A growing number of Canadian startups are using tech to help people connect with each other IRL.
Catch up: The WHO declared loneliness a global public health concern back in November 2023, and the issue hasn’t gotten much better since. According to Telus’s latest Mental Health Index, Canadians are struggling with feelings of isolation, and have been for over two years. A recent survey of office workers found that 79% felt isolated at their job.
Several Canadian startups are stepping up to help:
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Planned helps companies manage corporate events, including vendor payments, hotel blocks, and travel — and a new $35 million Series B will add AI features to do it more cheaply.
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Tandem Experiences’ app curates itineraries for group events — not just, say, finding an art exhibit or concert, but also somewhere to eat afterwards.
- Wavy publicly launched CultureOS in the spring, a platform to find, manage, and measure the impact of workshops, team building, and company culture events.
Why it matters: Social connections are important to mental health but they’re getting harder to manage. Individuals and companies are grappling with inflation that’s making events more expensive, and it's complicated for remote teams to keep in touch.
Bottom line: The experience economy — which includes everything from dinner and a movie to international travel and hotels — is expected to be worth US$2.1 trillion globally by 2032. Spending just on corporate events is projected to reach $1.1 trillion by 2031.