C100 Opens Applications for Canada’s Leading Early & Growth Stage Programs Supporting Tech Entrepreneurs

May 1, 2025, San Francisco, CA – C100 has opened applications for its flagship Fellows and Growth programs, the leading development platforms for Canadian tech entrepreneurs and leadership teams building global category-leading companies.

Backed by a track record of alumni companies outperforming startup success by nearly 10x, C100’s programs provide world-class support at critical inflection points and give Canada’s highest-potential tech leaders the network, expertise, and insights to scale smarter, faster, and farther.

As Canada’s innovation economy evolves, C100’s mission to help founders and entrepreneurs build and scale global businesses is more urgent than ever. Global success demands bold thinking, deep networks, and long-term conviction. C100’s Fellows and Growth programs are designed to provide that.

“Canada’s economic future depends on a strong tech economy and bold tech entrepreneurs who aren’t afraid to think bigger, scale faster, and compete globally,” said Michael Buhr, Executive Director of C100. “C100 exists to help Canadian founders and entrepreneurs tilt the odds in their favour by giving them access to the world-class expert network, capital, knowledge, and comprehensive support they need to scale.”

Proven Impact: C100 Alumni Outperform Industry Benchmarks

Since 2010, companies that have completed C100 programs have created over 23,000 jobs and reached cumulative valuations exceeding $26.6B.

C100’s programs have consistently helped Canadian companies outperform typical startup success rates by 5x to 10x:

Growth Program: Among the 94 companies that have completed C100’s Growth program (and the prior Lazaridis ScaleUp program), nearly 99% are thriving or have achieved a successful exit, surpassing the industry average of just 10% survival beyond Series A/B.
- Over 40% have raised a Series B round or beyond.
- 13.8% (13 companies) have been acquired by firms such as Apple, Autodesk, and Instacart.
- Growth Program alumni have collectively raised over $1.75 billion since joining the program.
Fellows Program: Among the 403 companies that completed the program, nearly 90% are active or have been successfully acquired, far exceeding the typical 10% startup success rate.
- 140 Fellows companies have since raised Series A or beyond.
- 26% have been acquired, and two have gone public.
- After joining the program, Fellows Program alumni have collectively raised over $11.5B to date.

About the Programs

Growth: Tailored for scaling-stage leaders—founders, CEOs, and executive teams—who are growing beyond Series A, with $10M+ in revenue and 50% YOY growth, and facing the complex challenges of building global category leaders. Growth focuses on scaling smarter, faster, and with stronger foundations.
Fellows: Designed for early-stage founders who have raised early angel or seed capital or are generating meaningful early revenue. The program supports entrepreneurs at a critical inflection point by connecting them with seasoned operators, investors, and peers who have scaled companies before.

Both programs offer extensive, curated, 12-month cohort-based experiences led by C100’s global network of accomplished operators and investors, many with deep Silicon Valley experience. They are built for leaders serious about achieving global scale.

Applications Now Open

Applications for the Fellows and Growth Programs are open now. Founders, CEOs, and executives of Canadian-led and based tech companies are encouraged to apply to join a proven “been there, done that” powerful network committed to helping build Canada’s next generation of global companies.

To learn more and apply, visit: www.thec100.org

Contact

Marie Cook

VP Marketing, PR & Communications

mcook@thec100.org

About C100

C100 is the leading global tech expert network supporting Canada’s most ambitious tech entrepreneurs and leaders. Founded in 2009, C100’s mission is to help Canadian-led and based technology companies scale globally by providing access to world-class operators, seasoned investors, and veteran executives with deep expertise in building category-defining businesses.

Through its Fellows and Growth Programs, C100 helps early-stage founders and growth-stage leadership teams dramatically tilt the odds of success in their favour. Companies that have completed C100 programs outperform typical venture-backed success rates by nearly 10x and have collectively raised over $13.2B in venture funding, created more than 23,000 jobs, and reached cumulative valuations exceeding $26.6B.

C100’s membership includes over 400 experienced founders, CEOs, executives, and investors dedicated to advancing Canadian innovation globally.

Changing the Odds: How C100 Programs Are Fueling Canada’s Next Global Tech Leaders

In the world of startups, the odds are stacked against you. Most startups don’t even make it to their 5th birthday before they fail.

Less than one out of 10 early-stage companies go on to scale significantly. Fewer than 5% ever raise a Series B or beyond.

It’s a different story for companies that have participated in C100’s startup development programs. A story not only of surviving, but thriving.

Our Results: 5–10x Better Than Industry Norms

Since launching our Fellows and Growth programs, over 500 C100-supported companies have dramatically outperformed industry success benchmarks:

Nearly 90% of Fellows alumni are thriving or have successfully exited, compared to ~10% industry survival.
99% of Growth alumni are still operating or have exited successfully — almost 10x the industry average for scale-stage companies.
Over 40% of Growth companies have raised Series B, C, D, and beyond, a level fewer than 5% of startups typically reach.
Fellows companies are 5x more likely to raise venture capital and 3x more likely to be acquired than the average startup in Canada.
Fellows and Growth alumni have raised over $13.2B in venture funding and created over 23,000 jobs.

These aren’t just numbers. They’re proof that with the right support at the right time, Canadian tech companies can compete—and win—globally.

Mike Wessinger, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman at PointClickCare, runs a Leadership Workshop for the 2024 Growth Cohort.

What Sets C100 Programming Apart

Success at scale isn’t an accident, and at C100, it’s never left to chance. Our Fellows and Growth programs are built on an unmatched combination of high-touch expertise, world-class mentorship, and peer connections that founders and leadership teams can’t find anywhere else.

