SaaS startups get a boost as nine companies accepted into L-SPARK's second incubator cohort

Nine B2B SaaS and cloud software startups have been chosen to join L-SPARK’s second incubator program that begins this month.

After receiving applications from 175 startups, L-SPARK held a pitching competition judged by representatives from high-profile funds like BDC Capital, Real Ventures, IBM, and HIGHLINE VC.

The nine selected companies will move into L-SPARK’s office space for four months, and will have access to resources like dedicated guidance from high-profile mentors that have scaled their own B2B SaaS companies. The companies will also have the opportunity to receive one-on-one mentorship from L-SPARK’s partners, including Google, Microsoft BizSpark Plus, Citrix, OpenText, Mitel, and IBM.

The incubator program will help startups develop a four-month plan that ranges from branding to developing a repeatable sales model, with the ultimate goal of setting companies up for seed funding.

The incubator cohort includes:

Amplify

BidFoundry, a specialized online retail and auction platform that connects qualified buyers of investible collectibles with trusted dealers and auction firms through targeted marketplaces.

Buildmetric, a deficiency management platform used by home builders to minimize the financial risks associated with construction related defects.

EssayJack, an interactive web-based application that pre-structures essays for students, reduces writing anxiety, and allows for educator customization and feedback.

Fitchek, a fully automated transactional marketplace and management platform that seamlessly connects local health & fitness service providers with more customers.

Friendefi provides a configurable audience engagement platform that enables companies to better understand, recognize, and motivate customers, employees, or channel partners using a combination of gamification, social referral, and digital rewards to drive target behaviors.

Intelocate optimizes retail supply chain management execution and collaboration to deliver increased profitability and a remarkable store experience. Intelocate replaces legacy communication channels, reducing employee effort while increasing operational capability.

Optimity is an employee wellness and engagement platform that achieves the industry’s highest participation rate using mobile apps, wearables and an online portal to cultivate powerful habits.

TitanFile, a comprehensive way for professionals to communicate and share files with each other and their clients in total security.

“The L-SPARK team found some of the most promising startups from across Canada to join their next cohort. The quality of the businesses was of the highest levels,” said Alexandre Shee, an analyst Real Ventures. “The L-SPARK mentors knew the right questions to ask and the program is setting these companies up to grow.”