Since entering the Canadian market, HUNGRY has already hired 28 employees and contractors. HUNGRY plans to continue growing its Canadian team in the coming year.

Canada’s strong workplace culture and demand for curated culinary experiences made the country a natural choice for HUNGRY’s international growth. By integrating Foodee’s established network of independent restaurant partners and corporate clients with HUNGRY’s technology-driven platform, the company is well-positioned to deliver seamless, chef-driven food solutions to Canadian businesses. The Toronto Region will serve as a key hub for this growth, providing access to one of North America’s largest corporate markets and a diverse talent pool. 

Over the past year, HUNGRY has advanced its mission through two transformative acquisitions: Garten, a forward-thinking snacks and pantry company, and Foodee. These integrations have broadened its ability to enhance workplace culture, promote well-being, and support sustainability while continuing to expand its footprint across North America.

Canadian businesses’ readiness to embrace new solutions has also accelerated HUNGRY’s success in the market. “Canadian businesses and consumers are impressively quick to adapt to new solutions and technologies,” said Jeff Grass, CEO at HUNGRY. “The readiness to embrace our unique platform and services has been remarkable, allowing us to swiftly make an impact and tailor our offerings to meet the specific needs of Canadian workplaces and events seamlessly.”

Toronto Global, the organization that proactively attracts international companies to expand into the Greater Toronto Area, worked with HUNGRY on its expansion. “Local expertise is invaluable. Partnering with established Canadian brands, great Canadian law firms like Arid Berlis and other organizations is one of the most effective ways to build credibility and foster community connections,” said Grass.

“HUNGRY’s decision to choose Toronto as its first foray into Canada is a testament to the strength of our market, the diversity of our talent, and the entrepreneurial spirit that fuels innovation here,” said Stephen Lund, CEO, Toronto Global. “With access to one of the largest corporate communities in North America and a thriving food culture, HUNGRY will have no shortage of clients in our region.”

Mayor Olivia Chow also highlighted Toronto’s role as a gateway to growth. “Toronto is proud to welcome HUNGRY to our city,” said Mayor Olivia Chow. “Our world-class culinary scene, diverse talent, and dynamic business community make Toronto a natural destination for companies that want to innovate and thrive. We look forward to seeing HUNGRY grow and contribute to the fabric of our city,” said Mayor Chow.

As the company continues to grow in Canada, its focus remains on empowering local chefs and restaurants, fostering innovation in workplace dining, and delivering happiness one meal at a time.

About HUNGRY

HUNGRY is a food-tech platform that provides exceptional catering, snacks, and event services to workplaces across North America. With a mission to deliver happiness through food, HUNGRY connects companies with top local chefs and restaurants while supporting sustainability and community impact. Founded in 2017, HUNGRY now serves clients across major U.S. and Canadian cities, fueled by its chef-first model and innovative technology.

Media Contact:
Briana Scazafabo
Senior Director of Marketing
briana@tryhungry.com
267-575-3310

Born out of the European Space Agency (ESA), Skytree has spent the last decade perfecting its onsite CO₂ generation technology for European markets. Building on this success, the company is bringing its leading technology to North America by establishing its presence in Toronto and Nashville.

Skytree is leading a transition away from fossil fuels, providing local, onsite CO₂ generation across multiple markets. CO₂ is a crucial commodity used in many industries, including indoor farming, greenhouses, food & beverage and e-fuels. The company is driving the circular economy by transforming CO₂ from a waste product into a valuable resource, generating CO₂ from the atmosphere, at the location where that CO₂ is needed. This helps to negate the need for transport and disrupts existing fossil fuel based CO₂ supply chains by offering secure future CO₂ supply at stable prices, in a marketplace where fossil fuel CO₂ supply chains are increasingly interrupted. In addition, Skytree’s modular technology is also ideal for large scale carbon storage projects through mineralization or storage in empty oil/gas fields, generating negative emissions.

Skytree is announcing the opening of its new Canadian HQ in Toronto, following a successful few years of expansion in the Netherlands where the team has grown from 20 to 90 employees. Skytree chose a North American HQ destination that is strongly connected to large-scale climate mitigation efforts and with a substantial academic and industrial ecosystem for collaboration as well as talent recruitment. Nashville was chosen as a secondary base for the North America team, and will be focused on connecting with customers in the United States, headed up by Camille Hanna, business development director.

Skytree has already established a presence in North America through connections with Canadian businesses and has announced partnerships with Deep Sky and Fieldless Farms, with Skytree’s DAC technology already deployed in the field. Skytree is looking to continue developing partnerships with sustainable utilization or removal businesses across the region. The company’s regional headquarters in Canada is expected to employ at least 80 people in the next three years in business development, services, operations and R&D. In the future, Skytree has plans to open a second location in Canada as a manufacturing facility, creating more high-value jobs in the country.

Skytree’s Vice President of Strategy for North America, Elena Nikonova, will lead the Toronto office and its expansion. “As we continue our expansion into North America, we are very pleased to announce the location of our North American HQ. This is an important next step for Skytree, following the announcement of two customers in Canada. Our Toronto office will serve as the hub for our activity in North America as we look to partner with more climate businesses with CO₂ utilization and removal goals,” Elena Nikonova said. “Both the US and Canadian markets show strong interest in our DAC solutions. We will further develop this pipeline of projects and provide assistance to our US business development team based in Nashville.”

“Congratulations to Skytree on this significant expansion into North America. Reducing fossil fuel reliance is a priority as we all work towards a sustainable, net-zero future. As part of Toronto’s passionate climate-focused tech community, I am confident that Skytree will make a meaningful impact not only here but across the globe,” said Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow.

