The founding story: building for entrepreneurs everywhere
Shopify started in 2006 when Tobi LĂŒtke, Daniel Weinand, and Scott Lake wanted to sell snowboards online. I know, crazy that snowboards led to the biggest e-commerce platform of our generation #letitrip
Frustrated with the clunky e-commerce tools available at the time, Tobi, a developer by trade, built his own solution. That side project turned into Shopify: a platform that made it easy for anyone, anywhere, to set up and scale an online store.
What began in Ottawa has grown into one of the most successful Canadian tech companies ever, powering millions of businesses in 175 countries. From tiny side hustles to global brands, Shopify has become the backbone of online retail.
What does Shopify even do?
At its core, Shopify is a commerce platform. It gives entrepreneurs, small businesses, and global brands the tools they need to set up an online store, process payments, manage inventory, and ship products. Think of it as the digital backbone that powers millions of stores around the world.
But Shopify has evolved far beyond just âonline store software.â Today, it includes:
Shopify Payments for handling transactions
Shopify Capital for merchant financing
Shopify POS for physical retail integration
Shopify Fulfillment Network for logistics and shipping
Shopify Plus for large enterprise retailers
And even Shopify Markets, which makes cross-border selling simpler
If youâve ever bought something from a brandâs website instead of Amazon, thereâs a good chance Shopify was the platform running the checkout.
What sets Shopify apart is its focus on giving merchants control. Instead of forcing them into a marketplace where the platform owns the customer relationship, Shopify helps brands build their own identity and run their business on their own terms.
Whatâs new in Shopifyâs world
Shopify never sits still. Over the last couple of years, theyâve made big moves to keep up with the changing face of retail:
Shopify Editions: twice-a-year updates that roll out dozens of new features at once, from AI-powered tools to new checkout upgrades
AI-powered product, Shopify Magic: writing descriptions, generating emails, and helping merchants market faster
Shop Pay: becoming one of the most trusted one-click checkout systems in North America (Iâve been using this all the time itâs great)
Logistics pivot: after selling most of its logistics arm to Flexport, Shopify doubled down on being a software-first platform instead of trying to own warehouses
Developer ecosystem: continuing to expand with thousands of apps, making Shopify more customizable than ever
For me, whatâs most impressive is how Shopify has evolved without losing focus. They keep iterating, but the mission is still the same: empower entrepreneurs.
Funding and team at a glance
đ° IPOâd in 2015, now trading on the TSX and NYSE
đ Market cap hovering around $198B USD as of 2025
đ„ Over 8000 employees across the globe
đ Global presence, but HQ in Ottawa, Canada
đ„ïž Website: shopify.com
Who even is the competition?
Shopifyâs rivals include BigCommerce, Wix, and Squarespace, along with enterprise platforms like Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Adobe Magento. And of course, thereâs Amazon, which isnât a direct SaaS competitor but dominates global e-commerce.
Where Shopify stands out is in its combination of simplicity and scalability. You can start a store in an afternoon, but the same platform can scale to serve global DTC brands like Gymshark, Kylie Cosmetics, and Heinz. Few platforms manage to balance beginner-friendliness with enterprise-grade power. Shopify does both.
When competitors start working together
Shopify and Amazon have often been painted as rivals in e-commerce. Shopify empowers independent merchants to build and own their brands, while Amazon offers the worldâs biggest online marketplace. But the lines are blurring.
Amazon recently announced it will open its fulfillment services to platforms like Shopify, Shein, and Temu. For Shopify, this is a major signal of growth. It shows that even Amazon recognizes the scale of merchants building on Shopifyâs platform and the importance of making fulfillment accessible to them.
The move also highlights an interesting tension. While Shopify and Amazon compete for merchantsâ loyalty, they now also depend on each other to some degree. Amazon gets more volume through its fulfillment network, while Shopify merchants gain access to faster shipping and logistics infrastructure.
This cooperation doesnât erase the rivalry, but it does reinforce Shopifyâs position as a central player in global commerce. If anything, it underlines how powerful the Shopify ecosystem has become: big enough that even Amazon has to open the door. Read more here at Yahoo Finance.
A partnership close to home
Shopifyâs influence isnât just about powering stores, itâs about the ecosystem it attracts. One recent example hits especially close to home for me: Shopifyâs new integration with StackAdapt, where I currently work.
The integration will allow Shopify merchants to connect directly into StackAdaptâs programmatic advertising platform, helping them optimize campaigns across channels with more efficiency. In practice, that means a Shopify merchant can reach new audiences through advanced targeting and reporting, without leaving the Shopify environment.
For Shopify, itâs another step in making their platform a true all-in-one growth engine for merchants. For StackAdapt, itâs a chance to bring enterprise-grade adtech to a massive base of small and mid-sized businesses. And for me, itâs a reminder of how exciting it is to see two Canadian companies Iâm close to joining forces to shape the future of e-commerce and advertising.
My take
Shopify is one of those rare companies that put Canadian tech on the global map. It has shaped how entrepreneurs think about building online businesses, and it continues to be one of the most exciting companies to watch.
Personally, I admire how Shopify has stayed focused on merchants despite pressure to become more like Amazon. Theyâve proven that you can scale massively while still holding onto your original mission.
If youâre looking for a Canadian company that blends global scale with entrepreneurial spirit, Shopify is as good as it gets.
đ§ Shopify Roles â Now Hiring
Thereâs a ton of more roles open at Shopify, but leaning more towards the technical side of tech rather than the business side. However I encourage you to keep in tune with future LaunchPad job posts to see any new exciting roles that pop up at Shopify and many other cool firms!
Thatâs a wrap on Spotlight #12
If you made it this far, thank you for reading! I hope these spotlights help you discover companies worth your time, and make the job hunt feel just a little bit less overwhelming. Keep an eye out for next Tuesdayâs LaunchPad job drop, and if you know someone looking to break into tech or level up, feel free to share this with them too.
Hereâs to building something cool, or better yet, joining something cool. đ
