We’re excited to introduce you to Batch 4 of the LOI Labs virtual accelerator program. We are excited to be working with them over the next 12 weeks to support them in their growth as entrepreneurs and amplify their startups. As usual, we have an incredible round-up of diverse founders across the country working on some interesting problems. Read on to learn more about pretty kick-ass young people building tomorrow’s businesses today.
Founders: Eric Chaba (21, Edmonton AB) and Jonathan Mui (21, Edmonton AB)
The ultimate goal of Agriolabs was to do something about the vast amount of food waste that happens on this planet. We all waste food, and some food waste is almost unavoidable, but in North America the average
household will waste 40% of the food they bring home and that seriously sucks. So how are we going to change that? Well, we can't change the world overnight, but we with the systems we build, we can provide our customers with fresh food, grown as locally as it gets: in your own home. Food grown at home means no transportation & grocery store waste. No unknown chemicals. And no more melting veggies in the fridge.
@agrio.labs
Founder: Sophie Wyne (23, Vancouver BC)
Did you know 26% of employees dread going to work? 85% are unhappy with their jobs. Unaddressed employee concerns lead to low retention, poor productivity and even lawsuits. Ariglad solves this by connecting HR to employees when they're most vulnerable. Employees can submit anonymous HR cases through Slack or Teams, and chat in real-time with HR to verify and resolve problems. HR can solve every case by tagging internal teams to cases (eg. legal) to get help fast or request to be connected to an external consultant (eg. in D&I or conflict resolution)
Founders: Amir Noorafkan (26, Toronto ON) and Arsalan Noorafkan (25, Toronto ON)
At Atlys Networks Inc. we are building a platform that helps people manage their personal data and unlock its hidden value. Our mobile application helps users collect their health, location, and digital activity data and store them in a private database on their device. The app is completely private and offline. Users can privately share data with people and organizations they trust.
@Atlys
Founder: Maya Gay (20, Victoria BC)
My name is Maya and I'm the founder of Basecamp Cards. Basecamp Card Co. is a young company based out of Kelowna BC Canada that was started as a high-school project. I had been doing a week-long backpacking trip in the Canadian Rockies and whenever we'd get to Basecamp, we would break out the deck of cards. I realized how many awesome stories were out there if the right questions were asked. Playing a game of cards is a universally fun way to kick back with friends and I wanted to add even more versatility to the classic experience.
@basecampcardco
Bonfire
Founder: Natan Simchovich (25, Toronto ON)
Bonfire digitizes the food industry through interactive virtual experiences. We’re a marketplace connecting food professionals to foodies. Restaurants & chefs can easily host cooking classes on our digital platform to make immediate revenue with no upfront costs or overhead. Foodies can challenge friends and family through interactive activities built on top of the virtual class. US projections over the next 3 months predict $225B in lost sales, 6M job losses and up to 70% of restaurants permanently closing due to COVID-19. Bonfire will make immediate impact to help those in the food industry affected by COVID-19
Founders: Justin Bastarache (20, Sherbrooke, QC) and Nicolas Trottier (21, Sherbrooke, Quebec)
Capten Haps produces innovative ocean themed dad hats through consultation with various non-profit organizations that are made out of eco-friendly materials. As a social enterprise, 10% of their profits go towards ocean cleaning initiatives
@captenhats
Founders: Clayton Rannard (20, Vancouver BC) and Kyle Dulay (22, Richmond BC)
A platform for businesses exchange products & services for content and posts from creators. Collabstr alllows business owners to drive traffic and get in front of thousands of locals through micro-influencers.
@collabstr
Community Art
Founder: Gary Parker (22, Surrey BC)Dulay (22, Richmond BC)
Community Art is an art leasing company that helps businesses rent the work of local emerging artists. Artists get both revenue and exposure and businesses get fresh art for their spaces in a hassle-free way.
Founder: Dina Lu (25, Surrey BC)
Dina Calligraphy offers calligraphy workshops to the public in the Metro Vancouver region, as well as corporate teambuilding workshops to companies. Dina Calligraphy is also building an online business that helps calligraphers build profitable calligraphy businesses through coaching and courses.
@dinacalligraphy
Founders: Jocelyn (Danie) Proby (31, Burnaby BC) and Ari Nitikman (23, Burnaby BC)
Elevate Ultimate provides high-quality Ultimate Frisbee programs for kids aged 6-19. Their aim is to develop skills and values that transcend the field, such as sportspersonship, personal accountability, and open-mindedness while also training young people on technical ultinate frisbee expertise!