“Skytree’s innovative carbon capture solutions will undoubtedly contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable future. This move strengthens the strong relationship between the Netherlands and Canada, both committed to combating climate change through innovation and collaboration. We are proud to see Dutch companies like Skytree lead the way in making a global impact, and I warmly welcome their presence in Toronto, a hub of green innovation and technology,” said Margriet Vonno, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Canada.

Skytree worked closely with Toronto Global, the investment services agency for the Toronto Region, in selecting a location for its North American HQ, navigating the expansion process and making connections in the Toronto Region.

“We are thrilled to welcome a forward-thinking company like Skytree to the Toronto Region. Skytree’s entry into the Canadian market will not only help to boost our economy, but its initiatives will help create an immeasurable social and environmental impact for years to come. We are proud to have guided Skytree throughout this expansion process,” said Toronto Global CEO Stephen Lund.

About Skytree

Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Amsterdam, Skytree harnesses CO2 from ambient air through the power of direct air capture technology (DAC). By providing local, onsite CO2 generation across multiple markets, including indoor farming, greenhouses, efuels, mineralization as well as permanent underground storage, Skytree enables a transition away from fossil fuel-based industrial processes and avoids transport to where the CO2 is needed. The scalable technology can be set up quickly at any location and scaled to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes. Through Skytree’s unique Uptime Assurance services, all DAC systems are monitored and measured to enable uninterrupted operations and provide valuable insights. Skytree’s Stratus DAC units are field upgradable to newer generations of capture materials, continuously decreasing energy consumption while increasing the unit capacity. For more information, visit skytree.eu.

Born out of the European Space Agency (ESA), during the development of a CO2 scrubber, space scientists evaluated over 50 sorbents. Skytree founder, Max Beaumont, was a system engineer on this team and spun out the technology through the ESA incubator program ‘ESA-BIC’. With a decade of research & development, the company has since registered 21 patents across the US, Europe and China.

Media Contact

Product Marketing and Communications Manager:

Susie James – +447743804695 – susie.james@skytree.eu

CBRE Rankings

Toronto has the highest concentration of AI-specialty talent in Canada, with 11,700 tech workers with key AI skills. Toronto’s AI talent pool is nearly twice as large as those of other tech markets like Vancouver, Montreal, and Austin. The most sought-after AI tech talent are AI software and hardware developers. As of 2023, there were 101,900 software developers and programmers employed in Toronto.

Over the past five years, Toronto has witnessed the highest job gains among all tech markets in the Americas with a remarkable 44 per cent growth in its tech talent pool, adding 95,900 new jobs in the past five years. This surge has been driven by the increasing demand for AI skill sets across various industries.

Ranking sixth overall in North America, Toronto’s tech ecosystem has seen a massive spike fueled by a collaborative AI network, government funding, and growth of skilled graduates. These factors have created a hotbed for the development of skilled AI workers.

Versatility of AI Talent

Most of Toronto’s AI talent is employed within the tech industry. However, Toronto’s distribution of AI talent across various sectors mirrors the city’s economic diversity and dominance in ranging industries, namely business and finance.

Over 15 per cent of Toronto’s AI talent is concentrated in the finance sector, matching the trends of major financial hubs like New York with 22.2per cent and Chicago with 20.2per cent. Similarly, 22.5 per cent of AI talent work in professional services and 16.2 per cent in non-tech industries.

With a significant number of AI jobs being created in non-tech industries, AI is becoming integral to sectors like banking, law, and insurance. This trend underscores the versatility of AI applications and the growing demand for AI talent in different fields. Toronto’s workforce is well-positioned to respond to AI adoption across all sectors. In addition, Canada leads the world in terms of bringing more women into AI roles, achieving the highest year over year percentage change in female AI talent globally since 2019, including 67per cent in 2022 alone (Deloitte 2023).

According to CBRE’s Scoring Tech Talent report the most impactful indicators for any market’s potential growth of AI-specialty talent are the presence of universities with established AI education programs, major technology companies developing AI and available venture capital funding. The Toronto region checks all the boxes with an ecosystem that supports the future growth of AI talent.

Global companies like Sanofi, Unilever, Samsung, and Recursion have opened AI hubs in Toronto, highlighting the region’s significant AI growth. Toronto has the highest concentration of AI startups in Canada, hosting the headquarters of over 454 AI startups. VC funding in AI companies continues on an upward trajectory. In 2023, AI companies in Ontario raised $1.16 billion the highest number across Canada.

The region’s education and research play a key role in the development of AI talent. The presence of world-class educational institutions, such as the University of Toronto and the Vector Institute, play a crucial role in nurturing this talent.  The University of Toronto ranks ninth globally in AI research. These institutions not only provide rigorous AI education but also foster an environment conducive to innovation and collaboration, making Toronto an attractive destination for tech professionals. 

The Toronto Region continues to build a strong pipeline that supports its high-quality talent pool. Since 2022, over 7,900 students have graduated with degrees in computer engineering, math, statistics, and other tech engineering. For the same year, Toronto had more degree completions than major tech hubs like Seattle and Austin.

In Toronto, the programs with the most graduate growth between 2017 and 2022 were Computer Engineering with a 68 per cent increase in degree completions; and Math & Statistics, with an increase of 92 per cent. These numbers outperform the top three tech markets (New York, Seattle and San Francisco) that have experienced decreases in degree completions in the past 5 years.

Toronto stands out as a prime destination for the world’s most ambitious AI talent. The city’s robust growth, demographic shifts, sector diversity, and commitment to inclusivity create fertile ground for innovation and success in the tech industry.

We had the opportunity to speak with Naohiro Yamaura, the COO of Ayudante Canada, about the company’s strategic vision, plans, and the unique value they bring.

Q: Can you tell us more about Ayudante Canada?

