YEY Awards 2023

Aanikh Kler co-founded Surf, a privacy-first browser extension that makes online data collection more transparent. Surf helps people understand and control how their data is used while giving organizations tools to build more responsible digital experiences.

Akshay Maharaj co-founded Aview International, a multimedia localization company helping creators translate, dub, and distribute content for audiences around the world. Its technology makes it easier for creators to reach new languages, markets, and revenue opportunities.

Ali Zaheer co-founded TransCrypts, a secure digital records platform that helps people store, share, and verify important documents. The company uses emerging technology to give users more ownership and portability over personal, professional, and medical records.

Anastasia Kiku co-founded Reusables.com to help campuses, offices, and food-service operators replace single-use packaging with trackable reusable containers. Its smart return system makes circular packaging programs easier for organizations and customers to use.

Arnav Mishra founded Dyne, a social dining platform that connects food lovers with local restaurants and each other. By turning restaurant discovery into a community experience, Dyne helps people find new places while giving local businesses a more direct way to reach engaged diners.

Arya Rashtchian co-founded Omnicart, a delivery operating system that gives smaller merchants access to on-demand delivery tools and integrations. The platform helps local businesses manage logistics, launch new revenue streams, and compete with larger operators.

Bronwyn Bridges co-founded PragmaClin to improve Parkinson’s care through more precise, accessible assessment tools. Its PRIMS platform uses digital monitoring to give patients and healthcare providers objective insights that can support more personalized treatment decisions.

Chloe Beaudoin co-founded Apricotton, a bra brand designed to make puberty and first-bra shopping more comfortable for teens. Its size-adaptive products are made to grow with customers while helping young people feel more confident through changing stages of development.

Diana Virgovicova founded Xatoms to develop new materials for cleaner water using artificial intelligence and quantum chemistry. The company discovers light-activated materials designed to remove contaminants and make effective water purification more accessible.

Edgar Brown co-founded Engyne, an all-in-one content marketing and SEO platform for startups. The company helps small teams plan, create, and scale organic content so they can build visibility and grow without a large in-house marketing department.

Erin Creegan-Dougherty founded Maskwa, a Métis-inspired food company rooted in sustainability, culture, and education. What began with freeze-dried backcountry meals grew into ready-to-serve food and catering that celebrate Métis traditions and Canadian-grown ingredients.

Harrison Gordon co-founded CouchHaus, a direct-to-consumer furniture company making customizable couches that ship in a box. The brand pairs flexible design with a more thoughtful delivery model and programs intended to reduce the environmental impact of furniture purchases.

Ishaan Kohli founded SkyAcres, an agtech company developing vertical farming systems that create ideal growing conditions in underused spaces. Its technology can produce fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs closer to the communities that need them.

Jessica Bosman co-founded Doubl to rethink traditional bra sizing through made-to-measure design. Customers use a private smartphone scan at home, allowing Doubl to create custom-fit bras without relying on conventional letters and numbers.

Josh Gray co-founded Artemis, a data infrastructure platform that helps growing organizations organize and use their information more effectively. The company placed particular focus on helping Indigenous communities and organizations maintain greater control over their own data.

Justin Tse founded Feature Media, a digital advertising agency that grew from the technology-focused YouTube channel he started as a teenager. The company combines content, audience insight, and digital campaigns to help brands tell stronger stories online.

Lauren DeSouza co-founded Ace, an AI-enabled interview coaching platform that helps job seekers prepare with mock interviews, exercises, and personalized feedback. The product gives candidates practical guidance on what to improve so they can enter interviews with greater confidence.

Lily Bond founded Spyce Girlz as a teenager, creating versatile, all-natural seasoning blends designed to make everyday cooking more flavourful. What began at local farmers’ markets grew into a retail food brand carried by stores across Ontario.

Luka Lamaj founded Docere, a virtual-care platform built to make communication between doctors and patients more accessible. Its tools bring scheduling, health information, visual body maps, and remote care into one experience while helping clinicians manage their own virtual practices.

Marissa Huggins co-founded Spontivly, a no-code data analytics platform that connects information from the tools teams already use. Its simple dashboards help organizations see what is working, understand their communities, and make better decisions without a dedicated data engineering team.

Maxwell Nicholson co-founded Blossom Social, a social investing platform designed to make the markets more approachable for new investors. The community lets people share portfolios, learn from one another, and build confidence through transparent conversations about investing.

Nadia Ladak co-founded Marlow, a menstrual wellness brand making period care more comfortable and easier to talk about. The company introduced a lubricant and organic tampon designed to be used together, while building an educational community around menstrual and sexual health.

Paige Sandher co-founded CouchHaus, a direct-to-consumer furniture company making customizable couches that ship in a box. The brand pairs flexible design with a more thoughtful delivery model and programs intended to reduce the environmental impact of furniture purchases.

Parker Kump founded Tuff Media to make experienced digital advertising support more accessible to small businesses. The agency focuses on affordable campaigns that help growing companies reach customers and get clearer returns from their marketing.

Pascal D. McCarthy founded Parados, a movement-analysis platform that uses artificial intelligence to understand both physical and cognitive performance. The technology helps athletes and practitioners identify the causes of movement challenges, improve performance, and reduce injury risk.

Pavi Dhiman created Monitor.PD to track the progression of Parkinson’s disease through simple daily tests completed on a smartphone. The platform is designed to give patients and clinicians a clearer longitudinal view between infrequent medical appointments.

Roman Lakhnyuk contributed to the early work behind Ukraine’s Kitchen, an Edmonton social enterprise creating authentic Ukrainian food while supporting newcomers rebuilding their lives in Canada. The initiative used food, employment, and community to preserve culture and create a sense of belonging.

Sang Lê co-founded Peko Produce to reduce food waste by delivering boxes of surplus and imperfect fruits and vegetables. The model helped divert good produce from landfills while giving customers a more affordable way to buy fresh food.

Tefari Bailey founded Hutsy to make financial tools more inclusive for people underserved by traditional banking. The fintech platform helps users understand cash flow, build credit, and access guidance designed to support more confident everyday financial decisions.

Vanessa Lo co-founded VanTech Medical to solve persistent challenges in patient care using artificial intelligence and immersive technology. Its smart-glasses concept helps healthcare providers identify usable veins more accurately, particularly for patients with difficult intravenous access.

Zach Laberge founded Frenter, an inventory and operations platform for companies that rent construction equipment. The software helps rental businesses track assets, streamline workflows, and modernize the systems behind heavy-equipment rentals.