Team Bridgit working on developing software solutions for the construction industry.
We’re back with our second part of 20 Tech Companies to Watch for in 2021. In the first part, we covered some great companies doing incredible things in the middle of a global pandemic. If haven’t read it, check it out here.
In the second part, we are excited to bring you this list of tech companies. This list has been phenomenal as they are bound to do great things in 2021. Be sure to keep an eye out and many are hiring.
20) KA Imaging
A spin-off from the University of Waterloo, KA Imaging is a Canadian company that specializes in developing innovative X-ray imaging technologies and systems, providing solutions to the medical, veterinary and NDT markets. The company has successfully developed a line of innovative x-ray imaging products in the areas of phase contrast micro-computed tomography, ultra-high spatial resolution X-ray detectors and large area digital, dual-energy X-ray material separation detectors. KA Imaging has recently partnered with a team of researchers from Toronto in a study for the early detection of COVID-19.
19) Maropost
Maropost helps companies to increase revenues generated by their multi-channel marketing automation (email, sms, push notifications) by personalizing all the steps of the customer experience.
18) Genemod
Genemod aims to make a scientist’s journey just as innovative as their destination, driving faster and more creative problem solving. With Genemod, scientists track and understand the processes that lead to successful solutions in order to make it easier to duplicate what’s working and drive the next generation of medicines.
17) Ace
The future of interviewing is digital and increasingly competitive. Ace is an AI-enabled interview prep platform designed to train job seekers to expertly answer any question they may face in an interview. Ace is on a mission to create confidence in communication, one job seeker at a time.
16) goPeer
goPeer is modernizing the Canadian fintech landscape as Canada’s first regulated consumer peer-to-peer lending platform, disrupting the traditional lending model by connecting creditworthy Canadians looking for a loan with everyday Canadians looking to invest. goPeer offers better rates to borrowers while providing everyday investors access to a new asset class. The responsible lending model fills a gap within the near-prime to prime segment, and with a positive social impact. goPeer officially launched in September 2020, and in just a few months received over $15,000,000 in loan applications, attracted over 1500 investors, approved over 190 loans, and experienced an average MoM revenue growth of 30%.
15) Savology
The team at Savology has its eyes set on helping millions of households across the United States improve their financial lives. They’re doing this by making financial planning more accessible, actionable, and effective than ever before. In just a few minutes, users can build a personalized financial plan, grade their finances with a financial report card, and get personalized action items that simplify the next steps. In addition to their consumer-facing product, Savology works closely with employers to offer employees financial planning and wellness benefits.
14) ProNavigator
ProNavigator provides an interactive knowledge-sharing platform, powered by AI, that includes an intuitive search and retrieval interface designed specifically to help answer a broad range of insurance questions, in natural language, across multiple products, regions, and documents. The platform is a single source of truth for frequently changing insurance information to help staff find what they need when they need it.
13) Heartcade
It’s the end of “swiping” as we know it. The next generation of dating platforms is here. Heartcade is a blind dating game designed to end our distracted dating culture. Heartcade digs deep into data science and the psychology of compatibility to create more intelligent matches at the beginning. Using the benefits of play, Heartcade makes dating more fun and more human so people can create genuine connections. No more small talk or ghosting. Let others get to know the real you.
12) Intellijoint Surgical
Intellijoint Surgical develops and commercializes surgical navigation solutions for total joint replacements. It is committed to improving patients’ lives by providing every surgeon with effective, easy-to-use technology. Intellijoint HIP and Intellijoint KNEE smart navigation applications are both delivered through the Intellijoint Navigation System. It is a fast and easy-to-use, surgeon-controlled system that provides real-time measurements to optimize implant alignment and positioning during total hip and knee replacement surgery to help improve patient outcomes. Developed out of a 4th year design project at the University of Waterloo, Intellijoint now employs over 80 people in three countries, primarily Canada (Headquarters) and the United States.
11) EnPowered
Most businesses pay their monthly electricity bill without understanding the details. EnPowered is a data driven platform that gives businesses and their trusted partners the insights and tools they need to understand their bill. Understanding their bill assists companies to unlock enormous savings opportunities. Businesses exercise their connected assets, such as HVAC, lights, or more, and opt into the EnPowered identified opportunities and participate directly in energy markets. Optimization and savings become automated through EnPowered. As part of its mission to accelerate the adoption of Clean and Energy Technologies, EnPowered leads the Virtual Energy Movement. VEM will innovate the energy grid and accelerate cleantech adoption. An initial step is to directly connect assets to energy markets to improve ROIs, accessibility, savings, and emissions. Last year alone, EnPowered customers saved $40 million and reduced 400 tons of CO2e. The company tripled in size, virtually, with individuals hailing from ten countries and speaking many languages, during the past year – despite a pandemic.