Ayudante Canada is dedicated to providing high-quality consultation services for Google Analytics (GA) and the Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Our approach blends consulting expertise, technical skills, and marketing knowledge to help build our clients’ analytics platforms by delivering our high-value solutions. This integration ensures we can effectively and efficiently address a wide range of client needs.

Based in Tokyo, Ayudante has been a trusted GMP and GCP partner for nearly two decades. We are proud to be recognized as one of the top Google Analytics 360 resellers in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. This recognition underscores our commitment to excellence and our ability to deliver outstanding results for our clients.

Q: Can you share one of your recent projects?

We partnered with SUBARU, one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world. Due to their large organization, they had over 200 websites, each managed by different vendors with their own tag management accounts.

The lack of a centralized system led to data discrepancies and made it difficult for SUBARU to get a clear picture of their web performance.

We unified all 200+ websites into a single, cohesive system using Google Analytics 4 and Google Tag Manager. By consolidating these websites, we created a centralized environment for managing and analyzing web data. We also implemented standardized tracking and reporting across all websites, ensuring that different teams and partners had the appropriate access to the data they needed.

This solution significantly improved SUBARU’s ability to manage their websites and provided clearer, more accurate insights into their web traffic, leading to better decision-making and operational efficiency.

Q: What are your plans for the future?

Our company aims to support many Canadian businesses in leveraging their Google Analytics data, contributing to their business success by utilizing the mature knowledge, expertise, and advanced case studies developed in the Japanese market.

In the Canadian market, the benefits of Google Analytics 4 (GA4) for businesses might not yet be fully understood. To address this situation, we actively organize seminars and workshops to educate local companies on the advantages and applications of GA4. These events aim to demonstrate the power of GA4 in driving business insights and improving marketing strategies.

In the near future, our company plans to hire more skilled professionals and expand our services to include comprehensive GA4 data utilization solutions, extending our reach to not only Canadian but also North American companies, including those in the United States. Our goal is to establish a strong team capable of providing top-tier consulting services, enhancing our presence in this market by contributing to the businesses of Canadian and North American companies, all while being based in Toronto.

Q: What makes Ayudante Canada unique?

Our company is confident in providing unparalleled technical support and consulting services. Our highly skilled and experienced consultants, who have experience as seminar instructors and authors, contribute to building analytical environments using Google Analytics for our client companies. Through our exceptional consulting, we not only assist with the implementation and technical support of Google Analytics but also support the overall utilization of user data by constructing analytical environments integrated with Google Ads and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), thereby contributing to our clients’ businesses.

We firmly believe that our consulting services, which have received high praise in the mature Japanese market, will also be highly regarded in the global market.

Q: Why did Ayudante Canada choose the Toronto Region?

Toronto is the business hub of Canada, with a concentration of many companies, talent, and information. It is the optimal location for our company’s expansion into the Canadian market. Additionally, as a gateway to the United States, Toronto serves as an ideal location for realizing our vision.

Q: How has Toronto Global supported Ayudante Canada throughout this journey?

Toronto Global has been instrumental in our successful expansion into the Canadian market. From the outset, they provided us with critical information on business registration, legal regulations, and internal company policies specific to Canada. Their expertise helped us navigate the complexities of establishing a new office in a foreign country.

Catherine Lee, Senior Advisor, Investment Attraction – Asia at Toronto Global, has been particularly supportive. She quickly understood our needs and provided tailored advice and resources, helping us identify potential office locations and connect with local service providers. Her insights into the local market dynamics and her ongoing support have been invaluable. Thanks to her, we were able to make informed decisions and establish a solid foundation for our operations in Toronto.

____

Company Expansion News Release: https://torontoglobal.ca/news/ayudante-japan-expands-to-toronto/

Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Ayudante, Inc. is a long-standing Google Marketing Platform (GMP) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) sales partner. It is ranked as one of the top 360 Google Analytics 360 resellers in the Asia-Pacific Region.

The announcement was made at this year’s Collision Conference.

We sat down with Phonexa CEO, Lilit Davtyan to learn more about why the U.S. and U.K.-based company chose Canada to open its third office as it continues to expand its global footprint.

Before we discuss why Phonexa is expanding into Canada, please tell us about the company’s origins and who the software is built for?

Phonexa was created by performance marketers for performance marketers. It was originally a proprietary tool and solution for one of the largest affiliate networks in the financial services industry, and it has exponentially grown since its inception in 2016. The company’s roots are humble. Founder and President David Gasparyan is a military veteran and immigrant who once had a hundred dollars left in his name.

Now, Phonexa has evolved into a global company and an enterprise-grade tracking software for performance, affiliate, and partner marketing. We power direct advertisers, networks, and performance marketers by optimizing inbound web and call campaigns and outbound call, email, and SMS campaigns – all while having the ability to enhance the consumer journey every step of the way. With a suite of turnkey marketing products and solutions, Phonexa’s customizable tools are uniquely designed to maximize performance for high-volume direct-to-consumer companies. Some examples of those industries include home services, insurance, legal, lending, and financial services, among others.

The Phonexa Suite consists of 8 core products. It unifies various marketing activities in a single integrated platform. By bringing these business functions together, Phonexa connects technology, and typically disconnected subscriptions, under an all-in-one suite.

What prompted the decision for Phonexa to expand into Canada?

Phonexa’s new office in Toronto marks yet another significant milestone for our company as we continue to experience rapid growth powered by our outstanding team and customer-centric innovations. Toronto is a central hub for Canada’s business, tech, and financial sectors, and this strategic expansion highlights Phonexa’s dedication to innovation and growth in a city celebrated for its dynamic ecosystem. The region’s vibrant business landscape and top-tier infrastructure will enable Phonexa to enhance collaboration and advance our affiliate and performance marketing products and solutions to better serve our global clientele. We’re excited to expand Phonexa with the diverse tech talent found in Toronto.

