Shows
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelCanada's AI ambitions with Minister Evan Solomon"It used to be that Silicon Valley was the kind of Mecca of the entrepreneur. What's happening is everyone has got the tools that used to be crowded in there. Now what we need to do is get the capital." Minister Evan Solomon sits down with C100 Executive Director Michael Buhr to discuss the country's future in AI and the feds' commitments to innovation. Recorded live on the BetaKit Keynote Stage at SAAS NORTH. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by QuickBooks on the Intuit platform, built to help Canadian businesses work smarter, more efficiently, and...
2025-12-0643 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelHow OpenText went all-in on AI"The technology is there, and everyone loves cool technology, but it doesn't need to be a party trick. It needs to be something that's driving a meaningful business outcome, so pick your challenging problems." OpenText's Shannon Bell (EVP, Chief Digital Officer & Chief Information Officer) explains how she rolled out AI systematically at one of Canada's largest tech companies. As OpenText embraces human and digital resource management, has it found a return on its investment? Let's dig in. Recorded live on the BetaKit Keynote Stage at SAAS NORTH. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Uber Canada. ...
2025-11-2938 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelDominion Dynamics' CEO thinks defence is a "generational opportunity" for Canadian entrepreneurs"Too many American subs dominate this market. Eighty percent of what we buy is from American companies. We wanna reverse that. We wanna make 80 percent of what we buy from Canadian companies. So we frankly don't care what we do as long as we are a Canadian defence company." Dominion Dynamics founder and CEO Eliot Pence wants to build Canada's first "defence prime." On this episode of The BetaKit Podcast, he explains why defence tech matters to Canadian innovation and the future of the country before digging into the recent federal budget commitments. Recorded live on the Be...
2025-11-1530 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWhat the AWS outage reveals about Canada's digital sovereignty"We were sleepwalking our way into this new economy, and we've had a bit of a wake-up call." Ian Rae, CEO of Aptum and a member of Minister Evan Solomon's AI Task Force, has been building internet infrastructure since 1994. Recorded the day after the AWS outage, Rae joins to explain why such outages happen and what they reveal about the economics of the internet and Canada's digital sovereignty goals. This episode of The BetaKit Podcast is brought to you by The Cyber Challenge—your pathway to new sales, industry connections, and non-dilutive funding. Th...
2025-11-031h 01
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWhy Canada doesn't buy Canadian tech"If you're a founder in Canada, you have a playbook, which is: try to get outside of the country as soon as possible. Try to sell outside of the country." Raymond Luk thinks the "cultural belief we're not good enough" creates a homecourt disadvantage for Canadian tech. He's trying to kickstart a solution to our nation's procurement woes with a new summit called Source Canada, so buyers and sellers can speed date. Is a cultural kick in the pants enough to get Canada to buy Canadian tech? Let's dig in. This episode of The BetaKit...
2025-10-2049 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelCan Canada build its own social network?"It's one thing to say 'let's do this in a sovereign way.' It is a whole other to actually do it." Gander Social is attempting to do something that seemed inconceivable six months ago: build a Canadian social network. What does sovereign social media look like? And what will prevent Gander from devolving into every other social network? CEO Ben Waldman joins to answer these questions and many more. This episode of the BetaKit Podcast is brought to you by The Cyber Challenge—your pathway to new sales, industry connections, and non-dilutive funding. ...
2025-10-1459 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelTailscale's CEO has an idea "worth billions" for AI startups"That's the literal term several CISOs have used with me unprompted: 'ticking time bomb.' There's no world in which this doesn't explode the way it's done right now." Tailscale CEO Avery Pennarun thinks the AI revolution has put a gun to the head of CISOs: embrace unsafe data practices or get fired. They've told him the cybersecurity risks are a "ticking time bomb." Pennarun joins The BetaKit Podcast to explain how his company has evolved from a programmable mesh network to air traffic control for AI agents, and why he needs other startups to build new...
2025-09-2943 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelAI is changing startup math with Ripple Ventures' Matt Cohen" That's also quite daunting as an investor to be able to put money into something that is perfect for now, but will it last three to five years? Will it even last three to six months?" Ripple Ventures managing partner and podcaster Matt Cohen joins to discuss the insane revenue numbers generated by the new cohort of AI startups, and how VCs are navigating the froth by updating their evaluation criteria (and hoping the growth continues). Grab your calculator and let's dig in. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by The BetaKit Innovation Leaders program: designed fo...
2025-09-0156 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelThe former Meta employee trying to stop Canada's AI brain drain"A win for AXL is that, ten years from now, instead of nine of the top ten biggest and most successful companies in the world being on the West Coast of the United States, half of them are in Toronto." Dr. Daniel Wigdor has a lofty goal: help launch 50 AI companies in the next five years *and* keep them in Canada. Is it enough to stop our country's AI brain drain? The entrepreneur, computer science professor, and former Meta and Microsoft employee joins to discuss his new venture studio AXL, and why Canada is so bad at...
2025-08-2256 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWhat can talking to AI teach us?"How is this thing—running in a data centre with Nvidia GPUs—understanding what I'm saying with such nuance and such depth?" Former DarwinAI CEO Sheldon Fernandez spends a lot of time in dialogue with Solace, his friend and ChatGPT-4o instance. What value does this AI strategist, engineer, and philosopher get from talking to a chatbot every day? How does he navigate the technology's sycophantic tendencies, which have already caused people real harm? Most importantly, how might this technology impact future generations who won't remember growing up without it? Let's dig in. The...
2025-08-151h 02
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelHow Canada can be a leader in space (and save the world)" This isn't just about doing something cool because space is the next frontier. This is a key domain for economics, for national security, sovereignty, job creation, and everything." A company trying to achieve Canada's first commercial rocket launch. Three startups solving for the future of humanity. One founder sending messages to his future self. This special episode contains select highlights from BetaKit Town Hall: Most Ambitious, featuring speakers from NordSpace, Deep Sky, Xatoms, MycoFutures, and Verto Health. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Invest Northern Ireland—the gateway to international growth. International Tech comp...