Here’s what makes the difference:

World-Class In-Person Workshops

Every session is designed to tackle the real-world challenges of scaling a company, whether it’s navigating a Series fundraise, evolving your go-to-market strategy, or scaling your executive team. Founders and leaders walk away with frameworks, strategies, and actionable insights they can apply immediately.

Expert “Been There Done That” Mentorship

At the heart of C100’s success is our exceptional network of mentors: seasoned builders and operators who have scaled companies to $10M+, $100M+, $1B+ and beyond.

Our mentors bring deep experience from the world’s most influential companies, including Adobe, Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, Shopify, and more. They aren’t consultants or theorists—they are the people who have been in the trenches, built category leaders, and know what it takes to win on the global stage.

This level of mentorship is rare, and it’s what changes the trajectory for C100-supported companies.

Exclusive Peer Networks

In addition to mentorship, Fellows and Growth participants connect through curated, role-specific forums. These groups serve as trusted advisory boards, providing founders, CEOs, and executives with invaluable real-time support, experience-sharing, and candid guidance from peers on the same path.

Silicon Valley investors Joanna Lee Shevelenko (Co-Founder and GP, f7 Ventures and Perplexity Fund), Zeya Yang (Partner, IVP, ex-Andreesen Horowitz), and Alex Kolicich (Founding Partner, 8VC) speak to Fellows at 48Hrs in the Valley.

Strategic Access to the C100 Network

Participants also tap into a curated global network of top-tier investors, senior executives, and strategic partners. Whether securing a key customer, finding the right late-stage funding partner, or recruiting executive talent, C100 opens doors that accelerate momentum and open up new possibilities for scale.

The Companies Proving It’s Possible

C100’s impact isn’t theoretical. It’s visible in the real companies reshaping industries and scaling beyond Canada’s borders:

Ada (Fellows 2017) has become a global leader in AI-powered customer experience, achieving unicorn status with a $1.2 billion valuation. (as of 2021)
ApplyBoard (Fellows 2017) has grown into one of Canada’s largest edtech success stories, helping thousands of international students access education opportunities globally.
Jane App (Fellows 2020 and ScaleUp 2018) has scaled sustainably to surpass $100 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR), building a profitable, resilient business with minimal outside funding.
StackAdapt (ScaleUp 2016) is a global leader in programmatic advertising, having grown from a startup to a global powerhouse with a $2 billion+ valuation (as of 2025).
Wealthsimple (Fellows 2015) disrupted the financial services sector and has become one of North America’s most recognized fintech brands, reaching a peak valuation of $5 billion (as of 2024).

These companies—and dozens more—represent a new generation of Canadian-led, globally competitive businesses. They show that with bold ambition, strategic support, and the right network, Canadian tech leaders can not only survive—they can define the future.

Why It Matters Now

The Canadian tech ecosystem has no shortage of talent or great ideas. What it needs is more success at scale—more companies that don’t just start strong but build enduring, global businesses.

That’s what C100 was built to do.

Through the Fellows and Growth programs, C100 is helping Canada’s top entrepreneurs and leadership teams overcome scaling bottlenecks, access critical capital and talent, and build globally dominant companies.

The numbers tell the story. The companies prove the impact. And this is just the beginning.

Applications for C100’s 2025 Fellows and Growth programs are now open. If you’re ready to change your odds—and your company’s trajectory—apply here.

Doubling Down on What Matters: Our First-ever Second 48Hrs

Two days might not seem like much, but in the right room, with the right people – everything can change.

That’s the essence of 48Hrs in the Valley, a cornerstone of the C100 Fellows Program. More than just an event, it’s a high-impact experience designed to give Canada’s most promising early-stage founders unfiltered access to Silicon Valley’s top founders, operators, and investors, all while strengthening the bonds within their cohort.

When we kicked off the Fellowship in September 2024 with the first 48Hrs, it was clear how transformative these connections could be. The experience immersed Fellows in the Valley’s ecosystem, introduced them to the C100 membership, and sparked relationships that have shaped their journeys.

But one touchpoint wasn’t enough.

That’s why, for the first time ever, we introduced a second 48Hrs in January with two clear intentions:

Deepen Fellows’ exposure to Silicon Valley’s network of mentors, investors, and seasoned operators. Access to the right people at the right time can change the trajectory of a company, and this was a chance to build on those relationships.
Create space for Fellows to reconnect as a cohort halfway through the program. Startups move fast, and challenges evolve. This was an opportunity for Fellows to share what’s changed, challenge assumptions, and learn from each other in a setting designed for honest, high-value conversations.

“I joined C100 Fellows for the chance to connect with amazing founders and accomplished mentors, and 48Hrs delivered beyond my expectations. The relationships I formed have helped me tackle our biggest challenges—there’s real power in having the right people in your corner.” — Rishard Rameez, Co-Founder & CEO of Zown

Speaker Sessions: Insights from Those Who’ve Done It

The event started with a fireside chat featuring Shuman Ghosemajumder, Co-Founder & CEO of Reken, who previously scaled Shape Security to a billion-dollar exit. Shuman shared candid insights on scaling in today’s market, when to double down vs. pivot, and what it truly means to build something that lasts. His conversation set the tone for the next two days – inspiring Fellows to ask tough questions, reflect on their own journeys, and think bigger.

The second day brought a series of high-impact talks from experienced leaders who have been in the trenches. Madeline Price, a two-time Olympian, drew powerful parallels between elite athletics and entrepreneurship, showing Fellows how to build mental resilience and high-performance habits. Henry Shi (Super.com) unpacked what it truly takes to sustain product-led growth—not merely achieving product-market fit but aligning the right product, audience, and distribution strategy to create long-term momentum.

