Meet the Heylist Team: From left to right, Chief Experience Officer Nicolas LeBlanc, CEO Vicky Boudreau, and CTO Alexandre Borgia.
As the final Collision conference in Toronto begins, four notable Canadian tech startups— Heylist, Vosyn, Pok Pok, and Ability Biologics—have unveiled significant new funding rounds. These announcements signal an exciting period of growth and innovation within the Canadian tech scene.
Heylist: Empowering Nano-Influencers
Heylist, founded in 2022 by Vicky Boudreau, Nicolas LeBlanc, and Alexandre Borgia, operates a marketplace connecting nano-influencers—social media users with fewer than 10,000 followers but high engagement rates—with brands and agencies. At Collision, Heylist announced its first funding round, securing $1.6 million led by Accelia Capital, with participation from The51, Anges Québec, and the Québec government through the Impulsion PME program.
Boudreau expressed pride in their partnership with Accelia and The51, both of which focus on supporting women in tech. With 70% of Heylist’s team being women, this backing is particularly significant. The funding will enhance product development and boost sales efforts in Canada and the US, leveraging the networks of strategic angel investors.
Vosyn: Real-Time AI Translation
Vosyn, established in 2023 by Brian Armstrong and Andil Houlder, announced at Collision that it has raised $2.2 million towards its $8-million seed round. Vosyn specializes in AI models for real-time language translation across various media formats.
Having previously secured $2 million in a pre-seed round, Vosyn is targeting an initial public offering by 2025. This fresh capital will accelerate their goal of breaking language barriers through advanced AI technology.
Ability Biologics: Revolutionizing Drug Discovery
Ability Biologics, a drug-discovery startup, revealed outside the conference that it has closed a seed funding extension, bringing its total seed raise to $18 million ($24.7 million). Emerging from stealth mode in December, Ability Biologics uses generative AI through its AbiLeap engine to develop antibody therapeutics for cancer and immune-system disorders.
Supported by investors like Amplitude Ventures, Fonds de solidarité FTQ, Investissement Québec, and others, Ability Biologics is poised to transform the biotherapeutics landscape. Dion Madsen of Amplitude Ventures highlighted the platform’s potential in rapidly creating highly targeted treatments to improve patient outcomes.
Pok Pok: Innovating Early Childhood Education
EdTech startup Pok Pok, co-founded by Melissa Cash and another mother, announced a $6 million Series A funding led by Adjacent, with contributions from Konvoy Ventures, MetaLab Ventures, Banana Capital, and notable angel investors like Michelle Kennedy and Brandon Leonardo.
Cash noted that part of this round is reserved for a second close led by women, inspiring Julie McGill to launch her "Julie Change" fund to invest in women-led startups. Pok Pok plans to use the funds to release its app for Android, which has a waitlist of thousands of families, and expand its STEM-based product offerings.
Originally spun out of Toronto’s Snowman gaming studio, Pok Pok creates play-based learning experiences for children aged two to six. With prior seed funding of $3.9 million ($3 million), Pok Pok aims to enhance early childhood education through innovative digital solutions.
A Promising Future for Canadian Tech
The Collision conference has spotlighted these four dynamic startups, each with its unique vision and significant new funding. Heylist is set to revolutionize influencer marketing, Vosyn is breaking language barriers with AI, Ability Biologics is advancing drug discovery, and Pok Pok is transforming early childhood education. This influx of capital and innovation underscores the vibrant and promising future of Canada’s tech ecosystem.
