Hire Higher

Name

Hire Higher

Legal name

Hire Higher

Website

https://hirehigher.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Diversity & Talent Development Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPACAFAC

Professional & Technical Direct Hire (IT, Engineering, Finance, Healthcare)

Business & Public Services/HR, Staffing & Recruitment Services/Permanent Placement & Direct Hire

SECONDARYEDAMAKAA

Mentorship & Coaching (Career, Academic, Industry-Specific)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/College & Career Enrichment (Mentorship, Internships, Portfolio)

SECONDARYEDAMAKAL

Internship-to-Apprenticeship & Early Talent Pipeline Programs

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/College & Career Enrichment (Mentorship, Internships, Portfolio)

Keywords

• Commercial production diversity
• BIPOC talent advocacy
• Industry mentorship programs
• Talent pipeline development
• Nonprofit film coalition

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Financial Pledges: Hire Higher operates as a registered not-for-profit organization relying on donations from the commercial production industry. The Collective members are encouraged to regularly donate at least 1% of their earnings to fund Hire Higher initiatives and partnerships. The organization states they are unable to issue tax receipts at this time.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hire Higher is a Canadian registered not-for-profit organization that connects Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) talent with the Canadian commercial production industry. It operates an Opportunity Board for paid production opportunities, runs the Hire Higher Grant providing $5,000 plus full production support to emerging BIPOC filmmakers, and delivers education, mentorship, advocacy, and data collection programs through a Collective of industry professionals.

Product overview

Hire Higher is a registered not-for-profit organization operating as a platform-plus-ecosystem model to connect Black, Indigenous, and POC talent with the Canadian commercial production industry. The core offerings include the Opportunity Board (a job listing platform for paid production opportunities), the Hire Higher Grant (providing $5,000 funding plus production support and mentorship to emerging BIPOC filmmakers), Resource Movement (a financial pledge program), Progress Report (race-based data collection tools), Inclusive Casting Awareness (diversity advocacy initiative), and The Pledge (a commitment framework for industry professionals). The Collective serves as the community network connecting talent with industry professionals, production companies, and advertising agencies. All offerings work together through outreach, education, advocacy, and mentorship to create direct pathways for underrepresented talent in commercial production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Opportunity Board A website-based platform for those seeking or offering paid opportunities in Canadian commercial production. Active listings are posted on the website and Instagram, and seekers can join a mailing list for updates.
• Hire Higher Grant An annual grant program awarding $5,000 each to emerging BIPOC filmmakers, plus full production support, equipment donations from Panavision and WFW, wardrobe and styling support from Inclusive Stylist Toronto, post-production services from ARTJAIL, and mentorship from the Hire Higher Collective.
• Resource Movement A financial pledge program encouraging commercial production industry members to donate at least 1% of their earnings to fund Hire Higher's BIPOC initiatives and partnerships.
• Progress Report Race-based data collection tools for commercial productions, developed in collaboration with ACCP. Productions download, fill out, and submit reports upon completion to track BIPOC representation; results are published anonymously and annually.
• Inclusive Casting Awareness An initiative aimed at rethinking diversity in casting, working with BIPOC directors, production companies, casting directors, ACTRA, and agencies to shift industry baseline standards and eliminate problematic language and implicit bias in casting processes.
• The Pledge A commitment framework for individuals and companies to elevate diversity and equity in commercial production through contributing resources, time, access, and knowledge via funding, hiring, mentorship, and education.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2021 grant recipients Karimah Zakia Issa and Tyler Evans had their films premiere at TIFF 2022

