The Halifax Innovation Outpost, a joint project between the city and the Halifax Partnership think-tank, has announced that it will back construction fintech startup Harbr and mental health app Tranquility in a bid to help the two companies scale faster.

The Innovation Outpost, which calls itself a “living lab,” pairs startups with early adopters to trial their technology. The Outpost is part of the Halifax Innovation District, which is an arm of the Halifax Partnership.

Infrastructure-monitoring company Rimot used the program to pilot a system for touchless COVID-19 symptom screening at workplaces. The technology was used at the Halifax Partnership offices and startup hub Volta, in the Maritime Centre on Barrington Street.

“Participating in this pilot will grow our user base and provide valuable feedback to advance our product, while giving employees of participating companies much needed mental health support,” said Tranquility CEO Joel Muise in a press release.

Tranquility sells online mental health counselling, with packages for individuals and organizations. Users can choose from a cheaper, automated plan or a more expensive version that includes one-on-one coaching.

And Harbr, which began life as a project-management platform for the construction industry, now sells automated billing software for the sector.

“Harbr offers a service and technology that helps the construction industry operate more effectively and efficiently in today’s digital economy,” said co-founder Ashley Kielbratowski in the press release. “We’re focused on building our user base and the Halifax Innovation Outpost is helping us connect with private sector users and potential customers.”