Lara Cumberland (Pacaso), drawing from her own experience scaling companies, emphasized that growth alone isn’t enough—it has to be built on a foundation of operational clarity, structured decision-making, and alignment across teams to ensure a company doesn’t break as it scales. And Ed Ortega (Machine & Partners) walked Fellows through the art of crafting compelling investor narratives, offering practical tips on refining pitches and standing out in a competitive fundraising market.

While each session brought unique insights, the common thread across all speakers was clear: building a great company requires more than just execution—it demands the right mindset, strategy, and resilience to overcome challenges.

“Henry Shi’s talk was a game-changer. Hearing firsthand from a founder who’s scaled product-led growth to a global level underscored the caliber of experts we get to learn from at 48Hrs.” — Rezaul Hoque, Co-Founder & CTO of Endor Health

Breakout Sessions: Founder-Led, Member-Supported

Breakout sessions were where theory met reality. These conversations were led by Fellows themselves, designed to tackle the toughest challenges they were facing in real time.

Fundraising strategies, hiring decisions, go-to-market execution, and scaling pain points. Each table took on what mattered most, with C100 Members in the room as thought partners, offering their experience and insights and helping founders stress-test their thinking to refine strategies.

This format put founders in the driver’s seat, ensuring that every conversation was high-impact, deeply relevant, and immediately actionable.

“The breakout sessions were invaluable. Having time to dive deep with fellow founders and C100 Members in my field gave me fresh perspectives on everything from company holding structures to go-to-market tactics. The intentionality in pairing us together made all the difference.” — Ania Wysocka, Founder & CEO of Rootd

More Than an Event—A Community That Moves Companies Forward

Some of the most valuable moments at 48Hrs weren’t scheduled – they happened in the in-between moments. Over dinner, during coffee breaks, in late-night conversations at the hotel bar.

A first-time founder swapping notes with a serial entrepreneur. A casual chat turning into a game-changing introduction. A candid conversation with an investor that shifted the way a founder thought about their next raise.

48Hrs isn’t just about content—it’s about building a network that moves companies forward. By giving Fellows direct access to the right people at the right time, we’re shaping trajectories in ways no other programs can.

“The real magic happened in those unscripted moments—grabbing coffee, hanging out after sessions, and talking through our plans to scale. The itinerary created a great environment for honest, impactful conversations.” — Noah Palansky, Founder & CEO of Taiv

Know a founder who could benefit from an experience like this? Tell them about the C100 Fellowship. The right connections at the right time can change everything—and that’s exactly what 48Hrs is designed to do. Applications open soon for our 2025 program!

Scaling Sales and GTM: Lessons from C100’s Growth Workshop

Scaling a go-to-market (GTM) function requires more than just hiring sales reps and hoping for the best. It demands a strategic, data-driven approach, deep understanding of a clearly defined ideal customer profile (ICP), and commitment to continuous improvement.

In February 2024, C100 hosted a GTM-focused workshop as part of its Growth Program. Canada’s top scale-stage founders and executives gathered in Toronto to learn from some of the country’s best GTM experts. The sessions, led by Kyle Norton, Geoff Baum, George Kyriakis, April Dunford, James Yersh, Julie Bruk, Mark Bergen, and Alia Pirani, covered GTM efficiency, positioning, partnerships, revenue optimization, post-sales expansion, and scaling sales teams.

Here are some of the top takeaways from our expert speakers:

Data is Your GTM Cheat Code

Kyle Norton emphasized that data is the foundation of an efficient GTM strategy. Without it, sales teams waste time chasing unqualified leads. Amazingly, companies waste up to 40% of sales time on “customers” who aren’t going to buy. That’s no way to win in a competitive market. Kyle outlined key strategies to improve GTM efficiency:

Ensure top-of-the-funnel leads are highly qualified. That’s non-negotiable.
Sales reps shouldn’t be responsible for qualifying data—build structured systems instead.
Scoring your market matters—use data-driven models to prioritize deals with the highest likelihood to convert.
Leverage automation—scrapers, enrichment tools, and structured call data help improve accuracy.

When done right, good data eliminates inefficiencies, increases conversion rates, and drives predictable revenue growth.

Build a Repeatable GTM Playbook

Scaling from founder-led sales to a structured, repeatable sales process is one of the hardest transitions a startup makes. Geoff Baum shared how companies can navigate this shift:

Create a GTM playbook that maps out the buying stages from the customer’s perspective.
Reverse-engineer the sales process to understand what customers need at each stage AND be prepared to give them what they need at every step of their buying journey.
Train your team relentlessly—the best sales reps are made, not found.
Audit the use of playbooks—consistency is key to scaling success.

Without a scalable, repeatable and teachable go-to-market process, even the best products will struggle to scale. What’s more, the process of developing your GTM playbook is a great way to get your entire leadership team involved and aligned on your GTM and bigger company strategy.

Define Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and Stick to It

Mark Bergen emphasized that many sales teams fail because they haven’t nailed their ICP. Signs of a poorly defined ICP include:

Low conversion rates and extended sales cycles

Overreliance on discounting or special deals

High churn and poor Net Revenue Retention (NRR)

To fix this, companies must clearly document who their best-fit customers are and structure their sales and marketing efforts accordingly. A well-defined ICP ensures teams focus on high-value prospects instead of wasting time on unlikely buyers.

Positioning: The Foundation of GTM Success

April Dunford stressed that poor positioning is one of the biggest barriers to scaling a GTM motion. Companies often struggle because they:

Fail to differentiate from competitors

Don’t clearly articulate their unique value

Position themselves in the wrong market category

April’s advice? Start by identifying what customers would use if your product didn’t exist, then define what makes your solution unique, valuable, and relevant to your target audience. Strong positioning helps provide customers the context they need to evaluate your product and provides the foundation for scalable growth.

