Cinchy: Delivering Demand Generation for Enterprise Data Management Startup

Hired as founding Head of Marketing at a Toronto-based enterprise data management platform, driving demand generation and establishing a new software category.

Cinchy pioneered concepts of Data Collaboration category and Collaborative Intelligence

Quick Summary

Cinchy hired me as a founding marketer to launch their data management platform into the North American enterprise market and establish Data Collaboration as a new software category.

• 2,500+ MQLs in 18 months at CPL under $350 CAD

• 45+ analyst report mentions including Gartner Cool Vendor and Forrester Wave

• 6 awards including TechCrunch Disrupt, CIX, and Finovate NYC

• 3M+ brand impressions via digital PR program

• 50+ industry partners and 500+ members via online resource hub

Hired as founding Head of Marketing, promoted twice to Director of Demand Generation and Director of Product Marketing.

Events like Finovate NYC and Money 20/20 were core to demand gen

Context: Demand Generation

Cinchy is a Toronto-based Data Collaboration Platform focused on Collaborative Intelligence for the enterprise. Backed by Canadian and Silicon Valley investors, the platform features a unique zero-copy architecture designed to solve critical challenges in data governance, data integration, data activation, and application builds.

Customers included TD Bank, AtkinsRéalis, RBC, DNB Bank Norway, iA Financial, and North American credit unions. I was hired as the founding marketer and stayed for nearly seven years across three progressively senior roles.

Cinchy won multiple awards in the tech industry, including TechCrunch Disrupt

Objectives

• Launch Cinchy into the North American enterprise SaaS market with a focus on the financial services sector.

• Establish Data Collaboration as a new software category with Cinchy as category leader.

Bold branding and positioning grabbed attention and drove qualified leads

Approach

• Shape enterprise data management software market through long-play tactics including analyst relations and industry standards

• Establish core demand gen programs to generate SQLs at COCA < $350 CAD

• Manage 2 direct reports focusing on marketing operations

Hosted events with customers like TD Bank attracted 200+ ICPs

Deliverables

• Delivered founding marketing strategy, plan, budget, and brand guidelines with a team of 2 direct reports

• Generated 2,500+ MQLs in 18 months consisting of on-target ICPs (senior IT leaders at tier 1 banks) at CPL under $350 CAD by executing integrated campaigns combining hosted events, sponsorships, email nurturing, content, social media, and sales enablement

• Drove 45+ analyst report mentions in Gartner and Forrester, including Gartner Cool Vendor and Forrester Wave, by organizing and executing analyst relations program

• Spearheaded creation of a new national standard that validated the category and brand

• Generated 3M+ impressions through digital PR program focused on B2B tech titles and podcasts, including agency management, ghostwriting, and tracking

• Grew professional community to 50+ partners and 500+ members by building the Data Collaboration Hub for data governance and data engineering professionals

• Secured 6 top industry awards including TechCrunch Disrupt, CIX, Globe & Mail, and Finovate NYC

• Built ROI Calculator to power event marketing, combining booth magnets, media, awards, podium appearances, and sales meetups

• Hosted TD Connect event with 200 enterprise ICPs and CIOs

• Enabled sales team with presentations, collateral, prospect meetups, and Opportunity Pulse sales tool

• Published data-centric product playbook with ICPs, value propositions, product diagrams, and walkthrough videos

• Reduced content delivery times 40%+ by developing product knowledge base and custom bot

• Built Customer Hub integrating learning resources, best practices, user forums, feedback tools, and AI-generated product descriptions

• Saved 100+ hrs/month for sales team by building opportunity tracking tool (Opportunity Pulse') in house for under $3K CAD

Analyst Relations and Digital PR were also key growth tactics

Results

• 2,500+ MQLs at CPL under $350 CAD

• 45+ analyst report mentions including Gartner Cool Vendor and Forrester Wave

• 6 awards including TechCrunch Disrupt, CIX, Globe & Mail, and Finovate NYC

• 3M+ brand impressions via digital PR

• 50+ partners and 500+ members via Data Collaboration Hub

• National standard now being evaluated for adoption by International Standards Organization

• Promoted twice over seven-year tenure

New Canadian and international standard was established around Data Collaboration principles

About Chris McLellan

Chris McLellan is an AI-forward marketing professional with 15+ years' experience helping startups and scaleups grow. As a certified Chartered Marketer, he has delivered 50+ launch campaigns for companies backed by leading investors including Sequoia Capital, Union Square Ventures, and Sir Richard Branson.

Chris is a member of the National AI Committee at the Canadian Marketing Association, Founder and volunteer producer at Ask AI, a nonprofit AI focused on AI and the future of work, and co-author and Technical Lead of the Data Collaboration Framework, a Canadian international standard in data ownerships and digital innovation.