Tech entrepreneur Ron Gura’s work with Empathy is deeply personal — and the company he co-founded has grown to help institutions as they support families through loss.
"Nobody starts a company in this space for fun," said the Co-founder and CEO of Empathy.
Empathy is a technology company designed to support people through one of life’s most difficult moments. Following the loss of a loved one, individuals are often faced with emotional strain alongside a complex set of administrative responsibilities. Empathy helps people navigate both, combining practical guidance with human support to bring clarity during an otherwise overwhelming time.
Today, Empathy works with leading insurers, employers, and financial institutions to support people after loss. Its services are available to tens of millions of policyholders across North America, and the company operates across multiple markets, working with organizations that share a commitment to caring for people beyond traditional financial services.
Empathy is now available to eligible estate representatives using TD estate settlement services, extending this support to TD clients during a critical life transition.
Gura, like many, knows grief first-hand. He's lost close friends and family members, including an older brother who died when Gura was still a child. The loss had a profound impact on his family, particularly his mother, who was grieving while caring for her family.
While grappling with that loss, Gura found himself with questions about death and dying—questions that were often left unanswered
"I quickly understood nobody wants to talk about it," he said. "I kept thinking about it and writing about it, but I didn't talk to anyone about it."
Years later, while leading another company, one of Gura's employees lost their spouse. In the midst of grief, the employee confessed he'd never heard the term probate before and felt unprepared for the volume of decisions and paperwork they suddenly faced.
That experience helped crystallize an idea Gura had been carrying for years, one that would eventually become Empathy. What began as a personal motivation evolved into a platform designed to support people through both the emotional and logistical realities of loss, delivered along with institutions already trusted by families.
Now, that support is available for eligible TD Estate clients.
The need for grief support
"We believe that during such a vulnerable time, families deserve support that goes beyond financial guidance," said Tahia Haniff, Associate Vice President, Estate Services at TD.
"By providing Empathy’s platform for our eligible TD Estate Clients, Empathy is helping to simplify the complex, reduce stress, and provide meaningful care when it matters most to our clients," he continued.
Estate settlement can be lengthy and emotionally taxing. Grief can affect decision-making, making an already complicated process feel even more overwhelming.
"It's like preparing your tax return every week for an entire year, only with each part of the process, you relive losing a loved one," said Haniff.
Through Empathy Loss Support, available on mobile and desktop, eligible TD Estate clients can access after-loss support at no additional cost. After answering a series of questions about their situation, users receive a personalized care plan organized into clear steps, from funeral planning to managing accounts, bills, and outstanding obligations.
The platform also includes resources focused on emotional support, such as articles, guided exercises, and on-demand access to trained Care Managers via chat, offering guidance throughout the process.
Paying it forward with purposeful innovation
TD is the first Canadian bank to offer Empathy as part of its estate settlement services. This collaboration began as a pilot in 2025 with the TD Enterprise Innovation and Canadian Personal Banking Estates teams. This human-centred approach to innovation runs throughout the Bank with TD Invent, which fosters enterprise-wide purposeful innovation.
As Empathy continues to expand into new markets, Gura remains grounded in the company’s purpose.
For him, the mission often comes back to supporting families — particularly parents navigating loss.
“When I hear stories from families, I think about my own mom and what she went through,” he said. “Today, we can bring together people, technology, and resources to help others feel less alone. That’s the compass that keeps us going.”
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