Get your paycheque sooner thanks to this Calgary company

Welcome to this week's Sunday Briefing. In this issue, find out about an e-sports arena at Bow Valley College, and who’s been named to the Globe and Mail’s top-growing companies. Plus, read 12 other stories you might’ve missed.

Have a great day. We'll see you again on Wednesday.

P.S. Did someone forward you this email? You can subscribe right here. And for real-time updates, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.  

🗳️ Question of the Week

Get your paycheque sooner thanks to this Calgary company

If your employer banks with Scotiabank, you may be in luck. The financial institution has partnered with Calgary fintech company ZayZoon to offer Earned Wage Access (EWA). Scotiabank business clients will now be able to offer their employees instant access to their earned wages on demand.

Using ZayZoon’s solution, employees can deposit funds directly to their bank accounts through desktop and mobile devices, without discussing advances with employers. The partnership marks ZayZoon’s first with a Canadian bank.

"Our recent pulse survey revealed that 42 percent of Canadian workers experience significant financial stress multiple times a day or daily, and 66 percent say this stress impacts their work performance,” said Darcy Tuer, co-founder and CEO of ZayZoon. “This partnership addresses the urgent need for solutions like EWA. We're excited to work with Scotiabank to bring this innovative solution to Canadian businesses and their employees, giving them greater control and flexibility over their financial lives.”

The partnership caps off a big year for the Calgary company. Last fall, ZayZoon picked up $46 million in its Series B financing and reported 400 percent year-over-year growth.

SPONSORED BY TAP NETWORK

Just released: TAP Network’s 2024 Tech Sector Salary Survey

Focused entirely on the Canadian tech sector, the survey reports on local and national salaries, total compensation, detailed policy data and more.

Learn more here »

🤝 Funding, Deals, and Partnerships

• Ayrton Energy raises $9.1 million CAD in bid to expand clean hydrogen solution in the US. Ayrton is developing a hydrogen storage system that operates at low temperatures and low pressure. Betakit

• Orpyx secures $20 million in growth capital to advance diabetic foot ulcer prevention. The funding round was led by Perceptive Advisors, whose Portfolio Manager, Sam Chawla, praised Orpyx as an innovator in DFU prevention. Calgary.Tech

• Exro announces Stellantis N.V. as passenger vehicle innovation program partner and named finalist at Stellantis’ supplier of the year awards. For the past 14 months, Exro and Stellantis have collaborated in a confidential innovation program. Exro

📰 Need To Know

• Province tells U.S. firms Alberta wants data centres — but bring your own power. The provincial government is trying to sell Alberta as a prime location for data centres — buildings that store and process digital information. CBC News

• EY supports city’s women tech entrepreneurs. Hundreds, if not thousands, of tech startups have launched in Calgary over the past decade, and a growing number of them are led by women. Calgary Economic Development

• Konstruct named on The Globe and Mail's top-growing companies in Canada list for the second year in a row. The company is helping to put Canada on the map as a leading source of top-tier B2B digital marketing talent. Cision

• BisonSense: Alberta researchers at NAIT and Lakeland College partner for special bison sensor. BisonSense was the brainchild of Dr. Yuri Montanholi, a research scientist and instructor at Lakeland College and also the lead organizer on the project. Edmonton Journal

• Innovator of the Week: Philippe Burns brings community spirit to Calgary’s tech scene. Burns was tasked with helping Neo hire more senior-level tech staff, and quickly noticed a lack of social and networking events for the tech community at large. Avenue Calgary

• Bow Valley College’s esports arena: A catalyst for Alberta’s digital media industry. The esports arena at Bow Valley College aims to provide a "place to play," one of the key pillars in developing a prosperous esports ecosystem, alongside fostering talent, community, and partnerships. Calgary Economic Development

• Energy tech startup PrePad selected for prestigious catalyst program by Chevron Technology Ventures. Launched in 2017, CTV's Catalyst Program aims to accelerate the growth of early-stage companies working on technologies potentially beneficial to the energy sector. PrePad

• Calgary’s next economy: Myoby streamlines and integrates warehouse productivity software. It started with digitizing an automotive parts maker’s label printing system. Livewire Calgary

• Leaders in social enterprise honoured as Haskayne Alumni Awards celebrate 25 years. From sustainability to accessibility, this year’s Haskayne Alumni Award recipients are transforming their industries and communities. University of Calgary

💡Ideas & Insights

• Surviving the entrepreneurial roller coaster with Nic Beique. Beique, founder and CEO of payments company Helcim, shared his journey. Thin Air Labs

• Marc-André Forget on The Hard Part with Evan McCann. The founder and CEO of Dcbel, a home energy station provider, discussed his company’s 10-year journey. The Hard Part