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Apps, Featured, Start ups

Homebase Bets Big on Canadian Tech Talent

Leading hourly team management app invests in Canadian tech talent, doubling its local workforce (+104%) in the past year against a backdrop of volatility in the technology landscape. Company adds Canadian leaders to its Executive Office, including Chief Marketing Officer, Candy Lee, and Chief Technology Officer, Oliver Fisher, who together bring strategic expertise from Shopify, HelloFresh Canada and FreshBooks. Further strengthening product development capabilities, Homebase also welcomes VPs of Engineering Andrea Corey and Alamelu Radhakrishnan, bringing product development expertise from Freshbooks, Loblaw Digital and Shopify. Homebase also opened its first-ever Canadian outpost this month, with an 8,000 sq. ft. office located in downtown Toronto. TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Homebase, the all-in-one team management app that helps more than 100,000 local small businesses manage their hourly teams, makes big waves by investing in the Canadian technology industry. In the past year, the company has more than doubled its full-time workforce in Canada (+104%) and opened its first-ever office in downtown Toronto. Homebase has also supercharged its Executive Office with new, seasoned Canadian leadership, including Chief Marketing Officer, Candy Lee, and Chief Technology Officer, Oliver Fisher. Having held previous leadership roles at Shopify, HelloFresh Canada and Freshbooks, both Lee and Fisher bring deep expertise and strategic insight into growing and scaling big brand SaaS companies that serve small businesses and consumers. This investment is a strong signal of Homebase’s commitment to growth against the backdrop of an otherwise volatile technology sector. Beyond the Canadian team, the company has also grown headcount in the past year in the U.S. and beyond. Toronto is the newest Homebase office, joining other locations in San Francisco, Houston and Denver. “With our new leadership, Homebase is set firmly on a path to scale our business to new heights, and supercharge our product to help small business teams work better than ever. Our people make Homebase what it is and our growing Canadian team is critical to unlocking our potential to provide an unbeatable experience for local businesses,” said Homebase Founder & CEO, John Waldmann. Prior to joining Homebase, at HelloFresh Lee helped scale the subscription business multiple times over, nearly doubling revenue in her first year while securing a hard-fought market leadership position ahead of long-time competitors. Lee is committed to helping accelerate the trajectory of Homebase to empower the +100k small businesses on the app to make work easier. “Main Street businesses have traditionally been ignored by technology providers, so I’m thrilled to work with the team to rewrite the script and put great tech in the hands of unstoppable local businesses,” said Candy Lee, Homebase CMO. Furthermore, Fisher led international expansion efforts at Freshbooks and also helped grow Google’s Safebrowsing team in Montreal. As Director of Engineering at Shopify, Fisher also helped launch Shopify Capital to provide seamless liquidity to merchants based on their existing sales, impressively growing the business rapidly in about one year. “I’m incredibly excited to shape a lasting company that’s making an impact by driving small business growth,” said Oliver Fisher, Homebase CTO. “I’m focused on building a world-class engineering team that will enable us to develop features that serve customers faster and more efficiently. Establishing engineering talent in Canada is a key part of that strategy,” said Fisher. As growth and innovation remain core to Homebase’s mission, the company also welcomes two additional expert leaders with deep product development experience. Andrea Corey, with more than two decades of experience designing systems to scale at startups, including Freshbooks and Eloqua joins as VP of Engineering, Platform Engineering. Additionally, Alamelu Radhakrishnan, former Chief of Staff to Shopify CTO, rounds out the new leadership as VP of Engineering, Product Delivery. About Homebase:Great businesses are built on great teams. Great teams run on Homebase. Homebase makes work easier for 100,000+ small (but mighty) businesses with everything they need to build unstoppable hourly teams: employee scheduling, time clocks, payroll, team communication, hiring, onboarding, and compliance. Just don’t call us “Human Capital Management.” We’re an all-in-one team management app built for busiest businesses, so owners and employees can spend less time on bullsh*t and more time on what matters.To learn more, visit joinhomebase.com

Featured, IOT, Start ups

Equiton Expands and Opens New Downtown Toronto Location in the Financial District

