A Waterloo-based beauty startup that connects clients with Afro-curly hair to specialized stylists has served more than 1,500 clients and partnered with 150 stylists across Canada.
BeBlended was co-founded in 2019 by Waterloo Engineering alum Aileen Agada (BASc ’21, MBET ’24) during her undergraduate studies. Agada launched the fast-growing online marketplace after being turned away from 15 salons because stylists lacked the training to work with her hair.
Agada, now the company’s CEO, drew on her engineering problem-solving skills to create a platform that would not only make hairstyling services more accessible but also provide business tools to help stylists thrive.
“Being an engineering student at Waterloo shapes the way you learn to solve a lot of problems with very limited variables,” Agada said. The company’s platform manages bookings, payments, and client records, offering freelancers a streamlined solution to grow their business. One stylist doubled her income after joining the platform.
Agada’s journey was shaped by Waterloo’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. She first shared the concept with GreenHouse, the University’s social impact incubator, before pitching it at competitions where early success validated her vision. The Enterprise Co-op (E Co-op) program then gave her the opportunity to dedicate two co-op terms to building BeBlended while earning academic credit.
“It felt like I found my people,” she said of her time in E Co-op, which connected her with other student founders pursuing startups in diverse fields. “E Co-op gave me the opportunity to give BeBlended a real shot.”
Looking ahead, BeBlended is preparing for global expansion, with plans to scale its marketplace to the U.S. and U.K. The company is also exploring new services, including makeup artistry tailored to clients with darker skin tones.
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