Some of our alumni have gone on to be local and global successes.
Learn more about our Featured Founders and the companies they’ve built.
Featured Founders
The most valuable lesson I've learned in my entrepreneurial experience is that it's a marathon, it's not a sprint. No matter who tells you it's a sprint, it's not.
After spending years playing a number of sports for local and national teams, Cliff Mander applied his entrepreneurial acumen to the sports industry.
Out of this fusion of passions emerged CKM Sports Management, one of the leading hockey specific player agencies in the world. The company is building an international player job portal, currently being used by 5000+ players and teams from 35 countries.
Yet, the SFU Beedie School of Business graduate didn't stop there. In 2016 he also created HockeyData, which provides hockey specific analytics and information to teams, players, agents, and scouts.
While his competitors keep Cliff motivated, he credits his entrepreneurial drive to watching his grandfather, a WWII veteran, spend late nights building his car dealership business from the ground-up.
Awards & Milestones:
- HockeyData lands their first NHL client, the Washington Capitals
- HockeyData was listed as one of 2017's Top Emerging Tech Companies by the Ready to Rocket Program
- HockeyData was named 'Top Scalable Start-Up' of SFU's Coast Capital Savings Venture Prize Competition
- HockeyData was named Best Presenting Company in the start-up spotlight category of the Canadian Financing Forum
- CKM Sports named the runner-up winner at the 2012 SFU Student Entrepreneur of the Year competition
- CKM Sports won 2nd place at the 2013 Coast Capital Savings Venture Prize
The most important lesson I've learned is about building a team. I think there is no company if there is no team.
Maryam Sadeghi
When Maryam Sadeghi first started out as a Computing Science PhD student at Simon Fraser University, she didn't realize that she would develop a deep passion for cancer research. She discovered her calling after spending days and nights with patients, realizing that the research she was doing is important and necessary.
Together with her Co-Founder Majid Razmara, they created MetaOptima Technology to assist healthcare professionals in better screening and detecting skin cancer. MetaOptima developed two propietary products, the MoleScope™ and DermEngine™, a mobile ‘dermoscope’ that tracks mole transformations over time and an intelligent dermatology platform that works with MoleScope, respectively.
Today, the company is branching into global markets, with a recent investment of over $8 million from Australian investors.
Through all of this, Maryam has always maintained her unwavering positivity. For her, there are no ifs, ands, or buts in questioning whether or not MetaOptima will succeed, because she knows there are real people who need her solution, and she's here to deliver.
Awards & Milestones:
- MetaOptima closes a Series-A Financing round with $8.6 million from Australian investors, Skip Capital and AirTree Ventures
- Maryam was appointed to the Mitacs Research Council for 2018
- Maryam Sadeghi Announced As BC's Most Influential Woman In Health Tech For 2018
- 2018 Digital Health Ready to Rocket Winner
- Won the Top Venture Prize at the 2014 Coast Capital Savings Venture Prize
- MetaOptima won the $40,000 Waveless Waterfront prize at the 2013 BCIC New Ventures Competition
Ben Britton and Ionomr are paving the way for a greener world.
The company manufactures the world's most durable, high performance, anion-exchange membrane in the world. Anion-exchange membranes drive the performance of many clean technology innovations in the energy storage and water treatment sectors.
Ionomr was born out of the Holdcroft Lab under SFU's department of Chemistry and further developed in the Invention to Innovation graduate program, Venture Connection, and Venture Labs.
Ionomr's innovative impact on clean technology will create a better future for all.
Awards & Milestones:
- Ionomr won a Startup Energy Transition award in the Low-Carbon Energy Production category at the Berlin Energy Tech festival
- Named an 'Emerging Rocket' in the 2016 Ready to Rocket list
- Won the Top Venture Prize at the 2016 Coast Capital Savings Venture Prize competition
- 2016 winner of the Hong-Kong Canada Venture Prize
Back in 2008, Matias Marquez came across a common problem we face when we get caught up with our busy schedules; he'd procrastinated in sending out a birthday gift and it needed to be delivered that same day. Except in 2008, the options for delivery were complicated and limited. That's when he realized that there must be an easier way for this.
Buyatab digitizes comany gift card programs for web and mobile convenience and for pairing with programs like, the Apple Wallet.
Today, Buyatab's clientel lists a number of big-name brands, such as Cineplex Entertainment, Tim Hortons Inc., and Whole Foods. Matias was named one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40 in 2017 and the company has been listed as one of Canada's Fastest Growing Companies for the third consecutive year.
In fact, Matias has said growth management may be one of his biggest challenges - a problem he's happy to have, of course.
Awards & Milestones:
- Buyatab is listed as one of Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies for the third consecutive year
- Matias is named Buyatab's next Chief Executive Officer
- Buyatab named Growth Company of the Year at the 2018 Technology Impact Awards
- Buyatab ranked second on the PROFIT 500 list
- Matias Marquez named one of Canada's Top Young Innovators of 2017
- Buyatab ranked third in PROFIT and Canadian Business' PROFIT 500 list, as one of Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies
- Buyatab wins "People's Choice" award at the 2016 Technology Impact Awards
More Success Stories
artsALLY
Launching in Vancouver, artsALLY online is a local art portal that enables communities to discover local art they love and support local artists. artsALLY was acquired in 2015 by Kabuni (formerly Whole New Home).
