In 2016 Andrew Gottselig started a youth basketball camp called HoopLife. As HoopLife became one of the largest basketball camps in Western Canada, Gottselig felt the increased pressure of the required administrative tasks. He tried several software programs to keep organized but he couldn’t find the right fit. He knew that other youth programs would be facing the same challenges so Gottselig connected with the President of HackRegina, David Crossman, and they created Citrus Technology.
“We originally started building a HoopLife training app in 2017, and developing admin tools was more of a side project within it. We realized the problem was bigger than that, though,” Gottselig explains. “We were using archaic spreadsheets and different systems and knew there had to be a better solution for youth camps, to stay organized and be efficient.”
Citrus Technology (Citrus) is a software that helps with managing youth programs. The platform is easy to use and helps organizers handle all parts of their camps, from registrations, renewals, payments, recurring memberships, solutions to retain kids, and setting up automated marketing solutions. “Think of it as a business in a box that’s going to run your youth camp so you can focus on what matters,” Gottselig smiles.
“Youth programs often get overlooked in terms of tech solutions,” shares Gottselig. “Through Citrus, camp directors can schedule their teams, run financial reports, and communicate with parents and guardians.”
Citrus is currently apart of Cultivator’s GROW program. “A lot of our success is attributed to them,” Gottselig says. “They provided many of the resources we needed to start Citrus.” In July 2020 Gottselig and Crossman launched Citrus BETA to a cohort of several different camps.
The software is already seeing success with its beta users, and they are aiming to have 100 paying customers using the software by the end of 2021. Further down the road, the team is hoping to grow globally as fast as possible. “We already have potential clients in Belgium who want to join,” Gottselig shares. “From day one, we have had global ambitions. In three years, we want to rapidly expand and create a large scale tech company right out of Regina.”
The prairies are a great place to grow Citrus, without the distractions of competing sales reps and having great talent rooted in Saskatchewan. Along with the helpful programs such as Cultivator supporting the tech community, Gottselig also praises the grit found in our province. “Everyone is really excited about solving a problem,” he says. “People here have great values, and it’s easy to find people who are on the same page.”.
Founders: Andrew Gottselig, David Crossman
Incorporation Date: February 2020
Employees: 2
