‘Convergence’ ceremony highlights immigrant founders building innovative Canadian companies within Brampton’s growing Innovation District
BHive, the innovation hub operating within Brampton’s Innovation District, celebrated a milestone moment on March 17, 2026, as the third cohort of its flagship Brampton NEXT program graduated at Brampton City Hall. The ‘Convergence’ ceremony brought together founders, mentors, investors, and community leaders to recognize the journeys of globally trained entrepreneurs who have chosen to build and scale their businesses in Brampton.
Themed around the power of alignment of ambition meeting structure, vision meeting mentorship, and product meeting market — the evening was a vivid demonstration of what happens when independent paths converge inside a strong, purpose-built ecosystem.
Opening Remarks from BHive CEO Vikram Khurana
BHive CEO Vikram Khurana addressed guests during the opening segment of the evening, sharing the Cohort 3 story — where these founders came from, what stage they entered the program at, and the measurable strides they have made on the path toward building scalable, market-ready businesses in Canada.
“Brampton NEXT demonstrates what is possible when global entrepreneurial talent meets a structured, supportive ecosystem. Across multiple cohorts, we have seen founders translate their experience into scalable businesses, driving innovation, job creation, and economic growth in Brampton. Programs like this are not just supporting startups — they are strengthening the city’s position as a destination for global talent and long-term investment.” — Vikram Khurana, CEO, BHive
Deputy Mayor Harkirat Singh (Wards 9 & 10) delivered the keynote address, framing entrepreneurship as central to community resilience in Brampton. He acknowledged the City of Brampton’s ongoing investment in innovation infrastructure and programs like Brampton NEXT, and spoke directly to the founders in the room — recognizing their courage to start, build, and grow their businesses here. The Deputy Mayor emphasized Brampton’s position as a rising innovation hub, not just for the region, but on a national and global stage.
The Brampton NEXT Community
Angela Larraguibel, COO of BHive, served as Master of Ceremonies for the evening, guiding guests through the program and setting the tone for a celebration that was equal parts graduation, investor showcase, and community gathering.
“Brampton NEXT is about unlocking potential. We are seeing highly skilled newcomers turn their experience into businesses, innovation, and economic contribution here in Brampton. What makes this program powerful is the combination of mentorship, practical support, and a strong community that ensures founders are not building alone.” — Angela Larraguibel, COO, BHive
Founder Pitch Showcase: Four Companies, Four Bold Visions
The centrepiece of the evening was the Founder Pitch Showcase, during which four companies from Cohort 3 presented their innovations to an audience of investors, partners, and community supporters. Each company had one minute to articulate the problem they are solving, their solution, and what is next.
Simplview — Business Intelligence in Plain English
Sushant Jain, founder of Simplview (simplview.com), is solving a problem that frustrates business owners everywhere: accessing your own data should not require hiring a specialist or waiting days for a report. Simplview lets users ask questions of their data in plain English and receive clear, visual answers instantly — eliminating what can cost businesses more than $20,000 in underutilized BI tools and over $80,000 per analyst role annually. The platform launched under a freemium model, completed two successful proof-of-concept projects with 100% conversion, and booked $4,000 in Annual Recurring Revenue within its first ten days. Simplview is now targeting 4,000 active users and $160,000 in ARR across Canada by the end of 2026.
BookMyTherapy — Culturally Aligned Mental Health, In Your Language
Neha Juwale’s BookMyTherapy platform is addressing a mental health crisis hiding in plain sight: for many immigrants and newcomers to Canada, finding a therapist is not just about access — it is about finding someone who speaks their language, understands their culture, and creates a space free of judgement. BookMyTherapy connects individuals with culturally aligned therapists within two days, across ten languages including English, Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Sindhi, Tamil, and Mandarin. In 2025, the company ran five community events reaching 100 people each, in partnership with the YMCA and the Social Development Centre Waterloo Region — with over 85% of participants reporting a meaningful sense of community belonging. Juwale, a Conestoga College graduate, was recognized with the 2024 KW Oktoberfest Women of the Year Community Impact Award for her contributions to community wellbeing. The company plans to expand to Arabic in 2026 and is seeking partnerships with municipalities, universities, and transit authorities to bring therapeutic access to underserved communities.
ShippEasy — AI-Powered Freight Forwarding for Canada-India-USA Trade Corridors
Co-founders Inderjeet Singh and Sandeep Sahni of ShippEasy (shippeasy.com) are tackling the multi-billion dollar inefficiencies of international freight forwarding with AI. Their platform digitizes the complex, documentation-heavy process of moving goods across the Canada-India-USA trade corridor — from factory floor to final delivery — reducing document preparation time by 95% and saving an estimated 10 hours per order. ShippEasy is already live with seven enterprise customers, more than 30 active users, 200 monthly shipments, and $20,000 CAD in ARR. The platform is connected to India’s national port system, Sagar Setu, and is supporting digital logistics initiatives tied to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. The company is targeting 25+ enterprise customers and $200,000 CAD ARR by end of 2026.
