If you’re not satisfied with your current job, create your own! That was the driving force behind the start-up of the software development company, Recroup, that celebrated their official launch in Thunder Bay during May, 2015. Recroup offers an innovative recruitment software application that allows employers to target job applicants in unconventional ways to seek passive job seekers that don't visit job boards by appearing on related news and social media sites such as Facebook.
The company is owned by a group of young entrepreneurs originating from India. Amit Chauhan along with his partners, Shiv Bharthur and Kausik Vanay worked together in a software firm in India when they decided their jobs were boring and offered little innovation. They wanted to try something new and decided to start their own software company instead of working for someone else.
They came to Canada in 2014 to participate in Thunder Bay's First Co-Starter business incubator Program hosted by the Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre. The program helped them to develop their software and refine their business model while obtaining valuable mentoring support and exposure to the market. They also attribute the program with offering them valuable networking opportunities within the business community of Thunder Bay which has led to follow-on investment.
Like many entrepreneurs, their original idea has changed dramatically since its inception. The partners believed it was important to get something out and see how it works. The owners believe; “The more time it takes to develop, the less likely it is to launch” and have a poster of that in their office as a reminder. This risk taking attitude has contributed to the adoption of their existing technology by clients across the globe including the United States, Australia and UK. Client feedback has helped shape the technology and continues to be the cornerstone of product development for the company. They believe that taking chances is the only way to success. They use a dart board in the office and make reference to the fact “they don’t have to always hit the bullseye; they just have to keep hitting the board”.
Their drive to innovate and adapt the product has been a critical element of their success to date. The company will also be quick to identify the fact that their ability to work as a team and trust in each other has also been a significant factor. Each partner has unique skills that have contributed to the technological development of the application as well as the successful start-up and management of the company.
Amit Chauhanm, company CEO, was recently nominated for the Young Innovator of the Year Award at the 2015 RBC Innovation Awards presented by the Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre. Recroup is the first company in Ontario and the fourth in Canada to obtain a Start-Up Visa, a federal government program offered to immigrant entrepreneurs wanting to build innovative companies that can compete on a global scale and create jobs. They enjoy the network of support they receive in Thunder Bay and feel they wouldn’t be able to replicate that support in a larger city.
The company realizes it takes time to be successful but also realizes that in the world of technology and innovation it is important to experiment, fail, learn and repeat. “If you wait someone will beat you to it” says Amit.