Edmontonians build community everywhere—whether at the ice cream shop, the local hockey rink or online.
The Edmonton Edge Fund is investing in new and growing small businesses to ensure that all Edmontonians have opportunities to connect with each other.
One of those businesses is Kind Ice Cream, which opened its first welcoming neighbourhood shop in Highlands. There are now two more—in Ritchie and downtown Edmonton. Others are in the works, thanks to a $289,609 grant from the Edge Fund.
“The Edge Fund will have an enormous positive impact on our growth, allowing us to expand into a new 6,000-square-foot production facility in central Edmonton … giving us the opportunity to bring our community-focused shops to more neighborhoods across Edmonton,” shares Paula Shyba, one of Kind’s three owners.
“Many small businesses, including ours, lack the same access to capital for growth that large retailers have, and the Edge Fund plays a valuable role in filling that gap.”
The Edge Fund addresses barriers for innovative businesses looking to do something transformative in Edmonton that will help drive economic growth, and in many cases, create community. In 2024, $5 million was awarded to 17 businesses and organizations across eight industries to start, scale or grow their initiatives.
Fostering collaboration
Edmontonians know very well how sport, especially hockey, can bring people together. For many, that starts in youth sports. Coaches, teammates, trainers and sports fans are all part of a network of young athletes and share in the joy and hard work of improving skills, strength and strategy.
ZerOne Hockeyology is a new company pushing the envelope in the hockey community, combining training programs with cutting-edge equipment and research to elevate players, innovating the sport for everyone.
“We have been mindful of keeping our eyes fixed on the most important people of all, the kids and the young at heart, who will walk through our doors in an effort to get better, perform better in hockey, in health and in life,” says David Muddle, CEO and co-founder of ZerOne Hockeyology.
“They are our north star, and we create an experience without precedence for them.”
With the support of the Edge Fund, Hockeyology has partnered with Gaze and Movement Analysis Inc. (GaMA), a spin-off company of the University of Alberta. Through this collaboration, and $100,000 from the City, gaze and movement data from athletes will be captured and then transformed into a comprehensible set of performance metrics.
“This fund enables ZerOne and GaMA to translate groundbreaking research into tangible solutions that benefit athletes and the broader community,” says Muddle.“The Edge Fund ensures that these initiatives not only thrive but also drive economic growth and foster collaboration within the local ecosystem.”
Accelerating innovation and sharing in identity
Another Edge Fund recipient, MuslimKids.TV (MKTV), creates original streaming content for Muslim children, offering over 15,000 resources including Islamic videos, games and ebooks kids love, as well as original games and shows for subscribers.
According to Census Data in 2021, 8.3 per cent of Edmonton’s population was Muslim. While a lot of children’s entertainment available in Canada has caught up to be inclusive and representational of many religions and cultures, there are still some gaps. MKTV is able to fill those gaps, providing content, resources and a safe space for kids to learn, see themselves represented and be able to connect with their peers.
MKTV is using its $334,000 in funding from the Edmonton Edge Fund to create an in-house game development studio to produce gaming products based on the company’s original content.
“We have several great games in early development that we can now bring from the drawing board to reality,” says Michael Milo, CEO of MuslimKids.TV.
“The Edge Fund support means accelerating innovation in our company. It means being more daring in developing new products and initiatives.”
Modernizing therapy
Community spaces and support can be built anywhere, whether in physical spaces or digital. DiveThru is a local business modernizing the therapy experience in Edmonton and across Canada. Potential clients can use an innovative matching tool to match them with recommended therapists that they can access online and in person.
With the help of $750,000 from the Edmonton Edge Fund, DiveThru has been able to expand into its Windermere location, providing mental health care to even more Edmontonians in addition to their existing location on Whyte Ave.
“At DiveThru, we’re on a mission to ensure no one struggles alone—and the funding from the Edge Fund has allowed us to take significant steps towards that mission!” says Sophie Gray, founder of DiveThru.
“With the support from the funding, we recently opened our Windermere location and have a central one on the way! Through these locations, we’re able to support more Edmontonians with their mental health, including expanding the capacity for our Reduced Rate program,” which helps those who are facing financial barriers.
Welcoming newcomers into the community
Moving to a new country, into a new culture and sometimes a new climate is daunting, and a big adjustment. UpRow, a technology company, and its app is making that transition smoother for every newcomer.
Just like DiveThru, UpRow is proving that communities can be built and supported from the palm of your hand! UpRow’s app offers information about housing, employment, legal procedures and community connections, helping newcomers settle faster and more easily in Canada—whether they’re moving to Edmonton or another city.
“Edge Fund is a game-changer for us at UpRow,” says Kelise Williams, founder of UpRow. “It enables us to expand our services significantly, reaching more newcomers and providing them with even more comprehensive support as they settle into Edmonton.”
UpRow’s app uses AI tools and resources. The company was able to further develop the AI capabilities of their app with $100,000 in support from the Edge Fund. The app is able to analyze user profiles and their needs to be able to provide personalized suggestions for services and resources available on the platform creating tailored support for each individual.
Creating inclusive and groundbreaking spaces
Edmonton is a city of risk-takers, and the City and its partners continue to work together to identify and reduce red tape, streamline services and reduce barriers to investment in our city.
The Edmonton Edge Fund addresses barriers for these businesses and organizations transforming Edmonton. These businesses are dedicated to innovating and making space for Edmontonians to connect and grow—whether they’re supporting mental health, creating inclusive and groundbreaking spaces for entertainment and sport, or providing a sweet treat and a smile.
“Given the success and progress recipients have been able to achieve so far, we are looking at how we can continue to offer the Edge Fund in order to support the growth, innovation and resilience of the local economy,” says Nik George, Program Manager of the fund.
The City is proud to be able to invest in these businesses and support all of the positive impacts they have for residents.
Editor’s note: the pic at the top of the post shows Kind Ice Cream founders (left to right) Paula Shyba, Nicole Bhar and Candyce Morris at their Highlands location, Sept. 27, 2024.
This article is the first in a Transforming Edmonton series about how the City of Edmonton’s Edge Fund is investing in businesses that benefit all Edmontonians. You can learn more at edmonton.ca/EdgeFund.
Technology North, another Edge Fund recipient, is creating community and employing and empowering young adults with autism spectrum disorder. Read more in this Why Edmonton story.