Winnipeg is a thriving Canadian tech hub and home to powerhouses like InTouchCX, Payworks and SkipTheDishes, which are paving the way for the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators. With a collaborative industry environment, competitive business costs and low-cost renewable energy, our city is ideal for starting and growing a tech company.
These five up-and-coming companies all have different insights on what makes Winnipeg’s tech ecosystem special, but they agreed on one thing: the community here is incredible. Read on to learn more about these five startups.
1. Plannin
In response to the explosion of the creator economy, former Priceline executives Andrew Loewen and Randy Schartner created Plannin, a global travel booking site where content creators help travellers plan their trips.
“Winnipeg is very well positioned for technology jobs. We are in a central time zone, and compared to most markets, we have affordable living costs and office space,” said Loewen and Schartner. “More large companies are seeing this and starting to hire or open divisions here.”
While this isn’t Loewen and Schartner’s first time scaling a tech company in Winnipeg, they said they continue to find good talent and opportunities in this market.
Book the best hotels and experiences recommended by travel creators on Plannin.
2. Click Maint
Click Maint (short for maintenance) is a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) that helps organizations manage work orders, schedule preventive maintenance, track assets and generate reports through an intuitive interface. Randall Burrell believed in Click Maint’s potential so much that he came out of retirement to be CEO. Burrell said Winnipeg has a strong startup culture and is a great place to be in tech, thanks to our mix of talent and resources such as the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) and the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax incentives.
“The private and public sectors work together to help grow this industry. There are a lot of organizations guiding small startups to get funding. Business leaders are also eager to make connections and help new start-ups grow,” said Burrell. “Our tech environment is further supported by a strong network of local investors. Our educational institutions are also very active in promoting co-op work opportunities.”
Streamline your operation and cut costs with Click Maint maintenance management software.
3. U-Pro Soccer
The U-Pro Soccer platform uses AI to give kids affordable access to a world-class soccer academy in the comfort of their living rooms. John Barbosa has 15 years of experience in IT and engineering and participated in North Forge’s Founder Program to develop and validate the concept for U-Pro Soccer. Barbosa moved from Brazil to Winnipeg in 2017, and said the friendly community, institutional support and attractive cost of living create the perfect setup for startups.
“You have all the basics to thrive in tech and develop your business here. You have the right universities, the right people and the right environment with government support as well,” said Barbosa.
With the U-Pro Soccer training mat and mobile app, young players can practice soccer skills and techniques and receive friendly form feedback.
4. ConstructionClock
David Peters leveraged his background in construction to create ConstructionClock, a subscription-based platform that automates time tracking for construction crews. Peters came to Winnipeg from southern Manitoba and said Winnipeg’s two accelerators, North Forge Technology Exchange and Manitoba Technology Accelerator, really helped him in the beginning.
“I also found early on that there's a ton of talent here. It was easy for us to find really good people because U of M, RRC Polytech and MITT all have strong IT programs pumping out awesome talent here.”
Peters highlighted that the biggest advantage of being in Winnipeg is the cost savings.
“We charge in U.S. dollars and pay wages in Canadian dollars, and we have the lowest payroll in Canada because Winnipeg is so affordable.”
Track when crews clock in and out of job sites using GPS, see where their time is being spent and spend less time on payroll with ConstructionClock.
5. FasTab
Fastab gives Canadians the simplest and fastest way to pay in restaurants. When Carson Keck co-founded FasTab three years ago, he said the tech scene in Winnipeg was growing, but now it’s booming.
“You have so much diversity and so many different people and companies that are solving some of the coolest problems in the world, all here in the heart of Winnipeg,” says Keck. “It's nice to have a community where somebody always knows the person you want to talk to. The introductions EDW has made for us have been massive. When we needed a new customer base, investors or things like that, the local community comes together to support you.”
With Fastab, customers can view restaurant menus, split and pay tabs and leave reviews from their phones—no apps, tablets or downloads required.
Learn more about Winnipeg’s thriving information and communication technologies (ICT) sector.