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• MerchantcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Merchant serves as the lead production company supporting Hire Higher Grant recipients. They commit to engaging in supportive dialogue, mentorship, and collaboration to ensure successful completion of each project. Support includes producing projects from start to finish, providing logistical support (office space, production insurance), and facilitating connections for pre-production, shoot, and post-production.
• PanavisioncoreOthers · 1 January 2024Panavision provides in-kind equipment donations for each selected grant project, including Alexa Mini camera package with basic accessories and one set of Primo lenses, plus consultation on the package to ensure it fits project needs.
• WFW (William F. White)coreOthers · 1 January 2024WFW provides $5,000 in-kind donation for grip and lighting equipment on each selected grant project.
• Inclusive Stylist TorontocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Georgia Groom from Inclusive Stylist Toronto provides at least 3 consultations with each project's stylist throughout the shoot and offers practical support for completing projects. They also help facilitate introductions to stylists from the IST community.
• ARTJAILcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024ARTJAIL provides post finishing services for each grant project including online conform of the final edit and a finishing colour session. They consult with Hire Higher on further post support pathways if needed.
• ACCP (Association of Commercial Production)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHire Higher collaborates with ACCP to track BIPOC representation in commercial production through the Progress Report initiative. Together they aim to measure the impact of commitments and the state of the industry regarding diversity.
• Community Impact ConsultingsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerParul Pandya at Community Impact Consulting partners with Hire Higher to facilitate customized workshops focusing on anti-oppression frameworks and intercultural competency unique to production environments.
• Hire Higher CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Collective includes founders, directors, cinematographers, producers, department heads, crew members, production companies, talent representation, advertising agencies, vendors, and community organizations who have taken the Pledge and support Hire Higher initiatives.
• Supportive Production Companies and AgenciessupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerProduction companies including Someplace Nice, Untitled Films, Frank Content, and others; advertising agencies including FCB, Sid Lee, McCann Canada, and others listed in the Collective who support Hire Higher through the Pledge.
• Community OrganizationssupportingOthersOrganizations including BIPOC TV and Film, Black Women Film, Film in Colour, Hxouse, National Indigenous Talent Database, and others referenced in the Resources directory for outreach and talent connection.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Hire BIPOC: An online directory connecting brands, agencies, and production companies with BIPOC creative talent, offering similar opportunity-listing functionality to Hire Higher's Opportunity Board across a broader creative-services scope.

Broad incumbents

• ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists): Canada's national performers' union engaged with Hire Higher through the Inclusive Casting Awareness initiative; a broader industry incumbent whose casting and membership standards influence the diversity outcomes Hire Higher is trying to shift.
• ACCP (Association of Commercial Production): The Canadian industry association for commercial production companies and is Hire Higher's stated collaborator on the Progress Report data initiative, making it the natural industry partner/incumbent on whose membership Hire Higher's Opportunity Board supply depends.
• Directors Guild of Canada (DGC): The Canadian guild representing directors, production managers, and crew across film, TV, and commercials; comparable as a broader industry body whose membership Hire Higher's Collective intersects and on whose standards it influences via advocacy.

Direct peers

• BIPOC TV & Film: A Canadian non-profit organization supporting BIPOC creators and crew in the screen industry through training, mentorship, and networking, directly comparable to Hire Higher's education and mentorship mandate across the Canadian production ecosystem.
• Free The Work: A US-based non-profit connecting underrepresented talent with commercial and advertising production work through a curated directory and resources, mirroring Hire Higher's Opportunity Board and Collective functions for the commercial production industry.
• Film in Colour: A Canadian non-profit advancing BIPOC representation in the screen industries through education, mentorship, and industry advocacy, comparable to Hire Higher's outreach and education programs focused on Canadian commercial and film production.
• Array Crew: A non-profit online directory for hiring underrepresented below-the-line crew in film, TV, and advertising, directly comparable to Hire Higher's Opportunity Board in connecting diverse production talent with paid commercial jobs.
• Black Women Film!: A Canadian organization supporting Black women and BIPOC filmmakers through mentorship, screenings, and community programming; operates a similar outreach-and-mentorship model to Hire Higher within the Canadian production industry.

Regional players

• National Indigenous Talent Database: Canada-focused talent registry for Indigenous performers and crew listed in Hire Higher's own Resources directory, offering similar talent-discovery functionality for a narrower (Indigenous-only) segment of the same opportunity market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hire Higher