TORONTO, Sept. 12, 2023 /CNW/ – Equiton, a Canadian private equity firm, expands with a new office in Toronto’s financial district, reaffirming its commitment to better serve its existing and prospective investors. Equiton’s Toronto office is at 333 Bay Street (CNW Group/Equiton) Equiton’s decision to establish a downtown Toronto location is a step forward in the firm’s growth trajectory. This decision, along with the head office in Burlington, highlights the real estate equity firm’s commitment to delivering exceptional investment solutions and cultivating strong relationships with investors and stakeholders within the financial community. The selection of Bay Street as Equiton’s secondary office location further underscores the dedication to these principles. “We are pleased to establish our footprint in the downtown Toronto financial district,” said Jason Roque, CEO of Equiton.” This strategic expansion is evidence of our dedication to serving our investors at the highest level. Being located in the key financial hub in the country allows us to connect even more with our current clients and extend our reach to potential partners interested in our investment solutions.” As Equiton continues to excel in offering investors access to a diversified range of real estate investment opportunities, its client-centric approach and track record of delivering steady and competitive returns have positioned it as a trusted partner within the investment landscape. The Toronto office is at 333 Bay Street and occupies a prime position at Bay and Adelaide. This location will be a central point for an experienced group of real estate investment experts. Covering a range of specialized areas, including Sales, Institutional and National Accounts, Acquisitions, Construction, and Development, these experts are well-prepared to offer professional advice and custom solutions to potential investors to maximize their investment opportunities. For further information about Equiton and our investment solutions, visit www.equiton.com About Equiton Proudly Canadian-owned and operated, Equiton is a leading private equity firm that delivers notable returns for investors. We believe in making private real estate investing accessible to all Canadians and providing easy access to all types of investment-grade real estate through our proven high-performing investment solutions. We offer true diversification, full transparency, and all the benefits of real estate investing without the difficulties of financing, tenant management, building maintenance or project management. SOURCE Equiton

Featured, Fintech, Start ups

Wealthsimple set to become first securities dealer to join Interac e-Transfer service

TORONTO, Sept. 27, 2023 /CNW/ – Wealthsimple, the financial services company on a mission to help Canadians achieve financial freedom, today announced it has secured provisional approval to join the Interac e-Transfer® service as a participant. Wealthsimple will become the first securities dealer to join the service. While the company currently offers Interac e-Transfer services for Canadians, becoming a participant will greatly expand those services, offering clients the same experience moving money as they would expect at a bank or credit union. An example of Wealthsimple’s managed investing product. (CNW Group/Wealthsimple) “For nearly 10 years, we’ve been breaking down barriers for our clients through simple, transparent financial products, earning the trust of millions of Canadians in the process,” said Michael Katchen, Wealthsimple CEO. “Joining the Interac e-Transfer service is both a milestone for the company, and also a sign of our commitment to being a leader in Canadian financial services.” Wealthsimple facilitates millions of transactions each month into and out of its platform, and between its products. As a member of Payments Canada, Wealthsimple recently secured approval for a settlement account with the Bank of Canada, granting it direct access to the pending Real-Time-Rail payment system. “Canadians used the Interac e-Transfer service to complete over a billion transactions in 2022. By broadening access to an expanded category of financial institutions, Interac is focused on enabling Canadian consumers and businesses to transact with confidence and leverage new innovative service offerings,” said Jeremy Wilmot, President & CEO at Interac. “I’m thrilled that Wealthsimple is set to join over 280 financial institutions in allowing customers to send, request and receive money between accounts using the Interac e-Transfer service.” Participation in the Interac e-Transfer service will unlock the potential for product innovation, an area where Wealthsimple has repeatedly proven itself. The company was the first to offer commission-free trading of stocks and ETFs; fractional shares of US and Canadian securities; regulated cryptocurrency trading and staking; a Shariah-compliant ETF; private investing opportunities for retail investors, eligibility for up to $300,000 in CDIC deposit insurance; and more. Wealthsimple serves more than three million Canadians and holds over $20 billion in assets. Its easy-to-use platform provides access to managed investing, self-directed trading, cryptocurrency, spending, saving, and tax filing services. Wealthsimple’s straightforward, educational approach to finance has led one-in-five Canadians under the age of 40 to trust Wealthsimple with their money. SOURCE Wealthsimple

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