@elevate.ultimate
Founders: Daphny Budaz (22, Edmonton AB) and Connor Hastey-Palindat (25, Edmonton AB)
Financiio is a financial literacy initiative targeting youth in high school and university, teaching them the important links between financial literacy, mental health, and employability.
@financiio
JN Cards
Founder: Jason Neitsch (21, Edmonton AB)
At JN Cards, we buy and sell Pokémon cards and codes.
Founders: Karen Lee (28, Burnaby BC) and Tanya Lee (30, Burnaby BC)
Feeling daunted in the workplace is a feeling that we can all relate to, and entrepreneurs Tanya and Karen were no different. Before starting LEZÉ the Label, the pair leveraged their wardrobe to combat self-doubt - but found that most dress pants they owned were neither versatile or comfortable. With a fond affinity for loungewear, the two became inspired to create a functional and fashionable pair of pants beyond one purpose. The goal is to create clothing that embody all types of activities and environments experienced by today's modern working women.
@lezethelabel
Founders: Karen Lee (28, Burnaby BC) and Tanya Lee (30, Burnaby BC)
LISN is a cross-platform mobile application that lets users and creators clip podcasts into short segments to make them more discoverable, consumable, and monetizable.
@lisnclips
Founders: Montgomery Ngan (21, Philadelphia PA)
LISN is a cross-platform mobile application that lets users and creators clip podcasts into short segments to make them more discoverable, consumable, and monetizable.
Founder: Melody Lim (23, Vancouver BC)
Mala the Brand is a hand-poured soy candle company focused on creating uniquely scented candles that are eco-friendly and sustainable, without sacrificing quality or aesthetics! As a social enterprise they are committed to being as earth-friendly as possible, which is why with every purchase, their partner plants a tree in North America.
@malathebrand
Meegoz
Founders: Carter White (21, Victoria BC) and Jacob Macauley (21, Victoria BC)
Meegoz is a location-based social media platform based that empowers young people to discover their passions and meet their people though attending hyper-local events of all kinds.
Founder: Annie Lo (22, Richmond BC)
MiTravel is a passion project looking to become the sole all-in-one travel planning and management software for everyone. Users of the mobile/web-application will be able to keep all of their travel information in one simplified, personalized platform that is shareable and collaborative for them and their friends to work together when planning a trip.
@mitravelapp
Founders: Seng Chiat Haw (22, Montreal QC), Michael Di Genova (25, Montreal QC) and Matthew Basmadjian (22, Montreal QC)
Neverguess is the 1st AI powered question management system that helps professors create, select, format, and grade their student's university exams in an effecient and data-driven way.
Founder: Evgeny Saveliev (24, Calgary AB)
Okeh is an online appointment software system that is composed of a management platform, widget, and marketplace. Okeh’s goal is to empower small business owners to grow their business through effectively managing their own operations.
@okeh.ca
Founder: Taylor Paulite (23, Toronto ON)
A unified collective that's defining beauty on their own terms. Peau’s focus is on creating connections between a community of real diverse beauty consumers where users can connect with others based on their compatibility of their features. Diversity in the beauty industry powered by Peau!
@ourpeau
Founder: Shrey Gupta (22, Winnipeg MB)
Prommoto allows businesses to advertise through vehicle wraps on the car’s of various drivers working for different ride sharing platform vehicles. Think advertising on a bus, but instead it’s on an Uber or Lyft!
@prommoto
Founder: Selina Ho (25, Port Moody BC)
Recloseted is a consulting agency that helps small business owners launch and scale sustainable fashion brands.
@recloseted
Founders: Carrie Lai (24, Vancouver BC) and Derek Ho (29, Vancouver BC)
Reusable Bubble Tea Cups is aimed to create a solution for plastic waste. These reusable cups are sold direct-to-consumers, wholesale to retailers, and to students for fundraising purposes
@reusablebbtcup
Founder: Harrison Lee (24, Toronto ON)
Riff puts a music label online. They’re building a robo-adviser that provides custom growth plans to musicians, connects them with relevant industry contacts, and gives access to a platform to organize and grow their career.
@use_riff
Founders: Karan Ballal (23, Toronto ON) and Julian DiVito (23, Vaughan ON)
Slightly uses exposure therapy and other techniques from cognitive behavioural therapy delivered through the medium of virtual reality to help anyone dealing with social anxiety overcome their fears.
@use_riff
