Building Alberta’s Future: Meet the Alberta Catalyzer Velocity Cohort 18 Startups
We’re thrilled to welcome 19 startups to Cohort 18 of the Alberta Catalyzer Velocity program. This latest group of founders is tackling challenges across a wide range of industries, including AI and data, logistics, edtech, consumer services, and more. Each founder brings a fresh perspective and bold ambition to transform their industry and strengthen Alberta’s innovation landscape.
Over 8 weeks, these founders will work closely with experienced coaches and mentors to refine their business models, strengthen go-to-market strategies, and prepare for the next stage of growth, whether that means securing investment, building traction, or entering new markets.
We invite you to join us on December 3 for the Alberta Catalyzer Velocity Showcase, where these founders will share their progress, pitch their startups, and connect with ecosystem partners, investors, and supporters. It’s a celebration of entrepreneurship and community, and a glimpse into the next wave of innovation coming out of Alberta.
Meet the Cohort 18 Startups
CoTravel
Founder: Kapil Bhalla
City: Calgary
CoTravel uses technology to connect drivers and passengers through a seamless ride-sharing app. With smart route matching, optimized pickups, secure payments, and real-time updates, it ensures safety and convenience. Automated fare calculations, driver payouts, and scheduling make it a reliable, scalable solution built on modern cloud-based frameworks.
DNA (Do Not Apply)
Founder: Tevi Legge
City: Lethbridge
DNA believes in finding the perfect fit— not just for an individual’s skills, but also for their values. DNA’s intelligent matching system connects professionals with companies that share their principles and appreciate their unique backgrounds, fostering fulfilling and long-lasting professional relationships.
Exiride
Founder: Arslan Arif
Location: Lethbridge
Exiride Inc. is a Canadian-born ride-hailing platform offering fast, reliable, and affordable transportation services through an easy-to-use mobile app. Built with safety and convenience in mind, Exiride connects riders with local drivers across Alberta and beyond.
LaundryWell
Founder: Akinwale Ajayi
City: Edmonton
LaundryWell leverages a tech-enabled platform to streamline on-demand commercial and residential laundry. Clients schedule pickups and deliveries via the app, while the system optimizes driver routes, tracks orders in real time, and manages partner laundromat capacity. The application integrates with organizations’ enterprise systems, enabling automated reporting, compliance tracking, cost analysis, and seamless billing.
LocaLoyalty
Founder: Abdirahman Omar
City: Calgary
LocaLoyalty is a Calgary-based RetailTech startup that helps local cafés and shops boost customer retention through a simple, cross-business digital rewards app. Using a single QR code and kiosk system, LocaLoyalty makes loyalty easy for customers while giving businesses valuable insights to grow sales.
Robin
Founder: Nick Rogers
City: Calgary
Robin is a no-code software that empowers event organizers with a phone number that automatically answers incoming SMS text messages and questions from event goers – the software is trained specifically on the event’s details and customized to use the appropriate brand tone/voice.
SpeakX AI
Founder: XingChao Wang
City: Calgary
SpeakX is the AI-powered language platform designed specifically for IELTS speaking test preparation.
Discloezy
Founder: Odiri Mike-Ifeta
City: Edmonton
Disclozey is the smarter way to manage financial disclosure. The platform seamlessly gathers financial disclosure documents from clients, structures them in an easy-to-navigate system, and enables efficient review through built-in tools — all within one secure, streamlined platform.
Draw A Fence
Founder: Tamara Aspeling
City: Drumheller
Draw A Fence is an online tool that makes generating CAD-quality fence and gate drawings as easy as filling in a form, with no CAD software or skills required.
HitchMail
Founder: Stefan Trischuk
City: Calgary
Hitchmail is a long-haul parcel shipping company that uses small cargo trailers pulled by gig economy drivers to move parcels across the country. The platform offers lower shipping costs, real-time GPS tracking, and automated label creation through OCR technology, while maintaining full control of the process from pickup to delivery.
Lavawall
Founder: Chris Nowell
City: Calgary
Lavawall levels up cybersecurity for managed IT service providers to win and retain clients while reducing support and insurance costs.
MOJISONS
Founder: David Orieji
City: Calgary
MOJISONS is a Calgary-based, AI-powered marketplace that connects Canadian heavy equipment sellers with international buyers, providing secure transactions, logistics, and fraud-free cross-border trade. The platform bridges trusted Canadian suppliers to high-demand global markets, driving affordable access to machinery and supporting infrastructure growth.
Simple French with Hems
Founder: Hems Joshi
City: Edmonton
Simple French with Hems is a fully developed SaaS platform—far beyond a single app—powered by five specialized AI agents and designed for both B2B and B2C markets. It delivers adaptive learning, automated quizzing, and detailed progress analytics, along with an AI-driven VR game for real-time pronunciation feedback in immersive, gamified scenarios. The platform supports licensing, multi-user management, and white-label options for partners, all built on scalable, secure cloud infrastructure.
SweetnFresh
Founder: Ray Taghavi
Location: Calgary
SweetnFresh provides a direct-to-door delivery service for baked goods, partnering with 42 bakeries and serving over 4,000 customers across Calgary and Edmonton through its three custom-built apps.
TAIKOHUB
Founder: David Ma
City: Edmonton
TaikoHub is developing the first ergonomic keyboard clinically validated to alleviate chronic wrist pain.
The Drive AI
Founder: Bigyan Karki
City: Edmonton
The Drive AI is an agentic workspace where all file operations, like creating, sharing, and organizing files, can be done by using natural language.
Weat Local Market
Founder: Cadziana Beyer
City: Plamondon
Weat Local Market app uses technology to support the hyperlocal economy by connecting consumers directly with nearby farmers and artisans through a free, user-friendly app. It streamlines ordering, pickup, and delivery using real-time data, geolocation, and secure payments. By removing middlemen, it ensures fresher products, fairer prices, and stronger local communities.
TankFull
Founder: Muhammad Mujtaba Ahmed
City: Calgary
TankFull is a subscription-based fuel delivery service for home users and fleets, offering preventive maintenance and tools that help fleet owners monitor vehicle usage and wear.
Velora Labs
Founder: Kevin Gordon
City: Calgary
Velora Labs uses its internal agentic AI framework, Velflow, which coordinates real-time user interactions and LLM-based workflow execution, to develop innovative SaaS applications for its customers.
About Alberta Catalyzer
Alberta Catalyzer is a merit based, pre-accelerator that provides company support, resources, and coaching to entrepreneurs to launch and grow their tech-enabled company, preparing them to advance to the scaleup and acceleration stages. Co-delivered by Platform Calgary and Edmonton Unlimited, Alberta Catalyzer supports startups and their founders at various stages of development.
Alberta Catalyzer is part of the Alberta Scaleup and Growth Accelerator Program, led by Alberta Innovates. The consortium, which also includes Jobs, Economy and Innovation, Edmonton Unlimited, the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund, and Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), allocated $35 million over three years to retain business accelerators. It's part of an overall government goal to help create 20,000 jobs and increase technology firm revenue to $5 billion by 2030.
Alberta Catalyzer is open to ALL entrepreneurs launching and growing a tech-enabled company in Alberta – which includes the development of a new solution, product, or process that has the potential to improve or advance the industry with commercial viability.