Advice for TalentToronto Startups

Turn Your Passion Into a Full-Time Gig

By October 16, 2017 No Comments

If you’re like most people, you’re risk-averse. Humans are inherently that way – we attempt to minimize uncertainties. It’s risk-aversion that will cause people to sell a stock while it’s still on the rise, or take a job with a big company because of the stability it affords.

While risk-averse decisions were essential to survival in the Stone Age, the stakes aren’t as high today. In modern society, especially in the case of employment, risk-averse options are typically in favour of job security… but the choices that are perceived as riskier, like joining a startup, aren’t exactly a bad alternative.

Did you know there are over 4000 startups in Toronto? In today’s tech industry, there are more opportunities than ever to channel your inner-entrepreneur. Often times, taking the path that looks riskier has benefits that outweigh the risks, especially when it comes to happiness, career longevity, and engagement.

What are you most passionate about? If you’ve got a project on the side – whether it’s an app, a website, a hobby, or simply an idea – it’s time to consider turning it into a full-time gig.

Pick a tab below to explore some of the coolest tech companies in Toronto. Life is too short to waste time doing something you don’t love.

If you want to learn how to connect with some of Toronto’s best tech companies, get in touch with us at Culture+Purpose and we’ll help you turn that passion project into your full-time career.

Ethoca – Quite simply, Ethoca’s goal is to stop fraud in it’s tracks. Their award-winning connection system allow banks and online merchants to conduct secure transactions outside of the regular payment network. With Ethoca’s own network in place, they can ensure you are protected with every swipe of your card.

OANDA – OANDA’s platform is a solution to the high cost of changing money from one currency to another. By becoming one of the first internet-based foreign exchange rate providers, OANDA’s currency converter quotes daily spot prices to help companies and consumers have global access to foreign currencies.

FreshBooks – Supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses by providing them with accounting software to easily manage invoicing, payments, and accounting so they can focus on what’s important – running their business.

Wealthsimple – Wealthsimple is helping millennials manage their money so they can achieve their  financial goals. They offer a simple-to-use platform built on the shoulders of a robo-advisor that invests in a diversified mix of ETFs… so you can park your money in one place and not think too much about it.

PayTM Labs – PayTM is one of the world’s largest mobile payment platforms with a user base of over 200 million. PayTM Labs is their Toronto R&D hub. They focus on big data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to build commerce solutions that integrate with the mainstream economy. Now you can pay your bills, pay your cab fare, or even book a flight ticket through PayTM’s platform.

Clearbanc – Aims to become the bank for the self-employed. They offer an easier and faster method of transferring an entrepreneur’s daily earnings directly into their bank accounts – no holding periods, no hidden fees.

Ethoca – Quite simply, Ethoca’s goal is to stop fraud in it’s tracks. Their award-winning connection system allow banks and online merchants to conduct secure transactions outside of the regular payment network. With Ethoca’s own network in place, they can ensure you are protected with every swipe of your card.

Nanopay – a startup focused on providing payment solutions that are faster and more secure. With technology like cryptographically secured payments, e-receipts, loyalty programs, and a secure customer database, they want to help the world move money around as easily as sending a text.

Nymi – Nymi makes multi-factor authentication wristbands that can be used with any NFC compatible device. The bands are built with an individual’s unique electrocardiogram fingerprint for authentication – each ECG is unique and can never be replicated.

PayTM Labs – PayTM is one of the world’s largest mobile payment platforms with a user base of over 200 million. PayTM Labs is their Toronto R&D hub. They focus on big data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to build commerce solutions that integrate with the mainstream economy. Now you can pay your bills, pay your cab fare, or even book a flight ticket through PayTM’s platform.

Precision Nutrition (PN) – PN’s platform provides personal trainers a way to demonstrate hands-on mentorship and coaching. Their platform is now used by counselors, doctors, naturopaths, and exercise specialists all over the world to share knowledge and remain hands-on with their clients.

Klick – Klick breaks down barriers between medical treatments and those who need them: healthcare practitioners & their patients. Their award winning platforms and ties with major charities like Plan Canada have made them one of the world’s largest independent health agencies.

Guestlogix – Partners with major airlines and other travel-industry leaders to provide in-transit retail experiences. Have you ever sat on a plane and thought about shopping? Guestlogix makes that possible to over 2 million users a day.

SnapTravel – SnapTravel wants to make travelling easier by allowing you to use SMS or Facebook Messenger to secure competitive hotel rates in an instant.

Ubisoft – The creators behind some of the world’s most well-known games, including Assassin’s Creed, Rayman, Just Dance, and Tom Clancy’s series.

Big Viking Games – This team makes some of the most popular mobile, web-based, and social games. Dark Heroes, anyone?

Top Hat – Creates engagement between educators and their students both in and outside of the classroom! Their platform promotes learning with modern technology rather than shying away from it.

OneClass – OneClass allows university students collaborate on study materials through an interactive sharing platform. They also provide a way for educators to create video tutorials for some of the most common university subjects.

Integrate.ai – Founded by a former Facebook executive, integrate.ai uses their AI-powered B2C platform to allow businesses to interact with their customers in a more personal and integrated manner.

Daisy Intelligence – Uses machine learning to derive important trends in client satisfaction. Daisy Intelligence Solutions help businesses make better decisions by leveraging large volumes of data with integrated artificial intelligence to create sound analytics that increase business’s revenue.

PayTM Labs -PayTM is one of the world’s largest mobile payment platforms with a user base of over 200 million. PayTM Labs is their Toronto R&D hub. They focus on big data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to build commerce solutions that integrate with the mainstream economy. Now you can pay your bills, pay your cab fare, or even book a flight ticket through PayTM’s platform.

SnapTravel – SnapTravel wants to make travelling easier by allowing you to use SMS or Facebook Messenger to secure competitive hotel rates in an instant.

Shopify – Provides a hassle-free platform for retailers to build their businesses online so that business owners can focus on what’s important: making great products for their customers.

Flipp – Flipp’s shopping app integrates the flyers of over 80 retailers into one place so that customers have a convenient way to save.

MotoInsight – Allows major automotive brands, dealer groups, banks and insurance, and automotive software companies to deliver a seamless, haggle-free car-buying experience.

Guestlogix – Partners with major airlines and other travel-industry leaders to provide in-transit retail experiences. Have you ever sat on a plane and thought about shopping? Guestlogix makes that possible to over 2 million users a day.

OANDA – OANDA’s platform is a solution to the high cost of changing money from one currency to another. By becoming one of the first internet-based foreign exchange rate providers, OANDA’s currency converter quotes daily spot prices to help companies and consumers have global access to foreign currencies.

Ecobee – Ecobee’s wifi enabled smart thermostats are intuitive and eco-friendly. Programmable from your smartphone, you can ensure your house is at the ideal temperature while conversing energy and thus, saving you money.

Nymi – Nymi makes multi-factor authentication wristbands that can be used with any NFC compatible device. The bands are built with an individual’s unique electrocardiogram fingerprint for authentication – each ECG is unique and can never be replicated.