memoirs of
Kelise Williams I'm Kelise Williams, founder of UpRow,
emphasising our focus on diversity and
and I firmly believe that 'the journey is
inclusion. We then claimed the first prize
the prize.' My transition from a daunting
at the Herstory Pitch Competition by
start in Canada, to creating an innovative
The 51, championing underrepresented
platform epitomises this belief. When my
communities. Our accolades also include
family moved from Trinidad and Tobago
winning the BCW Pitch Perfect for tech
to Alberta in 2019, we spent our first
innovation, ranking in the top five at
night in a hotel lobby. This challenging
Startup TNT in Edmonton, and earning
start, particularly as a mother of two,
third place at both the C-Tribe Pitch
propelled me to devise a solution to help
Competition and the Newcomers in Tech
newcomers settle faster and safer.
Pitch Competition, where we also received
I created UpRow, a community-powered platform, to streamline the transition for immigrants into Canadian society. More than an app, UpRow is a vital support system, offering tailored assistance in areas like housing, immigration law,
the people's choice award. Representing UpRow at the international Collision Tech Conference, completing the Velocity program by Alberta Catalyzer, and being accepted into the Global 500 Accelerator further highlight our journey's success.
career coaching, and language tutoring.
These achievements are more than just
Our unique approach includes a network
awards; they reflect our commitment to
of identity-verified service providers
continuous innovation and expansion at
providing reliable and trustworthy support
UpRow. We ensure every newcomer’s
for our users.
transition into Canada is safer, faster,
UpRow's journey in the Immigration Tech Industry has been marked by significant milestones. We emerged as the winner of the BIPOC Women in Tech Pitch Competition at the University of Calgary,
and also a rewarding experience. The UpRow network of service providers and stakeholders are invested in maintaining this momentum - we truly embody the philosophy that 'the journey is the prize.'
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