Calgary Unveils Top 10 Startups for Innovation Week 2025

Calgary has announced its selection of the Top 10 startups that will be featured during **Innovation Week 2025**, which runs from **November 3 to 6**. The list showcases a diverse range of innovative solutions addressing challenges in health care, accessibility, and various sectors reliant on technology. The startups will be highlighted at the **Launch Party** on **November 6**, marking the event’s 15th year at the **Platform Innovation Centre**.

This year’s cohort reflects significant advancements in several areas. Health care and accessibility are particularly prominent, with innovative tools aimed at supporting cardiovascular decisions, brain-computer interfaces facilitating communication for individuals with mobility challenges, and wheelchair seating systems designed to expedite delivery times from months to a single session.

Another key theme is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) across various industries. Startups are utilizing AI to enhance construction bidding processes, monitor industrial emissions without the need for expensive hardware, and streamline tutoring services by minimizing the time educators spend on lesson planning and grading.

Highlights of the Top 10 Startups

The **Top 10 startups** being showcased cover a wide array of sectors, each bringing unique solutions to the forefront:

1. **DAYY Photonics**: This company specializes in developing advanced light sources for critical industries including defence, semiconductors, and medical applications. Their reliable and high-performance devices are essential for sectors that require precise optical technologies.

2. **HazTrack**: HazTrack offers real-time monitoring solutions for industrial operations. Their **HazTracker** system automates tank and pump monitoring for oilfield chemical companies, allowing for quicker responses to potential issues and reducing costly downtime.

3. **PataBid**: This startup has created a software platform, **Quantify**, that uses AI to streamline the construction bidding process. By automating tasks such as takeoffs and cost estimates, PataBid aims to minimize errors and help contractors respond more swiftly to project opportunities.

4. **Possibility Neurotechnologies**: The company’s innovation allows individuals with physical disabilities to control devices using brain signals. Their application, **Think2Switch**, utilizes an EEG headset to convert thoughts into commands, enhancing accessibility for users without requiring movement or technical training.

5. **Symbiotic AI**: Focused on improving cardiovascular care, Symbiotic AI’s software combines medical research with AI to provide physicians and patients with actionable insights. By analyzing patient data, it helps clinicians make timely and informed decisions, ultimately improving treatment outcomes.

6. **Tarkka Manufacturing Solutions**: This company has developed a wheelchair seating system that reduces delivery times significantly, allowing for immediate adjustments to improve user comfort. Their innovative approach employs recyclable carbon fibre and a custom shaping process.

7. **Taste the City**: This startup offers digitally guided tasting routes for food enthusiasts, making local dining experiences more accessible. By simplifying reservations and bill-splitting, it encourages community engagement and supports local businesses.

8. **Tutred**: An education platform that enhances tutoring by automating lesson planning and grading using AI. This innovation not only saves time for tutors but also provides students with quicker access to educational support.

9. **VRCORE Education**: This company provides virtual reality field trips, allowing students to explore various environments, from the International Space Station to molecular structures, all from their classrooms. Such experiences expand access to hands-on learning without logistical constraints.

10. **VL Energy**: With a focus on cleaner industrial operations, VL Energy has developed software that monitors emissions through real-time data and machine learning. This digital approach aims to simplify compliance with environmental regulations while reducing costs associated with traditional monitoring hardware.

Calgary’s tech workforce has seen substantial growth, increasing by **61% since 2021** to reach **64,600 jobs**, representing **7.9%** of the local economy. According to **CBRE**, the city ranks **17th in North America** in its **2025 Scoring Tech Talent report**, while **Startup Genome** recognizes Calgary as one of the **top 50 emerging ecosystems** globally.

Digital Journal is proud to act as the official media partner for this year’s Innovation Week, celebrating the continuous growth and innovation within Calgary’s vibrant startup community.