Questify — Turning Textbooks into a TikTok-Style Learning Feed
Co-founders Vynavin Vinod and Madheswaran Kamal of Questify (questify.study) are reimagining education for a generation that spends more than three hours daily on vertical video platforms but less than 20 minutes engaging with traditional textbooks. Questify’s AI transforms any textbook, worksheet, or set of notes into bite-sized, TikTok-style educational videos aligned to real syllabi — including IB, AP, and SAT curricula — using gamified quests, streaks, and leaderboards to drive daily engagement and measurable retention gains of 20–60%. The company has secured an official partnership with the Peel District School Board (one of Canada’s largest), is running a live pilot at Harold M. Brathwaite Secondary School in Brampton, won the national pitch competition at the Canadian EdTech Summit, and was recognized as one of Mindshare Learning’s Top 25 EdTechs. Questify recently won the Diamond Challenge Canada competition and is preparing for the international finals in Delaware this April, with support from BHive, Altitude Accelerator, Brampton Entrepreneur Centre, and AWS Startup Programs
Founder Showcase and Networking: The Ecosystem in Action
Following the pitch showcase and the Cohort 3 graduation ceremony — complete with certificates, a group photograph, and heartfelt recognition for mentors, advisors, and the BHive team — the evening transitioned into a vibrant Founder Showcase. Nine startups from across all three Brampton NEXT cohorts set up booths around the venue, presenting their products and services in a live, hands-on environment designed to spark meaningful connections between founders, investors, and community partners.
The showcase highlighted the extraordinary diversity of businesses emerging from the Brampton NEXT ecosystem — each one founded by a newcomer to Canada who is bringing unique cultural knowledge, global networks, and specialized expertise to the Canadian market:
● CareO Tech (Andaleeb Khan, Cohort 3) — a B2B2C platform connecting families with culturally matched, foreign-trained doctors and nurses for safe and smooth home healthcare after hospital discharge
● Kayf-ko Zafarani (Kamaluddin Ahmadi, Cohort 3) — delivering authentic, high-quality Afghan spices with unmatched aroma and purity to North American kitchens
● SmartAura (Jai Inder Singh, Cohort 3) — transforming homes with advanced smart technology, providing safety, automation, and complete control through a single integrated ecosystem
● Ukraiinochka (Eleonora Levytska, Cohort 3) — creating modern jewelry inspired by Ukrainian symbols, helping people feel connected to their roots while promoting Ukrainian culture in Canada and supporting those affected by the war
● Kansoft (Metalica 365) (Jaisree Eswar Sridhar, Cohort 3) — offering real-time visibility into jobs, machines, and inventory for manufacturing leaders
● Ashesh Arora Studios (Ashesh Arora, Cohort 3) — blending story, strategy, and creative direction to produce premium campaigns that feel human and drive real impact
● AIshar (Manmeet Singh, Cohort 2) — helping organizations turn AI ideas into production-ready systems and building AI-powered tools for businesses and consumers
● Fuelshine (Vikash Kumar Verma, Cohort 2) — an AI-powered mileage and safety compliance platform that automates trip tracking, reimbursements, and driver coaching for fleets
● Chromatic Solutions (Jyoti Sharma, Cohort 1) — providing modern digital printing technology for textile and packaging manufacturers, making production more efficient, sustainable, and affordable
Among the most popular stops of the evening was the Kayf-ko Zafarani booth, where founder Kamaluddin Ahmadi shared samples of authentic Afghan spices that drew long lines and lively conversation — a vivid reminder that entrepreneurship in Brampton is as much about culture, flavour, and storytelling as it is about technology and scale. Equally compelling was CareO Tech, where founder Andaleeb Khan demonstrated a platform designed to solve a deeply personal challenge for immigrant families: finding home healthcare providers who share their language and cultural background, ensuring dignity and comfort during some of life’s most vulnerable moments.
A Model Designed for Talent Activation, Not Just Acceleration
Unlike traditional programs, Brampton NEXT combines business acceleration with settlement support, enabling newcomer entrepreneurs to establish both their companies and their lives in Canada. This integrated approach removes barriers faster, accelerates business formation, and strengthens long-term retention of global talent in Brampton.
A Program Built for Global Founders, Rooted in Brampton
Brampton NEXT is delivered by BHive — the Global Entrepreneur Incubation Program (GEIP) operating within Brampton’s Innovation District in partnership with the City of Brampton. BHive acts as a key entry point into the city’s innovation ecosystem, connecting founders to mentors, partners, and institutions across the Brampton Innovation District. Since the program’s inception, BHive has supported 66 graduated companies and grown to a total active portfolio of 122 companies. In 2025 alone, BHive onboarded 14 new international startups across sectors including
MedTech, EdTech, HealthTech, CleanTech, FinTech, AI, and SaaS, while delivering more than 134 hours of programming, 204 mentor engagements, and 12 major ecosystem events — including international delegations from Africa, Asia, and Europe.
By activating highly skilled newcomer talent, Brampton NEXT contributes to local job creation, new business formation, and increased economic activity. The program strengthens Brampton’s innovation ecosystem while helping position the city as a destination for global entrepreneurs and investment.
Brampton’s Innovation District has emerged as a destination for global entrepreneurial talent, and programs like Brampton NEXT are helping to build the connective tissue between ambitious founders from around the world and the opportunities Canada has to offer. With growing ties to FedDev Ontario, Invest Ontario, the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce, and international trade partners across multiple continents, BHive continues to amplify Brampton’s reputation as a city that does not just welcome global entrepreneurs — it equips them to succeed.
Interest in Brampton NEXT continues to grow organically. Even without active recruitment for the next cohort, BHive has already received inbound inquiries from prospective founders, signalling strong demand for structured entrepreneurial programming tailored to newcomers in the Brampton region.
