"This is a Web3 podcast now." Co-hosts Douglas Soltys and Rob Kenedi are joined by producer Kattie Laur and BetaKit associate editor Meagan Simpson to answer listener questions about the 'anti-growth' movement, Shopify's blockchain team, and what's holding #CDNtech back. Sponsored by SVB and Innovate BC .
“We have really no programming to teach mentors, it’s all tribal.” Brice Scheschuk (Wind Mobile, Globalive) explains the motivation behind his new initiative to improve the craft of mentorship and create more resilient entrepreneurs, MindFrame Connect. Sponsored by SVB and Innovate BC .
"I like to think that Peloton is the equivalent to Facebook." Wheelhouse co-founder and CEO Kyle Gibson shares how his small company plans to take on giants with a hybrid fitness approach, and the switch from a lifestyle to a venture-backed business. Sponsored by SVB and CLOUDSEC 2021 .
"One of the problems that we see is that we're a little bit stuck in this rut with VC... You also need to attack the problem in other ways." Elizabeth Yin, General Partner and Co-Founder at Hustle Fund, talks about the firm's new Angel Squad, designed to foster a diverse group of new investors. Sponsored by SVB and CLOUDSEC 2021 .
"It was a day-by-day gut-check. You close your eyes and jump onto the concrete head first." SAAS NORTH co-founder David Tyldesley explains how Cube Business Media plans to bring Canada's top SaaS conference back as an in-person event this November. Sponsored by Silicon Valley Bank and Innovate BC .
"There has always been an entrepreneurial side of my brain. I've always been involved in the business." Juno Award-winning musician and Side Door co-founder Dan Mangan explains his plans to scale an "Airbnb for gigs." Sponsored by SAAS NORTH and Innovate BC .
"Trust, and Indigenous impact measurement, and the wellbeing of Indigenous families sit alongside risk and return. In fact, in our fund, sit significantly above risk and return as investment considerations." Raven Capital Managing Partner Paul Lacerte explains how the firm invests in Indigenous impact entrepreneurs in a culturally safe way. Sponsored by SAAS NORTH . Related: Canadian tech must embrace Indigenous reconciliation...
"The reality is they have been used to an environment where they can increase fees without increasing value to customers." The Honourable Colin Deacon, Member of the Senate of Canada, joins for a wide-ranging conversation on open banking, the woeful state of competition in Canada, and its impact on innovation (and consumers). Sponsored by SAAS NORTH . Use the code "BetaKit30" for a 30% discount on tickets!
"You will capture things that you did not expect to capture." Felix and Paul of Felix & Paul Studios explain how they pulled off the largest production ever filmed in space, what this means for 5G and VR, and what comes next (hint: it's the metaverse). Sponsored by Big Data and AI Toronto . Produced with support from TWG .
"It's not rocket science, it's just hard." CCI Executive Director Benjamin Bergen joins to walk through the major political parties' tech platforms (and what they're missing) ahead of the federal election. Sponsored by VanHack . Produced with support from TWG .
“We are just scratching the surface.” Dani Lipkin, Director of Global Business Development at TMX Group, joins to explain why the first half of 2021 is already the best year ever for Canadian tech companies on the TSX, and why it took so long. Sponsored by VanHack . Produced with support from TWG .
"Are you looking for a reprieve from the summer heat or do you want a hot pod summer?" Co-hosts Douglas Soltys and Rob Kenedi are joined by producer Kattie Laur to answer listener questions about whether the election killed open banking, why TekSavvy's pissed and the CRTC doesn't seem to care, and when it's time to start ignoring Shopify announcements. Sponsored by VanHack . Produced with support from TWG ....
“Nothing weird, just bugs.” HOPE Pet Food co-founder, Kasey Dunn, joins to explain the impact pet diets can have on factory farming and climate change. The solution? Bugs! Sponsored by VanHack . Produced with support from TWG .
"Canada is three telecom companies in a trenchcoat.” Public Policy expert Vass Bednar joins to discuss the US approach to regulating Big Tech, Canada's 'good enough' competition policy, and why we're so culturally comfortable with oligopolies. Free Matthew Boswell! Produced with support from TWG .
"There's no bigger board meeting than you staring in the face of death in the hospital. Death has all the leverage." Boast.AI co-founder and president Lloyed Lobo speaks candidly on what he's learned about the true cost of entrepreneurship after a near-death experience with COVID-19. Produced with support from TWG .