Phonexa’s global headquarters have been in Los Angeles since the company was founded in 2016. We opened our second headquarters in the United Kingdom in 2017. Phonexa celebrated the expansion of its existing Los Angeles headquarters last year by crowning the 16-story building with a sign and taking over the top three floors. Establishing a footprint in Canada was the next great step in our company’s journey. We’ve been incredibly pleased by the support received across government levels, including Mayor Olivia Chow, her staff, and the entire Toronto Global team.

How will the expansion into Canada benefit Phonexa?

The expansion will enable Phonexa to tap into new markets and build stronger relationships with Canadian clients across performance, affiliate, and partner marketing. Additionally, having a presence in Canada will allow us to better serve our North American clients by providing localized support and services. Our move into Canada represents a significant milestone in our growth journey. It underscores our dedication to innovation, our ambition to serve new markets, and our commitment to delivering exceptional value to our clients, employees, and partners. We look forward to the opportunities this expansion will bring and are confident it will drive significant growth and success for our company.

How will the new offices impact Phonexa’s existing workforce?

The new offices will complement our existing operations and provide growth opportunities for our current employees. We plan to facilitate knowledge transfer and collaboration between teams across regions, fostering a culture of innovation and shared expertise. Additionally, we expect to create numerous job opportunities locally, contributing to the growth of the Canadian tech workforce.

Phonexa’s Toronto office will serve as a second home to the company’s technology and marketing teams. Phonexa employs 200 people worldwide, including a significant staff in Ukraine. From Phonexa’s 14-person global C-level, 12 of its executives are women or from ethnic minorities, and we’re looking forward to growing on those figures.

Through Phonexa Cares, the company’s community outreach initiative program, we plan to work closely with the Canadian government to arrange relocation for any of Phonexa’s global team members looking to move to Canada. This has already happened for some of Phonexa’s staff, including CTO Alexey Sidora, who recently relocated his family from Ukraine to Toronto amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine.

What investment is Phonexa making in the new Toronto offices?

We aim to create an inspiring and productive work environment that attracts top talent and supports our teams in delivering exceptional results across the performance, affiliate, and partner marketing space. We are also committed to investing in community initiatives and partnerships that drive technological advancement in the region for performance marketers.

What impact does this expansion have on Phonexa’s clients and partners?

For our clients and partners, this expansion means enhanced service delivery and greater accessibility to our solutions and expertise. The presence in Canada will allow for more personalized interactions and faster response times. Additionally, our increased capabilities and resources will lead to more innovative and effective solutions, driving success for our clients and partners.

How does the move into Canada align with Phonexa’s long-term vision and goals?

Expanding into Canada is a strategic step toward achieving Phonexa’s long-term vision of becoming a global leader in software solutions for performance marketers. It aligns with our goals of fostering innovation, expanding our market reach, and enhancing our service offerings. By establishing a strong presence in Canada, we are positioning Phonexa to better compete in the global market and drive sustainable growth for the company.

What challenges do you anticipate in this expansion, and how do you plan to address them?

While we anticipate some challenges integrating into a new market, we are confident in our ability to address them. We have a dedicated leadership team for market entry strategies. Additionally, we plan to leverage local expertise and build strong relationships with Canadian businesses and tech communities to ensure a smooth and successful expansion.

What is the one thing Phonexa is excited about for the second half of this year?

Phonexa also owns and operates MailCon, the largest in-person gathering and conference for email marketers. We’re excited to share that Phonexa will be heading to the Big Apple in a big way when MailCon returns for a one-day conference at Convene in Times Square, New York, on Sunday, July 28, one day before Affiliate Summit East.

MailCon arrives during a pivotal period due to the deliverability issues plaguing mailers, performance marketers, affiliate marketers, and lead generators. Businesses have found it challenging to adapt to technological and automation advances and stay ahead of the curve, especially due to Gmail and Yahoo’s new bulk email sender requirements. All of that will be strategically discussed, as the event features an all-star lineup of speakers, panel discussions, networking opportunities, Phonexa product announcements, and much more. MailCon assembles a diverse group of email marketing influencers. Nearly 6,000 mailers, affiliates, advertisers, and networks have attended MailCon since its inception, and 70% of event attendees are directors and C-level marketing decision-makers.

To learn more about Phonexa’s all-in-one marketing automation solution, schedule a consultation, email info@phonexa.com, call (818) 800-0000, or click here for a self-guided interactive tour.

Phonexa offers the following solutions in its suite of performance marketing products:

• LMS Sync (lead tracking and distribution)
• Call Logic (call tracking and distribution)
• E-Delivery (email and SMS marketing)
• Cloud PBX (cloud phone system)
• Lynx (click tracking)
• Opt-Intel (suppression list management)
• HitMetrix (user behavior recording and analytics)
• Books360 (automated accounting)

TORONTO – June 19, 2024 – Hireguide, a rapidly growing Silicon Valley HR-Tech company focused on improving a billion annual interviews, chose Toronto for its latest expansion.

Hireguide has already started building its Toronto team to support Canadian companies with navigating complex hiring processes. Hireguide has scaled from one to ten Toronto team members in the last 18 months. The company plans to double its presence in Toronto over the next three years.

Hireguide chose Toronto to access the abundance of skilled talent and prolific Canadian client base. Toronto is home to more than half of all Fortune 500 Companies as well as innovative scale-ups. The diversity of the region’s economy and talent base makes the Toronto Region the ideal location for a people-focused company like Hireguide to expand its services.

Time-zone alignment with the U.S. was another factor in Hireguide’s expansion decision, allowing the company to continue seamlessly serving its U.S. customers from Toronto.

