SASKATOON, Sask. — Four years ago, TrackPointAI founder Jay Shah envisioned a different approach to professional development: one that would allow people to practise the skills they need in real workplace situations rather than learn about them through presentations, videos and reading materials.
With an engineering background and experience as a systems engineer in the aerospace industry, Shah noticed a significant gap in corporate training. He saw that traditional learning management systems provided employees with information but often offered limited opportunities to practise applying their knowledge. On the other end of the spectrum, personalized coaching was expensive and difficult to scale.
“There is nothing in between, and that’s when I realized that the gap is essentially between the learning management system and in-person facilitation. Training is not content-driven. But training is actually simulation-driven. Imagine someone preparing to be a good salesperson or a good lawyer. They shouldn't read about negotiations from a textbook. They should actually practise negotiations and debates themselves. There's no way to do that, so the platform that came about basically solved that issue,” Shah said.
That realization became the foundation for TrackPointAI, an AI-powered training company that develops realistic simulations for individuals, educational institutions and businesses. Rather than reading about sales, negotiations, leadership or communication, users can practise these skills through AI-generated workplace scenarios, receive immediate feedback and measure their improvement.
Building the company required Shah to make a major career decision. While working in engineering, he had been accepted into one of Canada's leading MBA programs, with a scholarship covering his first year. However, after discussing his business idea with industry professionals and receiving encouraging feedback, he decided to leave his job, decline his offer of admission and pursue TrackPointAI full-time within approximately six months.
For Shah, the decision came down to considering what he might regret later in life. “If I don’t do this right now, if I'm 65 and retired, what would I regret more? If I have not done it, I would regret that a lot more. The MBA is just there.” The entrepreneurial commitment has involved considerable sacrifices, including working approximately 70 to 80 hours a week.
Since its launch, TrackPointAI has evolved into a corporate training platform that allows educators, trainers and human resources professionals to create customized learning modules, develop AI role-players, assign simulations and monitor employee performance. Right now, Shah’s largest customer is the University of Saskatchewan, where the platform is being used across law, health care, medicine and business. Professors can create simulations based on specific learning objectives, allowing students to practise professional scenarios and receive immediate feedback while instructors track development.
He also emphasized that the technology is designed to support, rather than replace, human resources professionals and workplace trainers. For example, HR departments can use the platform to prepare new managers for leadership responsibilities, including conflict resolution, communication and presentation skills. “They would use our platform rather than be replaced by it,” he said.
Another important development has been making AI-generated interactions more realistic. Shah explained that conventional AI models sometimes reveal too much information, which can undermine negotiation and sales simulations. TrackPointAI has developed a semantic reasoning layer that organizes information into contextual categories, allowing AI participants to reveal information only when it becomes relevant. “You know it, you just don't know it until someone asks,” he explained.
As TrackPointAI expands, Shah is pursuing opportunities beyond Saskatchewan, including relationships with businesses in Toronto and Calgary, while continuing to work with organizations within the province. Support from Innovation Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan’s entrepreneurial tech incubator, Co.Labs, has helped the company access expertise and build industry connections.
Attending international technology conferences in Las Vegas and San Francisco has also given him a broader perspective on the global startup ecosystem and opportunities for Canadian companies. He believes Saskatchewan has the talent and entrepreneurial potential to produce technology companies that compete internationally.
While acknowledging the progress in the province's startup community, he encourages entrepreneurs to think beyond the local market and explore international opportunities, challenging them to create something for the world. His ambition is to keep TrackPointAI rooted in Saskatchewan while developing a platform that helps people worldwide practise, strengthen and measure the professional skills they need to succeed.