Build Partnerships That Drive Leverage

George Kyriakis shared insights on strategic partnerships, emphasizing that not all partnerships are created equal. To maximize success:

Prioritize depth over breadth—fewer, high-value partnerships outperform scattered, low-impact deals.
Clearly define partner ICPs—just like with customers, alignment matters.
Ensure internal buy-in—a partnership strategy is only as strong as the internal support behind it.

Done right, partnerships unlock new channels, drive revenue, and expand market reach.

Optimize Revenue Through Recurring Impact

Alia Pirani shared the “bowtie funnel” approach to maximizing recurring revenue. The key insight? Revenue doesn’t stop at the sale—it also happens after the customer sees value. Expansion of current accounts, when done well, can deliver another critical revenue driver for companies and turbocharge growth.

Onboarding is the first impact moment—invest in it.
Retention depends on recurring impact—if customers continuously see value, they stay.
Customer success must speak the same language as sales—misalignment leads to churn.

A great GTM strategy extends beyond acquiring customers—it ensures they succeed long-term.

Scaling Requires Strong Revenue Operations

Julie Bruk emphasized that ops teams are critical to GTM success—they provide alignment, visibility, and efficiency. She outlined when and how to invest in revenue operations:

Early-stage startups (Seed–Series A) should focus on foundational processes.
Growth-stage companies (Series B–C) must scale automation and analytics.
Late-stage companies (IPO track) should build predictive modeling, advanced lead scoring, and cross-functional alignment.

Without proper ops investment, companies struggle with inconsistent data, process inefficiencies, and poor sales visibility.

Align Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success

At scale, the best-performing companies align all GTM functions—from sales and marketing to customer success. James Yersh highlighted that:

Sales cycles need clear KPIs—dissect the funnel to identify areas for improvement.
Onboarding is a revenue driver—treat it as an investment, not a cost center.
Data-driven decision-making is critical—track performance metrics, iterate, and refine.

A unified GTM approach ensures sustainable, long-term growth.

Scaling GTM the Right Way

The insights shared at C100’s GTM-focused workshop emphasized that efficient, scalable sales and marketing require structured processes, data-driven decision-making, and strong team alignment.

Founders can build a GTM engine that drives long-term success by optimizing ICP, refining positioning, leveraging partnerships, and investing in operations.

C100’s Growth Program continues to equip Canada’s top tech companies with the strategies, frameworks, and expert insights needed to scale successfully.

Want to learn more? Stay tuned for future workshops and insights from the Growth Program.

C100 ED Michael Buhr’s New Year’s Message for Members

Dear Friends-

Reflecting on my first year as Executive Director of C100, I’m incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made together. When I stepped into this role, I committed to delivering greater engagement opportunities for our members while also exploring additional ways for the C100 to make a greater impact on Canadian tech overall – and thanks to your support, we’ve made meaningful strides toward that promise.

Looking Back

This past year, we launched the C100 Growth Program, incorporating the best elements of the Lazaridis Scale-Up experience to support CEOs/executives/founders in scaling their companies beyond $100M USD in revenue. Our inaugural cohort includes 12 remarkable companies (adding to the previous 80+ Scale-Up Alumni) – four are alumni of the C100 Fellows program—proof of the learning and development value we’re creating for Canadian entrepreneurs.

We added the C100 Leaders’ Circle to our programming, bringing together 13 exceptional leaders from 10 award-winning $100M to $1B USD revenue companies, half of which are C100 program alumni. These leaders have all shared that while they may cross paths in public forums, this recurring peer gathering with simple agendas and Chatham House rules is the only space where they can connect deeply, honestly collaborate, and learn from one another.

We also invested more into our early-stage C100 Fellows Program, adding Mastermind classes in funding and storytelling, developing matched mentoring for each founder, and adding a second deeper dive 48Hrs in January. In its 15th year, 48Hrs and Fellows remain a cornerstone of C100’s brand, ethos and mission. This year’s largest-ever cohort represents a cumulative $100M+ USD in funding, with almost 40% of the companies founded by serial entrepreneurs.

Looking Ahead

The talent, ambition, and innovation underway across all of the companies in our 2024 programming cohorts gives me incredible confidence and pride in the future of and for Canadian entrepreneurs and Canadian tech. The success of these programs is built upon investments made by the C100 in programming and member connections across the last decade or so.

This past year, 18 of Deloitte’s Fast 50 companies—including four of the top five—and 30 of the Fast 500 are C100 program alumni. It’s clear: companies supported by C100 are deeply part of the foundation of Canada’s tech ecosystem.

However, there is more work to be done – our impact on Canadian founders, entrepreneurs, executives, and their companies must be broader and deeper to help create a self-sustaining Canadian tech ecosystem.

In 2025 we need to make meaningful progress toward our goal of propelling more than 100 Canadian technology companies past $100M and elevating at least 10 to surpass $1B in USD annual revenue by 2030. Our 2025 priorities are to ensure that every ambitious Canadian entrepreneur — whether a founder or CEO building a tech company in Canada — fully recognizes the unique and transformative value of engaging C100.

We want to inspire these entrepreneurs and executives to actively seek opportunities to participate in C100 programs, events, and socials or to benefit from the mentorship, coaching, and expertise offered by C100’s exceptional network of members and industry experts.

To capture attention, we must continue to flawlessly execute and improve our development programs for early, growth, and scale-stage Canadian company founders, CEOs and executives. 48Hrs/Fellows, Growth, and Leaders Circle must be the best programs for Canadian founders/entrepreneurs/executives.
In addition, we need to strengthen member engagement by creating opportunities for stronger interaction between our members, our program cohort founders and executives, and the top US and Canadian investors. Our Annual C100 Summit 2025 is one of those opportunities – it is a must and will be the milestone event for any C100 member, Canadian entrepreneur, executive, advisor, or investor. We have an epic line-up of speakers and attendees.
We ask for more than just Summit participation — we need you at our Socials to connect with our program companies (they love it), mentor our cohort company leaders (if you are interested, please let me know), share your thoughts and ideas on improving our programs and our membership, attend the Town Halls for updates and feedback, and engage in the new member database/Portal.

