Velocity startup Eventist rethinks live event ticketing

When University of Waterloo alum Ciara Azam (BASc ’20) set out to make event management easier, she wasn’t aiming to disrupt an industry, she wanted to remove the friction organizers and attendees experience firsthand.

That idea became Eventist, an all-in-one event ticketing and management platform designed to replace the patchwork of ticketing vendors, scheduling apps and administrative software many organizers rely on. By bringing everything into a single, streamlined system, Eventist helps reduce complexity behind the scenes of live events.

Originally built to help a roommate manage dance competitions, Eventist quickly grew into more than a side project. Today, the platform supports festivals, conferences and large-scale events, with a focus on simplicity, transparency and affordability.

Rather than taking a percentage of every ticket sold, Eventist uses flat, per-ticket pricing — charging 85 cents for general admission tickets and $2.99 for larger events — helping organizers keep more revenue while keeping costs low for attendees.

Replacing a dozen tools with one integrated platform

Drawing on her nanotechnology engineering background, Azam approached the problem the same way she tackled challenges as a Waterloo student: identify inefficiencies, iterate quickly and design a practical solution.

Eventist’s single, integrated platform connects with more than 25 external tools already commonly used by event teams. Organizers can build events step by step, configure schedules using a drag-and-drop calendar and assign staff or contractors through individual portals that clearly outline where they need to be and when. Interactive maps, seating plans and vendor layouts help clarify live events, while customizable permission levels support real-time collaboration.

“We want clients to have full control over their data,” Azam says. “As long as a request is reasonable, we’re happy to build integrations so they can keep using the tools they already rely on.”

Since launching in 2023, Eventist has evolved through constant iteration shaped by client feedback.

“Build, rebuild and rebuild again — iteration is not failure,” Azam explains. “The most rewarding moment is seeing people create accounts, launch ticket sales and run full events without ever talking to us. That’s when you know the product works.”

Where attendee’s user experience is built-in

While Eventist simplifies how events are run behind the scenes, the platform places equal emphasis on the experience of those attending. Interactive maps allow attendees to see what’s happening across stages or rooms in real time, locate washrooms, exits and first-aid stations, and navigate large event spaces all without needing to download an app or create an account. Information is delivered through a secure link sent directly to each ticket holder, streamlining the user experience.

That people-first approach has supported Eventist’s growth well beyond Canada. The platform now supports events across South Africa, Australia, the United Kingdom and South America, with India emerging as a key market. Year-round events in India have helped stabilize the startup’s revenue beyond the traditional summer peak in the Canadian live events industry.

Available in six languages, Eventist reflects the startup’s growing global reach and its commitment to the ticket holders’ user experience as a core design principle.

Scaling beyond the product

As Eventist scaled, Azam also recognized that building a strong product was only part of the challenge.

“We thought if we just built great software, people would use it,” Azam says. “That turned out not to be true — you still have to tell people you exist.”

To bridge that gap, Eventist joined Velocity as part of its next cohort of startups focused on refining sales, marketing and customer outreach. While Eventist had already built a profitable, technically robust product, Azam says Velocity has helped strengthen areas outside her engineering knowledge, from defining ideal customers to sharpening how the platform is positioned and communicated.

“Velocity has been incredibly helpful, especially through weekly coaching sessions and cohort meetings where teams share what’s working and support one another,” Azam says. “Because the cohort includes both technical and business-focused teams, there’s a lot of knowledge-sharing and collaboration.”

As part of that growth, Eventist has also turned to Waterloo co-op students to help expand its marketing reach and operational capacity. The startup has previously hired co-op students in development roles and continues to bring Waterloo talent onto the team to support marketing, communications and customer engagement.

For Azam, Eventist’s growth reflects what’s possible when technical problem-solving is paired with Waterloo’s culture of innovation and collaboration. With support from Velocity and Waterloo talent, Azam is focused on building not just better event software, but also a startup guided by intention, iteration and a people-first approach to innovation.

Photo credit for banner image:  Suleyman Begenjov, Velocity.