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Here's what moves us.
Founders


Startup Lessons Learned: A Reflection on Building an Early-Stage Company
Dave, a recent addition to the North Forge Founders Program, is an agentic business platform for trades contractors. Of the nearly 4 million construction businesses in Canada and the US, most still run on fragmented apps and spreadsheets. Existing software records data but doesn't act on it. Dave models their operational flow and executes the work: estimates, invoices, payments, and project management. The more they use it, the more it automates. Just like a person would! Lik
Feb 12


Winnipeg Startup TAIV Lands on Forbes 30 Under 30 - Highlighting the Strength of North Forge’s Innovation Community
Winnipeg has earned a major moment on the global innovation stage. Local startup TAIV has been recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Marketing and Advertising, a milestone that reflects not only the founders’ achievements but the strength of Manitoba’s startup ecosystem powered by North Forge. For co founder Noah Palansky, the news arrived without warning. No shortlist. No heads up. Just his and co founder Jordan Davis’s names published on one of the world’s most inf
Dec 8, 2025


Outreach Genius: The Winnipeg Startup Building AI Call Answering Software for Home Service Businesses
From a Missed Call to a Big Idea For many founders, innovation starts with curiosity. For David Owasi , it began with frustration — the kind that built up, one missed phone call at a time. While earning his computer science degree at the University of Manitoba , Owasi ran a painting franchise to help pay tuition. He spent his days up on ladders, juggling customers, crews, and calls. Despite being busy, he couldn’t capitalize on all the opportunities coming his way. “Customers
Nov 10, 2025


Construction Clock’s David Peters on How to Start a Construction Tech Company in Canada
When David Peters was 16, his dad told him they were going to build a house together. Two years later, Peters realized he’d built much more than a home. He’d built the foundation for a career that would transform how thousands of construction crews around the world manage their time. “I basically thought, well, I know a lot of areas of construction, because I just built a house from start to finish,” Peters said. “So I jumped into the trades. I got a tax number and started a
Oct 25, 2025


How Aivida’s AI Healthcare Startup Is Giving Doctors More Time for What Matters Most
In healthcare, every minute matters — yet for many physicians, those precious minutes are often consumed by paperwork. That’s what Aivida , a Manitoba-based AI healthcare startup developing AI-driven healthcare solutions , set out to change. Their new product, Scribble , is an artificial intelligence scribe that streamlines clinical documentation so doctors can focus on patient care, not administrative tasks. “Physicians want to see more patients, but they don’t want to sacri
Oct 14, 2025


Robin Takes Flight: Winnipeg Founder Ben Myers' New AI Startup
Winnipeg AI startup Robin is transforming customer communication with a smart, text-based tool that delivers instant, personalized responses. Founded by entrepreneur Ben Myers and supported by North Forge, Robin uses artificial intelligence to help organizations streamline customer service, reduce repetitive inquiries, and free up staff time.
Sep 1, 2025


AI Soccer Training Platform Gets Local Lift
When John Barbosa founded U-Pro Soccer , he wasn’t trying to create the next Silicon Valley tech empire — he was a dad designing a better...
Aug 15, 2025


How Typha Co. Is Growing with Help from the Manitoba Small Business Tax Credit
By harvesting native cattails to fight nutrient pollution in Lake Winnipeg, Typha Co. not only helps the environment, but it also earns valuable tax credits for its innovative sustainability efforts.
Aug 7, 2025


Meet Cat Ferguson: Founder of Artified and Innovator in Sustainable Design
Cat Ferguson, founder of Artified and member of WiLab at North Forge, is transforming raw materials into bold, sustainable designs. Specializing in epoxy art and custom furniture, she combines creativity, innovation, and community to grow her brand and inspire other entrepreneurs.
Jul 23, 2025


Inside Manitoba’s Startup Ecosystem: The Surge Reshaping Our Economy
If you want to understand the future of Manitoba’s economy, don’t look at a skyscraper. Look in a basement. Look at the borrowed...
Jul 21, 2025


From idea to NATO: Winnipeg innovator brings inclusive safety gear to global stage
What started as a simple idea for better-fitting safety gear turned into a globally recognized innovation. Backed by North Forge, this Winnipeg entrepreneur is redefining inclusivity in personal protective equipment and catching the attention of NATO.
Jul 7, 2025


Moonlite Labs Brings Canadian AI to the World Stage
Adam Fainman, founder of Moonlite Labs, has gone from beatboxing on stage to building one of Canada’s top generative AI startups. Moonlite’s platform makes multimedia storytelling easy for everyone, earning recognition from TechCrunch and a showcase at VivaTech 2025.
Jun 23, 2025


QDoc: A Homegrown Health Tech Story on the Rise
Photo by MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Dr. Norm Silver and David Berkowits, co-founders of QDoc and alumni of North Forge programming, are...
Apr 23, 2025


The Hacker Who Chose the Light: Popp3r Cybersecurity
Before there was a business, there was a feeling — a need to do good. Hernan Popper, founder of Popp3r Cybersecurity, is dedicated to...
Apr 7, 2025


How Standard Carbon Is Protecting IP While Powering a Green Economy
There’s a green advantage in Manitoba that could change the way the world looks at emissions — but only if local innovators can protect...
Apr 3, 2025


Locking Down Carbon: A Manitoba Startup’s Climate Mission
A Manitoba-based startup is carving out a crucial role in carbon removal — one innovation at a time
Feb 1, 2025


Empowering Sexual Violence Survivors: How Mary Lobson's REES is Expanding Global Access to Anonymous Reporting
Sexual violence remains a pressing issue across the globe, and access to safe, anonymous reporting tools is crucial in addressing it. A recent article by the Winnipeg Free Press highlights the incredible work of Winnipeg entrepreneur and founder Mary Lobson and her platform, REES (Respect, Educate, Empower Survivors)
Jan 9, 2025


Tillwell Brings Eco-Friendly After-Death Care to Manitoba with Aquamation
North Forge founder Tillwell was recently featured in an article about their groundbreaking approach to after-death care known as aquamation
Jan 3, 2025


Canada Computing: Elevating IT Solutions with ElevateIP
As an Electronic Engineering Technology student at RRC Polytech, Mahmoud Alzaibaq co-founded Canada Computing with a vision: to make a diffe
Dec 20, 2024


Making Waves with ElevateIP
When Joel Weber , Founder and CEO of Lake Water Nutrient Capture , set out to tackle phosphorus pollution in Lake Winnipeg and beyond, he...
Dec 19, 2024
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