“Why can’t we do this in Ontario?”
That was the question Shoaib Ahmed and a group of Toronto Metropolitan University students asked in 2019 as they zipped through Washington, DC, on e-scooters, effortlessly bypassing gridlock.
The experience was seamless: find a scooter, scan a code, and ride. No waiting, no surge pricing, no hassle.
“Mobility is a human right. It’s a human necessity.”
Shoaib Ahmed, Scooty
Ahmed couldn’t help but wonder why such a solution didn’t exist in Ontario.
When he returned home, he co-founded Scooty, a Brampton-based micro-mobility company that launched Ontario’s first e-scooter program.
While building Scooty, Ahmed realized the real question wasn’t why e-scooters weren’t there—it was why Ontario was dragging its feet on introducing new mobility solutions.
As one of North America’s largest supply chain hubs with a growing population and worsening congestion, Ontario’s transportation and logistics sectors seem primed for innovation.
Ontario has committed billions to modernizing its transit and logistics network over the past five years, with investments in smart mobility, electric vehicle adoption, and AI-driven supply chain solutions. The province also introduced legislation last year aimed at reducing regulatory obstacles and streamlining approval processes for key infrastructure investments.
But for startups in the transportation and logistics space, getting integrated into local transit infrastructure still means facing regulatory hurdles, municipal approvals, and operating inside of an inherently cautious business culture.
“You can’t just put scooters on the street and hope for the best,” he added. “You need city approval. You need permits. You need to prove it works within the existing system.”
So Ahmed turned to the Toronto Business Development Centre (TBDC) for help. As a Canadian startup incubator known for its work with newcomer entrepreneurs, TBDC guided Scooty through the complexities of working with municipal governments, securing regulatory approvals, and accessing critical funding.
TBDC connected Ahmed with key stakeholders, including Canada’s Transport Minister, and helped refine Scooty’s strategy for winning municipal contracts. The step-by-step support led to Scooty securing a GO Transit account and unlocking $1 million in non-dilutive funding.
Shifting into gear
Scaling a mobility startup in Ontario means navigating an inherently cautious industry. In a 2024 KPMG study, 150 Canadian tech leaders cited the country’s risk-averse culture as a top challenge in growing their businesses.
Arjun Khosla learned this firsthand. After years as a shipping officer, he launched Bitmetric, an India-founded logistics software company that expanded across Africa and the UAE before setting its sights on North America.
“The market here is quite different,” Khosla said. “Canada is a bit conservative with respect to adopting new technologies. Businesses want to know if you already have Canadian clients, and it takes a few months of convincing them and talking to them before you can get them on board.”
For Khosla, breaking into North America has been “a slow road.” But through mentorship and the Startup Visa Program, TBDC introduced Bitmetric to potential clients, investors, and government stakeholders, helping Bitmetric successfully establish its Canadian operations and secure six US clients.
“TBDC was really helpful in making us understand how business works over here,” Khosla said. “It’s not just meeting a client and closing a deal within a week. It takes time to build relationships.”
Revving up with TBDC
Like Ahmed and Khosla, Vedant Mankad, founder of Docoholic, encountered similar roadblocks. His company, founded in Ahmedabad, India, automates supply chain workflows with AI, helping logistics firms process quotes, invoices, and shipment updates in real time.
After launching in India and Dubai, Mankad saw an opportunity in Ontario’s logistics sector. The province is home to 29 ports that handle more than 62 million tons of cargo annually and 14 border crossings to the US. But cracking the market wasn’t going to be easy.
“Business in Canada is built on relationships,” Mankad said. “In the US, a few demo calls can close a deal. Here, it takes months of meetings, referrals, and proof of ROI before companies commit.”
Determined to do things right, Mankad joined TBDC’s Startup Visa Program. There, he was introduced to trade organizations, supply chain stakeholders, and investors.
Since then, Docoholic established a North American client base of 20 businesses, with a goal of reaching 100 by year-end.
“TBDC really helped us reposition for this market so that we can cut down our sales cycle,” Mankad said.
Building the on-ramp
TBDC is one of many Ontario organizations that see newcomer entrepreneurs as a growing asset to the province’s mobility ecosystem.
“Ontario’s startup ecosystem thrives on diversity and innovation,” said Claudia Krywiak, President and CEO of the Ontario Centre of Innovation. “Newcomer entrepreneurs bring fresh perspectives and bold solutions to today’s market challenges. Ensuring they have the right support to scale benefits us all.”
For Ahmed, the journey with TBDC didn’t end once Scooty secured permits and funding. After proving micro-mobility could work in Brampton, he is now mentoring the next wave of mobility startups with TBDC.
As a mentor, Ahmed helps founders navigate the same funding gaps and regulatory barriers he once faced. Sometimes, it’s structured office hours. Other times, it’s an in-person walk-through of Scooty’s warehouse, showing startups how they scaled.
Beyond funding and mentorship, TBDC also aims to equip entrepreneurs with the tools, networks, and market insights needed to thrive in Canada. Many founders, like Ahmed, recognize the importance of paying it forward. Now, he helps other startups navigate the same barriers he once faced.
“The guidance we give isn’t one-size-fits-all,” he said. “Every startup is different—their structure, their revenue model, their regulatory barriers. What we do is figure out the right playbook for them.”
Transportation startups don’t have the luxury of moving fast and breaking things. They often need government buy-in, strong regulatory knowledge, and an understanding of how to work within a highly cautious industry.
Ahmed believes that’s where a startup incubator, like TBDC, can provide real value. “They’re like a compass,” Ahmed said. “They’ll point you in the right direction, but you still have to do the work.”
TBDC also believes Canada is now at a critical inflection point, particularly as trade relations with the US worsen, and is betting on Canada’s ability to attract and retain world-class talent by supporting global entrepreneurs with the right resources.
Modernizing how people and goods move extends far beyond government spending. According to Ahmed, it requires startups willing to test new ideas and prove what works.
“Mobility is a human right. It’s a human necessity,” Ahmed said. “Here in Ontario, it might iterate, but it’s not slowing down.”
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Feature image by Lianhao Qu via Unsplash. All other photos provided by TBDC.