The Pulse: July 2, 2025

Kinza Mawji, the 20-year-old son of Ashif Mawji — a prolific Edmonton investor who sold the Upside Software company he started for US$22 million in 2012 — has started his own platform to help startups find investment, called ScaleupMap.

ScaleupMap is a platform with artificial intelligence-powered tools for startups, investors, accelerators, and those holding pitch competitions. Startups create an account, fill out a profile, and then ScaleupMap creates an investor memo using AI to send to potential funders. ScaleupMap also has two public, agentic AI tools that offer scoring based on comparisons against best-in-class peers, and goal-setting. A third agent is in the works. The platform has directories of startups, investors, competitions, and funding programs, among other things.

Kinza, who's two years into his finance and computer science studies at the University of Alberta, launched the platform in January after a summer student-preneur program with Edmonton Unlimited.

Despite competitors in the market, Kinza said he felt he could offer something different. "What I've noticed from the competitors, which are not growing as fast as I guess they would hope, is that they focus quite a bit on the investor side, and making the investors happy, because they're the ones with the money," Kinza told Taproot. "Our thesis, and what we're building here, is a tool and a coach for the startup."

The Mawji family is made up of Kinza, his younger brother Aariz, 15, his mom, Zainul, and his dad, Ashif. Each is an entrepreneur or interpreneur, Kinza said, and the self-starter spirit is a family affair. Fittingly, NAIT's entrepreneurship centre is named for the Mawji family because they donated $1 million to the school in 2017.

"Everyone helps with advice," Kinza said. "We always have a good chat about whatever any of us are doing at the dinner table. Ashif has been pretty heavy on the advice side of things and helping us as a user … Aariz has been super helpful with some of our AI-generated images for content."

ScaleupMap is free to use right now, and Kinza said he will likely only end up charging $10 to $20 per month for startup users in the future. Revenue will instead come from investors, pitch contests, and accelerators — basically any user that isn't a startup — he said.

"Startups are cash tight and time tight," Kinza said. "This tool is really based on getting startups and founders information, coaching, and guidance and (showing them) how to raise and how to do anything else that comes with building a startup. It's basically a business co-founder in your pocket."

• Edmonton city council rejected Ward Pihêsiwin Coun. Tim Cartmell's motion to pause development approvals for mid-block properties in small scale residential zones due to legal concerns that it would contravene the Municipal Government Act. Mayor Amarjeet Sohi ruled the moratorium out of order. Residents and industry representatives voiced concerns about the pace of development, parking, tree loss, and the number of allowable units, while others urged councillors not to make too many revisions to the zoning bylaw.
• Environment Canada has issued heat warnings for Edmonton and much of Alberta, effective July 1, as daytime temperatures are expected to reach near 30C for two days. Residents are advised to watch for signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, especially in seniors, infants, and those with pre-existing conditions. The Alberta government reported 62 wildfires burning across the province, and fire bans are in effect in northern Alberta around High Level and Fort McMurray.
• On Canada Day, participants in the fourth annual Run for Reconciliation raised awareness for residential school survivors by running and tying orange ribbons and messages around the gazebo at the St. Albert Healing Garden.
• Mayoral candidate Rahim Jaffer proposed a free parking plan to revitalize Edmonton's downtown core and support local businesses, CityNews reported. The plan includes free parking downtown and in other key areas after 5pm, all day on weekends and holidays, and a 30-minute grace period for short stops. Weekday daytime parking would be a flat rate of $2.50 per hour, lower than the current $3.50 to $4.50 rate. Surge pricing would still apply during peak events, Jaffer said.
• The Edmonton Oilers acquired a 2027 fifth-round draft pick from the Boston Bruins in exchange for forward Viktor Arvidsson. Arvidsson, a Swedish winger, recorded 15 goals and 12 assists in 67 games for the Oilers last season, and has a contract with a $4 million cap hit for the 2025-26 season. The Oilers also signed defenceman Riley Stillman to a two-year, two-way contract with an average annual value of $775,000, and signed Edmonton-native goaltender Matt Tomkins to a two-year, two-way contract with an average annual value of $775,000.
• The Edmonton Oilers have lost forwards Corey Perry and Connor Brown in the early stages of free agency. Perry signed with the Los Angeles Kings for one year, while Brown signed a four-year, $12 million deal with the New Jersey Devils. Perry scored 19 goals in the regular season and 10 in the playoffs for the Oilers, while Brown had 13 goals in the regular season and five in the playoffs.

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• ECAMP Curiosity Walking Tours - Ukrainian Ties starting at 12:30pm at Central McDougall Park
• Summer Sessions starting at 6:30pm at Heritage Park Pavilion
• Stand Up Alumni Show Part 2 starting at 7pm at Grindstone Theatre
• Carrot Gallery - Opening Reception starting at 7pm at Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse
• Grindstone Comedy Festival at Grindstone Theatre (until July 6)

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• July 5: Local Authors Book Sale at Edmonton Public Library (Stanley A. Milner)
• July 11: Tails on the Trails at Lions Park
• July 18: Festival Food Bike Tours

Visit the beta version of the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.