"I know how to take down the different systems that support a nation-state and make it look like it's somebody else's business." CybernetIQ founder and CEO Joe Cummins discusses the rise of cyberattacks against critical infrastructure, why that's the case, and Canada's level of preparedness to fend off attacks (spoiler: it's not good). Sponsored by The Diabetes App . Produced with support from TWG ....
"I also love shipping product. These guys probably want to kill me most days." Our Lady Peace frontman and S!NG chief product officer Raine Maida talks NFTs, IP protection, and the future of music creation and ownership. Oh, and why Beeple didn't do the new music video. Sponsored by The Diabetes App . Produced with support from TWG .
"Thirty percent of input costs, every year, are chemical. In no other industry in the world should you have something representing 30 percent of your costs operate at something like an 80-90 percent inefficiency. It's mind-blowing." Precision.ai CEO Dan McCann joins to explain how his AgTech company is really a Cleantech company, and why well-intentioned federal regulations are preventing farmers from saving tons on herbicide use. Produced with support from TWG ....
"Can we expect that Canadian tech will start paying talent what they're worth?" Co-hosts Douglas Soltys and Rob Kenedi are joined by producer Kattie Laur to answer listener questions about US companies nabbing Canadian talent; under-the-radar unicorns, what's happening in cleantech and healthtech; and employee mental health. Sponsored by Nugget.ai . Produced with support from TWG .
"This is not just at a federal or provincial level, it's also municipal. The City of Vancouver, in my nine years, hasn't done anything in the tech space." Launch Ventures CEO Ray Walia and VRARA Vancouver President Dan Burgar join to discuss Vancouver tech: with excitement, optimism, and perhaps a sense of foreboding. Sponsored by Nugget.ai . Produced with support from TWG .
"It's hearing those stories of small business owners literally losing everything overnight... that prompted me to look at ways of leveraging technology to solve this problem for them." Heirlume co-founder and CEO Julie MacDonell explains the Byzantine process of trademark registration, the potential risks for startups, and the importance of building diverse companies. Sponsored by Xero . Produced with support from TWG ....
"When you look at the Big Five banks today, they all have the same technology stack, the same products, the same features, and the same fees. There isn't truly competition." Neo Financial co-founder and CEO Andrew Chau talks Open Banking, financial innovation, and how he plans to compete with the Big Five banks (and Wealthsimple). Sponsored by Xero . Produced with support from TWG .
"There's an administrative burden to being a public company that I think most private companies don't necessarily appreciate." Will Shaw, partner and leader of the Toronto Emerging Technology practice group at Fasken, explains the process of going public for Canadian tech companies. Sponsored by Xero . Produced with support from TWG .
"I am shocked at how fast it's happening... If you're not in early, you're not in." Matt Golden (Golden Ventures) and Paul Parisi (SVB) join to unpack a bonkers Q1 2021, and what rising numbers across the board might mean for Canadian tech. Sponsored by Xero . Produced with support from TWG .
"We've seen a lot of restaurants developing virtual brands." Deliverect's Jerome Laredo and Noah Hayesv explain how restaurants have become digital brands due to the pandemic, and why your favourite restaurant might not even be a restaurant. Sponsored by Xero . Produced with support from TWG .
"Innovation and biotechnology was the star of the day." Anne Woods (SVB) and Andrew Casey (BIOTECanada) join to discuss one of Canada's hottest sectors, and the impact of recent biotech commitments in the federal budget. Sponsored by Xero . Produced with support from TWG .
"We have a solution and they're not paying attention to this. You have zero acknowledgement from this government. Zero." BookJane CEO and founder Curtis Khan explains why Ontario's vaccine rollout has been so bad, while expressing frustrations over the lack of support from the Ford government. Sponsored by Xero . Produced with support from TWG .
“Maybe it’s not quite good enough to just be a collision space. Maybe we have to add a new capability to the arsenal.” Matthew Lombardi, new Managing Director of the new OneEleven, joins to discuss the tech hub’s new focus on talent upskilling, and what it means to run a “collision space” in the midst of Canada’s third wave. Sponsored by Xero . Produced with support from TWG .
"We want to make a 10-year vision into a two-and-a-half-year vision with money." Flinks founder and president Frédérick Lavoie joins to explain how his growing Montréal-based startup can become a North American FinTech leader with better tech and the right culture. Produced with support from TWG .
"'I think General Assembly needs to get into e-commerce and food tech.' And that was the moment that changed everything." General Assembly Pizza CEO and founder Ali Khan Lalani joins to describe his company's remarkable journey from pizza to Pizza-as-a-Service across North America. Produced with support from TWG .
