Dash Social, the social media management company formerly known as Dash Hudson, was named the Business of the Year at the Halifax Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Halifax Business Awards on Monday.

We believe it’s the first time a venture-backed startup has won the top corporate prize at the annual awards.

The company, founded by CEO Thomas Rankin and CTO Tomek Niewiarowski in 2023, has grown to become an international leader in monitoring and managing social media. Backed by such investors as Build Ventures and Invest Nova Scotia, the company offers a social media management platform that helps enterprise clients to create top-of-the-line content.

Appearing at Entrevestor Live in September, Niewiarowski and COO Jill Hennigar told the audience that the company had grown to a staff of 220 people in its 11 years of operation.

Other startups that were honoured at the Business Awards included NovaResp Technologies, which was named the Innovative Business of the Year. Led by Founder and CEO Hamed Hanafi, NovaResp is testing artificial intelligence software compatible with any continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machine — the medical equipment used to treat sleep apnea by forcing air into the user’s lungs.

Solid State Pharma, whose technology converts liquid medicines into solids so they can be used in pills, was named the Export Business of the Year. The company, which was also nominated for the award in 2022, is led by Founder and President Mahmoud Mirmehrabi.