Lazaridis Institute’s ScaleUp Program accepts 10 of Canada’s fastest growing companies

Oct. 24, 2022
For Immediate Release

WATERLOO – The Lazaridis Institute for the Management of Technology Enterprises, part of the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University, has selected 10 of Canada’s highest-potential growth-stage companies for the eighth cohort of Lazaridis ScaleUp.

“Advances in digitization are giving consumers greater access to information about products and services, thus influencing their buying decisions and reducing the need for third-party interventions,” said Karen Tscherner, interim managing director of the Lazaridis Institute. “Add in increasingly powerful AI, and we’re seeing a profound impact on the tech startup ecosystem. It’s more exciting than ever to watch Canadian companies stepping up to create meaningful change.”

The Lazaridis Institute supports Canada’s entrepreneurial sector through research and programs focused on rapid growth and innovation. Every year, Lazaridis ScaleUp selects 10 companies to help accelerate their growth through access to a global network of experts for working sessions and mentorship, and inclusion in peer groups that span the country.

“Despite the economic downturn and the slowing of the venture capital market, our selection panel heard from an impressive variety of tech-enabled companies who are solving today’s problems in increasingly efficient and innovative ways,” Tscherner added. “We believe the 10 companies selected truly represent the way forward for our country.”

In the six years since the program began, ScaleUp companies have raised over $2 billion in funding and have created more than 4,000 jobs. These companies are a testament to the innovation, drive and global reach of Canadian tech.

The selected companies cover a range of sectors, including real estate investment, EV charging software, workplace management, mental health, agritech, life insurance, engineering design and more:

• Agency Analytics, Toronto
• Altrio, Toronto
• ChargeLab, Toronto
• CoLab, St. John’s
• Connect&Go, Montreal
• Fellow, Ottawa
• Fieldless Farms, Cornwall
• Headversity, Calgary
• PolicyMe, Toronto
• Uvaro, Kitchener

Lazaridis ScaleUp saw strong applications from B.C. through to the Maritimes. Despite ongoing economic challenges, innovative companies are thriving in large and small centres from coast to coast.

ScaleUp Cohort 8 launches in late October, with peer groups, mentoring and workshops led by some of the world’s most successful tech executives. Past workshop topics have included growth and valuation for Canadian scaleups, next-level product development, global marketing and growth SEO. Sponsors for Lazaridis ScaleUp include Borden Ladner Gervais and Boast AI.