Hireguide is a B Corp Company, a certification designated to for-profit corporations with a high social impact. Hireguide is making clearer and fairer interviews accessible to everyone, offering smaller companies the opportunity to apply to use Hireguide’s expert services for free.

Inclusive hiring is at the forefront of Hireguide’s values, making Toronto the perfect environment to make an impact. The Toronto Region has a skilled and educated workforce, with 67 per cent of the regional population having achieved a post-secondary degree – higher than any U.S. metro area.

The talent pool in the region is also among the most diverse in North America. Over half of the Toronto Region’s population is foreign-born, however, a startling lack of foreign-born workers are employed in their chosen profession. Skills-based, structured interviews offer fairer access to economic activity.   

“The best companies know that you can’t just spot excellent talent, you need an excellent process to reveal it. We’re using AI and hiring science to do just that,” said Scott Parish, CEO and Founder of Hireguide.

Toronto Global, the Toronto Region’s investment attraction agency, was instrumental throughout Hireguide’s expansion journey, assisting every step of the way to ensure a smooth transition.

“Toronto Global has made doing business in Toronto so easy. They supported everything from setting up bank accounts, establishing a Canadian subsidiary, moving an Engineering leader from Ukraine, and introducing us to customers. It was a complete solution,” said Parish.

“Hireguide operating in Toronto will have a tremendous social and economic impact. Clearing up interview and hiring barriers in the region will allow for faster job growth, ultimately benefiting employers and workers alike. We are thrilled to have worked with an organization with such an imperative mission and look forward to seeing its continued growth in our region,” said Stephen Lund, CEO of Toronto Global.

“Congratulations to the HireGuide team on their expansion in Toronto. Our City is home to one of the most highly skilled and diverse workforces in the world. I am excited to see how Hireguide helps more workers find work and more employers find talent in our city and beyond,” said Oliva Chow, Mayor of Toronto.

Hireguide is a new company, but its impact is spreading. The HR-Tech company has helped over 5,000 Recruiters and Hiring Managers in global companies like Bell, Enbridge, Nike, and more.

Find hundreds of free interview guides, cheat sheets and training at hireguide.com. Book a demo to see the future of interviewing today.

About Hireguide

Great hires start with great interviews – they are the gateway to opportunity at work but resume based interviews are too slow, biased, and poorly predictive of performance.  Hireguide is an end-to-end interview management system that helps companies make hiring decisions faster, fairer and twice as predictive of performance.  Uniting AI and hiring science makes it easy to adopt best practices at every step.  Hiring has always been a journey, finally it’s a smooth one. 

Media Contacts

Hireguide:

Scott Parish

CEO & Founder
+1 415 818 2201
scott@hireguide.com

Toronto Global:

Julia Sakas

Director of Marketing and Communications

+1 647 926 3524

jsakas@torontoglobal.ca

Thinc’s team were honoured to be hosted at the Residence of the British Consul General in Toronto, Fouzia Younis MBE, on Wednesday, May 22^nd, where they welcomed a range of guests from the Toronto trade and business communities for the official launch of Thinc’s Canadian office – the company’s first outside of the UK.

Thinc brings more than 30 years of experience in the UK supporting businesses on their growth journeys, with deep expertise in business technologies allied to a trusted, collaborative ethos.

Managing Director and Co-owner Dominic Ball spoke of his delight at joining Toronto’s business community, and shared Thinc’s ambition to amplify the potential of the region’s SMEs.

In his speech, Ball explained why Toronto was first choice for the company’s expansion. He reflected on the importance of SMEs to the economic success of Canada and the UK, and the spirit of innovation and enterprise shared by Toronto and Manchester, where Thinc was formed and is headquartered.

He also revealed Thinc’s commitment to be an active participant in Toronto’s economy and community, having established a legal entity for the business in the region. As the team expands, Thinc intends to tap into the region’s thriving talent pool.

“We’re passionate about technology. But we’re more passionate about its impact. Across our offices we have three decades of experience working with leading business technologies, cloud hosting, cyber security and managed IT services. But for Thinc, it’s always been about people. Connection, collaboration and long-lasting relationships are the keys to a successful partnership,” said Ball.

“When we were planning for expansion, we were looking for a market that offered opportunity but also where our principles would resonate. The Toronto region’s reputation for technology, innovation and enterprising spirit is, of course, recognized the world over. As somebody from Manchester, UK, it’s hard to overstate how exciting that is.”

Guest speakers on the night were Stephen Lund, CEO of the international business development partner Toronto Global, and David Rumer, Area Vice President, Canadian Partners and Strategic Alliances for Sage, the leader in accounting, financial, HR and payroll technology for small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Toronto Global and Sage have provided instrumental support to Thinc in planning and executing its launch in Toronto. Thinc has also been indebted to the support it has received as a member of the British Canadian Chamber of Trade and Commerce.

Thinc’s Toronto office is located at MaRS Waterfront, one of Toronto’s most innovative tech hubs and home to a host of start-ups and innovators. To learn more, visit the Thinc Toronto Office webpage.

How Toronto SMEs can tap into Thinc’s expertise.

As SMEs grow, they can often find that their business and accounting systems no longer meet their needs. Thinc is here to help them find scalable solutions that unlock the potential of their people.

With its office open in Toronto, the Thinc team is ready to speak to people from local SMEs about their ambitions and how they can be realized with technology. Representatives have been attending a range of technology and vertical-focused events in Toronto and will continue to do so over the course of the year.

Experts from Thinc are available for comment, editorial and interview opportunities. Please contact Thinc for any inquiries or visit its website to learn more.

About Thinc 

Thinc is headquartered in Manchester, England – the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, the world’s first stored-program computer, and Alan Turing’s studies into artificial intelligence. For the past three decades, Thinc has been empowering UK-based and multinational SMEs to grow, whether that’s moving on from older ERP solutions or scaling up for international expansion.  

