The Triple Threat of a Triple Bottom Line
If you hadn’t noticed already, Canada’s workforce is changing. It’s expected that by 2030, nearly 30% of it will be made up of Gen Z employees—bringing to the office greater expectations for social good and the triple bottom line. Among mental health, climate change and other social issues impacting our daily lives, businesses with innovative solutions and proven impact are spearheading Canada’s future marketplace; attracting global stakeholders and the country’s top talent.
People, Planet and Profit
Today, record-breaking funding is enabling businesses dedicated to the triple bottom line: people, planet and profit. These businesses recognize that there should be a purpose behind what you do and that corporate responsibility is just as paramount to a business’s success as its profit is. In almost every industry, these businesses are leveraging their social value for long-term growth, they’re discovering inherent financial benefits and the market is responding.
In its recent State of Climate Tech 2022 report, Big Four accountancy firm PwC found that climate tech funding represented more than a quarter of every venture dollar invested in 2022. That’s more than $50 billion invested into technologies that are explicitly focused on addressing the impacts of global warming and climate change—amongst one of the most searched queries on Google.
So, what does this mean for Canada’s emerging workforce or one-in-four workers considering a career change? Gone are the days of compromising your integrity in order to land your dream job. If working for an employer that shares your interests and values is a top priority, you’re in good company—80% of Gen Z feel the same way. As more home-grown startups with an ambition for social good emerge, powered by programs like Entrepreneur First (EF), the opportunities to join a high-impact social venture (or found one of your own) are infinite. With massive financial tailwinds and a blueprint for growth, these are some of the Canadian startups you ought to know.
Agota Health
EF alums Phil Protomanni and Dan Pappo launched the nurse agency management software to save hospitals hundreds of admin hours by automating how healthcare staffing services are bought and scheduled. When Covid shook the omnipresent nursing crisis in North America, this startup set foot to streamline temporary staff management so that hospitals can operate more efficiently. Since joining EF’s Toronto cohort, Agota Health has become a reliable source for filling shifts from staffing agencies and travel nurses. Learn more about Agota Health’s career opportunities here.
UpBeing
In response to a growing concern over inadequate mental health resources, UpBeing co-founders Sam Daviau and Sean Kortschot are using artificial intelligence to automate how you measure, understand and improve your habits. By providing valuable insight, UpBeing’s aim is to help people take the necessary steps to improve their mood and overall mental health. Though currently in pre-product launch, there are several ways the company is already making an impact by using its data to educate communities on how to understand and develop their well-being. Learn more about career opportunities at UpBeing here.
Sequestr
With a bold mission to directly support companies fighting climate change by way of financial infrastructure for the carbon economy, Rishabh Varshney and Tony Qu built Sequestr to equip farmers, landowners and project developers around the globe with the working capital to align corporate buyers in reducing and removing emissions. At the core of this startup is a standardized carbon management layer which they call “carbon rights,” designed to increase profitability to sequestration companies while providing future rights for businesses to generate and retire offsets. Sequestr’s goal for the new year: to double the high-quality supply and fund more carbon projects that protect the planet. Learn more about their exciting career opportunities here.
It’s no generational fad—companies focused on social good are vital to Canada’s future of work, and their investment is not only financially smart but integral to the country’s economic success. Along with the likes of Agota Health, UpBeing and Sequestr, a roster of inspiring startups have found a launch pad in Entrepreneur First. Designed to connect potential co-founders with one another in a supported environment where they can test ideas and get their company off the ground, the programme has supported a portfolio of companies with a combined value of more than $10 billion.
If you’re a self-starter empowered to start your founder journey and generate social good, consider Entrepreneur First’s North American cohort as your invitation to make your business-owning dream a reality.
