Immigrant entrepreneurs have played a significant role in the economic growth and success of Ontario, contributing to job creation, innovation, and diversity. Highlighted here are the stories of Seven inspiring immigrant entrepreneurs who have built successful businesses in Ontario, showcasing the diverse backgrounds, industries, and approaches that have led to their success.
- Anwar Sukkarie is the founder and CEO of Avenir Medical, a medical device company based in Ottawa. He came to Canada from Lebanon in 1983 and started his career in the medical device industry. In 2007, he founded Avenir Medical, which has developed innovative solutions for patient care and has been recognized for its impact on the healthcare industry.
- Amanda DoAmaral is the founder and CEO of Fiveable, an edtech startup that provides online courses and resources to high school students preparing for Advanced Placement exams. DoAmaral was incubated by TBDC in 2018 and has since raised over $8 million in funding for Fiveable. The platform has helped over a million students across the world to prepare for their exams and has been recognized as one of the most innovative edtech startups of 2021.
- Jennifer Menard is the co-founder and CEO of Vida Cannabis, a licensed producer of medical cannabis based in Ontario. Menard was incubated by TBDC in 2015 and has since built Vida Cannabis into one of the most successful cannabis companies in Canada, with a focus on sustainability and community engagement. Menard has been recognized for her leadership in the cannabis industry and her commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Braden Ream is the co-founder and CEO of Voiceflow, a platform that allows users to design and build voice apps for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant without any coding skills. Ream was incubated by TBDC in 2018 and has since raised over $14 million in funding for Voiceflow. The platform has been used by major brands and media companies to create voice-enabled experiences for their customers, and has been named one of the top voice app builders of 2021.
- Keith Loo is the co-founder and CEO of Altus Assessments, a company that provides assessments and admissions tools for health profession programs. Loo was incubated by TBDC in 2010 and has since built Altus Assessments into a leading provider of admissions tools for medical schools and other health profession programs. The company’s assessments have been used by over 150,000 applicants across North America and have been recognized for their innovative approach to evaluating candidates.
- Huda Idrees is the founder and CEO of Dot Health, a platform that allows users to access and manage their personal health records online. Idrees was incubated by TBDC in 2018 and has since raised over $14 million in funding for Dot Health. The platform has been used by thousands of Canadians to take control of their health information and has been recognized for its user-friendly design and commitment to privacy and security.
- Yash Kotak is the founder and CEO of Lumotune, a company that has developed a technology for creating transparent digital displays. Kotak was incubated by TBDC in 2014 and has since built Lumotune into a global leader in the display industry, with customers in over 30 countries. The technology has been used in advertising, retail, and transportation, and has been recognized for its innovative approach to display technology. In addition to being incubated by TBDC, Kotak was also a recipient of the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia award in 2018.