Brizi’s Anna Hu on the Importance of Diversity
Summary
Programs like Express Entry, which helps skilled immigrants fast-track the move to Canada, drive an inclusivity that fuels a vibrant startup ecosystem. “It’s the general welcoming environment (in Canada) to tech companies from anywhere that attracts great foreign talent.” She points out that the startup brought MIT and Stanford grads back after their bout in Boston. Since Hu and her cofounder Sam Dalati launched Brizi in 2014 shortly after meeting in the Next 36, an entrepreneurship initiative set up to identify and train promising Canadian entrepreneurs, they’ve learned a lot about what it means to build a global company from their base in Toronto. They’ve added operations offices in Boston and Brisbane, and deployed the platform in seven countries, working with leading brands across NBA basketball, European soccer, and Grand Slam tennis. Sports are a universal language, whether you’re in Australia or Brazil or Canada, home teams bring out throngs of fans and brands are looking for ways to leverage that fandom.