Lauren DeSouza is not only the co-founder and CEO of Ace Talent, she’s a builder, educator, and global connector on a mission to reshape access to opportunity for tech talent around the world. Ace Talent is not only matching startups with world-class technical hires across continents but also redefining how hiring, upskilling, and recruitment should work in the age of AI and community-driven platforms.
In this exclusive conversation with Techsoma.ca, Lauren opens up about how she went from university student to leading a company that partners with startups and mid-sized companies to identify, upskill, and place top technical talent.
From her days at Wilfrid Laurier University to her experience in Canada’s elite Next 36 program, Lauren’s journey reflects a founder deeply in tune with the needs of tech employers and talent alike. What started as an AI-powered interview prep platform has now evolved into a thriving B2B talent engine, with a community model that puts inclusivity and outcomes at its core.
Part of this interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Q: What is your ethnic background?
Lauren: My parents were born and raised in Kenya but are originally from Goa, India. So, it’s a mix.
Q: How did your educational background shape the way you built Ace Talent?
Lauren: I studied Business Administration at Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada with a minor in Entrepreneurship. I started this business after graduating from university, and over the years of building Ace, I’ve personally reviewed close to a thousand mock interviews. It gave me insight into what makes someone a great communicator and a great hire.
I’ve always been passionate about building relationships. Over time, our team has really learned what helps talent succeed in tech interviews.
It was originally named Ace Interview Prep. We’ve since rebranded to Ace Talent to reflect the broader scope of our services.
Q: Is Ace Talent venture funded?
Lauren: We got an initial $30,000 CAD from the Next 36 program, one of Canada’s best entrepreneurship programs. Outside of that, we’ve been entirely bootstrapped, with an additional CAD $60,000 from non-dilutive sources like grants and competitions.
Q: Tell us about your experience with the Next 36
Lauren: It was transformative. It felt like doing a mini MBA. The program provided funding, mentorship, education, and network, all foundational to building our business. It encouraged us to think globally and aim for scalable impact from day one. The program is led by incredible founders like Ajay Agrawal, known as the “father of AI in Canada,” and Reza Satchu.
Q: When did you start building Ace Talent?
Lauren: We began in 2020. The initial model focused on AI-powered mock interviews. We pivoted to our current model in 2024, driven by the desire to have a bigger impact on real job outcomes.
Q: Why did you change from your original model to this new one?
Lauren: Initially, we licensed our AI product to universities and coding bootcamps like Carnegie Mellon in Rwanda and Moringa School in Kenya. But despite students improving their mock interview scores, many still struggled to get jobs. We realized that we needed to own more of the hiring journey. We wanted to own the full process, from talent assessment to placement, so we could drive tangible success. That’s when we shifted our model to B2B talent placement.
Q: What does your new model look like?
Lauren: We work directly with companies. Companies tell us their hiring needs, and we match them with vetted, upskilled talent from our community. We manage everything up to the interview process. We provide end-to-end support skills development, interview prep, and training before handing off for the final interview. Candidates get access to resources and our AI interview tool for free once they join our community.
Q: Is your AI interview tool still available?
Lauren: Yes, but only through our talent community. It’s part of our value to the community. It’s a free resource for members. While monetizing it as a standalone product is possible, we found that focusing on building community value delivers more impact. Our revenue comes from client placement fees.
Q: Your homepage only features Black talent. Any thoughts on that from a representation standpoint?
Lauren: The individuals featured are real members of our community. But I agree. It’s important we show better visual diversity and clarify that on the site. That’s good feedback.
Q: What’s your current client onboarding process?
Lauren: Right now, it’s mostly through discovery calls. A company visits our website, books a call, and we assess their needs before matching them with talent from our community.
Q: Besides discovery calls, how else can potential clients explore your offering?
Lauren: LinkedIn is our strongest lead generator. About 70–75% of our leads come from the content I post there. I focus on video and written posts to build visibility and credibility with companies.
Q: What keeps you motivated as a founder?
Lauren: Seeing our talent succeed – Helping people land life-changing roles. We recently placed a backend engineer through our community, and the company chose us specifically because of the value we provide in preparing talent. That’s the real reward.
Q: What advice would you give aspiring entrepreneurs?
Lauren: Just get started. Talk to people experiencing the problem you’re trying to solve. Don’t get stuck in planning forever. Even in the classes I teach young girls in Canada, I see the same thing. People are excited but scared to take the leap. That first step is always the hardest, but once you begin, it becomes much easier.
Q: What’s your perspective on women’s entrepreneurship in Canada?
It’s improved a lot. There’s been significant support in the last five years. In my experience, women now have equal access to opportunities. Mixed-gender founding teams also tend to outperform others, and I see that playing out in real-time.
Q: Any new developments we should look out for?
Lauren: Our main focus right now is developing world-class engineers and solving the hiring problem from both sides
Final Thoughts
Lauren DeSouza is proof that founder-led vision, intentional community-building, and a focus on results can reshape how global tech talent is identified and nurtured.
With Ace Talent, she’s creating a movement of empowered, upskilled global talent ready for the world’s most exciting tech jobs. Ace Talent is proving that community, purpose, and technology are the pillars of the future of work.
To learn more or join the Ace Talent community, visit AceTalent.io or connect with Lauren on LinkedIn.