10) Payd
Payd is Canada’s first financial app dedicated to post-secondary education. The app has been developed to help students save and pay for their school without changing their spending habits. Their secret? payd uses a unique card-linking technology that eliminates frequent bank credentials logins to round user’s purchases and earn cash-back rewards. These savings can then be used to invest through one of Questrade’s many accounts (TFSA, RESP, RRSP, etc.) Also, understanding that it takes a village to pay for a child, the app is open to family members to put their round ups and cash-back towards their student’s education.
9) Dwellcome
Dwellcome acts as a neighbourhood concierge where it helps new residents onboard to their community after moving with personalized neighbourhood guides & recommendations. Getting to know a new neighbourhood and the amenities available to you can be a daunting experience. Quoted as “being the next-gen digital Welcome Wagon”, Dwellcome acts as your neighbourhood concierge where it helps new residents onboard to their community via personalized recommendations matching their family’s lifestyle needs. At the same time, it helps local businesses connect with their future customers.
8) Euphoria
Euphoria leverages technology to improve conditions for the LGBT community: in particular, it aims to restore agency and dignity for transgender individuals going through transition. The first app, Solace, is the largest mHealth platform for the transgender community in the world, and has been featured by Forbes, Vice, Autostraddle, and multiple medical journals. Euphoria is currently developing their second flagship app, Bliss, the first neobank for the transgender community. Euphoria’s mission is to transform the phrase “It gets better” into “How it gets better.”
7) Bonfire
Bonfire is a leading provider of procurement software for the public sector that makes the Request for Proposal (RFP) process easy. The cloud-based platform offers collaboration among stakeholders and delivers tools spanning solicitation, submission, contract evaluation, and vendor performance. Despite a year of COVID-19 impacts, 2020 was Bonfire’s largest sales year to date as the company welcomed 137 new clients, spanning local governments, transportation authorities, K-12 districts and higher education institutions – Bonfire now works with over 450 public sector organizations across North America. They also offer clients access to a database with approximately 250,000 vendors to support procurement professionals with the ability to find new vendors, increase competition and, ultimately, optimize the value and price of their bids and RFPs. Bonfire’s continued growth across its business demonstrates the acceleration of procurement process digitization as public sector agencies look to improve speed, efficiency and transparency of procurements.
6) Auvik
Auvik’s cloud-based network management software keeps IT networks around the world running optimally. By automating and simplifying network management, Auvik helps rocket an IT team’s efficiency and capacity, while protecting the business from network risk. Auvik is one of the fastest growing North American technology companies, and is winner of the Deloitte Technology Fast 50, Deloitte Fast 500, and recognized as the #1 ranked Canadian company in the FT Americas’ Fastest Growing Companies 2020.
5) Bridgit
Bridgit is a software company focused on developing mobile and web-based solutions for the construction industry. Bridgit’s flagship solution, Bridgit Bench, is a construction resource management tool. Leading contractors are using Bridgit Bench to simplify project forecasting and workforce allocation processes. Bridgit has raised over $15.7 million USD in equity financing, with capital from investors such as Autodesk, BDC, EDC, IAF, Salesforce Ventures, Sands Capital, and Stand-Up Ventures, among others.
4) O2 Industries
O2 Industries is a technology firm based in Waterloo, Ontario. The Company has created a platform for breathing clean air and is scaling with sales of its reusable respirators in over 125 countries. The Company is on a mission to put clean air in people’s lungs.
3) Local Line
Local Line is an e-commerce & logistics platform for farms and farmers markets. The platform is used by 7,500+ farms across North America to sell online, track inventory, schedule deliveries, send invoices, and collect payments.
2) Shinydocs
Shinydocs searches, understands and enriches unstructured data at scale, providing actionable security, compliance, and business operations insights. By leveraging modern artificial intelligence and machine learning it helps enterprise organizations manage 100% of their data throughout its entire lifecycle. Completely bootstrapped, Shinydocs has grown significantly since the end of 2018 and are looking to double in size over the coming year as it celebrate some huge enterprise wins in the infrastructure, manufacturing and oil & gas sectors.
1) Elizion Tech
Elizion Tech is a leading-edge materials and nanotechnology led by a team of engineers from the University of Waterloo. It strives to make the world better through the development of antiviral nanocoatings. The coatings can be integrated into a host of media, including non-wovens in the production of personal protective equipment (PPE), air filters (i.e. HEPA, MERV, FPR), high touch surfaces (i.e. touchscreens, handrails), and paints to render them viricidal. They are non-toxic and hypoallergenic. The antiviral treatments can substantially improve the effectiveness of PPE, filtration systems, and the safety of high-touch surfaces.
That wraps it up! A big thank you to note to the founders and their team for sharing their stories with our audience. Do you have an exciting company for us to interview? Get in touch with us here.
Check out the whole series:
20 Tech Companies to Watch for in 2021 Part I
20 Tech Companies to Watch for in 2021 Part III
About the Author
Eric Rafat is a passionate founder with wealth of expertise in startups, building high-performing teams, and product development. He is a top ranked tennis player and always up for a conversation about startups. Connect with Eric here.