Former Humi Executives Aim to Power Payroll Innovation Across Canada with NMBR

Simon Bourgeois, a seasoned payroll expert, previously led Toronto-based Humi, a company that provides payroll, human resources, and benefits software to Canadian businesses. During his time as CEO of Humi, Bourgeois noticed a growing trend in the industry toward embedded payroll, a solution designed to streamline and integrate payroll functionality directly into existing software platforms. This new approach seeks to eliminate inefficiencies and disconnects often found in traditional payroll systems that operate as standalone software or are managed by external providers.

In 2022, Bourgeois stepped away from Humi and, alongside a team of ex-Humi leaders, embarked on a new venture—Nmbr. The startup is backed by major investors like Panache Ventures, Golden Ventures, Motivate Venture Capital, and Luge Capital. Nmbr is building the infrastructure to make it easier for software companies to embed payroll functionalities into their offerings, which Bourgeois sees as a crucial piece of missing infrastructure in Canada’s ecosystem. This infrastructure enables platforms to evolve faster, delivering better services to customers by simplifying payroll processes.

Unlike Humi, which directly targets employers, Nmbr’s focus is on helping software companies integrate payroll solutions within their own platforms. Nmbr’s primary product is an API that enables companies to embed payroll services like tax calculations, regulatory compliance, and payment flows. Nmbr also offers customizable and embeddable front-end components to make it easier for software providers to incorporate payroll functions seamlessly. The company has partnered with RBCx, the innovation arm of the Royal Bank of Canada, to facilitate the movement of funds.

Nmbr’s founding team includes Bourgeois as CEO, Drew Millington as CRO, and Kevin Langlois as CTO—all of whom played key roles at Humi. Millington co-founded Humi and served as its CRO, while Langlois was the senior vice president of engineering. Together, they bring extensive experience in scaling payroll and HR technology solutions.

Nmbr has already made considerable progress, working with six partners that plan to launch payroll products in the coming months. Bourgeois estimated that there were 12 payroll software providers in Canada as of last year, and Nmbr is on track to help launch 12 new payroll products over the next 15 months. If successful, Nmbr could be powering around half of all payroll products in Canada by the end of 2025, positioning the startup as a major player in the evolving payroll software market.

With its focus on embedded payroll, Nmbr aims to revolutionize the way payroll systems are built and integrated into business operations, making it easier for companies to offer seamless and efficient payroll services to their users. 

This strategy streamlines payroll processes for businesses while also fostering innovation within the financial technology sector by delivering essential infrastructure that supports ongoing growth. By integrating payroll functionality into existing software platforms, Nmbr empowers companies to enhance their service offerings and improve operational efficiency. This, in turn, creates a more dynamic environment for fintech innovation, enabling software providers to develop new products and services that meet the evolving needs of their customers. As the demand for integrated solutions continues to rise, Nmbr’s approach positions it to play a pivotal role in transforming how payroll and financial services are delivered, ultimately contributing to a more robust and competitive marketplace.