BioInteractive Technologies
BioInteractive Technologies (BIT) is developing an Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered gesture recognition software engine to detect users' hand and arm movement in real-time. BIT graduated from the Techstars Anywhere program and is now being accelerated at Innovation Boulevard, a health-tech accelerator.
Catstatic Interactive
Catstatic Interactive specializes in creating user-friendly interactive 3D applications for mobile, web and kiosk.
Empower Operations Corp.
Empower Operations provide leading edge software that enables engineers to efficiently explore and optimize product design based on complex engineering simulations. Empower is now being accelerated at Innovation Boulevard.
Human in Motion
Human in Motion Robotics is a company that has designed the most advanced wearable lower limb exoskeleton system, called Exomotion.
Layerboom Systems, Inc.
Layerboom’s “BoomBox” appliance enables companies & hosting providers to turn their existing server hardware into a virtual private cloud.
Joyent Inc. aqcuired Layerboom in 2010, making the company Venture Connection's first start-up acquisition.
MAPT Media Inc.
Mapt Media has integrated digital advertising and way‐finding technologies to create advertising within kiosks in large public spaces such as malls and campuses.
MobiSafe Systems
MobiSafe develops foambag technology for power-assisted mobility devices, to protect the upper body of user in case of fall and tips.
Nu Experience Design Inc.
Nu Experience Design (NuXD) is a creative firm committed to the design and delivery of exceptional consumer experiences.
TT Distribution Inc.
TT Distribution Inc is a manufacturer and wholesaler specializing in the development and distribution of some of the most innovative fetal doppler products available on the market today.
Transcription Ninjas
Transcription Ninjas is a Canadian-based professional transcription service offering accurate, timely, and ethical service to ensure transcripts are completed on time and on budget!
VeloMetro
VeloMetro is a boutique design engineering company specializing in custom electrical and mechanical engineering projects.
VeloMetro's Veemo electric-assist velomobile sharing service liberates you from traffic congestion, the need to have a driver's licence, inactivity, exposure to the elements, and the cost of operating a car.
Addictive Ads
Addictive Ads is a mobile ad agency that delivers innovative performance-based advertising. Addictive Ads continues to grow with 300+ clients and 42M+ app installations.
Brazilian Vibe Magazine
A bilingual (Portuguese/English) quarterly Brazilian cultural magazine focused on the Brazilian community in the Lower Mainland as well as locals who are interested in Brazilian culture.
Daily Delivery
Daily Delivery is a B2B e-commerce and logistics platform empowering SMB's to offer on-demand deliveries in less than an hour.
Learn more about Daily Delivery.
Hire the World
The HiretheWorld design competitions allow to quickly, easily and affordably get professional quality designs for their websites and logos. Founder and CEO, Terry Beech is currently the Burnaby North-Seymour MP and was recently named one of the World Economic Forum's Young Global Leader.
Iconic State Digital Agency
Iconic State provide hand-crafted interaction design and development solutions to create a visually stunning online presence for customers.
Libreria Leo
Latin America’s biggest online medical bookstore, which sells medical books online to doctors in Mexico.
MetroLeap Media Inc.
MetroLeap Media's flagship product, MetroLyrics.com, is the first lyrics-dedicated site to provide users with the largest database of licensed, complete and accurate song lyrics through its partnership with Gracenote. In 2011 MetroLyrics was acquired by CBS Interactive, making founder Milun Tesovic the youngest entrepreneur to sell their company to a major American conglomerate.
Mr. Arancino
Mr. Arancino presents a new and innovative take on a traditional Sicilian recipe. Mr. Arancino’s deliciously gooey risotto balls are all made gluten-free and available in meat, vegetarian and vegan options.
You can find Mr. Arancino on the streets of Vancouver or parked at one of the breweries down Port Moody's Brewers Row.
Orello Hearing Technologies
Orello Hearing Technologies Inc. offers the only custom fit hearing aid with built in tuning technology, giving people with mild to moderately severe hearing loss an easier and better user experience.
Tochtech
Tochtech improves the care/quality of independent senior living by providing non-intrusive activity and health monitoring solutions that enables remote caring for designated families and/or senior care service providers.
V7 Entertainment
V7 Entertainment is an end-to-end high quality video game development company founded by industry professionals in Vancouver, BC.
Witty Cookie Digital Agency
WittyCookie is an award-winning Vancouver web design studio and has been expertly crafting websites for clients since 2011. WittyCookie truly believe in their work, simply because they love what they do and have a good time doing it. Their goal is to help you refine your online presence and grow your audience. Instead of hiring just another agency, they want to think of them as an extended part of the family. People you can always depend on.
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