Thinc helps ambitious SMEs scale up to reach their full potential. With headquarters in the UK, and offices in Canada, Thinc provides the cutting-edge finance software, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, managed IT support, cyber security solutions, and cloud management to unlock business’ full potential.  

Thinc is an official Sage Intacct partner, with a range of Sage certifications across its team. Sage has awarded Thinc its highest award for Service Excellence.   

Resources 

Images and logos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GG-H-4gQ–QJuhJk-awOKrPU01bL8uBy?usp=sharing

Case study: Cydar Medical. With Sage Intacct, Cydar Medical has streamlined its financial processes and powered its international expansion utilising Sage Intacct. https://www.wearethinc.com/case-studies/cydar-medical/  

Thinc Media enquiries 

Neil Condron, Head of Content, Thinc

+44 333 554 6895

neil.condron@wearethinc.com

Julia Sakas, Director, Marketing & Communications, Toronto Global 
+1 647 926 3524 
jsakas@torontoglobal.ca  

Contact Thinc 

Thinc
Nucleus at MaRS
Waterfront Innovation Centre
Suite 200
Box 87 – 155 Queens Quay East
Toronto, Ontario
M5A 0W4
info@wearethinc.com 
www.wearethinc.ca 
Tel: +1 647 3671159

Qaiser Habib currently serves as the Head of Canada Engineering at Snowflake. Habib is a veteran engineering leader and a well-recognized expert in the Canadian market, currently focused on building and leading the Canadian engineering presence for Snowflake. Habib is a champion for community engagement and is committed to cultivating the leaders of tomorrow through university relations and hands-on mentorship.

Shannon Katschilo currently serves as the Country Manager of Canada at Snowflake. Katschilo brings over 15 years of client connection-building and employee stewardship to her role, scaling Snowflake’s presence in the market and taking a data-first approach to improving experiences at all levels of operation. Katschilo is passionate about female mentorship and sponsorship and prioritizes bringing an equitable lens to data-driven decisions by creating opportunities for women and underrepresented groups to take on leadership positions within the field.

SK: Can you give us the backstory on your career and how you landed at Snowflake?

When I made the decision to join Snowflake in 2022, I saw an opportunity to bring my 15 years of client connection-building experience and employee stewardship to a leadership role and be at the forefront of the rapidly evolving data and AI landscape.

I’m laser-focused on expanding the company’s customer base and partnering with Canada’s most iconic brands to strengthen their data foundations to accelerate AI adoption. Since landing in Canada, Snowflake’s achieved significant revenue growth, making Snowflake Canada one of the fastest-growing markets globally for the company.

Throughout my career, I’ve always been committed to knowledge-sharing in the industry by devising and chairing meetings, hosting client events, and regularly presenting at conferences and webinars. I’m also passionate about female mentorship and sponsorship and prioritize bringing an equitable lens to data-driven decisions by creating opportunities for women and underrepresented groups to take on leadership positions within the field.

QH: What has the engineering team been up to since you opened the Toronto office in 2022?

Since first opening our Canadian headquarters in 2022, making Toronto home to one of Snowflake’s five global Engineering Hubs, we’ve grown our headcount and footprint significantly. To support our strategic growth in the Canadian market, we’re on track to double our engineering team in 2024 and we opened a newly expanded headquarters in April 2024, which is more than double the size of our original office space and reflects the evolving needs of our team. 

Snowflake Canada’s Toronto Engineering Hub is powering ground-breaking innovations including the Snowflake Native App Framework and the transformation of how customers globally are building applications. This technology eliminates the need for organizations to move or copy their data during application development, which increases security and helps maintain governance controls.

We’ve seen incredible momentum around Snowflake Native Apps, which we are proud to announce is generally available on AWS and Azure. More than 90 Snowflake Native Apps (as of January 2024) are currently available in Snowflake Marketplace, which opens up opportunities for businesses to create entirely new revenue streams.

SK: What Canadian relationships or partnerships have been instrumental to Snowflake’s growth?

There are a myriad of factors and partnerships that have come together to promote Snowflake’s success and growth in the Canadian market. 

Internally, hiring the right talent and fostering a strong culture has been paramount. It’s imperative to hire from diverse backgrounds and expertise to have people who think differently and can identify problems to create solutions that train AI with an inclusive and broader lens. I also prioritize recognition and spotlighting talent within the workplace to boost visibility and retention.

Externally, building strong relationships with our customers and practicing a customer-first approach has been instrumental. I’ve dedicated my efforts to expanding the company’s customer base and collaborating with some of Canada’s most renowned brands to fortify their data infrastructure and facilitate AI adoption.

Additionally, our strategic partnerships with established industry cloud providers like AWS, Microsoft, and Google have played a crucial role in our growth trajectory. These key relationships continue to fuel our innovation and drive our success in the Canadian tech landscape, with the Snowflake platform being multi-cloud and cross-cloud across all three.

QH: Toronto continues to be one of the world’s top tech talent hubs. Tell us about your hiring efforts and what you look for when selecting a candidate. 

At Snowflake, our hiring efforts are focused on attracting top-tier candidates who align with our values and our dynamic team culture. We prioritize diversity, experience, empathy, and a genuine commitment to serving our customers and collaborating effectively with colleagues. 

From a hiring standpoint, we believe in being ‘engaged employers’ and focusing on the candidate experience.  This involves getting to know each candidate, understanding their potential fit within our team, assessing their unique strengths and assets, and ensuring alignment with our corporate culture.

We encourage and engage in open and honest conversations with candidates. This approach allows us to cover key topics such as soft skills, hard skills, and culture fit comprehensively. We understand that assessing these aspects requires depth and exploration beyond a single conversation, which is why we encourage our team to delve deep into different aspects of a candidate’s profile to assess the overall fit.

