Tiffany Kaminsky, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, receives the Women in Tech of the Year Award and Symend receives the Tech Deal of the Year Award
Start Alberta was created to connect investors worldwide with Alberta tech companies and raise the profile of the province’s technology ecosystem. Three years ago, the Start Alberta Tech Awards were launched by the grassroots community to create an opportunity to celebrate and showcase the entrepreneurial grit of those who are moving the needle.
This year is an extra special celebration of a tenacious community that truly won’t quit, despite the challenges presented by the global pandemic. As the Start Alberta Team has said, these accomplishments were as impressive as they were inspiring.On November 16, 2020, Symend received two Start Alberta Tech Awards. Symend’s Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Tiffany Kaminsky, received the inaugural Women in Tech of the Year Award, presented by BDC Capital’s Women in Technology Venture Fund. Symend was also recognized for its $52 million USD Series B raise in May 2020, receiving the Tech Deal of the Year Award, presented by Alberta Enterprise Corporation.
Women in Tech of the Year Award
The inaugural Women in Tech of the Year Award celebrates a female leader who has successfully launched and scaled a venture-backable technology company in Alberta. Outside of this success, it was also emphasized that the recipient demonstrates dedication and passion for advancing women in technology.
This award is presented by BDC Capital’s Women in Technology Venture Fund, one of the world’s largest venture capital funds dedicated to investing in women-led technology companies. Tiffany has participated in BDC’s Women in Tech programs on behalf of Symend, and she believes they have filled a significant gap for female founders of growing companies.
“Being in a position where you can inspire and motivate women to elevate their careers should never be taken for granted,” says Tiffany. “While we need great stories, we also need action to promote diversity and allyship in the tech space.”
Tech Deal of the Year
The Tech Deal of the Year is awarded to the tech company that has raised the largest amount of capital in its most recent fundraising round. In May 2020, Symend closed a $52 million USD Series B funding round, one of the largest Series B rounds in recent Alberta history. Symend has since grown to over 200 employees and its software as a service (SaaS) solution has engaged a total of 10 million at-risk customers using empathy when people need it most. Last year, Calgary-based Attabotics received the award for its $25 million USD Series B funding round in 2019 and has since raised a $50 million USD Series C.
“We are committed to attracting and fostering top tech talent that will support Symend’s hyper-growth and contribute to Alberta’s tech ecosystem and economy for years to come,” says Hanif Joshaghani, Co-founder and CEO of Symend. “We recently signed a five-year lease for 79,000 square feet in the downtown core and are hiring rapidly across North America, with most roles based in Calgary.”Shawn Abbott, Partner at Inovia Capital, the lead investor in Symend’s Series B, was also recognized at this year’s awards as the Tech Investor of the Year.
Symend is honored to receive these two awards and is grateful for the grassroots community that is committed to growing Alberta’s technology ecosystem. We thank all members of the Start Alberta Tech Awards organizing committee including the A100, Alberta Enterprise Corporation, BDC Capital, Technology Calgary, Startup Calgary and more for their efforts in putting on this celebration.