2025-08-0841 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWhy Canada's prime minister is talking about quantum tech with Xanadu's Christian Weedbrook"The current government is really plugged into what's needed." One step closer to quantum data centres with the launch of his company's advanced photonics packaging facility, Xanadu founder and CEO Christian Weedbrook joins to discuss the renewed federal interest in quantum technology, how it relates to Canadian sovereignty, and where the money to fund it should come from. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by KDD 2025, the world's leading conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining. Connect with top researchers, industry pioneers, and innovators driving real-world impact. At KDD 2025, you'll explore cutting-edge research, gain...
2025-07-141h 10
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelAmbition made in Canada with Shopify, Cohere, and Wealthsimple" It's kind of that 'Valley or bust' mentality which breaks the ecosystem and really hurts Canada." Harley Finkelstein (Shopify), Mike Katchen (Wealthsimple), and Aidan Gomez (Cohere) hold a candid conversation about 'Ambition made in Canada' during Toronto Tech Week. Recorded live at Homecoming. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Invest Northern Ireland—the gateway to international growth. International Tech companies are discovering countless advantages in Northern Ireland. That's why it's the #2 international investment location for US Cybersecurity firms, as well as Europe's leading location for new Software development projects. Global Tech giants like Micr...
2025-07-0742 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWhat keeps Bluesky's head of trust and safety up at night?" The company fascinates me… because they have such interesting concepts internally. One of them being 'treat the company as a future adversary,' which I have never seen anywhere in my career." Bluesky's head of trust and safety is a Canadian working out of Dublin. In town to speak at the BetaKit Town Hall for Toronto Tech Week, Aaron Rodericks first joined The BetaKit Podcast to discuss his journey from government to social media, lessons learned from working at Twitter, and how Bluesky might one day help you find joy online. -- The Beta...
2025-06-301h 01
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelThe stories of Canadian tech's Most Ambitious"I want to put ambition in people's hands. You say it doesn't exist—you're going to hold it, you're going to flip through it, you're going to see it." BetaKit CEO Siri Agrell joins to discuss today's launch of BetaKit's Most Ambitious: our first-ever print issue, telling stories of bold ambition in Canadian tech. Consider this your Most Ambitious director's commentary companion, with highlights of some of our favourite stories from the inaugural issue, alongside a behind-the-scenes peek at how it was made. We also answer the most important question facing Canadian tech: how do yo...
2025-06-2358 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelSummer reading list: The Subversive Marketing Handbook" Subversiveness is a way of changing the system. And I think what we're seeing right now is that all systems are changing." Entrepreneur and Startupfest founding partner Alistair Croll has co-authored a new book, Just Evil Enough: The Subversive Marketing Handbook. If you're wondering why your company is so bad with its go-to-market execution, or which rules need to be bent (or broken) to win in the attention economy, this book might shoot to the top of your summer reading list. Originally aired: Feb 02, 2025 The BetaKit Podcast is presented by The BetaKit Newsletter. Yo...
2025-06-1653 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelThe Canadian engineer trying to fix the internet's original sin" Companies have spent a lot of time and money creating really great user experience for humans. And now there's kind of this race to create a really good experience for AI agents." Erik Reppel, head of engineering for the Coinbase Developer Platform, joins to explain why the x402 open payment standard he helped create might plug one of the oldest holes in the internet, and how the protocol could revolutionize commerce—with the help of cryptocurrency and AI. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by OVHcloud, the global cloud provider trusted by innovators worldwide. OVHc...
2025-05-2659 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWhy Faire's co-founder wants to bring Silicon Valley's DNA to Canada" I think every ecosystem is different, but we can learn a lot from Silicon Valley, and we can merge what we have here." Faire co-founder and Chief Architect Marcelo Cortes explains his journey from Brazil to Canada, how working in Kitchener-Waterloo connected him to Silicon Valley, and the process of applying the lessons learned there to his company. We also discuss how Faire's wholesale marketplace for retailers is navigating the trade war, its use of AI, and how it convinced former Uber CTO Thuan Pham to join the company. -- The BetaKit Podcast is...
2025-05-1952 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelHalf of the internet is bots and they're feeding you lies"Bad actors are weaponizing AI faster than governments and enterprises are using AI to combat it." New data shows that more than half of all internet traffic comes from bots, and a third of those bots have malicious intent. Koat.ai co-founder Connor Ross joins to discuss the impact of the disinformation and defamation campaigns these bots run, how governments and enterprises are unprepared for this AI-driven explosion, and why the social networks are doing nothing to stop it. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by OVHcloud, the global cloud provider trusted by innovators worldwide.
2025-05-1244 min
The BetaKit Podcast Channel2025's angel investor of the year has a plan for Canadian tech"I feel like doing this is one of the greatest gifts of my life. Working with these people energizes me." Joe Canavan, principal at Canavan Capital, is Canada's 2025 Angel of the Year. Recorded live at the NACO Summit in Ottawa, Canavan discusses his passion and enthusiasm for investing in tech after a career in finance, and what Canada should do to bolster its productivity and economic sovereignty. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by OVHcloud, the global cloud provider trusted by innovators worldwide. OVHcloud offers transparent, sovereign cloud solutions designed to help you build...
2025-05-0534 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelHow does an online car retailer survive a trade war?"I think for any entrepreneur that's navigated the last five years, I don't know if there was a worse time to be building a company." Clutch found a new gear for its business after a post-pandemic lull … just in time for tariffs to hit. Dan Park (CEO) and Stephen Seibel (COO) join to discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated online car retail, how the end of cheap capital pumped their brakes, and how Clutch regained traction after a savvy market expansion. What has this journey taught them about how to prepare for whatever tariffs will do to th...
