Leaders from ZayZoon, Verano.AI, Toast recognized at 2024 Start Alberta Tech Awards

For the seventh year, Start Alberta spotlighted startup and venture capital leaders from across the province’s tech ecosystem at the 2024 Start Alberta Tech Awards.

 Since 2018, the awards have been given out across 11 categories, including women in tech, deals, service, and impact. This year’s awards, held at Studio Bell in Calgary, celebrated standout deals and fastest growing companies from this year, while also highlighting the province’s early-stage ventures.

The A100’s One to Watch award recognizes an early-stage company that is “most likely to succeed” by the Alberta tech community. It is chosen by A100 charter members. This year, Calgary-based Verano.AI won the coveted title.

Founded by president Clay Swerdelian and product manager Hugo Kiqumoto, Verano.AI develops artificial intelligence (AI)-powered compliance software for regulated industries. The company has inked partnerships with firms like Deloitte and ServiceNow, and recently completed the Creative Destruction Lab’s Rockies accelerator. Swerdelian, a five-time founder, was also granted the Most Promising Founder award by Start Alberta.

“Winning the A100 One to Watch award means that people are noticing what we’re doing,” Swerdelian said in a statement. “We’ve done a very good job in the last 12 to 14 months, trying to be anywhere and everywhere we can. We’re on a pretty quick trajectory.”

Scaleup of the Year, which goes to a later-stage company deemed to have a positive impact on the Alberta tech ecosystem, went to Calgary-based FinTech firm ZayZoon. The startup offers a platform that allows workers to receive a percentage of their wages before their employer’s weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly payday.

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In a statement, Start Alberta said the startup’s founders, CEO Darcy Tuer, president Tate Hackert, and CFO Jamie Ha, have made “significant contributions” to the local tech sector through both mentorship and speaking engagements. Tuer noted that the founders were inspired by this award’s previous winners, which include Benevity and Solium.

“They inspired us to take a risk,” Tuer said in a statement. “So by way of winning this award, we hope that we’re inspiring future entrepreneurs to do the same.”

Start Alberta’s Deal of the Year award goes to the company that raised the largest funding round between Oct. 1, 2023 and Sept. 30, 2024. That deal went to cleantech company ClearSky Global, which closed $168 million USD in June. ClearSky’s nine-figure funding round has since been topped by previous Start Alberta awardee Neo Financial, which this month closed $360 million CAD in Series D financing.

The Impact Award, reserved for the company that demonstrates their commitment to Environment, Social and Governance standards, went to Christa Hill, co-founder of coaching platform Tacit Edge. In a statement, Start Alberta said Hill takes “an active role in helping shape a more linear and inclusive pathway to product management careers for women and visible minorities.” 

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Jana Rieger, CEO and co-founder of medtech startup True Angle, won the Women in Tech award, which recognizes women’s entrepreneurial success. Rieger’s startup focuses on wearable solutions to enhance health and wellness through biofeedback technology. Its first product, which aims to support those living with swallowing disorders, has been implemented in over 50 clinics in the United States.

The Digital Talent Champion award, which recognizes companies or people that are developing the talent ecosystem, went to Toast’s co-founder and chief growth officer April Hicke and co-founder and CEO Marissa McNeelands. Toast offers a professional development platform that serves 1,500 women in the tech sector.

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Also at the award show, Pierre Lemire, CEO of Kent Imaging, was named Leader of the Year, while Jacques LaPointe, founding director of Metiquity Ventures, picked up Investor of the Year. Pierre Doyon, who runs the Venture Mentoring Service of Alberta, took home the VCAA’s Rod Charko Service Award.

Ha Nguyen, partner at McRock Capital and co-founder of recently launched Migr8, was named Ecosystem Supporter of the Year at the event. Nguyen launched Migrat8 to provide venture funding and resources to support immigrant entrepreneurs in the province’s tech sector.

“I wanted to create a system to welcome brilliant entrepreneurs from all over the world, making them feel valued and supported, just as I have felt since coming here,” Nguyen said. “In Alberta, diversity may not be the first thing people see, but it’s here and it’s powerful.”

Feature image courtesy Start Alberta via LinkedIn.