As cyberattacks become more frequent and disruptive, Calgary’s Mode is stepping out of stealth mode with a platform designed to help businesses maintain operations during crises. The cybersecurity startup has spent the past two years refining its product-market fit and is now preparing for a full launch.
Founded in 2022, Mode provides a secure communication and coordination platform for response teams during cyber incidents. With cyber threats increasingly affecting critical industries—including energy, finance, and education—the startup aims to ensure that businesses can respond quickly and effectively to minimize downtime and data exposure.
Addressing a Growing Cybersecurity Challenge
Cyberattacks have made headlines in recent years, exposing vulnerabilities in critical sectors. In Calgary alone, major organizations have suffered breaches, including:
- Suncor: A data breach compromised sensitive employee and business information.
- Calgary Board of Education: A cyberattack on the PowerSchool Student Information System jeopardized customer data.
- Calgary Public Library: A security breach led to the temporary closure of several branches in October 2024.
These incidents highlight the urgent need for robust incident response capabilities, particularly as organizations worldwide increasingly rely on collaboration tools to operate. With 80% of workers globally using these tools daily, their unavailability during a cyber crisis can significantly impact business continuity.
A Rare Cybersecurity Startup in Calgary
While Calgary is known for its energy sector, cybersecurity startups are scarce. Mode is among a select few homegrown companies tackling cyber resilience and positioning itself to serve critical industries. The company has already partnered with IT and cybersecurity service providers across Western Canada, including iON United, Clutch Solutions Canada, X10 Technologies, Advantus360, and The WolfStrata Group. Its early customer base spans small businesses to large enterprises in finance, energy, and technology.
Mode’s emergence also aligns with Calgary’s growing role in the cybersecurity industry. Silicon Valley headquartered firms such as Fortinet have established offices in the city, but Mode is taking a different approach—building from within and bringing its platform to a global market.
“We don’t see it as ‘the big guys vs. us,’” Mode stated. “We’re thrilled to see larger players pave the way for cybersecurity companies in Calgary. It validates the need and gives us an opportunity to grow quickly.”
Rising Cyber Risks and Regulatory Changes
The timing of Mode’s expansion is significant. Cyberattacks are becoming more costly, with the average data breach reaching $4.88 million in 2024 (IBM). IT downtime alone can cost companies $5,600 per minute (Gartner), yet 58% of businesses still lack a formal incident response plan (S&P Global).
Regulations are also tightening. Canada’s upcoming Bill C-26 will require critical industries to develop incident response plans, often setting the stage for best practices across other sectors. Without proper planning and testing, companies take an average of 54 days longer to recover from a cyberattack, according to IBM.
As cybersecurity threats continue to rise, Mode’s platform could play a key role in helping businesses across Canada and beyond prepare for and withstand digital disruptions. With its official launch on the horizon, the Calgary startup is set to make waves in the evolving cybersecurity landscape.
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