Innovation Saskatchewan is responsible for implementing the province’s innovation priorities and helping grow Saskatchewan’s tech sector. Effective April 2022, this includes operation of the Innovation Place technology parks in Saskatoon and Regina.
Curious about the tenants at Innovation Place?
Check out our Meet the Tenants series to learn more about them and what they do.
Meet the Tenants
Innovation Place tenant since
2018
Building
The Concourse, 116 Research Drive
Park
Innovation Place, Saskatoon
SalonScale is a software platform that helps hair salons globally make data-driven decisions in their businesses. The software allows hair stylists and owners to accurately track the cost of each bowl of hair colour to price out their services through a parts and labour pricing method, keep digital records of hair color formulas and manage supply based on actual usage versus estimation.
In the few short years we have been part of the tech sector here in Saskatchewan, it's not hard to see the recognition this province deserves as a major player in Canada’s technology ecosystem, and being able to be a part of this community is both grounding and inspiring.
Saskatchewan is home to the majority of our team, and we credit the people this province produces as one of the key reasons our company not only began here, but chooses to stay and grow here. We’re entrepreneurial and innovators by nature because we have been pushed to think outside the box. There is a humble grittiness that I think is catapulting Saskatchewan talent. Not only that, the tech community here genuinely wants to see others succeed, especially with the access to resources and programming like those here at Innovation Place and the mentorship and knowledge coming out of the teams at Co.Labs and Cultivator.
Do lack of direct flights to San Francisco and cold winters count? In all honesty, in the era of the Zoom call, the challenges of being located in a certain location have minimized, and being in Saskatchewan is no exception.
As Saskatchewan continues to make a name for itself in the tech sector, barriers to raising capital and attracting talent are becoming less and less. With the emergence of funds such as Conexus Venture Capital, Broad Street Bulls and so many more, coupled with the support from the provincial and federal governments and the networking and mentorship opportunities found here in the Innovation Place park, our team is confident saying that we are founded and operating in the province of Saskatchewan.
We are optimistic that Saskatchewan tech is going to be a key player ensuring Saskatchewan thrives in a post-pandemic landscape. The growth and job creation we have already seen from so many tech companies during this time has been very positive.
As a female-founded and female majority company, I look forward to seeing more diversity within the tech space. Diverse teams produce better products, and in a province that values innovation, an environment of diversity and inclusion are critical to success.
Innovation Place has watched our company grow from ideation to a fast-scaling team of 19 people in 2 years, and has been there to support us in our growth. The team here in the park has truly showed up and delivered when it comes to working WITH companies like ours in growth and scale. This past spring when we experienced an unexpected increase in team size, Jackie Presnell, Executive Director of Marketing, and the team at Innovation Place went above and beyond to find us a solution. Knowing that you are able to reduce stressors like that means that we are able to spend the time focusing on our business.
Not only that, as an early-stage startup, every resource counts. The partnerships provided through Innovation Place have allowed us to use our limited capital to fuel our product rather than having it tied up in some of the operational costs (e.g., Google credits, Stripe credits, etc.)
Location, Location, Location! The fact that our team can take a walk by the river on a lunch break has been one of our favourite parts about the park. It’s also hard to not appreciate some lunch specials next to some beautiful tropical plants, or blow off some steam in a heated game of ping pong after a big brainstorming session.
Don’t be afraid to fail and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Subscribe to the Scene newsletter for the latest information on Innovation Place and our tenants.
- 2020