ELEVATOR PITCH 🎤

It’s time for another episode of the TechTO ‘Elevator Pitch Series’. We get pitched by up-and-coming startups as we ride the elevator 18 floors. A literal Elevator Pitch.

In today’s episode, we are showcasing another awesome AI solution, SwarmZero which is helping you to quickly build and customize AI agents.

Check out the CEO and Founder, Tomisin’s full pitch to learn more.

Curious to learn more about SwarmZero, and try it out? Learn more at https://swarmzero.ai - they're beta is now LIVE!

Stay tuned for new episodes of our Elevator pitch series all year long. We will be dropping them across social and in every Thursday newsletter!

STARTUP OPPORTUNITIES TO SHINE ✨

• Join Alt + Ctrl + Elle in Toronto, a transformative event celebrating women leading the way in innovation, technology, marketing and business. Over two impactful days, we’ll honour trailblazers driving digital transformation, explore groundbreaking advancements, and foster meaningful connections — Register here
  
  

• The #CIXSummit by Elevate Tech, is Canada’s largest startup awards and investment summit, uniting tech founders, investors, and industry advisors to power new deals. Join in real life on March 26 at Design Exchange in Toronto Get your tickets here: https://cixsummit.com/ — Use code TECHTOFRIENDSCIX2025 for a 20% discount 
  
  

• Apply soon for Startup Row at PyCon US 2025, where early-stage Python startups get free booth space to showcase their work. This is a great opportunity for Python-driven startups to gain visibility, connect with developers, and access the broader tech ecosystem at PyCon US. Apply here by March 14
  
  

• TechTO Elevator Pitch: Want to pitch us next? Reach out to us at [email protected] and we’ll make it happen!

COMMUNITY PROFILE 🤝

Since TechTO has joined forces with Peerscale, we are highlighting the impressive members who have built and are currently building innovative companies and products that continue to make our ecosystem thrive.

Today, we learn more about Robert Sestito, Partner at Softhouse Advisory Group, Co-Founder of Proddy.io, and current Peerscale Member.

Tell us more about Softhouse.

For over 12 years, Softhouse has been a trusted partner for technology-driven companies, guiding them through complex challenges in software engineering, enterprise automation, and AI.

At the core of our AI solutions is The AI Advisor, a comprehensive platform that serves as both a Virtual Chief AI Officer and a thriving AI Community. Designed to help businesses build and scale a sustainable AI practice, The AI Advisor provides strategic guidance, peer insights, and hands-on expertise—empowering organizations to drive efficiency, foster innovation, and unlock long-term value through AI.

What inspired you to build this?

The inspiration behind Softhouse stemmed from a unique client-vendor relationship that evolved into a powerful partnership.

Initially, I was the client, deeply impressed by my partner’s exceptional ability to deliver results. Over time, we recognized the synergy between our expertise—blending deep subject matter knowledge with execution excellence.

How was it built?

We built Softhouse by leveraging deep technical expertise and a strong foundation in AI, starting with machine learning and large language models (LLMs).

Our early work focused on understanding how businesses could harness AI effectively, ensuring it wasn't just a technological experiment but a strategic enabler for real-world impact.

As our expertise grew, we expanded our offerings, including Proddy.io, which helps organizations master engineering and product management disciplines. This evolution allowed us to refine our understanding of operationalizing AI, bridging the gap between AI innovation and sustainable business outcomes.

With your experience, what advice would you share with those trying to build today?

1. Do not neglect the importance of being involved in building your team. Actively participating in building your team ensures that your company has the right mix of skills, experiences, and personalities to achieve its objectives.

2. Iterate fast and be adaptable. The ability to iterate quickly and be adaptable to change is crucial for staying competitive, mitigating risks, and building a resilient and successful company in today's dynamic business landscape.

What are you hoping to achieve in the next 12 months?

Over the next 12 months, we are focused on scaling The AI Advisor platform and AI community within the Canadian market, helping businesses build sustainable AI practices.

Our goal is to expand adoption, enhance engagement, and provide organizations with the tools, insights, and peer support needed to integrate AI effectively.

Interested to learn from builders like Robert?

Robert is part of a long list of inspiring CEOs, COOs, and CTOs who are part of Peerscale, our peer-to-peer community.

Think of Peerscale as your own personal Board of Business Advisors, helping you to reach your current or future business goals.

Are you ready to scale? Learn more about Peerscale here

PARTNER CONTENT 📌

University of Toronto Entrepreneurship Week is almost here. Experience U of T’s amazing startups and growing entrepreneurial network from March 3-7 for an exciting week of in-person events free to the public.

Don’t miss Geoffrey Hinton’s exciting keynote. The University Professor Emeritus and 2024 Nobel Laureate in Physics will discuss his groundbreaking work in AI and offer invaluable guidance to startups.

And be sure to catch the U of T pitch competition, where the brightest minds will compete for the Desjardins Startup Prize with over $100,000 in rewards for groundbreaking startups. Come and see how our world-leading innovators are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and discover why entrepreneurs from the U of T community have secured over $12 billion in investment and created more than 17,000 jobs since 2020.

*this is sponsored content

NEXT BIG GIGS 💼 

• Workwolf is hiring a full-time Account Executive in Toronto
  

• Xanadu (one of our 2024 Rocketship companies) is hiring Designers, Developers and Engineers in Canada
  

• ArteriaAI (another one of our 2024 Rocketship companies) is hiring for two roles in Toronto

MARK YOUR CALENDARS 🗓️

• Together Toronto, Monday, March 3 at 6 pm — Details and Tickets Here

• Best of TechTO at Toronto City Hall, Monday, April 7 at 5:30 pm — Details and Tickets Here

• Together Montreal, Wednesday, April 16 at 6 pm — Details and Tickets Here

• Commerce Toronto, Wednesday, April 23 at 6 pm — Details and Tickets Here

• Peerscale Quarterly Dinner, Thursday, April 24 — Learn More Here

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