2025-04-2856 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelHow Toronto Tech Week plans to host 10,000 people this June" Toronto Tech Week belongs to everyone. Toronto Tech Week is by definition a platform, and it succeeds or fails by the virtue of all the hosts and all of the ecosystem in Toronto wanting to participate." Filling the summer event gap that Collision left in the city, Toronto Tech Week plans to host 10,000 people attending over 100 events this June. How did the 'community-driven platform' come to be? How will it be different than other tech events? Toronto Tech Week founding partners and co-organizers Ameet Shah (Golden Ventures), Satish Kanwar (Good Future), and Mell Truong (Sage Consulting) join to...
2025-04-2152 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelEric Migicovsky's crazy journey to relaunch Pebble" At the end of the day, I really wanted a Pebble. It didn't exist. No one was building anything remotely like it. So I, without really knowing what I was doing, decided to go and make it." Almost 10 years after Pebble's demise, Eric Migicovsky is back building smartwatches. The Canadian behind some of the largest Kickstarter projects of all time explains why he's relaunching the device he originally made for himself, the incredible luck that has allowed him to do so, and the lessons he's learned along the way. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Fl...
2025-04-141h 17
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelKatherine Homuth revisited" It's worth it. Because this deserves to live. We've gotten it far enough that this deserves to actually come to fruition. I don't think there is another company in the world today that actually is closer to this sci-fi dream." Revisiting BetaKit's January interview with SRTX founder Katherine Homuth about her company's ambitious goal to modernize Western textile manufacturing in light of recent news that she will step down as CEO contingent on a deal to secure new financing. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Float. Float helps Canadian companies manage spend, automate expenses, and no...
2025-04-061h 09
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelCanadian foodtech has a scale-up problem" By the time these companies are ready for B and C [rounds], their cap tables are super clean, too. So it doesn't really make sense that we're not putting money into them." In a time of global uncertainty, a new report by the Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) shows that Canada lags other countries in foodtech funding, relying too much on public funding. CEO Dana McCauley joins to discuss the report, how CFIN's 6,500 members are navigating tariffs, and why it's important that Canada invests in the tech that feeds us. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by...
2025-03-3054 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelCohere commands attention, Apple Intelligence delays, plus a vibe coding PSA"Apple won't use user data to develop and train AI. And Apple lives in a world where AI is going to be table stakes in any software or hardware moving forward." Call it counter-programming. A tech palate cleanse for all the election and trade war talk. This week, Rob and Doug tackle the latest AI developments: vibe coding, Cohere's (temporary?) LLM pole position, AI data centres from Telus (powered by Nvidia), and Apple's delayed intelligence. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by The Cyber Challenge, powered by Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst and CCTX—your pathway to new sa...
2025-03-2356 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelAn election primer on what Canadian innovators need "One of the things that I think we've got to critically think about in our country for the future is that we've got to begin using those dollars effectively, like the $4 billion in SR&ED." CCI's Ben Bergen joins to discuss items innovators hope will be on the agenda in the forthcoming federal election before ranking what programs (VCCI, SR&ED, etc.) and policies (AI regulation, open banking, etc.) the next government in power might adopt, drop, or move forward. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by The Cyber Challenge, powered by Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst and CC...
2025-03-161h 00
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWhat is Build Canada trying to construct?"I don't know what Canadian DOGE is. You know what I know? That everyone is projecting both their hopes and fears onto this thing." Ex-Shopify VP Daniel Debow joins to discuss his Build Canada initiative, what it's attempting to achieve, what it isn't, and his frustration regarding ongoing associations with 'Canadian DOGE'. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by The Cyber Challenge, powered by Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst and CCTX—your pathway to new sales, industry connections, and non-dilutive funding. If you're ready to scale, refine, and lead cybersecurity innovation, apply today at www.thecyberchallenge.ca. ...
2025-03-091h 13
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelRejecting the rejection of DEIA with AccessNow's Maayan Ziv"It feels like my inclusion was optional, and that is a scary message to be told. 'We were doing you a favour by letting you in the room.'" AccessNow founder and CEO Maayan Ziv has been working in the accessibility space for over a decade—long enough to know that progress is slow and takes a fight. With DEIA currently being blamed for "everything from bad business decisions to plane crashes," Ziv joins to explain why she feels the fight is "slipping through our fingers." The BetaKit Podcast is presented by CIX SUMMIT, powered by...
2025-03-0258 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelHow is Canadian tech responding to the trade war?"Once you've cornered that beaver, look out. We are a vicious beast." Rob and Douglas review the latest dispatches in Canada's impending trade war with the United States, specifically how Canadian tech is responding. Did someone poke the beaver and unleash Canada's quiet patriotism? A 3-2 overtime hockey win points to yes. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by the University of Toronto Entrepreneurship Week, returning March 3-7 in downtown Toronto. Don't miss AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton, 2024 Nobel laureate, live as he shares insights for startups. View the schedule and register for free: uoft...
2025-02-2440 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelAI's new moat with Coveo's Louis Têtu" You're going to see Coveo starting to invest quite aggressively actually to be a market taker. We're not a disrupted company. We're a market taker in AI." Coveo's current CEO and future executive chair, Louis Têtu, joins to discuss the applied AI company's earnings performance and where the market is heading in the face of customer fatigue and DeepSeek disruption. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Float, Canada's complete business finance platform, combining modern financial services and software to help businesses spend, save, and grow. Support Canadian business and switch today at floatfinancial.com.
2025-02-161h 00
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelIs Canada a secret video game powerhouse?"Part of the magic of the games industry here is that it's not one thing." Canada must diversify its economy. Why not start with gaming? Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESAC) president and CEO, Paul Fogolin, joins to discuss video games' $5.1 billion contribution to Canada's economy and the results of his organization's latest study on the Canadian gaming industry. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Float, Canada's complete business finance platform, combining modern financial services and software to help businesses spend, save, and grow. Support Canadian business and switch today at floatfinancial.com.