Snowflake’s Toronto office is continuing to hire for positions across engineering, sales, and more as the organization scales to meet increasing demand from customers. The region has a rich tech talent pool and top universities including the University of Toronto and the University of Waterloo, which we have deep relationships with. Our ultimate goal is to create a workforce and workplace where every team member thrives, and our hiring process reflects that commitment.

SK: Goldman Sachs, Kash Rangan, compared Snowflake to a Ferrari- bigger, better faster, analyzing data. How has the Snowflake platform evolved to deliver more value to customers? 

Snowflake is pioneering the next wave of AI innovation by providing enterprises with the data foundation and cutting-edge AI building blocks they need to fuel powerful AI and machine learning apps while keeping their data safe and governed.

An example of a recent innovation that I’m very excited about is Snowflake Cortex, which empowers all users to securely tap into the power of generative AI with their enterprise data — regardless of their technical expertise.

Snowflake Cortex is Snowflake’s new fully managed service that enables organizations to discover, analyze, and build AI apps in the Data Cloud more easily. With Snowflake Cortex, businesses can now build custom LLM-powered apps within minutes and maintain flexibility and control over their data. This also supports the democratization of generative AI, a key development in making AI accessible so every organization can harness it to drive value. 

QH: What industry trends are you currently seeing in data and AI, and how will these trends impact Canadian organizations [OR] the country’s tech talent? 

Several key trends in the data and AI landscape are impacting Canadian organizations and businesses in 2024, and beyond. 

We are seeing an explosion of large language model (LLM) apps, with the biggest surge in apps that put a natural language conversational layer on top of business problems, making it dramatically easier to talk to your data, generate insights, and even talk to your customers with intelligent chatbots. LLMs are growing exponentially as businesses leverage them to bring customer engagement and operational efficiency to a new standard. 

Additionally, we are seeing organizations get finer-grained about their data governance. There is a shift in focus from stringent data lockdowns to more nuanced data governance approaches. Businesses are exploring ways to make data accessible for authorized uses that align with their values and policies, reflecting an evolving approach to data management.

Lastly, the rise of the unified data platform is reshaping how enterprises are managing and utilizing data. Modern organizations are seeking centralized platforms that break down silos, facilitate integrations, ensure governance and security, and promote collaboration across departments. The growth of Snowflake Native Apps reflects this demand for unified data platforms, offering advantages in efficiency and collaboration.

SK: How do you keep an edge in a competitive tech environment? What are you reading now? Podcasts? Workouts? 

To stay competitive, I maintain open lines of communication with customers, as their feedback is crucial for product development to ensure we meet their needs and bolster their data and AI initiatives. 

Upskilling is another area of emphasis to maintain a competitive edge for my professional growth, alongside the professional growth of my teams. The evolving tech landscape demands continuous skill enhancement for everyone. From my perspective, as AI becomes more prevalent, employer-led upskilling programs will be critical for improved productivity. 

Physical well-being and community involvement have also been priorities throughout my career – from cold plunging to delivering presentations at local schools and forming partnerships with organizations like Toronto Womxn in Data Science. These experiences continue to be valuable for learning best practices, sharing experiences, and making meaningful contributions.

For more information about Snowflake Inc. visit https://www.snowflake.com/en/.

zeb’s product-centric digital transformation strategy customizes solutions that utilize advanced AWS features and AI-driven insights to optimize operations and reveal new business opportunities, ensuring unparalleled success and significantly enhances ROI for clients, establishing a new benchmark in digital excellence. 

“Our mission in Canada is simple yet ambitious: to empower businesses to harness AI for transformative success. Many companies know AI’s value but struggle to implement it. Our expertise across various industries allows us to seamlessly integrate AI, revolutionizing how businesses operate. We partner with major platforms like AWS, Databricks, ServiceNow, and Salesforce, identifying and bridging the gaps in their systems with AI solutions. Simply put, we don’t just use AI; we use it to strategically enhance businesses.” said Mal Vivek, CEO of zeb. 

zeb’s presence in the Canadian market will enable it to cater to the evolving needs of Canadian businesses effectively. By fostering collaborations with local industry players and academic partners, zeb is committed to driving digital transformation and unlocking growth opportunities for organizations in the region. zeb has partnered with the region’s economic development agency, Toronto Global, to make valuable connections and expand in the Toronto Region.

“Our partnership with Toronto Global marks a significant milestone in our journey to expand a strong foothold in the Canadian market. We are excited to support Canadian businesses by combining strategic planning with a AI-powered methodology.” said Divya Gopinath, Country Head of zeb in Canada.

“Groundbreaking tech companies like zeb choose the Toronto Region for its competitive tech talent and resourceful business ecosystem. zeb’s innovative AI solutions will be a fitting addition to the Toronto Region’s fast-growing AI community. We would like to congratulate zeb on its presence in Mississauga and look forward to continuing our work with them to foster connections across the region.” said Stephen Lund, CEO of Toronto Global.

For more information about zeb and its digital transformation services, visit www.zeb.co 

About zeb 

zeb is a leading digital transformation strategy company and AWS Advanced Tier Partner that offers clients a holistic, product-centric approach to digital transformation by combining strategic planning with a proprietary AI-powered implementation methodology. With over 15 years of experience and a team of more than 1,500 technologists, we are committed to harnessing bleeding-edge technologies to provide our clients maximum ROI from their technology platforms. 

Headquartered in Bear, Delaware with presences in Dallas, Toronto, and Chennai, we serve clients across the globe in various industries and possess the domain knowledge and expertise required to address the unique challenges of businesses. At zeb, we are passionate about driving innovation through an in-depth understanding of our clients, their businesses, and their challenges. We are dedicated to being an end-to-end partner in our clients’ digital transformation journeys. 

