Monark

Leadership development is important for any organization, yet it isn’t always affordable or widely accessible. Monark is democratizing leadership training by offering digital tools that build behavioural skills and unlock leadership potential. Designed by organizational psychologists, Monark’s platform provides users with a 360-degree assessment and offers evidence-based resources proven to build competencies. Users aren’t just taught skills, they learn exactly how to apply them.

As a third-generation member of an entrepreneurial farming family, CEO and co-founder Kelsey Hahn always knew she’d start her own company one day. She and co-founder Dr. Amanda Julian, PhD, worked together in the corporate world for several years before taking the entrepreneurial leap. They recognized a market opportunity to disrupt a space largely serving leaders in the late stages of their careers and using archaic and high-touch methods. With Monark, they have launched the first leadership development technology to come to market in Canada, helping leaders enhance their performance three times faster by learning exactly what they need, when they need it.

With UCeed funding, the Monark team is building new partnerships with organizations to help provide training to populations and groups that have historically lacked access to leadership development. The company will be enhancing sales and marketing efforts to expand further across Canada and the U.S. and will continue to expand its product, integrating AI and machine learning to hyper-personalize learning experiences based on one’s industry, current skillset and even how they interact/lead in virtual meetings.

Visit Monark’s website for more information.

Monark has received investment from UCeed, a venture philanthropy fund accelerating UCalgary and community-based startup companies to advance problem-solving research, create jobs and fuel the economy. A key program in the UCalgary innovation ecosystem, UCeed bridges the gap between innovation, demonstration and commercialization, and is managed by UCalgary’s knowledge-transfer and business incubator, Innovate Calgary.

The UCeed Social Impact Fund is powered by the generosity of the United Way of Calgary and Area and its mission to mobilize communities for lasting social change and the Government of Alberta’s Creative Partnerships initiative to support arts and non-profit sectors.