Transforming the Food Startup Space | Azrah Savin-Manji - Syzl

On this episode of Behind the Business, Faheem sits down with Azrah Savin-Manji, the dynamic co-founder and CEO of Syzl, a platform helping food entrepreneurs find kitchen space and build their businesses.

Azrah shares how a craving for home-cooked meals as a student turned into a tech-driven mission to solve a major gap in the food industry. From relocating to Toronto to scale her vision, to navigating co-founder dynamics with her husband, Azrah offers an honest and inspiring look at what it takes to build a startup—while raising a family.

This episode explores the intersection of entrepreneurship, community, and representation, especially for women and immigrants building in the food space. Azrah also discusses the biases that exist in investor circles, the role of AI in the future of food tech, and the importance of normalizing ambition for the next generation.

Whether you're building something yourself or curious about the behind-the-scenes of Canada's food startup ecosystem—this one’s for you.

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Chapters:

00:00 The Journey to Entrepreneurship

01:33 Introducing Syzl: A New Food Business Platform

04:55 Connecting Communities Through Food

07:33 The Co-Founder Dynamic: Working with Family

10:55 Navigating Investor Relationships

14:58 The Leap into Entrepreneurship

20:19 Building a Support Network

21:59 Balancing Parenthood and Business

25:15 Choosing the Right City for Growth

26:57 The Evolving Startup Ecosystem in Canada

28:44 Advice for Aspiring Founders

30:04 The Future of Syzl and AI

31:35 Overcoming Challenges as a Founder

34:35 Lessons Learned from the Founder Journey

37:12 Raising the Next Generation of Leaders