Let me close by saying thank you. There has been a lot of change this past year. Thank you for engaging, supporting, reaching out, attending, providing feedback, and being involved. We cannot do this without you – together, we’re making a difference.

I look forward to the year ahead.

Onwards!
Michael

PS—Please make sure you sign into the Member Portal. We will be adding more features this year. If you have not or have any problems, please contact Anna Drabovskaya (adrabovskaya@thec100.org).

48Hrs in the Valley

Central to the Fellows Program is our signature “48Hrs in the Valley” event. Held twice a year in Silicon Valley, this impactful gathering brings together our Fellows with C100’s membership of seasoned founders, experienced operators, and top-tier investors. Over two days, Fellows are immersed in a high-energy, intimate environment that fosters deep, authentic relationships with their peers and the broader C100 community.

In September 2024, we kicked off our first 48Hrs gathering with our largest cohort of Fellows, setting the stage for a year of growth, learning, and connection.

Feedback from the Fellows after the first 48Hrs event showed us how deeply this community resonated with them.

“It’s easy to underestimate the power of being surrounded by people who inspire you to push beyond your limits. Entrepreneurship can often feel isolating, but connecting with others who face similar challenges is a game-changer.” – Kayli Dale, CEO, Friendlier

Building a company is one of the most ambitious and, at times, loneliest journeys. At 48Hrs, we intentionally foster a space where founders can connect with others who share their struggles and triumphs, enabling them to draw strength from each other. These connections go beyond networking—they are about shared purpose and building lasting bonds.

Kicking Off the 2024 Fellows Program with Impact

At this initial gathering, our Fellows met not only each other but also a group of C100 mentors, members, and successful alumni. This first 48Hrs offered invaluable opportunities for Fellows to open up, ask questions, and be genuinely heard, setting the tone for what lies ahead.

The event started with Fellows-only time and a fireside chat with Mike Wessinger, co-founder and executive chairman of PointClickCare.

“The first evening included a fireside chat session and small groups to discuss what made us become founders. I knew I’d be building relationships with the co-fellows, but what I did not expect was the depth of it. I often hear: “It’s a lonely place at the top (referring to being a founder)”. I can tell you that I was not feeling alone at that moment.” – Annie Cyr, CEO, Tengiva

Informative Sessions with Experienced Leaders

48Hrs isn’t just about sharing challenges—it’s also about learning from leaders who have navigated the path to success.

A session on Storytelling by Edmundo Ortega guided the Fellows in restructuring their company pitches from logical statements into compelling narratives that will resonate emotionally with audiences, be it customers, investors, boards, media, etc.

The Leadership Panel, featuring Julie Currie, Tate Hackert, and Evan Macmillan, discussed how the best leaders grow and evolve with their businesses rather than reinvent themselves entirely.

Elissa Barrett, Henry Shi, and Lara Cumberland led a session that included insights into how to hire the right people at each critical stage of your business. Many leaders hire talent that may be too senior for what’s needed now; our panellists cautioned to hire for what you need.

“I’ll be honest—sometimes you attend programs and leave feeling unsure about what you gained from the time spent. But this was truly unlike any program I’ve ever experienced!” – Kaylee Lieffers, CEO, Blanka

Fundraising is central to any early-stage founder’s journey. The fundraising panel, led by Alex Kolicich, Joanna Lee Shevelenko, and Zeya Yang, provided Fellows with highly actionable and candid insights. Fellows appreciated the off-the-record nature of the discussion, which encouraged transparency and practical advice. The panellists focused on key fundraising strategies and navigating the nuances of relationship-building in the venture ecosystem.

“It was inspiring to connect with many talented Canadian Founders, each bringing their unique story and passion. It’s not every day that we get to dive deep into our challenges and learn so much from one another. A heartfelt thank you to the amazing speakers and business leaders who shared their wisdom and experiences.” – Sachin Bhalla, CMO, GoVeyance

In addition to the panels, breakout sessions included relevant and meaningful discussions with the Fellows. Each table grouped Fellows in similar industries with invited C100 members with expert experience to help guide them through their most pressing issues.

“Building a category-defining company takes more than just heart and grit—it takes a village to help you elevate to the next level, and the C100 community embodies that perfectly.” – Joel Nicholson, CEO, Youthfully

Looking Ahead: Building Momentum for January’s 48Hrs

As we wrapped up the first 48Hrs, the Fellows, mentors, and C100 team felt the momentum. We’ve seen the power of this program to transform not only the trajectory of individual founders but also to strengthen the Canadian tech ecosystem as a whole.

The energy from September’s event carries forward into the second 48Hrs, set for January 2025, where Fellows will reconnect, tackle new challenges, and continue learning from each other and our community of experts.

Unlocking Growth: The Power of Peer Groups for Scale-Up Leaders

Scaling a startup is an exhilarating journey filled with challenges, uncertainties, and pivotal decisions. For founders and executives, this path can often feel isolating, with unique hurdles that few outside the entrepreneurial sphere truly understand.

That’s why peer groups based on roles (e.g., Founder/CEO, CTO/Product, Sales/Marketing, and HR/Finance/Operations) are one of the key pillars of the C100 Growth program. They provide a transformative platform for support, development, and impactful connections among leaders.

Why C100 Growth Offers Peer Groups

Personal and Professional Growth

Through our extensive experience running scale-up programs, we’ve found that founders and executives can learn from the experiences and wisdom of peers who have navigated similar paths, accelerating professional and personal development. These groups help give scale-up leaders a way to avoid pitfalls and seize opportunities they might otherwise miss.