Media Contact
Dhanasekar Gangatharan 
Marketing Practice Head 
dg@zeb.co 
www.zeb.co  

Toronto Global is the first point of contact for international businesses looking to accelerate expansion, make connections and access talent in the Toronto Region, Canada’s business, tech and financial capital. Our business-driven team has provided complimentary concierge services to more than 250 companies – including Sanofi, Netflix, Infosys and Unilever – setting the stage for success in the fastest-growing, most educated and diverse market in North America.

You will connect with:

40,000+ attendees from 130+ countries
800+ speakers
2,000+ next-generation startups
1,000+ world-leading investors
300+ global partners
1,400+ journalists

Here are the top 10 must-experience moments that await you at Collision Toronto this year. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or an emerging entrepreneur, Collision promises an array of opportunities to learn, connect, and be inspired. Let’s dive into the heart of Collision Toronto and uncover the key activities that will make your attendance truly memorable.

1. Explore the Collision Expo Floor

One of the primary attractions at Collision Toronto is the expansive expo floor, where groundbreaking startups, established tech giants, and innovative companies showcase their latest products and services. Immerse yourself in a sea of innovation, engage with industry leaders, and discover cutting-edge solutions that could shape the future of your business. Be sure to plan your visit strategically, as the expo floor is a treasure trove of opportunities for networking and business collaborations.

2. Attend Inspiring Keynote Sessions

Collision Toronto boasts a stellar lineup of keynote speakers who are visionaries in their respective fields. From tech gurus to industry disruptors, these thought leaders share insights, trends, and predictions that can reshape your perspective and fuel your business strategies. Make a point to attend keynote sessions that align with your interests, and prepare to be inspired by the wisdom and experiences of these trailblazers. Align your interests with the 15+ Collision content tracks across 10 stages, over 3 days.

3. Visit the Toronto Inc. Pavilion

We would be remiss if we didn’t highlight the Toronto Inc. Pavilion as a hotspot for networking, insightful panels, and game-changing announcements. In 2023, the Toronto Inc. Pavilion hosted a Rolodex of Toronto’s top tech innovators in panel discussions on cleantech innovation, the future of AI, sports tech, city building and more. The booth is also frequented by policymakers like Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, François-Philippe Champagne, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Victor Fedeli and city mayors from across the region – all in attendance in support of exciting announcements from companies expanding in Canada’s tech hub, the Toronto Region.

Last year, day one of the bustling conference was complete with a happy hour hosted by the Toronto Inc. Pavilion, providing a great opportunity for Toronto’s government, investors and startups to mingle and share insights about the day. Don’t miss out on the action and come visit the Toronto Global team!

4. Participate in Workshops and Masterclasses

Enhance your skills and knowledge by participating in the various workshops and masterclasses offered at Collision Toronto. These intimate sessions provide a deep dive into specific topics, allowing you to gain hands-on experience, practical insights, and actionable strategies. Collision’s workshops are an invaluable resource for professional development. Past speakers include Reed Hastings, Ryan Reynolds, Serena Williams, Mark Cuban, Margaret Atwood and more! 

5. Engage in Roundtable Discussions

For those seeking more interactive and intimate conversations, the roundtable discussions at Collision Toronto offer the perfect platform. Join industry-specific roundtables to share your experiences, learn from your peers, and engage in meaningful discussions that address the challenges and opportunities within your niche. These sessions foster connections and often lead to collaborative efforts that extend beyond the conference.

6. Network at Night Summit

The networking opportunities at Collision Toronto extend well into the evening with the Night Summit events. Unwind, socialize, and connect with fellow attendees in a more relaxed setting. From rooftop mixers to themed parties, the Night Summit provides a casual yet effective environment for building relationships and expanding your professional network. Don’t underestimate the power of these informal gatherings in forging lasting connections.

7. Pitch at PITCH Contest

For startups looking to make a splash, the PITCH contest at Collision Toronto is a golden opportunity. Witness the next wave of innovation as startups compete for attention and funding in this high-stakes pitch competition. The PITCH contest showcases the entrepreneurial spirit and creativity that defines the tech landscape.

8. Experience the Future at ALPHA and BETA Stages

For a sneak peek into the future of technology, head to the ALPHA and BETA stages at Collision Toronto. These stages feature early-stage startups and innovative prototypes that are poised to disrupt industries. Engage with the minds behind these pioneering ideas, explore emerging technologies, and gain insights into the trends that will shape the business landscape in the coming years.

9. Dive into Sustainability Talks

As sustainability becomes an increasingly integral part of business strategies, Collision Toronto dedicates a space to discussions around environmental responsibility and ethical business practices. Attend talks and panels that address the intersection of technology and sustainability, and discover how your business can contribute to a greener and more sustainable future.

10. Enjoy Toronto’s Culture and Entertainment

Beyond the conference walls, take some time to explore the vibrant city of Toronto. Indulge in its diverse culinary scene, visit iconic landmarks, and immerse yourself in the local culture. Collision Toronto is not just a conference; it’s an opportunity to experience the richness of the city and forge memorable connections both inside and outside the event venue. Plan your tour and get inspired with ideas from Destination Toronto.

Collision is more than a conference; it’s a dynamic ecosystem of ideas, connections, and opportunities. Join us in Toronto, June 17-20 where the tech world collides.

Contact Toronto Global to connect at the ‘Olympics of Tech’.

Toronto Global is the first point of contact for international businesses looking to accelerate expansion, make connections and access talent in the Toronto Region, Canada’s business, tech and financial capital. Our business-driven team has provided complimentary concierge services to more than 250 companies – including Sanofi, Netflix, Infosys and Unilever – setting the stage for success in the fastest-growing, most educated and diverse market in North America.