Rick Rusaw, Executive Team Member for Gloo, speaks at ELO Forum Toronto 2025

The faith-and-flourishing ecosystem just experienced a watershed moment — and ELO Forum attendees witnessed it unfold in real time.

While most IPOs making headlines are tech giants or biotech innovators, Gloo Holdings, Inc. (GLOO.O) broke historic ground as a faith-centred technology company, successfully launching on Nasdaq. The company sold 9.1 million shares at US$8 each, raising US$72.8 million and landing a market valuation of US$582.2 million—a milestone almost unheard of in the faith-driven business world.

In the weeks leading up to the IPO, Jeff Fray (Winnipeg, Oct 22) and Rick Rusaw (Vancouver, Nov 5; Toronto, Nov 19) brought the Gloo story to ELO Forum stages across Canada. Then, in a remarkable convergence of timing and providence, our Toronto audience heard directly from Rick Rusaw on the very day the IPO news broke — gaining firsthand insight into Gloo's mission and momentum at the exact moment the company stepped onto the world stage.

A Rare Milestone in Faith-Based Business

Very few faith-oriented companies ever go public, let alone at this scale. That's why the excitement was palpable in the Forum room when Rick Rusaw—part of Gloo's executive leadership—shared the company's vision, growth, and mission.

As Reuters reported on Nov 20, the IPO reflects "a fresh focus on faith-based investing, a small but growing segment where investors choose companies that reflect their religious values."

Founded in 2013 by Scott and Theresa Beck, Gloo has quickly become one of the most consequential platforms serving church communities and faith-driven organizations. Earlier this year, the company signalled its growing strength by bringing on Pat Gelsinger, former CEO of Intel, as Head of Technology and Executive Chairman.

A Platform Built to Strengthen the Faith Ecosystem

Gloo currently serves more than 140,000 users, connecting churches, nonprofits, and Christian organizations with essential tools, content, and technology partners. With 550 employees—and growth ahead—the company is poised to scale even further.

As noted in its Nasdaq filings:

• "Gloo's mission is to build the leading vertical technology platform for the faith and flourishing ecosystem, which we believe is one of the largest, oldest and least-digitized ecosystems in the world."
• "Our purpose is to shape technology as a force for good so that people can flourish and communities can thrive." 

The newly raised capital will fuel advancements in AI-powered tools, expanded cloud services, and further development of its Gloo 360 and Gloo Workspace platforms. It will also accelerate acquisitions to unify an otherwise fragmented sector.

With an ecosystem that contributes an estimated $1.2 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and encompasses nearly 415,000 Christian organizations, the opportunity for impact is enormous.

A Rare Glimpse Into a Historic Moment

Attendees were given an unprecedented, real-time look into one of the most significant milestones in modern faith-based entrepreneurship. With Rick Rusaw's firsthand perspective on innovation and ministry impact, participants gained a privileged understanding of why Gloo is becoming such a pivotal player.

Those wanting more can watch our conversation with Gloo Founder Scott Beck and Executive Leader Rick Rusaw here: Gloo and The Entrepreneurial Spirit.

A New Era for Faith, Technology, and Leadership

Gloo's leap into the public markets represents more than a financial milestone; it signals a cultural moment in which faith-driven enterprises are stepping forward with innovation, scale, and purpose.

And for ELO's community of Christian marketplace leaders, it's an inspiring reminder: the world needs more bold ventures that combine entrepreneurial excellence with kingdom-minded vision.