Kathleen Webb participated in the Starter Company Plus Program delivered by Mississauga Business Entrepreneur Centre (MBEC) in 2020 and opened Skill Squirrel.

Kathleen’s goal was simple: to make it easier for people to show what they can do, not just what they say they can do. Today, Skill Squirrel is helping residents and local organizations through her platform to stay ahead in a fast-changing job market shaped by artificial intelligence. The platform helps individuals verify their skills through real-world experience and connects them to meaningful work opportunities. Skill Squirrel supports fairer, more inclusive hiring for everyone. The startup’s innovative approach hasn’t gone unnoticed. In 2023, Skill Squirrel won the grand prize in MaRS and CIBC’s Inclusive Design Challenge, which funded accessibility upgrades and inclusive design features for the platform.

Since its inception, the company has trained more than 300 students through work-integrated learning opportunities and was nominated by Sheridan Works as Employer of the Year. The platform already lists over 600 Ontario-based organizations offering employment-related training, education, and support. With its recent app store launch, Skill Squirrel is now reaching out to the over 4 million Ontarians navigating career transitions. The team remains committed to helping people turn skills into opportunities and ensuring Mississauga continues to lead in innovation, inclusion, and economic mobility.

The Mississauga Business Entrepreneur Centre (MBEC) through IDEA Mississauga supports entrepreneurs and small business owners with business advisory services, workshops, mentorship, and entrepreneurship programs such as Starter Company Plus, which is funded by the Government of Ontario, and helps entrepreneurs start, expand, or buy a business through training, mentorship, and micro-grant opportunities, empowering business development and growth across Mississauga.