Homegrown support: Buying Canadian tech

There’s a growing movement to support Canadian businesses.

Over the last few weeks, “choose Canada,” has become a go-to mantra. U.S. President Donald Trump has signed executive orders to impose a 25 percent levy on all imported steel and aluminum starting on March 12, and there are on-going discussions about additional tariffs on other Canadian goods. This new volatility with our largest trading partner has sparked a movement among Canadians to direct their buying power toward local companies. “What I’m seeing is Canadians coming together, supporting Canadian businesses, and facing these new tariffs with resilience and determination,” says Rashmi Prakash, CEO of Halifax-based startup Aruna. “I often say I’m a delusional optimist, but I think optimism is exactly what we need right now. What if this is an opportunity? What if this increases awareness of where we’re spending our money, prompting more of us to buy Canadian-made products?”

There are more options than you might think for Canadians looking to buy domestically made tech and software. (Even though software isn’t subject to tariffs, switching from an American business to a Canadian company or developing a local-first procurement strategy can have a big impact.) Many Canadian startups that manufacture here using U.S. materials are scrambling to find non-U.S. suppliers; the shift will take time because the two economies are so tightly intertwined. Although these systems can be incredibly complex, choosing to support Canadian-based businesses that employ Canadian workers will strengthen our economy and send a clear message of solidarity.

Canadian startups are offering streamlined tools for doctors, gamified math lessons, a platform for predicting tax information, better batteries and much more. For just a glimpse at the range of domestic ventures open for (your) business, check out the following list:

Business services:

Axonify: Personalized corporate training for frontline workers.
Blue J: AI-powered research to predict outcomes in cases involving tax and employment law.
Ecopia: Converts high-resolution geospatial imagery into comprehensive and up-to-date vector maps.
Float Financial: Corporate cards, bill payments, expense management and 4 percent interest to help businesses grow.
Loopio: A proposal management tool that includes video messaging, hosting and buyer engagement.

E-commerce tools:

Ecomtent: Uses AI to create advertising content for vendors to sell online.
GoBolt: Logistics provider that offers warehousing, pick and pack, shipping and last mile delivery solutions.
Moselle: An automated inventory planner and procurement manager for small- and mid-sized e-commerce brands.

Health tech:

Braze Mobility: Develops blind spot sensors for wheelchairs.
FluidAI: A postoperative monitoring platform that continuously and non-invasively analyzes postoperative wound drainage.
Mimosa: Creates an imaging device that uses near-infrared light to non-invasively assess tissue health at the point-of-care.
PointClickCare: Provides cloud-based healthcare management solutions.
Tali.ai: AI assistant for clinicians that help with documentation and administrative tasks.
Trexo Robotics: Builds wearable robotics for children with disabilities and walking impairments.

Climate solutions:

Carbon Upcycling: Developing low-emission cement using local industrial byproducts and natural materials.
Cyclic Materials: A recycling company building a circular supply chain for rare earth elements and other critical metals.
Electrovaya: Manufactures lithium-ion batteries and battery systems for energy storage and heavy duty electric vehicles.
Enersion: Provides emission-free cooling and heating to commercial and industrial sites.
Moduleaf: Indoor farming solution using robotics and machine learning for sustainable year-round production.
Morgan Solar: Develops solar technologies for the utility solar and urban building sectors.
NxLite: Develops energy-control coatings for polymers and glass.

Consumer products and services:

Aruna Revolution: Period pads crafted from compostable, plant-based materials.
Muse: An EEG headband that targets better sleep and emotional well-being developed by Canadian neurotech company Interaxon.
Nanoleaf: Modular, colour-changing LED lighting tiles that can be customized into countless shapes.
Sheertex: Ultra-strong sheer tights that are up to 10x more durable than others.
Sprout Family: A digital health platform that supports Canadians in their journeys to build a family.
PocketHealth: A platform that provides individuals easy access to medical imaging records and health reports.
Prodigy: Used by parents and teachers to help students improve their math skills through gameplay.

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