Sharing Best and Worst Practices

Founders and executives who actively participate in peer groups tell us that they can learn from collective successes and failures to make informed decisions. By openly discussing what has and hasn’t worked, members can refine their strategies and approaches and feel more confident in making better decisions quickly.

Networking Among Tech Entrepreneurs

Peer groups help their members expand circles with influential contacts who can open doors to new opportunities. The relationships formed in these groups often extend beyond the meetings, leading to collaborations, investments, and long-lasting professional connections.

Holistic Support

One of the things that peer group participants appreciate most is the opportunity to address not just business challenges but also personal and family dynamics that affect their ability to lead. These groups recognize that a leader’s personal life significantly impacts his or her professional performance, and by taking a more holistic approach, peer group members can improve their work-life balance and their personal and family relationships.

Real-World Perspectives: Peer Group Case Studies

The Entrepreneur’s Sanctuary

The Scale-Up Founder’s Network

The Sales Leader’s Collaborative

Peer groups are a cornerstone of the C100 Growth Program because they provide a unique blend of support, learning, and growth opportunities. The commitment of members is paramount to their success, fostering an environment of trust, continuity, and meaningful exchange.

For scale-up leaders looking to navigate the complexities of growth, we’ve learned that these groups are not just beneficial—they’re essential.

Driving Product Excellence: Key Insights from C100 Growth Program Product Workshop

Scaling a startup requires more than a great product. It demands a solid strategy, a deep understanding of customers, and alignment across teams.

Last month, C100 hosted a product-focused workshop for its C100 Growth Program companies in Palo Alto, California, where Canada’s leading scale-stage tech founders and executives gathered to learn from Silicon Valley experts. The workshop included sessions covering AI, product strategy, monetization, product management best practices, and customer-driven development. Speakers shared critical lessons to help founders and product leaders design and build products that drive meaningful value for their customers.

Ann Crady Weiss answering questions about the challenges of growing a company from 0 to over $100M in revenue in less than 8 years.

Here are the top workshop takeaways shared by our expert speakers Shomit Ghose, Ann Crady Weiss, Thomas Nielsen, Sachin Rekhi, Stef Hutka, Benji Shomair, and Dave Weiss:

Embrace the Age of AI and Transformative Technology

The workshop started with a discussion on the transformational impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on business. Transformers, the technology behind models like GPT, are driving innovation and reshaping entire industries by enabling a wide range of applications. This century will be known as the century of AI, and startups are encouraged to explore how AI can enhance their products and impact their markets. In today’s business landscape, understanding and leveraging AI is quickly becoming a necessity rather than an option.

Craft a Compelling Product and Monetization Strategy

Effective product strategies provide focus and help companies make decisions that support long-term success. Fast-growing companies shouldn’t try to innovate on all fronts. That’s a sure way to overextend your staff and risk running out of money. Instead, they should focus only on areas where innovation and uniqueness truly matter to their target customers.

Great products are necessary but not sufficient for a company’s ultimate success. Effective commercialization begins with understanding and growing the value products provide target customers. However, it also requires collaboration across teams, particularly between product and go-to-market (GTM) teams.

Avoid Common Pitfalls in Product Development

Five common “product traps” frequently hinder company growth:

The “Blue Button” Trap: Over-prioritizing specific customer requests may detract from the overall vision.
Deal-Driven Roadmap Trap: Altering the product roadmap based solely on new deals, leading to misalignment.
The “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once” Trap: Spreading resources too thin by trying to tackle multiple initiatives.
New Logos vs. Customer Retention Trap: Focusing too heavily on acquiring new customers instead of retaining current ones.
Cross-Functional Alignment Trap: Lacking a unified approach across teams, which can create silos and slow down decision-making.

A strong product mindset—defined by a commitment to creating meaningful customer value—is essential. By understanding the value products bring to customers, founders can avoid common pitfalls and keep their products aligned with company goals and customer needs.

Build a Customer-Centric Culture to Deepen Customer Understanding

Several speakers emphasized fostering a customer-centric culture to guide product development. Companies should try to build a deep understanding of their target customer needs based on gathering feedback with a clear purpose. Avoid the “garbage in, garbage out” trap by ensuring how and why your company is gathering customer intelligence. Developing a strong product means staying close to customers, identifying their needs, and maintaining team alignment.

Create Effective Processes and Foster Team Alignment

Scaling is not just about driving growth. It’s about fostering a culture where teams feel empowered to make decisions that align with the company’s mission. Frameworks for building high-performing teams highlighted the value of cross-functional alignment, a theme echoed by the speakers. By aligning product, GTM, and other critical functions, companies can create a unified culture that drives long-term success.

C100’s Growth product workshop sessions on AI, product and monetization strategies, customer understanding, and team alignment will provide founders and executives with the tools they need to drive product excellence. By aligning their teams, fostering a customer-focused culture, and building products that deliver value, C100 Growth Program companies will be better positioned to thrive in competitive markets and bring Canadian innovation to the global stage.

Scaling Up: Lessons from Canada’s Tech Titans

Scaling a startup into a successful, high-growth company is a journey filled with challenges, pitfalls, and invaluable lessons. Last month, we invited a group of Canada’s most accomplished tech founders and executives—including Mike Wessinger, Allen Lau, Sloan Gaon, Joanna Griffiths, Chris Bryson, Dan Park, Rebecca Kacaba, and Rohan Mahimker—to share their insights at a workshop for the new C100 Growth Program companies in Toronto.

Here are the key takeaways for founders and executives navigating the scaling process.