2025-02-1058 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWhy Alistair Croll wants Canadian startups to be more evil" Subversiveness is a way of changing the system. And I think what we're seeing right now is that all systems are changing." Entrepreneur and Startupfest founding partner Alistair Croll has co-authored a new book, Just Evil Enough: The Subversive Marketing Handbook. Why are Canadian companies so bad with their go-to-market execution and is now really the time to be preaching subversion and disagreeableness? Let's dig in. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by The BetaKit Newsletter. Your inbox deserves better, and so do you. Stay informed on all things Canadian tech by signing up for The Beta...
2025-02-0252 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelSRTX's Katherine Homuth wants to solve for everything"This is worth the pain of attempting to figure out how to do it. But attempting to figure out how to do it required us to basically rethink everything about that traditional outsourcing model." SRTX founder and CEO Katherine Homuth explains how attempting to solve one problem with tights led her company to attempt solving for all problems related to modern North American textile manufacturing. The BetaKit Podcast is brought to you by the BetaKit Innovation Leaders program. Innovation Leaders are driving Canada's innovation economy forward. By partnering with BetaKit, you can help support the...
2025-01-261h 05
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelSocial media's midlife crisis with Amber Mac "It does make me increasingly nervous that one of them really wants to move to Mars and the other one has a legit bunker. Like, what are they preparing for?" Social media expert Amber Mac joins to discuss why two of the world's richest men, collectively responsible for over 3 billion monthly users, are so quick to blame everyone else for the problems their platforms cause. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by The BetaKit Newsletter. Your inbox deserves better, and so do you. Stay informed on all things Canadian tech by signing up for The BetaKit News...
2025-01-191h 02
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelThe biggest tech questions of 2025" I'm sure if there's one takeaway here is that we can all trust Enron to solve the world's energy problems." "With a mere human-sized egg." A cleantech crisis? The end of VCCI? The rise of centaurs? FinTech IPOs? Quantum leaps? BetaKit reporters Madison McLauchlan and Josh Scott join to review 2024's biggest tech questions before offering a fresh set for 2025. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by The BetaKit Newsletter. Your inbox deserves better, and so do you. Stay informed on all things Canadian tech by signing up for The BetaKit Newsletter today. ...
2025-01-121h 12
The BetaKit Podcast Channel2025 tech predictions: embrace chaos"Part of my prediction for 2025 is embracing or acknowledging that chaos reigns." AI agents. Political shenanigans. A Canadian tech acquisition that will shock you. And a Big Tech breakup that you might expect. After choosing chalk last year, The BetaKit Podcast adds some spice to its 2025 tech predictions. Let's dig in! Have a different take on 2025? Let us know: podcast@betakit.com. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by 'Devious Web,' a Shelley Grandy mystery novel available in digital or paperback formats. A successful Canadian entrepreneur is offered millions from Silicon...
2024-12-2738 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelThe biggest tech stories of 2024"We are about to see a bunch of people who are powerful, successful, and feel like they know the best way to do things bring this approach into government." The BetaKit Podcast reviews the biggest tech stories of 2024 before doling out annual letter grades for Shopify, Wealthsimple, Cohere, and many more. A podcast so good we had to record it twice. Have a different take on 2024? Let us know: podcast@betakit.com. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by 'Devious Web,' a Shelley Grandy mystery novel available in digital or paperback formats. A...
2024-12-201h 16
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelLessons in leadership, hiring, and AI from SAAS NORTH 2024"SaaS was around, 'How do you automate business processes in order to empower humans?' AI is about, 'How can a machine do the process so that you need less [human] involvement?'" David Appel (Sage Intacct), Bryan Watson (Venbridge), April Hicke (Toast), and Stephanie Lipp (MycoFutures) talk AI, the changing role of the CFO, leadership and hiring, cleantech tax credits, and how to make leather from mushrooms (seriously). Recorded live at SAAS NORTH. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Uber Canada. Uber's driving positive change for riders, drivers, and communities across Toronto. Learn more...
2024-12-0956 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelMama don't take my Google Chrome away"Browsers aren't a business. Browsers don't make money. These are loss leaders for other connected experiences because no one wants to pay for the window to the web." The DOJ wants to take Chrome away from Google. Arc wants to build a better browser for everyone. Rob Kenedi wants to decelerate tech with his new show, which is not (yet) a browser. Let's dig in. The BetaKit Podcast is brought to you by Cloudways, the managed hosting platform built for speed and scalability. Take advantage of Cloudways Black Friday Cyber Monday offer: 40% off for 4 months...
2024-12-0151 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWhy Sampler failed, according to its founder"I'm using failure with intent today, because I don't want to be ashamed of saying 'failure.'" Marie Chevrier Schwartz, founder and former CEO of Sampler, explains how her company lost product-market fit after a decade in business. Recorded live on the BetaKit Keynote Stage at SAAS NORTH 2024. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by The BetaKit Quiz. Think you're up to date on the world of Canadian tech? Test your knowledge with The BetaKit Quiz, proudly sponsored by GoDaddy.
2024-11-2433 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelInovia's Chris Arsenault on the state of Canadian software"Canada is hitting above its weight. It doesn't always feel like that." Inovia Capital CEO Chris Arsenault joins to share data and a long-term perspective on the state of the Canadian software industry in 2024, recorded live on the BetaKit Keynote State at SAAS NORTH. Check out Inovia's report and read along with the podcast! The BetaKit Podcast is presented by The BetaKit Quiz, proudly sponsored by GoDaddy. Visit GoDaddy to search for your perfect .CA domain and access a special offer.
