From the left Gillian Gallant and Erica Rankin Co-founders of Doozi
Toronto-based startup Doozi is preparing to launch a new approach to local discovery, betting that short-form video from real users can replace ratings-driven and ad-heavy recommendation platforms.
Launching June 4th, Doozi is positioning itself as a video-first discovery app that connects travellers and locals with creators who showcase restaurants, cafes, attractions, and hidden gems based on lived experience rather than paid promotion or algorithmic ranking.
At its core, the platform lets users watch short videos from local creators, explore an interactive map of tagged places, and save personal collections of spots to visit. The company says each listing is tied directly to creator content, aiming to reduce uncertainty around what a place is actually like before someone arrives.
The founding team describes the product as a response to how fragmented and transactional local discovery has become.
“We met on an app five years ago, now we’re building one. We built Doozi to put real people & experiences first; no ads, no algorithms, just locals sharing what they love through video,” said Erica Rankin, co-founder of Doozi.
The startup is leaning heavily into creator-driven distribution from day one. Ahead of launch, Doozi has onboarded more than 400 content creators, including over 100 based in Toronto. The platform already hosts more than 30,000 videos and has tagged close to 4,000 Toronto businesses across its database.
Early traction also includes partnerships with local and travel-focused brands. The company says it is backed by Neo Financial, Airalo, and Stan, and is already working with Toronto businesses such as Trove, Othership, Jaybird, Gone Sailing Adventures, Toronto Heli Tours, and The Drake Hotel.
To mark its public debut, Doozi is hosting a creator activation event on June 4th at The Drake Hotel, bringing together 60 of Toronto’s top content creators for a live showcase of the platform.
The company is also pairing its launch with early experiential marketing campaigns. Its first campaign begins June 5th with Gone Sailing Adventures, featuring a yacht-based creator outing at golden hour with founders and local influencers.
Other participating local businesses, including Othership, Trove, Jaybird, and Toronto Heli Tours, are part of what the company describes as an early ecosystem of partners helping seed authentic content on the platform.
Doozi is entering a competitive space that includes traditional review platforms and newer social discovery tools, but its founders are betting that authenticity, rather than ratings or ads, will define the next wave of travel and local exploration apps.
