Training That Delivers: How Waterloo’s Axonify Is Powering Canada’s Frontline Workforce

Canada’s economy depends on its frontline workers. From grocery aisles to remote communities, these employees are the face of many industries—but too often, they’re last in line when it comes to training and development. That’s where Waterloo-based Axonify is making its mark, proving that when Canadian technology meets real-world needs, the results are transformative.

Axonify is an innovative training and performance platform that’s rethinking how frontline employees learn, connect, and get things done. With more than 4 million users in over 160 countries, the company is showing the world how Canadian tech can elevate entire workforces—five minutes at a time.

Unlike conventional corporate learning systems that are built for desk workers, Axonify is designed for frontline teams. Through short, personalized, gamified training sessions, it meets employees where they are—on the job, on the move, and ready to learn. The platform’s AI-powered adaptive learning, task management and embedded communication tools make it easy for workers to build skills and stay connected to their companies, regardless of where they’re located.

That local-first approach has earned impressive results for Canadian companies like M&M Food Market. With over 300 stores across the country, M&M needed a way to deliver consistent training and communication across its diverse network of franchise locations. Since adopting Axonify, the company now sees a 94% platform participation rate, leading to streamlined onboarding that fosters ongoing learning and enables store managers to support their teams more effectively.

“We’ve seen a real cultural shift since introducing Axonify,” says Lindsay Johnston, Director of Training and Development, M&M Food Market. “Our teams are more confident, better equipped, and more engaged. It’s more than just training—it’s become part of how we operate.”

For The North West Company, one of Canada’s oldest retailers serving some of the country’s most remote northern and Indigenous communities, Axonify’s value goes even further. Reaching employees in these regions had always been a logistical challenge for the retailer. Now, with Axonify’s adaptive digital learning, team members across the Arctic and beyond receive personalized training, foundational skill development, and opportunities for professional growth—improving communication, retention, and engagement in places where these outcomes were once difficult to achieve.

“Axonify has given us the ability to stay connected to our frontline employees in real-time, no matter where they are, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive,” says Eric Loewen, Director of People Development from The North West Company. “It’s changed the way we think about training—not just as an L&D function, but as a way to build stronger teams and better serve our communities.”

For Carol Leaman, Co-Founder of Axonify, building a platform for frontline workers wasn’t just a market opportunity—it was a moral imperative.

“Frontline employees are the backbone of our economy, and they’ve been historically underserved,” says Leaman. “We built Axonify to change that—to give them the same access to modern, engaging learning as office workers, but in a way that fits their reality. And we’re proud to be doing it from here in Canada.”

As Canada faces continued labour shortages in key sectors and as employers work to attract and retain skilled workers, platforms like Axonify demonstrate how homegrown innovation can support not just productivity, but dignity and inclusion in the workplace. It’s a reminder that economic growth isn’t just driven by capital investment or exports—it’s powered by people. And those people deserve tools built for the realities of their work. With Axonify, frontline training finally becomes more than a cost centre—it becomes a strategic advantage for Canadian companies competing in a global economy.

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This article is part of CCI’s new “By Canadian Innovators” series, which showcases how members of the Council of Canadian Innovators work with homegrown companies to fuel their growth and make Canada more prosperous. Each story in this series highlights the unique contributions of these companies to building a more prosperous, innovation-driven economy. To learn more about the companies CCI works with to build a more prosperous Canada, visit our member directory.