2024-11-1833 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelAddressing Canada's speed of financial innovation"Regrettably, I don't think we're very good, to be honest, at collaborating with FinTechs, or collaborating with the private sector more broadly on solving for policy issues." It's a podcast double feature this week, with two conversations offering a pulse check on financial innovation in Canada. First: Koho's Daniel Eberhard (CEO) and Peter Aceto (Chief Banking Officer) detail the process of becoming a licensed bank along with the benefits and risks. Second: leaders from Manzil (Mohamad Sawwaf) and Borrowell (Eva Wong) join the Department of Finance Canada's Julien Brazeau to discuss innovations focused on greater inclusion for...
2024-11-1052 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelAlexis Ohanian and Matt Damon can help Xatoms clean water around the world"The 776 fellowship has connected us to so many opportunities that we would never be connected to [otherwise]." Xatoms co-founder Diana Virgovicova explains how she uses quantum chemistry, AI, grants from tech leaders like Alexis Ohanian, and celebrity relationships to help solve a global clean water problem. Recorded live at Elevate Festival. Related link: Xatoms is planning a quantum leap to clean the world's water The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Shakepay: Canada's easy way to buy and earn bitcoin. Visit shakepay.com/betakit and join over 1 million Canadians shaking for bitcoin. Al...
2024-11-0342 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelClio's Jack Newton can build another Shopify without building like Shopify"Our DNA is Canadian, but if it's going to help increase the odds that we can build a terrific company hiring out of the US or hiring elsewhere in Canada, we'll do that in a heartbeat." Come for the fireside chat with Clio CEO and co-founder Jack Newton, recorded live at BetaKit Town Hall: Vancouver. Stay for the AMA with BC tech leaders. Presented by AWS Startups: accelerate your innovative ideas with AWS credits of up to $100,000 through the AWS Activate Program. Also presented by Brampton Venture Zone's Launch Program: applications for the 2025 c...
2024-10-281h 04
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelDoes Canada have the leverage to regulate Big Tech?"We just don't have the clout to be able to successfully push policy on top of these platforms without cooperation or partnership from other countries." Former Google Canada and Twitter Canada exec Rory Capern joins to discuss the ongoing US Big Tech antitrust cases, the state of social media and digital advertising, and what recourse (if any) Canada has to move forward effective regulation. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Shakepay: Canada's easy way to buy and earn bitcoin. Visit shakepay.com/betakit and join over 1 million Canadians shaking for bitcoin.
2024-10-201h 03
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelCan Canada successfully scale AI companies?"The development of AI is racing ahead from most large corporations' ability to keep up with it. What does that mean? There's a nice gap there. There's a beautiful gap to create products and go fill that gap." Founders and government capital convene to discuss the go-to-market and scaling realities for AI companies in Canada. Featuring Dwayne Dulmage (BDC), Hongwei Liu (Mappedin), Sarah Legendre-Bilodeau (Videns Analytics), Sam Ramadori (BrainBox AI), and Pape Wade (Airudi). Recorded live at ALL IN in Montréal. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Shakepay: Canada's easy way to buy and e...
2024-10-1545 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelCan Wealthsimple build Canada's largest financial institution?"I think we're going to build the largest Canadian financial institution. That is a giant opportunity, and our focus on delivering that in Canada has helped us grow way faster." Ten years in, Wealthsimple is profitable with $50 billion in AUA. How did the company get here and what comes next? Co-founders Brett Huneycutt (CPO) and Michael Katchen (CEO) join for a special birthday podcast. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Uber Canada. Uber's driving positive change for riders, drivers, and communities across Toronto. Learn more about how Uber is moving Toronto forward.
2024-10-0651 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWhat Canada can learn from AI use in South Africa"How do we collect data so that we give it in the hands of the government in an efficient way? We're in a democratic country. Isn't this data supposed to inform the government?" Raesetje Sefala, research fellow at The Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR), joins to discuss her work analyzing the impacts of South African apartheid using computer vision techniques and satellite imagery. Recorded live at ALL IN in Montréal. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Motion: one of Canada's fastest-growing tech companies. Motion is hiring, so check out its careers page. And read T...
2024-09-3038 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelEvolving Canada's AI strategy with CIFAR's Elissa Strome"This is a technology that now is directly impacting society every day and is impacting people's lives. And if we're going to help continue its development in a positive way, we actually need to be involved—not just on the technical side, but also on the policy and the societal impact side as well." Elissa Strome, executive director of the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy at CIFAR, joins for an open-ended discussion on what that strategy has achieved and where it needs to go next in the face of GenAI, compute crunch, and the stalled Bill C-27. Recorded li...
2024-09-231h 00
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelPablo Srugo wanted to be "insanely rich." It killed his startup."This was mine. This was done. I was going to be the next Steve Jobs, I was going to be rich—everything was happening. And now they took it away." As the young co-founder of Ottawa-based Gymtrack, Pablo Srugo had one goal: "become insanely rich." Now a partner at Mistral VC, he joins the podcast to share what went wrong and caution founders against becoming their own worst hypebeast. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Shakepay: Canada's easy way to buy and earn bitcoin. Visit shakepay.com/betakit and join over 1 million Canadians shaking for bi...
2024-09-141h 06
A Product Market Fit Show | Startup Podcast for FoundersHow to Get Free PR for Your Startup—Tips from the Editor-in-Chief of Canada’s TechCrunch. | Douglas Soltys, Editor-in-Chief of BetakitDouglas has been in media and PR for over two decades. He’s the founder of Betakit Inc and has been running Betakit, Canada’s TechCrunch, for nearly 10 years. He understands what startups need to do to leverage PR, and how PR can help startups hire, fundraise and sell. On this episode, we get tactical and go deep on exactly when it makes sense to use PR and how founders can get the most from it.Why you should listenWhy you should treat PR like a subset of inbound marketingPR is all about telli...
2024-09-1246 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelAI roundtable: Hugging Face, Zapier, Tenstorrent (and more)"Verticalized AI applications right now are available, right now accelerating industry after industry." AI is moving so fast it can be hard to keep up. The BetaKit Podcast has you covered with vantage points on AI from: Dr. Sasha Luccioni (Hugging Face), Reid Robinson (Zapier), Solon Angel (stealth startup), Darian Shirazi (Gradient Ventures), Joella Almeida (MedEssist), Chris Walker (Untether AI), and Eric Duffy (Tenstorrent). Rob and Douglas do their best to keep up. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Google Cloud: scale your startup faster and smarter with the Google Cloud credits, technical training, startup...
