From tech founders reshaping AI and climate-conscious engineers retrofitting the past, to athletes, artists, and media pioneers championing equity and representation, the next generation of Canadian leaders is pushing boundaries across every sector. What unites them isn’t just ambition, but a deep sense of responsibility to make impact core to success. Whether they’re redefining how we watch sports, dress sustainably, or engage with our communities, these leaders are proving that innovation and integrity can go hand in hand. Our GLORY 30X30 2025 spotlights the rising voices, visionaries, and ventures that are actively rewriting the playbook for what leadership looks like in Canada today.
Meet the 30X30 Class of 2025.
Share your thoughts on social media using @gloryprofessional #GLORY30X30.
Anna Lambe
Actor, North of North
Anna Lambe is at the forefront of a new era in Indigenous storytelling. The 24-year-old Inuk actress from Iqaluit, Nunavut, stars as Siaja in Netflix’s North of North, a groundbreaking Arctic comedy that blends humor and heart to explore life in a tight-knit Inuit community. Filmed in her hometown, the series is a deeply personal project for Lambe, who drew from her own experiences to portray a woman navigating love, identity, and small-town scrutiny after a very public breakup.
LISTEN: Reclaiming the Arctic Narrative
Lambe’s performance has resonated with audiences, propelling the show into Netflix’s global Top 10 and earning praise for its authentic depiction of Inuit life. Beyond the screen, Lambe is a passionate advocate for Indigenous representation, emphasizing the importance of showcasing the full spectrum of Inuit experiences—from joy and humor to resilience and complexity.
Her rising profile has also led to roles in major productions, including a part alongside Brad Pitt in the upcoming action-adventure film Heart of the Beast. As Lambe continues to break barriers, she remains committed to telling stories that honor her culture and community, proving that Indigenous narratives are not only vital but also universally compelling.
Read Lambe’s full profile here.
Philip Kim
Olympian, Breakdancing
A Canadian trailblazer at the intersection of sport, art, and culture, Olympian Phil “The Wizard” Kim made headlines as the first-ever gold medalist in Olympic breakdancing. With unmatched precision and power, Kim brought B-boying from the underground to the global stage, capturing the world’s attention—and respect. His win is equal parts personal milestone and a cultural shift. Now a national icon, Kim is shaping the future of movement, inspiring a new generation of athletes and artists alike.
Paige Sandher & Harrison Gordon
Co-founders, Couchhaus
Paige Sandher and Harrison Gordon are flipping the script on furniture retail with CouchHaus, their Canadian-born, customizable sofa brand designed for modern living. By offering modular, made-to-order couches with sustainability at the core, they’ve built a business that marries design and conscience. With seven-figure revenues, a booming DTC model, and 100 trees planted per sale, they’re proving that furniture can be both personal and planet-forward. In a space dominated by legacy players, their rise is anything but typical—and entirely of the moment.
Aidan Gomez
Co-founder, Cohere
Aidan Gomez, a British-Canadian computer scientist from Brighton, Ontario, co-founded Cohere in 2019 to make advanced language AI accessible to businesses. At just 20, while interning at Google Brain, he co-authored the seminal paper “Attention Is All You Need,” introducing the transformer architecture that underpins today’s generative AI models like ChatGPT. Under Gomez’s leadership, Cohere has become a global AI leader, offering enterprise-grade language models that prioritize data security, customization, and real-world utility. Valued at over $5 billion, Cohere is reshaping how companies integrate AI into everyday operations.
Alysha Newman
Olympian, Pole Vault
Olympic bronze medalist and pole vault phenom Alysha Newman is one of Canada’s most dynamic multi-hyphenates. Her dominance on the field is matched by her entrepreneurial instincts off it—transforming her social media presence into a business-savvy platform that bridges sport, fashion, wellness, and brand partnerships. With a powerful mix of athletic excellence and personal branding, Newman is rewriting the playbook for modern athletes—building an empire as fearless and calculated as her record-breaking vaults.
Related: Olympian Alysha Newman is Rewriting Her Own Playbook
Ruslan Nikolaev & Griffin Keglevich
Co-founders, Float
Ruslan Nikolaev and Griffin Keglevich are the co-founders of Float, one of Canada’s fastest-growing fintech startups. Built to modernize corporate spending, Float offers smart corporate cards and automated expense management for Canadian companies. Since launching in 2021, the Toronto-based startup has raised over $100 million CAD—including a $50M USD round led by Goldman Sachs—and supports thousands of businesses nationwide. With deep experience in venture capital and entrepreneurship, Nikolaev and Keglevich are building the next great Canadian fintech brand from the ground up.