Hire for What You Need, Not What Looks Good on Paper

One of the most common mistakes growing companies make is hiring the wrong executives. Founders often focus on impressive resumes with big-name brands without delving into what candidates accomplished in their previous roles, and what role they played in driving that company’s success. Rohan Mahimker highlighted how his team initially fell into this trap, hiring based on pedigree rather than fit. The lesson? Scrutinize not just the company’s achievements but also how a candidate’s specific competencies and role in driving those achievements align with your company’s current objectives and stage of growth.

Evolve as a Leader

Scaling a company requires founders to evolve alongside their business. Chris Bryson detailed this progression:

Startup Phase: The founder is the driving force, deeply involved in every facet of the business.
Growth Phase: The “awkward teenage years” where the founder begins to delegate, albeit reluctantly, and introduces processes.
Scale-Up Phase: The founder becomes an evangelist and coach, empowering teams and distributing ownership among functional leaders.

Sloan Gaon echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that leaders must transition from working in the business to working on the business. This shift allows CEOs to focus on big-picture strategies like sales, profitability, and market expansion.

Maintain a High-Performance Culture

As companies expand, preserving the original high-performance culture becomes challenging. Mike Wessinger shared how his company lost its cultural essence amidst rapid growth and financial success. The realization prompted a deliberate effort to reorient the company back to its foundational values. Rebecca Kacaba discussed strategies she employed at Dealmaker to maintain a strong culture, stressing that culture and leadership are like products needing constant updates.

Joanna Griffiths highlighted the importance of fostering a culture of good listeners. Effective communication ensures that new team members assimilate seamlessly, keeping the company’s ethos intact.

The Power of Communication and Transparency

Transparent communication is vital for aligning teams and driving success. Sloan Gaon emphasized that when everyone knows exactly what they should be doing, the organization operates more efficiently. Open dialogues help in setting clear goals and expectations, which is crucial during periods of rapid growth.

Learn from Others to Avoid Common Pitfalls

A recurring theme among the speakers was the value of learning from others’ challenges to avoid costly missteps. In the current business environment, founders have the advantage of hindsight from previous growth cycles. By absorbing these lessons, they can approach scaling with a “position of sobriety,” instead of the frenzy of past hype cycles.

Dan Park illustrated this by sharing how he navigated his company through difficult periods by focusing on survival and stripping away non-essential activities. By turning off certain marketing programs, he could identify what truly contributed to the business, allowing for more strategic resource allocation.

Focus on Product-Market Fit and Agility

Allen Lau discussed the challenges his company faced in finding product-market fit and effective monetization strategies. The key was persistent iteration and refinement. Once they identified what worked, they doubled down on those strategies. This agile approach ensures that the company remains responsive to market needs and positions itself for sustainable growth.

Conclusion

Scaling a company is not just about increasing numbers; it’s about evolving leadership, maintaining culture, and strategic hiring. Founders must be willing to adapt their roles, foster transparent communication, and learn from the experiences of others. Culture and leadership require continuous effort to stay relevant and effective.

By internalizing these lessons from Canada’s tech titans, startup and scale-up founders can more effectively navigate the complexities of growth, avoid common pitfalls, and steer their companies toward long-term success.

Meet the 2024 C100 Fellows Cohort

Since its inception in 2010, the C100 Fellows Program has catalyzed a transformative shift in the Canadian tech landscape. It has nurtured over 325 founders whose ventures, such as Applyboard, Wealthsimple and Jane are now at the forefront of innovation.

The Fellows Program has been a driving force in the Canadian tech landscape, providing mentorship, Silicon Valley resources, and meaningful connections to over 325 founders. Augmented in its 15th year with deeper mentorship and a second 48Hrs, the program continues its tradition of identifying and supporting early-stage companies that showcase ingenuity, technological advancement, and a commitment to social impact.

This year’s cohort of 26 startups – the largest ever – is characterized by its diversity, spanning B2B SaaS, deep tech, health tech, fintech, legal tech, and beyond.

These founders, selected from a pool of hundreds of nominees, have the potential to shape the future of the Canadian tech ecosystem.

Let’s meet the cohort:

📍 Vancouver, BC‍

Ad Auris

Logan Underwood (CEO), Tina Haertel (COO)

Ad Auris is the Canva for audio generation – enabling marketing teams to automatically transform and distribute their written content into immersive audio experiences.

📍 Richmond Hill, ON

Agentnoon

Ali Nawab (CEO), Dave Kim (CTO)

Org design and workforce planning platform to drive organizational performance.

📍 Vancouver, BC

Blanka

Kaylee Lieffers (CEO), Adam Chuntz (CMO), Doug Long (CTO)

Our vision is to be the leading platform where anybody can build and scale a world-class brand.

📍 Toronto, ON

Bounce

Sean Monteiro (CEO)

Bounce is on a mission to simplify the way a generation connects and creates memories. Everything you need for every social interaction, in one place.

📍 Toronto, ON

Cascade

Michael Shum (CEO), Kyle Meade (COO)

Democratizing access to the private credit and asset-based finance markets.
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📍 Calgary, AB

CruxOCM

Vicki Knott (CEO), Roger Shirt (CTO)

CruxOCM was born to close the loop in heavy industrial control rooms to deliver tools to control room operators that have a meaningful impact on heavy industrial operations. Through its trademarked technology RIPA (robotic industrial process automation),

CruxOCM is future-proofing oil and gas control room operations to run efficiently and safely.
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📍 Toronto, ON

Cybrid

Avinash Chidambaram (CEO), Brent Carrara (CTO), Ali Irshad (Head of Revenue)

Cybrid enables the next generation of fintech that allows any user or business to pay anyone else anywhere in the world across fiat and crypto rails in a fully regulatory-compliant manner. Currently, payments are often deliberately chosen across multiple rails and are often not optimized for the user, or the merchant for speed or cost. Allows fintech partners to deliver rail-agnostic experiences optimized over the best delivery path, including using on-chain crypto transactions to deliver anywhere in the world.

