Buying what we build is an important step all of us can take

This essay from CCI’s CEO was originally featured in the CCI Newsletter and shared with subscribers on May 1, 2026. To receive our monthly briefing on the scale-ups shaping Canada’s future, the policies that matter, and insights you won’t find anywhere else—subscribe here.

Hi CEOs,

Earlier this month, I caught up with Raymond Luk, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Source Canada—a platform launched last fall to bring corporate Canadian buyers into the same room as the country’s high-growth technology leaders. By most accounts, the gathering did exactly what it set out to do: convene the right mix of builders and buyers and spark the kinds of conversations that lead to deal flow over time. In some cases, deals have already taken shape. He could leave it there, but like most entrepreneurs, he won’t. There is still work to be done to shift procurement culture inside corporate Canada and build greater confidence in domestic companies.

My conversation with Raymond prompted me to take a pulse check with our own membership of scale-up companies, now a year into the "Buy Canadian" movement, to see whether this moment has translated into meaningful changes in how they approach procurement. I wrote to members with a simple question: which Canadian companies are helping to power your business? I was interested in how they think about their stacks—across areas like payroll, cybersecurity, and HRIS—that quietly underpin their ability to scale.

I sent that note on the 15th and have spent the past two weeks compiling a list of Canadian technologies and services actually being used by fast-scaling firms in our network.

What follows are examples from those who wrote back and shared the companies they’re using. It’s not exhaustive—CCI’s membership includes many more companies building across these areas—but it offers a snapshot of what firms are choosing when they take a more deliberate approach to how they build. In many cases, they’re choosing these companies over foreign alternatives because they’re simply better.

If you are working with a Canadian company that is not reflected in the list below, let me know. I will share an updated version in next month’s newsletter.

Finance & Accounting (ERP / GL / FP&A)

• AvanTax (ELM) – Tax compliance and automation platform helping enterprises manage filings, reporting, and regulatory obligations. https://www.avantax.ca/ 
• Aviron – AI automation for finance teams. https://www.aviron.ai 
• Binatek – Payment and document automation solutions, including cheque printing and secure transaction workflows. https://www.binatek.com/ 

Payments & Billing (AP/AR, subscriptions, invoicing)

• Float – Corporate cards and spend management platform that replaces legacy expense tools and simplifies financial controls. https://floatfinancial.com/ 
• Helcim – Payments platform offering merchant services, invoicing, and subscription billing as an alternative to Stripe and Square. https://www.helcim.com/ 
• Loop – Banking and treasury platform with multi-currency accounts, FX, and spend management for global companies. https://www.bankonloop.com/ 
• Plooto – Accounts payable and receivable platform designed to automate payments and cash flow management. https://www.plooto.com/ 

HRIS & Payroll

• Certn – Background screening and identity verification platform used for hiring and compliance. https://certn.co/ 
• Payworks – Payroll, HR, and workforce management solutions for Canadian businesses. https://www.payworks.ca/ 
• SimplePay – Payroll software designed for small and mid-sized businesses with straightforward compliance and reporting. https://www.simplepay.ca/ 
• VanHack – Global tech talent platform connecting companies with vetted developers and remote teams. https://www.vanhack.com/ 
• Wagepoint – Payroll platform focused on simplifying pay runs, tax filings, and compliance for growing companies. https://wagepoint.com/ 

CRM, Relationship Intelligence & Sales Pipeline

• MLD Solutions – Custom software and web application developer offering CRM tools, website platforms, and business systems that help organizations streamline operations and manage data. https://mldsolutions.com/ 
• Publicus – Procurement intelligence platform that helps companies identify and pursue government and enterprise opportunities. https://publicus.ai/ 
• Riva International – CRM data integration and revenue intelligence platform that captures emails, meetings, and client interactions to improve data quality, automate workflows, and provide a complete view of customer relationships. https://rivaengine.com/ 
• Varicent – Sales performance management platform for commissions, incentives, and revenue optimization. https://www.varicent.com/ 

Collaboration & Productivity (email, docs, chat, workflow)

• Antidote – Writing and language platform (English and French) used for grammar, style, and clarity. https://www.antidote.info/ 
• Mitel – Enterprise communications platform offering voice, messaging, and collaboration tools. https://www.mitel.com/ 

AI, Cloud Infrastructure & Hosting

• Coveo – AI-powered search, personalization, and recommendation platform used to improve digital experiences. https://www.coveo.com/ 
• EasyDNS – Domain name and DNS provider with a focus on security, privacy, and reliability. https://easydns.com/ 
• EasyHosting – Web and email hosting provider focused on simple, Canadian-based infrastructure services. https://easyhosting.com/ 
• QuData – Canadian data centre and infrastructure provider supporting secure hosting and enterprise workloads. https://www.qudata.com/ 
• ThinkOn – Sovereign cloud and data services provider offering secure infrastructure, backup, and managed solutions. https://www.thinkon.com/ 