Saroya Tinker
Manager of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; PWHL
Saroya Tinker, a former professional hockey player from Oshawa, Ontario, has significantly impacted the sport both on and off the ice. After a successful collegiate career at Yale University and professional stints with the Metropolitan Riveters and Toronto Six—culminating in a 2023 Isobel Cup victory—Tinker transitioned into roles that promote inclusivity in hockey. As the Executive Director of Black Girl Hockey Club Canada and the PWHL’s Manager of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives & Community Engagement, she champions representation and equity in the sport. Additionally, Tinker serves as a hockey analyst for CBC, TSN, and Sportsnet, continuing to influence the game she loves.
Julie Letizia & Paige Cey
Co-founders, Benny
Canadian entrepreneurs Paige Cey and Julie Letizia are shaking up the energy drink market with Benny—a jitter-free, adaptogen-infused beverage born from their own wellness journeys. After being disappointed by overly sweet yerba maté drinks, Letizia teamed up with fellow UVic grad Cey to create a cleaner, jitter-free alternative. Their adaptogen-infused maté drinks now come in flavours like peach lychee and blackberry yuzu—and have sold over 200,000 cans since 2023. With a 5,000-person waitlist for their next product drop and $2M projected revenue, Benny is Canada’s next beverage breakout.
Fellipe Falluh
Founders, Retrofit Construction
Fellipe Falluh is reshaping Canada’s built environment—one retrofit at a time. At just 24, he founded Retrofit Construction to address the climate impact of existing buildings, which account for 18% of national emissions. A civil and environmental engineer, Falluh transformed his own 130-year-old duplex into Quebec’s first certified net-zero-ready home. Now a thought leader and podcast host on high-performance building, he’s proving that sustainability isn’t just about new construction—it’s about reimagining what already stands, for a more resilient and valuable future.
Summer McIntosh
Olympian, Swimming
At just 17, Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh redefined Olympic excellence at Paris 2024, capturing three gold medals in the 400m individual medley, 200m butterfly, and 200m individual medley, plus a silver in the 400m freestyle. Her performance made her the first Canadian athlete to win three golds at a single Summer Games . Named Canada’s Athlete of the Year for 2024, McIntosh is a prodigy and generational force, setting records and inspiring a new era of Canadian athletic ambition.
Danielle Spencer
Founder, Some Creative Agency
Danielle Spencer is a Toronto-based entrepreneur and founder of Some Creative Agency, a full-service marketing and brand strategy firm dedicated to supporting small businesses and underrepresented founders. Her work has helped generate over $14 million in funding for Black entrepreneurs, including marketing Canada’s $160 million Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund. Through initiatives like “In Her Bag,” she fosters community and mentorship for women entrepreneurs. Spencer also founded Balu Organics, a baby essentials brand, and co-founded BLCKS Enterprise, supporting Black entrepreneurs.
Jenn Orr
Founder, Popoff
Jenn Orr, founder of Popoff, is transforming the beverage industry with her prebiotic soda brand that blends health and taste. Inspired by her father’s health struggles, Orr created a soda that’s rich in vitamins and minerals, and fun to drink. Launched in 2023, Popoff offers innovative flavours like mango passionfruit and peach elderflower, following the success of similar U.S. brands like Olipop and Poppi. In just three months, she earned over $35,000 in revenue and now has Popoff in 50+ stores across B.C. and Alberta.
Sarah Nurse
Athlete, Toronto Sceptres
A trailblazer on and off the ice, Sarah Nurse made history once again in the inaugural season of the PWHL, playing for Toronto and helping cement women’s pro hockey as must-watch sport. An Olympic gold medalist and outspoken advocate for inclusion, Nurse is using her platform to push for equity in hockey, representation in media, and the growth of women’s sports. Her presence in the PWHL isn’t just impactful—it’s symbolic of a future where women athletes get the spotlight they deserve.
Related: Sarah Nurse is Pioneering the Future of Hockey
Diana Virgovicova, Kerem Topal Ismail Oglou, and Shirley Zhong
Co-founders, Xatoms
Diana Virgovicova, Kerem Topal Ismail Oglou, and Shirley Zhong are the Canadian co-founders of Xatoms, a Toronto-based startup revolutionizing water purification. By combining AI and quantum chemistry, Xatoms designs novel photocatalytic materials that use visible light to eliminate pollutants like pesticides, viruses, and bacteria. Their technology aims to provide clean drinking water to underserved communities worldwide, reducing the over 2 billion people lacking access to safe water. Recognized internanationally for its impact, Xatoms exemplifies Canadian innovation addressing global challenges.