Cybrid has built a platform for fintech to seamlessly orchestrate and build these experiences without complex integrations or the need for a compliance team to manage the product.
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📍 Toronto, ON

Endor Health

Eli Moore (CEO), Rezaul Hoque (CTO)

Endor Health is an integrated pharmacy and virtual care app for people living with diabetes. We’re on a mission to radically improve diabetes care for Canadians by simplifying an individual’s access to care, medication, medical devices, funding and healthcare data.
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📍 Guelph, ON

Friendlier

Kayli Dale (CEO), Jacqueline Hutchings (CRO)

Simplifying the world’s transition from single-use to reusable packaging.

‍📍 Delta, BC

GoVeyance

Jessie Vaid (CEO), Sachin Bhalla (CMO), Gavin Heer (CTO)

GoVeyance is a digital conveyancing solution that provides an unparalleled experience for legal professionals. With a focus on practical innovation and customer service, we understand the pain points and challenges that lawyers, notaries, and conveyancers face, and made it our mission to address them head-on.
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📍 Whitehorse, YN

Hyper

Ben Sanders (CEO), Damian McCabe (CPO)

Hyper automates 911 calls with voice A.I. to reduce wait times and save lives.

📍 Montreal, PQ

Kento Health

Max Leca (CEO), Mike Furino (COO)

Kento Health aims to revolutionize cardiac care worldwide, leveraging cutting-edge digital solutions to provide accessible, personalized treatment. Our vision is to eliminate barriers to cardiac rehabilitation, reduce heart disease mortality, and enhance the quality of life for millions by seamlessly integrating advanced technology into patient care.
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📍 Victoria, BC

MarineLabs

Scott Beatty (CEO)

A globally trusted enterprise maritime weather intelligence provider that improves safety and efficiency for ports while building climate resilience.

📍 Edmonton, AB

NiaHealth

Sameer Dhar (CEO), Mike Goss (COO), Saif Mahmud (CTO)

NiaHealth makes top-tier proactive health accessible.
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📍 Toronto, ON

Numr

Amitayu Basu (CEO), Samudra Gupta (CTO)

Numr’s mission is to transform customer experience management by leveraging AI-driven insights to predict customer behavior, enhancing satisfaction, and driving measurable financial outcomes for businesses.

📍 Windsor, ON

Optimotive

Scott Fairley (CEO)

Optimotive builds mobile robotic platforms that enable automation in extreme environments, such as construction, mining, and oil & gas.
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📍 Toronto, ON

Rhenti

Tomas Ronis (CEO), Erin Chan (CPO), Julio Fujimaki (CTO)

Rhenti streamlines marketing automation and leasing capabilities into one powerful platform. Built for residential rental owner-operators and property managers.

📍 Victoria, BC

Rootd

Ania Wysocka (CEO)

Rootd is “anxiety and panic attack relief in your pocket”. The award-winning, and scientifically-validated app blends stigma-breaking design, on-demand accessibility, and therapist-approved lessons and exercises (including a panic button, deep breathing, and more) – all alongside a caring blue monster companion – to help users during all stages of managing panic attacks and anxiety and provide relief from the debilitating effects of panic attacks and anxiety.
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📍 Kitchener, ON

Swap Robotics

Tim Litchi (CEO), Spencer Kschesinski, Mohamed Hassan Asurti, Adonis Mansour

Make outdoor work equipment sustainable through 100% electric robots.
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📍 Winnipeg, MB

Taiv

Noah Palansky (CEO), Avi Stoller (CSO), Jordan Davis (CTO)

Taiv makes screens in businesses more interesting and valuable for patrons, business owners, and advertisers. Our proprietary technology gives us atypically low CAC, high margin, and the ability to sell ads at premium locations that have never before been possible to monetize. We are building the most valuable out-of-home ad network to ever exist.
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📍 Saskatoon, SK

TeamLinkt

Jay Maharaj (CEO)

TeamLinkt’s mission is to make sports management easier and more efficient by providing teams and organizations with powerful AI-driven tools that automate communication, scheduling, and administrative tasks.
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📍 Montreal, PQ

Tengiva

Annie Cyr (CEO), Carlos Agudelo PhD (COO)

Tengiva offers comprehensive technology solutions for the textile industry. Crafted by industry professionals, our technology provides textile distribution, management, and procurement solutions.
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📍 Montreal, PQ

Ubenwa Health

Charles Onu (CEO), Samantha Latremouille (Clinical Lead), Innocent Udeogu (Engineering Lead)

Ubenwa is developing the first AI foundation model to detect and diagnose health conditions in kids through voice analysis.

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📍 Toronto, ON

Unified API

Roy Pereira (CEO), Alexey Adamsky (CTO)

Unified will be the 1-stop shop for all B2B SaaS APIs. We will be as successful as Twilio, Stripe and Okta.

📍 Calgary, AB

Youthfully

Joel Nicholson (CEO), Nader K (CTO)

Our mission is to scale personalized coaching in education, using AI and human expertise to replace the traditional classroom model and help students succeed in school and their careers.

📍 Toronto, ON

Zown

Rishard Rameez (CEO), Mak Pashang (CTO), Jake Guenther (Chief of Sales), Nabeel Rushdi (Chief Product Officer)

Zown bridges the gap between first-time home sellers and buyers, transforming the Canadian homeownership landscape for young individuals.

Congratulations to this year’s cohort – we look forward to our incredible journey ahead.
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And to those who applied but were not selected – please keep trying, we’d love to see you again for next year’s cohort!