Treepz, one of Africa’s fastest-growing corporate travel and mobility startups, has officially launched operations in Canada, marking a significant milestone in its global expansion journey. The launch event was held at Brampton City Hall, hosted by Mayor Patrick Brown, and attended by Treepz founders, board members, and key Canadian partners.
This strategic move underscores Treepz’s ambition to become a global leader in tech-driven mobility solutions, bridging continents and creating innovative travel options for corporations and groups worldwide.
From Lagos to Brampton: An African Startup Goes Global
Founded in 2019 in Lagos, Nigeria, Treepz started with just eight customers on its first day. Today, the company has grown into a global mobility brand operating across 25 cities in five countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, and now Canada, serving over six million customers.
Treepz’s entry into Canada comes after years of strategic positioning, which began when the startup joined the Techstars Toronto Accelerator Program in 2021. During this time, Treepz built valuable relationships with Canadian investors and ecosystem partners, laying the foundation for this expansion.
Why Canada? A Market of Opportunity
Canada’s dynamic travel and commuting market presented an attractive entry point. According to Statistics Canada, over 16.5 million Canadians commute daily, while 38.7 million outbound trips were recorded in 2024 alone. These figures highlight the potential for Treepz’s corporate travel solutions, which combine convenience, affordability, and efficiency through a tech-enabled platform.
Treepz also received strong institutional support, partnering with the World Trade Center’s Trade Accelerator Program (TAP), the Black Entrepreneurship Alliance, and the Brampton Entrepreneurs Program. These partnerships not only facilitated Treepz’s launch but also positioned Ontario as its global headquarters.
First Client Secured: The African Impact Initiative
As part of its Canadian debut, Treepz announced its first corporate client in North America: the African Impact Challenge, a program run by the African Impact Initiative in collaboration with the University of Toronto. Through a two-year partnership, Treepz will provide end-to-end corporate travel solutions covering flights, accommodations, curated experiences, and ground transportation for group trips across South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, and Rwanda..
Mayor Patrick Brown Welcomes Treepz to Canada
Mayor Patrick Brown celebrated Treepz’s arrival, calling it a homecoming moment:
Treepz has brilliant founders and an incredible idea. To achieve six million users in five years across multiple countries is phenomenal. Corporate mobility is part of the global logistics conversation, and Treepz is right at the center of it. If you can handle mobility in Lagos, you can handle it anywhere in the world. So Treepz, welcome to Canada, welcome to Brampton, welcome home.”
Erica Henry-Jackman, Manager of Investment Attraction and International Relations at the City of Brampton, echoed this sentiment, calling the launch a “full-circle moment” for Treepz after its early involvement in the city’s BHive program.
A Statement of Intent from Treepz Leadership
Speaking at the launch, Onyeka Akumah, Founder & CEO of Treepz, said:
Treepz Canada represents a bold statement—not just for us, but for all African startups. It proves that we can build globally relevant and respected brands starting from Lagos. This is only the beginning. Today, we operate on two continents, but it’s still day one. Our mission remains to make corporate and personal travel more efficient, sustainable, and accessible worldwide.”
Co-Founder and President Enagwolor Johnny added:
Securing the University of Toronto’s African Impact Initiative as our first Canadian client is a testament to our credibility and readiness to scale globally. We are excited for what comes next.”
