Nicole Verkindt

Early life

Born and raised in Canada, Nicole Verkindt developed an interest in business and innovation during her formative years, kindled by her parents who were both aerospace industry entrepreneurs. Nicole’s business instincts were moulded by her parents’ involvement in manufacturing and defense contracting, and from an early age, she was immersed in the realities of running a business. The family lived in a trailer on a property where they planned to build a house, but instead of doing so, they funnelled their accumulated personal savings into their business.

As an adult, Nicole has publicly stated that business discussions dominated her family life, in everything from breakfast table conversations about hiring and budgeting decisions to vacations that revolved around visiting suppliers. As a result of this immersion, she found herself drawn to the world of entrepreneurship, however, she was adamant about forging her own path.

After graduating high school, Nicole Verkindt studied at Western University in London, Ontario, where she was part of the first cohort of the Entrepreneurship stream at the Ivey Business School in 2007. Upon entering the workforce, she initially pursued a commission-only sales job where she learned the fundamentals of selling without the safety net of a salary or hourly wage.
Despite her early reluctance to take over the family business, circumstances led her back into it in her mid-20s when it faced financial difficulties. Tasked with restructuring the company, she learned critical lessons about cutting overhead costs and adapting to market demands. This experience proved invaluable for her later ventures.

Career

Nicole Verkindt began her career in earnest at GMA Corp., a defence and aerospace company, where she played a pivotal role in securing multimillion-dollar contracts. By 2010, she had risen to the position of CEO, and led the company’s expansion into new international markets. Under her stewardship, GMA Corp. secured several major defense and government contracts, including a $1.7 billion agreement with the U.S. government. She successfully oversaw the company’s sale in 2011.

That same year, Verkindt founded OMX (Offset Market Exchange), an online procurement and tracking platform designed to improve transparency in government and defense contracting and help businesses connect with available government and defense contracts. OMX grew to become a key tool for businesses and policymakers by offering real-time data and analytics on economic impact, supply chains, and offset obligations. Through its technology-driven approach, OMX helped companies track their local economic contributions and meet government procurement requirements. The platform was widely adopted by major defense contractors and Canadian government agencies, eventually leading to its acquisition by MVT Inc.

Beyond OMX, Verkindt has held numerous leadership and advisory roles across various industries. She served as CEO of Buggy.ca, a retail logistics firm, guiding it through a significant growth phase. She has also been appointed to key board positions, including at Metrolinx, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the Canadian Commercial Corporation, and Scoutbee, an AI-driven supply chain intelligence platform.

Nicole Verkindt has been a commentator on technology and business for CBC since 2017, offering insights into her areas of expertise, specifically innovation, procurement, and economic policy. She has also appeared as a guest ‘Dragon’ on Next Gen Den, the online spinoff of CBC’s Dragons’ Den, during its second season, as well as an investor on Gimlet Media’s venture capital-focused podcast The Pitch.

Net Worth

Nicole Verkindt’s net worth is not currently public information.