Canada needs entrepreneurship more than ever. It isn’t short on talent; it’s short on visibility. We need more full-time entrepreneurs, and we need to tell their stories louder and further than ever before.
The founders featured in Top Canadian Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2026 are proving what is possible when ambition meets execution. They are building technologies that power healthcare, sustainability, recruiting, travel, and more. These companies are designed not just for Canada, but for the world.
20. Dan Connerty, Founder, NTangible
Fresh off a widely talked-about TED-style talk at the University of Waterloo, Dan Connerty is tackling a problem most teams struggle to measure: mental performance under pressure.
Through NTangible, Connerty is building technology that quantifies how individuals and teams perform when stakes are highest. The platform helps athletes and organizations predict who will thrive in high-pressure moments bringing data and science to what has traditionally been gut instinct.
19. Sukhpal Saini, CEO Engyne
Relentlessly focused on building products that deliver immediate value, Sukhpal Saini is the founder of Engyne. This is an Applied AI company that builds tools to help creators & businesses tell their stories in a scalable manner. First launched product is carouselstudio.design. Saini previously won the Lovable Hackathon and attracted investment interest from will.i.am, signaling strong early validation for his product-first approach and creator-focused mindset.
18. Adam Gellert, Founder, Linkus Group
Adam Gellert has spent more than a decade trying to crack one of the hardest problems in business: hiring the right people. He founded Linkus Group in 2009 to help startups and SMBs hire top performers for niche, hard-to-fill roles. What started as a recruiting firm has evolved into a high-touch talent partner rooted in the belief that people are a company’s most valuable asset. Gellert is also known for sharing daily recruitment insights on LinkedIn, offering behind-the-scenes lessons from some of the best hires in the market.
17. Marc Racette, PulseFX
Marc Racette is helping businesses take control of international payments through PulseFX. The platform delivers fast, transparent, and cost-effective foreign exchange solutions, reducing hidden fees and improving rates for companies funding suppliers, paying international staff, or managing global receivables.
17. Mandeep Saini, Partner, BrightIron
Mandeep Saini helps growth-stage technology companies transform their finance and operations from tactical “scorekeeping” to strategic value creation. At BrightIron, he provides fractional CFO and advisory services, guiding companies like Swift Medical, Nymi, OMX, and Opslevel to optimize growth strategies, maximize enterprise value, and scale efficiently.
16. Maharram Mansimov, Co-Founder, ClaimGen
Maharram Mansimov has built his career around one mission: helping companies unlock non-dilutive funding for innovation. As the co-founder of ClaimGen, Mansimov is modernizing access to Canada’s SR&ED program. The platform automates much of the technical complexity behind claims: identifying eligible work, running interviews, collecting evidence, and preparing submissions with transparency and speed.
Across startups and traditional accounting firms, Mansimov has helped secure more than $40 million in funding across software, AI, manufacturing, life sciences, and food innovation.
15. Chris Ellefson, President Ollon
Chris Ellefson leads Ollon, a boutique software development agency focused on building custom solutions that help businesses scale. Known for combining technical expertise with strategic insight, Ollon works closely with clients to deliver software that solves complex problems efficiently and effectively. The agency’s approach emphasizes innovation, quality, and a partnership mindset, making it a go-to for startups and growth-stage companies looking to turn ideas into scalable products.
14. Ismail Moola, Founder, TimeSmart.AI
Healthcare innovator Ismail Moola is the visionary behind TimeSmart.AI, a platform focused on saving time, going paperless, improving contract compliance, and keeping organizations audit-ready.
With over 16 years of experience in B2B SaaS sales and business development, Moola has built a reputation for driving revenue growth and forming high-value partnerships. His blend of healthcare insight and enterprise sales execution positions TimeSmart.AI for continued growth in regulated industries.
13. Chris Hakim, CEO, WingBuddy
Chris Hakim leads WingBuddy, a fast-growing tour operator and online travel agency focused on hassle-free travel experiences. WingBuddy offers turnkey travel packages from freedom trips to organized tours and cruises designed to simplify booking for North American travelers. Behind the scenes, Hakim is also investing heavily in technology and operational systems to scale customer service while maintaining loyalty and efficiency.
12. John Lyotier, Co-Founder & CEO, TravelAI
John Lyotier is the co-founder and CEO of TravelAI, an UpNext Company applying AI to the global travel ecosystem. Through a network of interconnected brands, TravelAI connects high-intent travelers with the world’s largest travel websites and more than 10 million properties. Lyotier’s work sits at the intersection of AI, intent-driven marketing, and travel infrastructure.
11. Katherine Li, Co-Founder, PulseFX
Katherine Li is helping North American businesses manage foreign exchange risk with precision. As co-founder of PulseFX, Li leads the development of comprehensive hedging solutions, trade financing, and tailored payment strategies. Her leadership was recently recognized with a spot on on Female Founders to Watch, highlighting PulseFX’s growing influence in the fintech and FX space.