Cybersecurity & Identity (IAM, endpoint, threat detection)

• 1Password – Password and identity management platform used to secure credentials, secrets, and access across teams. https://1password.com/ 
• Beauceron – Cybersecurity awareness and training platform focused on reducing human risk. https://www.beauceronsecurity.com/ 
• Carbide Secure – Governance, risk, and compliance platform designed to simplify security program management. https://carbidesecure.com/ 
• CodeEye Solutions – Software security and code analysis tools to identify vulnerabilities and improve application resilience. https://codeeye.ai/ 
• Compugen – One of Canada’s largest privately owned IT services providers, offering consulting, infrastructure, cloud, security, and managed services to help organizations design, implement, and operate their technology environments. https://www.compugen.com/ 
• Field Effect – Endpoint protection and threat detection platform designed for continuous security monitoring. https://fieldeffect.com/ 
• IDENTOS – Identity and access management platform enabling secure authentication and data access, including AI-driven environments. https://identos.com/ 
• Mycroft – Compliance automation platform helping organizations manage security certifications and risk frameworks. https://mycroft.ai/ 
• Protexxa – Cybersecurity and risk management platform helping organizations assess and mitigate cyber exposure. https://protexxa.com/ 
• Security Compass – Application security platform focused on embedding secure development practices into software lifecycles. https://www.securitycompass.com/ 

Data & Analytics (BI, warehousing, dashboards)

• Boosted.ai – AI-powered investment and data analytics platform for portfolio management and decision-making. https://boosted.ai/ 
• Nakisa – Enterprise software for financial, organizational, and operational data analysis and planning. https://nakisa.com/ 
• SmileCDR – Data platform enabling secure sharing, integration, and analytics across complex ecosystems. https://www.smilecdr.com/ 

Marketing & Growth (automation, attribution, acquisition)

• Borrowell – Consumer fintech platform used by companies for customer acquisition and financial engagement. https://borrowell.com/ 
• Knak – No-code email and landing page builder designed for marketing teams using platforms like Marketo. https://knak.com/ 

Upskilling, Onboarding & Learning

• Disco – AI-powered learning platform for building and scaling education, training, and community programs. https://www.disco.co/ 
• Docebo – Enterprise learning management system for onboarding, training, and workforce development. https://www.docebo.com/ 

What this exercise also sparked was a broader conversation: taking a closer look at one’s own stack and asking whether more can be done to use Canadian companies to power growth.

We have been doing this at CCI. We moved away from Stripe and adopted Helcim for payments, brought on Float for spend management, use Disco to power our education programs, and Credivera to issue credentials for graduates of our board governance program. These are modest changes on their own, but across a full stack, they begin to add up.

This is also what we've been calling on Canadian governments to do as they implement changes to their own procurement policies to favour homegrown firms. We outlined our recommendations this week in our newest report, Buying What We Build.

Buying what we build is a step all of us can take. While much of CCI’s advocacy has focused on the role governments can play through procurement, it is just as important to see companies making deliberate choices of their own—and, in doing so, reinforcing the ecosystem they are part of.

Onwards,

Patrick

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INNOVATION UPDATES

Spring Economic Update: Canada’s first Spring Economic Update under Prime Minister Mark Carney fell short of the ambition innovators need in this economic moment. While the statement signalled forthcoming strategies that may help remove barriers to scale, it did little to show how the federal government will use the digital economy to strengthen Canada’s broader economic strategy. With CUSMA negotiations approaching and intangible assets now driving global economic value, Canada needs a 21st-century plan that helps homegrown firms scale, retain value, and compete globally. Read CCI’s full statement here.

Public Buying for Canadian Innovation: CCI published Buying What We Build: A Strategy for Canadian Innovation and Prosperity, a new policy report on how governments can use public procurement to help Canadian innovators scale. The report argues that public buying should do more than meet basic domestic preference rules. It should reward real Canadian R&D, intellectual property ownership, data stewardship, and strategic control so more economic value stays in Canada. Read the full report here.

Atlantic Innovators Playbook: CCI is launching the inaugural Atlantic Innovators Playbook on May 4, bringing together leaders from across the region to discuss how Atlantic Canada’s tangible and intangible economies can work together to drive long-term productivity, prosperity and global ambition. The online event will feature Jon King, Co-Founder and CEO of Milk Moovement, Peter MacKay, Strategic Advisor at Deloitte and Senior Counsel at McInnes Cooper, and Emad Rizkalla, CEO and Founder of BlueDrop. Register here.

