Top Stories from 2024 in Winnipeg Tech News 🌹
Fundraising turned around in the second half of the year, partnerships and product launches took off.
2024 was an interesting year in the Winnipeg Tech ecosystem. There were roses, buds, and thorns.
The biggest thorn was likely that Manitoba raised the least of any Province in Canada in the first half of the year. With only one venture deal reported to the CVCA, Manitoba’s collective tech companies raised less than $1M.
The second half of the year turned around in terms of fundraising. Here are the biggest roses and buds from 2024:
🚀 Fundraising
Flora Fertility, a service that helps you plan, predict, and pay for your future fertility, closed a $1.5M pre-seed round.
ConstructionClock successfully completed a $1M pre-seed raise with the goal to become the #1 app for construction teams.
Plannin, a platform that helps travelers discover and book trips, has raised money from Golden Ventures. The former Priceline execs are hoping to disrupt the $475B online travel market.
Tall Grass Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on AgTech, has announced that it has closed its inaugural fund with a total fund size of $32 million.
🤝 Partnerships
Conquest Planning, a financial planning software for wealth advisors landed deals with Raymond James Ltd., Manulife Wealth, and Desjardins.
Hoot Reading was selected as a partner in Stephen and Ayesha Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation's commitment to investing $25 million into kids’ literacy in Oakland Unified School District! Read the article here.
3Common has signed ticketing partnership contracts with with the Williamsburg Comedy Club in Brooklyn New York, the Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobain in Winnipeg, and more.
TheoryMesh is taking part in a new project funded by the Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network to measure greenhouse gas emissions for dairy producers.
🚀 Launches
Taiv has launched Atlanta, San Francisco, and San Diego. TAIV was also named one of Y Combinator's top computer vision startups for 2024.
QDoc, a virtual healthcare platform, has launched their iPhone App and secured a contract with the Manitoba Government to provide 25,000 visits with Nurse Practitioners. They also collected several accolades:
Won the Spirit of Winnipeg Award – Technology Section
Won a National CIO Award for their medical billing platform
Finalist in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Prairies
Hit 1800 Google Reviews with a 4.9/5.0 rating
Activate Games, an in-person gaming experience, is making the leap over the pond to the U.K.
Bobo has released their MVP – it's Canada's first baby super app.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew created an Innovation and New Technology department, and appointed Mike Moroz as the Minister of Innovation and New Technology.
📰 In other news
Confluent for Startups has launched their AI Accelerator Program, which helps early-stage AI startups leverage data streaming to fast-track growth, optimize development, and bring groundbreaking products to market quickly. Designed to empower early-stage AI companies with advanced real-time data use cases, this startup accelerator provides early access to Confluent’s latest AI tools and features along with one-on-one access to Confluent’s AI experts.
👩💻 Upcoming Events in Winnipeg
Our friends at Movement51 are hosting an Early-Stage Investing Bootcamp on January 22, 2025 at North Forge, Winnipeg! Spend a day learning from seasoned investors, exploring what it takes to evaluate and support high-potential startups, and building connections with a community of like-minded individuals.
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
📍 Location: North Forge, Winnipeg
💸 Cost: $99
RSVP here
Use code EARLY20 at checkout to enjoy 20% off your registration!
🥇 Nominations for the Manitoba Tech Awards are now Open
We’re thrilled to bring back the Manitoba Tech Awards, as part of MBTechWeek, for its second year. We’re thrilled to be presenting 8 awards to individuals and organizations. View categories and nominate your pick here.
Tech Thursday is thrilled to have partnered with North Forge on the awards.