Rahul Raj

Worth knowing

He builds the brand story that lets a smaller company beat a category incumbent, and the brands he has worked with have gone on to raise more than $1.6 billion in follow-on financing, reach three acquisitions and two IPOs, and land coverage in The Wall Street Journal, CNN and 60 Minutes. He works as a fractional CMO, so founders get that thinking without hiring a full marketing team.

Story

Rahul studied at Wilfrid Laurier University and made his name in Toronto hardware, leading marketing at ecobee as it took on the giants of the thermostat category. He then started 5&Vine, an agency built for challenger brands, where the work runs from naming and brand identity to messaging and website content. One recent example is Rethink Climate, the Toronto climate venture studio he rebranded between 2023 and 2024. He still takes the stage at Canadian startup events, including Startupfest, to argue that authenticity is the underdog's real advantage.

Highlights

• Founder & CEO, 5&Vine, a fractional CMO agency for challenger brands
• Marketing leadership behind ecobee's rise to #2 thermostat brand in North America
• Partner brands: $1.6B+ in follow-on financing, 3 acquisitions, 2 IPOs
• Speaker, Startupfest, on brand authenticity