The economy of Calgary is greatly supported by the young generation of entrepreneurs and innovators who are actively and passionately bringing their new ideas into the business world of the city. Regardless of the field, they are all united by their passion for change. Read more about the ten entrepreneurs and innovators who created something significant before turning 30, and whose work and dedication did not go unnoticed, on calgary1.one.
Josh Ferbringer
While in his third year at the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary, Josh co-founded and became the CEO of Bio-Box, an eco-friendly manufacturing company aiming to reduce plastic consumption.
The company created a biodegradable box containing high-quality soap. Bio-Box sells its eco-friendly soap to various establishments, such as hotels and resorts, who then offer it to their customers. The box itself is made from environmentally friendly materials, including wheat straw and polyvinyl alcohol.
Bio-Box’s mission is to reduce the use of harmful plastic toiletry bottles, making a positive impact on the environment.
Jenna Galloway
A Bachelor of Medical Sciences from the University of Calgary, Jenna founded Wymbin in 2016, a yoga studio focused on providing wellness education, knowledge about therapeutic exercises, and mental health support.
Born in Perth, Australia, Jenna enjoyed running barefoot and climbing magnolia trees. At 12, she moved to Canada. After studying medical sciences and working with Dr. Gregor Wolbring at the Disability Studies Research Centre on autism and yoga, Jenna decided to start a social enterprise to make yoga accessible for children and youth with special needs.
Jenna created the BEAM Foundation, which offered free yoga programs for children and youth suffering from illnesses, recovering, having special needs, or coming from low-income families. Her nonprofit expanded into a full studio where every child and teenager could unlock their unique abilities and potential. The studio also began offering regular yoga classes, sports yoga, meditation, and teacher training programs.
Zak Hodder
Zak studied mass communications at Royal Roads University. He created HARPIA, an accessible and fun platform for athlete development. Hodder is a former player and player development manager for the Western Hockey League and a former player in the Canadian Hockey League.
HARPIA provides athletes with an affordable and accessible platform to improve their skills using computer vision and their smartphones.
Mitch Jacobsen
Mitch earned a Bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Calgary. After almost six years working in the oil and gas industry, Mitch founded Rviita in 2019, a company that produces a health-safe energy tea.
The idea emerged when Mitch’s friend suffered a heart attack, likely caused by energy drinks. After his friend recovered, Mitch began searching for a healthy alternative, but couldn’t find one. Together with his team, he created a clean, all-natural energy drink made from black or green tea, organic honey, and fruit juice for flavor.
The drink is packaged in flexible, recyclable bags, which contribute to a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to glass or aluminum containers.
Wade Jacques
A graduate from the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Science, Wade co-founded Communal, a cloud-based software solution designed to help organizations manage their members, facility rentals, volunteers, events, programs, and donations online.
Communal’s clients include community associations, local organizations, cultural groups, small and medium nonprofits, schools, and anyone looking to easily manage a community of people.
The idea emerged in 2018, with the launch occurring in the following year, when the company started officially working with its first community organization.
Taran Kaint
Taran, a Bachelor of Business Administration with a focus on entrepreneurship and innovation from Mount Royal University, co-founded Flahmingo in 2022 – a digital investment program that reimagines the way Canadians invest.
The company allows people to invest just $1 in over 4,000 stocks, enabling them to build their portfolios and decide which stocks they want to invest in.
The name “Flahmingo” comes from the flamingo bird, one of the most agile and unique in the world, symbolizing the unique investment experience and financial literacy the company offers its users.
The idea emerged after the 2007–2008 financial crash, when Taran’s father lost a significant portion of his wealth, partly due to the lack of financial literacy.
Madison Savilov
Madison, a graduate in Sociology and Accounting from the University of Calgary, became the head of Carbon Upcycling Technologies, a company founded in 2014. Madison launched a consumer goods line within the company.
Stefanna Spolettini
A Bachelor of Science graduate from Arizona State University, Stefanna co-founded Noto Gelato in 2020 with financial help from her family, aiming to bring the authenticity of Italian gelato to Calgary.
Stefanna grew up in the food industry, as her father was one of the co-founders of the local favorite Spolumbo’s. The Spolettini family also founded Pulcinella, Stromboli Inn, and Mercato.
Umair Tazim
A Bachelor of Arts and Political Science graduate from the University of Calgary, Umair founded Embold in 2018.
Embold’s goal is to create the world’s most accessible marketing platform for influencers, enabling advertisers to find local influencers with large social media followings and communicate with them effectively. After its launch, the company worked with major brands such as Nestle, HP, and BMO.
The idea was conceived during his university years, while Umair was running a small advertising business helping local businesses with online marketing.
Maggie Tai
Maggie studied Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Mechatronics at the University of Calgary. She co-founded JAMH, the first software platform of its kind that helps companies understand essential information related to their industry and location, providing an intuitive user experience for interacting with and interpreting data.
The company primarily works with agriculture, renewable energy, and resource extraction industries. The idea emerged before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the company was officially launched in September 2020 to provide constant access to truthful and accurate information.