Arts & Science alum Azrah Manji-Savin beat out hundreds of pitches to earn top prize at the recent Collision tech conference in Toronto.
"Societies around the world are supported by this incredible economic backbone of mostly women, immigrants and racialized people who are selling food to provide for their families,” says Manji-Savin, CEO and co-founder of the startup Syzl, an online platform that connects food entrepreneurs and businesses with underused commercial kitchen spaces. She earned her honours bachelor of arts degree in 2012 as a member of Trinity College.
“We’re lucky to live in a time when there are many ways for chefs to sell food, market food and deliver food, but where do they actually make the food?”
Syzl lets food creators search by location, cost and equipment to find the right workspace.
Entrepreneurs use the platform to scale up production, whether for a few months or a few hours, without risking their family’s financial future on a restaurant that may not succeed.
Manji-Savin says her Arts & Science experience was pivotal in the eventual founding of Syzl in 2021 with partner Adrian Savin.
"I fell in love with U of T right away,” she says. “I thought it was diverse and modern. So many course options meant I could study anything on the planet.”
She thrived under the guidance of Women & Gender Studies Institute director and professor Alissa Trotz, who opened Manji-Savin's eyes beyond her own lived experience to inequities of the informal labour market.
“We are proud, inspired and thrilled to see Azrah extend her learning into the creation of spaces that can facilitate the economic endeavours of women and people of colour who face challenges in the labour market,” says Trotz.
“This is feminist curiosity turned into actions that make the kind of difference that matters.”
While pursuing her degree, Manji-Savin served as president of the Women & Gender Studies Student Union. She also helped start the Women Out Loud association, a discussion group for gender issues at Trinity College and across the university.
After U of T, Manji-Savin and her Syzl co-founder were marketing consultants. Working with a commercial real estate investor, they identified a glut of empty kitchens in restaurants, churches and other institutions. They instantly thought of the food makers in desperate need of space.
“We thought, we can solve this problem. We can really support and empower the communities that served us,” says Manji-Savin.
Raised by immigrant parents in Alberta, Manji-Savin remembers the women in her community preparing traditional meals in their home kitchens to sell at church or the market. Years later as a homesick university student, Manji-Savin tracked down Toronto’s food makers for nourishment of body and soul. She eventually found her favourite East African cuisine via word-of-mouth and social media.
“It makes you miss home a little bit less and it's affordable," says Manji-Savin. “And it's a way to support the people that are like your second family while you're living away.”
Just two years after its founding, Syzl shows strong growth with more than 70 kitchens signed up so far. The platform is poised for more success thanks to networking opportunities sparked by the big win at Collision.
"The story resonates with people. Everyone knows someone who makes great food,” she says.
“When people hear about Syzl, they’re usually surprised that something like our platform didn’t already exist, and that’s exciting because it proves there’s a need for it.”
Syzl is available across the Greater Toronto Area with planned expansion to other North American cities by the end of 2024.