The prairie tech sector is showing more growth, with the closing of two seed rounds for prairie-based ventures—Brew Ninja and Callia Flowers.
Brew Ninja
On March 29, 2021, Brew Ninja announced the closure of its seed round, raising $650,000. The round was led by Toronto’s Maple Leaf Angels and also included Women’s Equity Lab (Vancouver), Capital Angel Network (Ottawa), York Angels, and VenturX (Montreal).
Brew Ninja was founded in 2019 by CEO Shea Martin, who identified a software gap in the brewing industry. Today, the company serves clients in three countries, working with large and small brewers to improve efficiencies and streamline processes.
The seed round funding and the ongoing support from the National Research Council’s IRAP program, Brew Ninja will continue to expand its software, team, and global market reach.
“Our investors represent a great network that we will be able to leverage as we grow and scale Brew Ninja to the next level,” says Martin. “We have a lot of new and exciting developments coming, and we look forward to further growing the craft beer industry.”
Callia Flowers
Launched in 2016, Winnipeg-based floral delivery tech startup Callia Flowers announced the closing of a $1.1 million seed round with Conexus Venture Capital Inc. on March 25, 2021. The round includes participation from Lex Capital Corp. and Regina’s Broad Street Bulls. Callia Flowers, now a national brand, is transforming the flower delivery experience in 55 cities with its fresh, hand-tied seasonal bouquets that can be ordered in five clicks.
The $1.1 million seed round will allow further growth for Callia in key markets and to increase their team.
“We’re really excited about what the next 12 months holds for Callia,” says Catherine Metrycki, Callia’s founder. “We’ve seen substantial growth over the last two years, and we’re not slowing down anytime soon. This year we plan to triple in size and this funding will help us do that.”