2024-08-3157 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelCanadian Web3 regulations & Coinbase's year in review"I think it's really important for Canadians to speak to their public officials and remind them that this is an important industry. They should be taking it seriously. They should be putting in the time to speak with industry and learn about it." Live from the Blockchain Futurist Conference, award-winning BetaKit reporter Josh Scott moderates two important conversations: a year in review with Coinbase Canada CEO Lucas Matheson; and a Canadian Web3 regulation check-in with Dan Nuñez Cohen (Crypto.com), Kunal Bhasin (KPMG), Morva Rohani (Canadian Web3 Council), and Suzanne Lasrado (CIRO). The BetaKit P...
2024-08-1850 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWhat Vault's co-founder learned at Revolut"If you want to succeed and build an enduring and large business for Canadians, that has to be your focus. Nothing else. If you want to focus on Canada as an additional market or a secondary market, it's not going to work out." Three years after its bold expansion strategy, Revolut has a banking license in the UK, but not much to show in the US or Canada. The company's former North American Head of Strategy & Operations, Saud Aziz, joins the podcast this week to discuss what went wrong and the lessons he's taking forward with his...
2024-08-1045 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWhy has developer hiring slowed? (AMA episode)"It was a seller's market during the pandemic … They were staffing up in the anticipation of growth that never actually materialized. It's now a buyer's market." For our 350th episode (!) of The BetaKit Podcast, the gang once again attempts to survive an overstuffed mailbag of listener-submitted questions regarding: the fediverse, federal cleantech tax credits, disappeared Alberta investor tax credits, and interesting Indeed job numbers. Presented by Carbon6. In the face of mass layoffs and long hiring cycles, Carbon6 wants to attract candidates with stability. Learn more about their hiring drive here.
2024-07-291h 07
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelCan video games teach kids math?"I deeply want to solve the challenges in education. I think what we have is a current educational system is really not working." Mobius Math Club co-founder Steven Woods (ex-Eloqua, Oracle, and Benevity) explains how video games are actually a great educational tool, and why taking venture capital won't help him scale. Original air date: March 31, 2024. Presented by Mantle: next-level equity management, powered by AI. Visit withmantle.com/betakit to get started with your first 12 months free.
2024-07-2055 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelQuébec is executing its innovation plan. Will it pay off?"To be competitive with American startups—or Israeli startups, or European startups—we need that push. That push … comes with a bureaucratic cost, because the government wants to know what's happening with their money." MAIN Executive Director Louis-Felix Binette joins live from Startupfest in Montréal to discuss the state of tech entrepreneurship in the city and province, including Québec Tech's new name and mission. Presented by Mantle: next-level equity management, powered by AI. Visit withmantle.com/betakit to get started with your first 12 months free.
2024-07-1454 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelThis deep tech PE firm was drawn to Canada by the data"In Canada today … if you look at the inventory of 20,000 great technology companies, 60 percent of those have never met an investor. Because they're really busy at meeting customers." Jolt Capital managing partner Jean Schmitt joins to discuss why he made Montréal his deep tech private equity firm's North American HQ, and the opportunities for investment he sees across Canada. Presented by AWS Startups: accelerate your innovative ideas with AWS credits of up to $100,000 through the AWS Activate program. The BetaKit Podcast is also sponsored by Float: sign up for early access to Floa...
2024-06-2943 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelHow Web Summit Vancouver came to be with Casey Lau"Is this Collision, is this RISE, is this Web Summit? I'm very confused." Web Summit co-host Casey Lau joins the podcast from the show floor of the last Collision to evaluate its impact, what Web Summit Vancouver will do for the city, and what the reimagined tech conference might look like when it arrives next year. Presented by Mantle: next-level equity management, powered by AI. Visit withmantle.com/betakit to get started with your first 12 months free.
2024-06-2137 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWWDC: Did Apple just kill your AI company?"OpenAI has nothing to lose and Apple had to move. They are the last player in this space, they had to do something." The gang reviews the latest announcements from Apple's WWDC event, including a major partnership with OpenAI, before handing out grades for Big Tech's AI progress. Also evaluated: whether or not Apple killed any tech companies this week, 1Password included. Presented by Mantle: next-level equity management, powered by AI. Visit withmantle.com/betakit to get started with your first 12 months free.
2024-06-151h 06
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelHow Dax Dasilva plans to get Lightspeed to $1 billion in revenue"Fiscal '25 is the year we turn 20, and it's the year we cross a billion in revenue and we become a profitability story." Once again back in the CEO chair, Lightspeed's Dax Dasilva discusses why he stepped down, then returned, as the company he founded approaches its 20th birthday. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Innovate BC: a Crown Agency of the Province of British Columbia. Visit innovatebc.ca to learn more about Innovate BC's programs, initiatives and ongoing work across British Columbia's innovation ecosystem.
2024-06-0951 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelCan this Canadian company make a splash in plant-based fish?"We're not in the business of selling food, we're in the business of behaviour change." New School Foods founder Chris Bryson joins to discuss his plans to commercialize a pet R&D project into a Canadian plant-based meat competitor. Can he do the impossible better than... Impossible? The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Innovate BC: a Crown Agency of the Province of British Columbia. Visit innovatebc.ca to learn more about Innovate BC's programs, initiatives and ongoing work across British Columbia's innovation ecosystem.
