working with Andrew again for another iteration of this workshop next year."

Queen’s Partnerships and Innovation (QPI) offered the 5D Differentiation workshop, along with many other programs and services, with support from the , through the , an initiative led by Invest Ottawa in Eastern Ontario and in which QPI is a regional partner.