Newfoundland and Labrador Budget: Newfoundland and Labrador’s 2026 budget included some encouraging signals for innovators, including no new taxes or fees, a new Red Tape Reduction Office, and continued focus on major resource and infrastructure projects. CCI welcomed these steps, while emphasizing the opportunity to better connect the province’s innovators to growth areas like dual-use technology, defence and health care. Read CCI’s full response here.

Canada-U.S. Economic Advisory Committee: CCI called on the federal government to add Canadian scale-up representation to its new Canada-U.S. Economic Relations Advisory Committee. With the CUSMA review approaching, the statement warned that leaving digital and innovation economy leaders out of the room weakens Canada’s ability to compete, shape rules, and retain value. Read CCI’s full statement here.

For more of our perspectives on Canada's innovation ecosystem, visit the updates page on our website.
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THE BIG READ

A new BetaKit article by Alex Riehl looks at Canada’s Spring Economic Update and what it does, and does not, include for the country’s technology sector. The piece covers the federal government’s early outline of a forthcoming AI strategy, a planned procurement program for small and medium-sized businesses, updates on defence procurement, and movement on financial services files including real-time payments and stablecoins.

The article also notes the reaction from parts of the innovation community, where the update was viewed as light on concrete measures to help Canadian technology companies scale. With CUSMA negotiations approaching and trade, defence, and productivity all high on the federal agenda, the piece raises questions about how seriously Ottawa is treating the digital economy as part of Canada’s broader economic strategy.

Read the full article here.
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SCALE-UPS TO WATCH

In April, we profiled some of the technologies and leaders helping build Canada’s innovation economy.

In the latest Five Questions interview, Vive Crop Protection Co-Founder and CEO Darren Anderson joins CCI CEO Patrick Searle to discuss ag tech, regulatory efficiency, and Canada’s opportunity to lead in food security. Watch the interview here.

CCI also published the latest story in its By Canadian Innovators series, featuring MarineLabs and CEO Scott Beatty’s work to bring real-time, hyper-local weather intelligence to Canada’s coastline. Read more.

CCI members continued to show how Canadian innovators are growing, competing, and leading in markets at home and around the world:

• Solink was named “Overall Store Management Platform of the Year” by RetailTech Breakthrough for its AI-driven video intelligence platform for retailers.
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• ICI Innovations and Formic AI have launched an integrated AI solution to help make major project approvals faster, more auditable, and grounded in verified source material.
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• Float launched Float Intelligence, an AI automation tool for corporate credit cards that helps Canadian finance teams code transactions and taxes with less manual bookkeeping.
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• Electrovaya is collaborating on a U.S. Department of Energy-funded project deploying its battery technology for critical infrastructure applications, including data centres.
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• ‍Novarc Technologies was named to the Financial Times’ The Americas’ Fastest Growing Companies 2026 list.
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CCI IN THE NEWS

“Strong intellectual property policy is key to prosperity in the 21st century. We are pleased to see the province is taking the step of ensuring Alberta tax dollars support protecting and commercializing homegrown ideas right here in the province.”

– CCI Director of Prairie Affairs Jess Sinclair featured in Digital Journal article "Alberta launches IP Office, with plans to tie funding to IP strategy"

“We urge the federal government to add expertise to this council that reflects the 21st-century economy.”

– CCI CEO Patrick Searle featured in BetaKit article "Canada’s new US economic advisory committee draws backlash from tech leaders"

“The digital/intangible economy is 92 per cent of the value of the S&P 500 and Canada has a longstanding productivity crisis, but Carney doesn’t see fit to include an expert from this area or a domestic scale-up CEO on his new Canada-U.S. Economic Relations Committee.”

– CCI Chair Jim Balsillie featured in The Globe and Mail article "Carney unveils new Canada-U.S. advisory council ahead of potentially rocky USMCA talks"
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“Canadian innovators are trying to secure powerful positions in global value chains so they can dictate the terms of competition.”

– CCI CEO Patrick Searle featured in Digital Journal article "Canadian tech companies are already global. Now they want to be indispensable"
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“What we’re seeing is a meaningful shift toward a system that actually works for scaling companies. There is a growing government recognition that programs like SR&ED need to support companies through the full lifecycle of growth, not just at the earliest stages.”

– CCI Director of Federal Affairs Daniel Perry featured in Digital Journal article "SR&ED reforms take effect, bringing the biggest changes to Canada’s R&D tax credit in years"

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DISPATCHES

CCI’s 2026 federal pre-budget submission calls on Ottawa to move from fragmented innovation policy to a more deliberate strategy for helping Canadian firms scale. The recommendations focus on strategic procurement, sovereign AI and defence capacity, stronger late-stage capital, and a more competitive Start-Up Visa Program. Read CCI’s full submission here.