10. Carlos Meza, Founder, DreamStudio.ai
Carlos Meza works on the problems most consultants avoid. Rather than chasing topline growth alone, Meza helps founders build scalable go-to-market engines, operating systems, and accountability cultures. His work focuses on turning founder-driven hustle into predictable, repeatable revenue bridging growth, operations, and leadership execution.
9. Kayli Smith, Founder, Friendlier
Kayli Smith is rethinking how businesses approach packaging waste. Through Friendlier, Smith is helping companies transition from single-use packaging to reuse systems that boost efficiency, simplify operations, and track environmental impact while reducing waste and supporting the circular economy.
9. Jacqueline Hanton, Co-Founder & CRO, Friendlier
Jacqueline Hanton, co-founder and CRO at Friendlier, brings deep expertise in reusable packaging and circular economy systems. Her work empowers businesses to eliminate single-use packaging through turnkey reuse solutions bridging sustainability goals with operational practicality.
8. Mark Bania, Exited Founder
Mark Bania previously founded and led Contractor Compliance, scaling the company from zero to millions in revenue before a successful exit. Featured in a Canadian startup documentary film, Bania has openly shared lessons from humble beginnings and hard-earned challenges. His next chapter is closely watched within the ecosystem.
7. Khalil Khamis, CEO at Crafty Ramen
Khalil Khamis is reimagining a beloved classic with Crafty Ramen. The brand is redefining how North Americans experience ramen, combining innovation, convenience, and high-quality ingredients to elevate a traditional dish into a modern culinary experience. Crafty Ramen is more than food; it’s a tech-enabled approach to fast-casual dining, scaling flavors and experiences for a wider audience.
6. Adam Czach, CEO 409.ai
Adam Czach is leading 409.ai, a company using AI to determine the fair market value of startups in three days or less. By combining data-driven insights with advanced algorithms, 409.ai helps founders, investors, and stakeholders understand valuation quickly and accurately, making critical decisions faster and more confidently.
5. Viler Lika, Founder & CEO at SingleKey
Viler Lika is helping landlords and renters navigate the rental market with confidence through SingleKey. The platform provides industry-leading tenant screening and a rent guarantee program that protects landlords from tenant defaults. For renters, SingleKey co-signs leases as a guarantor and helps build credit history by reporting rent payments, making renting more accessible and secure for everyone.
5. Jacinta Grootjen, Founder, Demi
Jacinta Grootjen is the founder of Demi, an AI workplace partner built on more than 15 years of real-world HR leadership. Demi helps teams navigate people challenges faster and with greater confidence freeing up time for higher-impact work. Grootjen previously led HR teams at Tridel and Hudson’s Bay, bringing enterprise-grade experience into an AI-native product.
4. Mike Kim, Co-Founder & CEO, Mycroft
Mike Kim is the co-founder and CEO of Mycroft, an AI-native security and compliance platform designed to act as a personalized Security and Compliance Officer. Mycroft’s agents monitor GRC, cloud, application, and IT operations in real time. Kim led the company from ideation to a successful $3.5 million USD seed round, positioning Mycroft as a rising player in AI-driven security.
3. Nick Walter, Founder, Augmnt
Toronto-based founder Nick Walter previously built two companies in IT services and staff augmentation. His latest venture, Augmnt, is a SaaS platform designed to eliminate candidate fraud and connect employers with vetted, trustworthy talent addressing a growing pain point in modern hiring.
2. John Marzo, Co-Founder & CEO, airfairness
John Marzo is the co-founder and CEO of airfairness, a consumer-first platform helping travelers claim compensation for delayed and disrupted flights. Airfairness manages the entire claims process cutting through airline complexity to ensure customers receive what they’re owed. Marzo has scaled the company from idea with successful funding round and is now preparing for its next phase of growth heading into 2026.
After two years in development, they are launching their category-killing product: Sweep. Instead of filing one claim at a time and having to remember all of the flight info, passengers can use sweep to file every single claim for flights within the last 6 years in a matter of a few clicks in less than a minute. Users can can try out Sweep here.
1. Patrick W. Belliveau, CEO, Gambit Technologies
Patrick Belliveau is the CEO of Gambit Technologies, one of the fastest-growing companies in Waterloo. Gambit focuses on building AI-powered customer experiences that feel human, deploying AI personalities designed for real conversations, not scripts. Belliveau has played a central role in scaling the company and was recently featured in Canada’s first startup documentary film.
These founders are not just building companies; they are scaling globally and creating new opportunities for Canada and the world. Meet them in person at the FoundersCollab startup event and hear their stories firsthand.