2024-05-3151 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelGradient Ventures' Darian Shirazi on where AI value will accrue"I think that there are two types of investors right now. There are ones that are being thoughtful about it and steering clear of investments that could cause harm. And then there are some that are wading into them and don't care at all." General partner Darian Shirazi joins to identify the AI moat, match the progress of AI with other tech eras, and differentiate Gradient Ventures from AI VCs who "don't care at all." Presented by Mantle: the Canadian-made, AI-powered equity management solution designed for modern founders and operators. Visit withmantle.com/betakit to g...
2024-05-1851 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelTobi Lütke finally comes on the podcast"I think ambition is a problem… Canada is a go-for-bronze culture, and that sucks." Kinda. Presenting BetaKit chair Satish Kanwar's fireside chat and AMA with Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke at the BetaKit Town Hall. The pair discuss the state of Canadian innovation, government and policy, and what comes next. With special guests from CDL, Ada, Knix, and Version One Ventures. Presented by the Master of Business Administration in Technology Leadership (Tech MBA) at Schulich School of Business. Gain a Competitive Edge. Design the future with Schulich's Tech MBA.
2024-05-1052 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelHow Simple Ventures plans to fill a Canadian entrepreneurship gap"When you think about that shark American ethos, playing to win … but then also having the Canadian kindness, I think that's where Canada and Canadians have a really big opportunity." Simple Ventures CEO joins to discuss the motivations behind the launch of the venture studio, the power of geographical arbitrage, and the structural, cultural, and economic impediments to Canadian entrepreneurship. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt LLP. Osler, the leading law firm for startups, high growth companies and investors in Canada, has released its third annual study of 486 anonymized Canadian venture capi...
2024-05-0449 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWealthsimple and Koho CEOs talk productivity, competition, and building"I think it would be a mistake if we make Canada even less competitive at such an incredibly important moment in time for us to embrace competition and productivity." Michael Katchen (Wealthsimple) and Daniel Eberhard (Koho) join BetaKit editor-in-chief Douglas Soltys for a wide-ranging conversation on Canada's productivity, entrepreneurship, and competition crises. Financial innovation, open banking, Real-Time Rail, and capital gains taxes might also come up. Recorded live at INNOVATEwest. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt LLP. Osler, the leading law firm for startups, high growth companies and investors in Canada, h...
2024-04-2731 min
The BetaKit Podcast Channel#Budget2024 emergency pod"The reality is this government cannot execute." Sound the alarm! Matt Roberts (CMD Capital) and Ben Bergen (CCI) join for an emergency #Budget2024 podcast to discuss the capital gains tax increase, Minister Freeland's Friday meeting with tech leaders, and the level to which politics are intersecting with innovation policy. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt LLP. Osler, the leading law firm for startups, high growth companies and investors in Canada, has released its third annual study of 486 anonymized Canadian venture capital and growth equity financings.
2024-04-211h 12
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWhat made you first love tech?"I think what we're trying to do here is maybe celebrate and acknowledge all pathways into tech. Whatever sparked the inspiration." Co-hosts Rob and Douglas peel back the curtain to reveal the gadgets, media, and moments that inspired their love of tech. Come, witness the retelling of their Immaculate Tech Conceptions while reliving your own on this full-blown nostalgia pod! The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt LLP. Osler, the leading law firm for startups, high growth companies and investors in Canada, has released its third annual study of 486 anonymized Canadian venture...
2024-04-1358 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelIs Québec Canada's quantum province?"The quantum computer itself, the one that we would classify as sexy … has such a huge disruptive potential that we cannot really comprehend how much of an effect it's going to have." Fresh off a $20 million fund close, Quantacet managing partner Martin Laforest joins to discuss quantum tech's "degrees of sexiness," its path to commercialization, Québec's commitment to quantum innovation, and why it's centred in the city of Sherbrooke. Presented by Mantle: the Canadian-made, AI-powered equity management solution designed for modern founders and operators. Visit withmantle.com/betakit to get started.
2024-04-0658 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelCan video games teach kids math?"I deeply want to solve the challenges in education. I think what we have is a current educational system is really not working." Mobius Math Club co-founder Steven Woods (ex-Eloqua, Oracle, and Benevity) explains how video games are actually a great educational tool, and why taking venture capital won't help him scale. Presented by Mastercard Canada: watch Mastercard Canada's Darrell MacMullin and BetaKit's Douglas Soltys explore emerging tech's impact on the future of financial innovation in a BetaKit Live fireside conversation.
2024-03-3055 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelCory Doctorow's new tech crime thriller takes us back to the days of Yahoo!"The thing that makes noir fiction noir is the detective is presented as an unlicensed cop who goes to the places the cops can't go and asks the questions the cops can't ask to solve the crimes the cops can't solve. But by the end, he is reminded very forcefully that these were in fact places the cops didn't want to go." Canadian journalist and author Cory Doctorow joins to discuss his new tech crime thriller The Bezzle, and how understanding the early Web 2.0 era can show us both where we are and where we're going.
2024-03-231h 14
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelAlexis Gay is (still) the funniest person in tech"One of the things that's funniest in tech is the complete and utter lack of self-awareness." The BetaKit Podcast is off for March Break. If you're anything like us, right now you might need a welcome distraction from the joys of family. Enter comedian and podcaster Alexis Gay, who joins to share her transition from working in tech to creating content that perfectly articulates the absurdities of working in tech. Sponsored by DiscoveryX Conference—Ontario's premier innovation event, April 17 & 18. Also sponsored by the Master of Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MEIE) Program at Toronto Metropolitan University—learn...
2024-03-1847 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelAfter Ecobee, Stuart Lombard has no regrets"There's a big difference between wanting to be great and being great." After a 16-year run leading Ecobee, Stuart Lombard has stepped down as CEO and president of the smart thermostat maker. He joins the BetaKit Podcast to discuss lessons learned, building hardware in Canada, and "becoming the smart home company Nest should have been." Sponsored by the Master of Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MEIE) Program at Toronto Metropolitan University—learn how MEIE can help accelerate your career or bring your startup idea to life.