Dashawn Stephens
Founder, PRSVRE
At just 27, Dashawn Stephens is redefining Canadian college sports through PRSVRE Media Group, the largest independent media outlet for university sports in the country. A former football player and business grad from the University of Waterloo, Stephens launched PRSVRE in 2020 to spotlight Canadian college athletes and fans. Now reaching over 2 million monthly, PRSVRE has become a powerful ecosystem—creating paid jobs, facilitating NIL deals, and driving national recognition for student-athletes—while partnering with brands like Under Armour and CBC.
Iris Redinger
CEO, Material Futures
Iris Redinger, a University of Waterloo architecture graduate, is transforming the fashion industry through her startup, Material Futures. By engineering microorganisms to produce biodegradable dyes from food waste, she offers a sustainable alternative to harmful chemical dyes, addressing a significant environmental challenge in textile manufacturing. Recognized with the Mitacs Entrepreneur Award, Redinger’s innovative approach not only reduces pollution but also exemplifies the potential of biotechnology in creating eco-friendly solutions for the fashion industry.
Mina Gerges
Content Creator
Mina Gerges, an Egyptian-Canadian model and content creator, is redefining beauty standards by using his platform to celebrate body diversity, queer joy, and authentic self-expression. From viral photo recreations to fronting campaigns for global brands like Sephora and Holt Renfrew, Gerges has become a powerful voice for inclusivity in fashion and media. Through his work, he advocates for marginalized communities—especially plus-size and LGBTQ+ individuals—paving the way for a more inclusive and compassionate representation of beauty in Canada and beyond.
Camryn Rogers
Olympian, Hammer Throw
Camryn Rogers’ historic gold medal in the hammer throw at Paris 2024 shattered nearly a century-long drought in Canadian women’s track and field. But her impact extends far beyond the podium. As the first Canadian woman to win Olympic gold in a field event, Rogers has redefined what’s possible for women in sport—particularly in disciplines often overlooked. Her rise signals a powerful shift in Canadian athletics, opening doors for future generations of athletes to dream bigger and compete bolder on the world stage.
Philippe Hébert
Co-founder, Lightbeans
Philippe Hébert, co-founder and CEO of Lightbeans, is revolutionizing architectural design with North America’s largest manufacturer-specific 3D texture library. Founded in 2018 in Québec City, Lightbeans digitizes building materials, enabling architects and designers to visualize real products in their projects, reducing reliance on physical samples and promoting sustainability. Under Hébert’s leadership, the platform has partnered with 75 manufacturers and serves over 9,000 design professionals—transforming how the building industry approaches material sourcing, visualization, and environmentally conscious design.
Prishita Agarwal & Abhiudai Mishra
Co-founders, Mosa
Prishita Agarwal and Abhiudai Mishra, co-founders of Mosa, are turning overlooked waste into artful impact. Inspired by a moment of wastefulness at a party and their upbringing in India, the pair launched a home decor brand that upcycles discarded glass bottles into stylish, sustainable pieces. With over 20,000 bottles diverted from landfills, Mosa is redefining what it means to be both beautiful and responsible. For Agarwal and Mishra, sustainability isn’t a trend—it’s the foundation of conscious entrepreneurship.
Sydney Kirkland
Marketing Leader
Sydney Kirkland is the kind of visionary Canada’s media and marketing industries need more of. With a sharp mind for strategy and a future-focused lens on AI, data, and inclusive innovation, she’s redefining what modern leadership looks like. From accelerating Havas Media Canada’s rise to building transformative AI solutions at Mantis Group, her impact is undeniable. Outside the boardroom, she’s building real community—mentoring Black youth, curating digital culture, and shaping Canada’s largest digital marketing conference. Kirkland doesn’t just lead—she builds what’s next.
Bryn Davis Williams & Jessica Bosman
Co-founders; Doubl
Best friends and Ivey Business grads Jessica Bosman and Bryn Davis Williams are reshaping the bra industry with Doubl, a Canadian femtech startup using AI and 3D scanning to create made-to-measure bras. Their backgrounds—Bosman in fashion buying, Williams in global brand management—informed their mission to solve a universal issue: uncomfortable, ill-fitting bras. Four years of R&D later, Doubl launched to 900% YoY growth and Kickstarter success. Their endgame? A size-free, smartphone-enabled clothing revolution that fits you—only you.
Jeffrey Chu
Co-founder; 915 Dupont
Jeffrey Chu, founder of Yuugi Izakaya and 915 Dupont, is reshaping Toronto’s dynamic hospitality scene by blending traditional Japanese izakaya culture with modern culinary innovation. His commitment to authenticity and creativity has made his roster of restaurants and bars beloved destinations for those seeking an immersive dining experience. Chu’s unique perspective and approach contribute to the city’s vibrant food culture, positioning him as a key player in Toronto’s ever-evolving hospitality landscape. His passion for hospitality continues to inspire both industry peers and food lovers alike.
