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Vancouver, Vancouver Island/Coast

5 Employees

In Business Since 2018

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Kai Analytics and Survey Research Inc.

Vancouver, Vancouver Island/Coast

Kai Analytics is a data analytics and market research consultancy based in Vancouver, B.C. Our team of data scientists and visual designers specialize in qualitative analysis using cutting-edge natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning models, as well as data transformation with Azure tools such as Data Factory, Synapse, and visualization with Power BI. We deliver end-to-end services that harness the nuance and context that natural language provides. Our clients benefit from research services, data-driven advice, report creation, and presentation of findings. We are a Microsoft Solutions Partner and can support many aspects of Azure and Office 365 solutions.

Kai Analytics and Survey Research Inc. has been nominated in the following categories:

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Best Youth Entrepreneur


What motivated you to start your business and what is your vision for the future of the company?

After a decade working as a university research and planning professional, I was inspired to use my experience to help organizations manage data with a positive social impact in mind. In 2019, I founded my company so I could take a human-first and creative approach to analytics on a much larger scale and with more impact than working alone. Organizations today collect all kinds of information, both quantitative and qualitative, but they don’t know how to transform numbers and written or spoken feedback into meaningful action. By stepping in and interpreting, Kai Analytics allows organizations to find real value in their data. In addition to providing a practical solution, I knew it was important to value human interactions and imagination. Technology can feel mechanical and distant, and it’s important we don’t forget that it’s human insight and passion that wields technology. At Kai Analytics we may use statistically-grounded algorithms to inform process improvements, but we always have people looking at the data and translating it into feedback that the our clients can understand. The data organizations collect affects the lives of real people with struggles and aspirations, and our goal is to highlight that humanity rather than concealing it behind a black box. Starting my own business also offered me a lot of freedom—Freedom to take on projects I’m passionate about, freedom to choose where I work, and a way to stay connected to my family. This freedom keeps my life from feeling stagnant, and I believe I have more energy to give back to my community as a result. It also allows me to work with an incredible team: none of this would be possible without their support on the projects and challenges we tackle. My vision is for Kai Analytics to continue to use data analysis to make a lasting positive social impact by taking on projects from around the world that can help change society for the better. Already, we’ve grappled disaster risk reduction with the United Nations, digital literacy for Wikimedia communities, climate adaptation, and fair supply chains in the coffee industry. I look forward to seeing what comes next. Data analysis can have a powerful affect when lives, livelihoods, and the environment are at stake, and we don’t take that for granted. On the local side of things, I truly appreciate the honour of working with fellow Canadian organizations, especially educational institutions, and my hope is that we will continue to grow those relationships. From employee engagement to strategic plans, we’re humbled by these incredible opportunities and plan to keep pursuing them in the future.

Why do you deserve to win the Best Youth Entrepreneur Award?

I strive to provide valuable skills in data analytics that help people: To have a positive global impact, being mindful of social issues so that we can help build a better world. On a smaller scale, I want to run the company well, providing good experiences for both our clients and our team. As an entrepreneur, I believe not only in running an efficient business, but giving back though social responsibility. Since our founding, we’ve taken part in in numerous projects with a goal of helping create a more equitable world. Some of those projects include: • The UN Office of Disaster and Risk Reduction (UNDRR): We created a dashboard that shows risk factors for potential humanitarian crises and disasters across multiple countries. This helps policy makers understand where they need to make changes to protect lives and the environment, as well as help increase the speed of relief efforts. • The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA): We distributed and analyzed a global online survey to gauge youth perspectives on their role in climate change adaptation, with a particular focus on nations in Africa and South Asia. We also analyzed interviews with youth affected by extreme climate disasters, like Cyclone Idai. • Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APFC) and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperative (APEC): We collaborated with Yave.io (USA) and Kalsada Coffee (Philippines) on a research project to understand the pain points of Philippine coffee farmers and how blockchain traceability technology can ease their challenges and ensure a fair supply chain. I followed up the project by serving on the APEC-Canada Growing Business Partnership’s Project Advisor Committee (PAC). I guided and supported the PAC in building the potential of MSMEs in APEC economies to foster sustainable inclusive growth and poverty reduction. • Wikimedia Communities: Our first project with Wikimedia was with the Wikimedia Community User Groups in Rwanda, DRC, and Burundi, and focused on digital literacy, with an emphasis on the inequalities many women face in contributing to information online. The second is ongoing and focuses on community connections called “Hubs” that can distribute resources, increase accessibility, and reduce inequities. • Thompson Rivers University (TRU): We supported TRU’s community consultation process for their 10-year strategic plan, analyzing responses from their surveys and notes from focus group sessions. Our analysis contributed to TRU’s four strategic change goals: eliminating achievement gaps; honouring truth, reconciliation, and rights; leading in community research and scholarship; and designing lifelong learning. To give back to our community, we try to hire diversely and provide opportunities for young people and have participated in programs through Digital Skills for Youth (DS4Y), digital transformation programs, and Canada Summer Jobs. Kai Analytics is only 4 years old and already we have incredibly positive feedback—we have 21 reviews with an average of 4.9/5 stars on G2 Reviews (https://www.g2.com/products/kai-analytics/reviews), where we rank #5 in market research service providers, #3 in business intelligence(BI) service providers, #3 in PowerBI consulting providers, and #2 in marketing analytics service providers. We’ve done projects in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, and still our connections keep growing. Together, we have built a local company with a global reach, and I could not be more excited about Kai Analytics’ future.

Nominations and voting has now closed.

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