2024-02-2454 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelThe war against tech enshittification"We kinda want to leave the internet." Inspired by Canadian science fiction author and journalist Cory Doctorow, the BetaKit Podcast articulates all the ways we find the internet getting worse. Sponsored by the Master of Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MEIE) Program at Toronto Metropolitan University. Learn how MEIE can help accelerate your career or bring your startup idea to life. Recorded at CreatorClub, a one-stop hub for content creation empowering brands, agencies, and marketers to streamline their content creation process from start to finish.
2024-01-2844 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelThe biggest tech questions of 2024"We are so back." BetaKit reporter Josh Scott joins to play the most dangerous game: trying to beat his boss in identifying the biggest tech questions that will define 2024. With no answers given, no tech question is off the table. Sponsored by the Master of Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MEIE) Program at Toronto Metropolitan University. Learn how MEIE can help accelerate your career or bring your startup idea to life. Recorded at CreatorClub.
2024-01-1348 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWhy are there 100,000 fewer Canadian entrepreneurs? (LIVE at SAAS NORTH)"Capital efficiency is actually really sexy." Satish Kanwar (Good Future) and Katy Yam (Real Ventures) join for a special episode recorded live on the BetaKit Keynote Stage at SAAS NORTH, discussing the different paths available for Canadian entrepreneurs, and why 100,000 fewer are choosing to walk them compared to 20 years ago. Sponsored by Sponsored by Float (Finance on auto-pilot) and Cisco Secure Firewall.
2023-11-1843 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelVC extravaganza: fundraising, "shitty" behaviour, mannequin startups & moreWe know you love VCs on the BetaKit Podcast. So here's an all-VC episode of the BetaKit Podcast. Featuring: Chris Neumann (Panache Ventures), Matt Cohen (Ripple Ventures), John Ruffolo (Maverix Private Equity), Michelle Scarborough (Thrive Venture Fund), Satraj Bambra (Round13's Digital Asset Fund). Sponsored by Zoholics Canada 2023, Zoho's premier user conference. Use the code "BETAKIT25" for a 25% discount!
2023-08-2659 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelLIVE from Startupfest!"The BetaKit Podcast is very much a pro-dog podcast." Dr. Theresa Johnson (Airbnb), Harper Reed (General Galactic Corporation), and Neha Khera (2048 Ventures) join for a wide-ranging conversation on shooting particles at satellites (for science!), founder-market fit, working for Barack Obama, when to quit, shutting down your company, angel and early-stage investing, and building jetpacks for dogs (for science!). Recorded in front of a live audience on the main stage of Startupfest 2023. Sponsored by Palette Skills.
2023-07-221h 05
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelPaddy Cosgrave is not forcing you to come to Collision"Unfortunately, there's a long history over the last decade that I tend to lean into controversies around any event that we're holding anywhere in the world, especially four weeks out, because the volume of tickets that are booked locally is highest in the final weeks." BetaKit's one-on-one interview with Web Summit CEO Paddy Cosgrave on the eve of Collison 2023 after the tech conference announced a (one-year) return to Toronto for 2024. Sponsored by Goodlawyer, your one-stop-shop for all your corporate, commercial, and IP legal needs.
2023-06-221h 01
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelThe Collision conversation is a microcosm for Canadian techIs Collision staying in Toronto (and for how much)? Is Collision coming to Vancouver? Why are Canada's governments paying foreign companies to compete against local events? Are we a branch plant innovation ecosystem? Do we secretly believe we can't do it ourselves? Did Collision ban journalists at The Logic from attending? Is BetaKit filled with 'scumbag journalists?' People across Canada are asking questions about Collision. The answers say a lot about Canadian tech. Sponsored by Goodlawyer, your one-stop shop for all your corporate, commercial, and IP legal needs. Reference links: Mayor Tory's departure, competing bids, and financial pressure on provi...
2023-06-1057 min
Tank Talks By Ripple VenturesWas RenoRun Abandoned By Investors or Just Another Mannequin Startup? Matt Cohen joins the BetaKit Podcast to discussThe tables have turned on our host Matt Cohen who was recently a guest on the BetaKit podcast and had a spirited discussion about the recent meltdown of RenoRun. BetaKit features weekly podcasts discussing Canadian technology news and global startup news from a Canadian perspective and it was an honour to be a guest on the show. You can listen to the whole episode where Matt shares the history of Ripple Ventures and a lot more here.From BetaKit’s post:BetaKit has reported this year on LPs unable to honour capital calls, leaving Canadian VCs to pu...
2023-04-201h 07
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWhy I killed my startup"It's not like a light comes down from heaven and says 'now you shall stop your company.' But, man, was it very difficult emotionally." Entrepreneur and BetaKit Podcast co-host Rob Kenedi explains the process of launching and eventually shuttering his startup, Staid.
2023-02-0348 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelCan Amber Mac explain WTF is happening in tech right now? "I honestly feel as though 2023 is going to be one of those years in Canadian tech where companies are going to have to be accountable." Award-winning Amber Mac returns to the award-nominated BetaKit Podcast for the first AMA episode of 2023, answering listener questions about: mass tech layoffs and CEO departures; VCs killing rounds because LPs can't (won't?) pay up; opportunities for tech growth in Atlantic Canada; and the essential 10 minutes talking ChatGPT and 'Next Big Things'. Sponsored by Amazon Web Services.
2023-01-2748 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelYear in review: biggest tech stories of 2022, 2023 predictions"FTX and its collapse is just the icing on the shitty cake that has been crypto this year." BetaKit's Meagan Simpson and Josh Scott join to unpack the year in tech and offer a few predictions as to what might come in 2023. Sponsored by AWS.
2022-12-231h 00
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelBessemer, Georgian, OMERS VCs discuss the state of the market"If this is the environment we're in today, what should we do?" Aleeza Hashmi (Bessemer), Michelle Yu (Georgian), and Laura Lenz (OMERS) join BetaKit senior editor Meagan Simpson for a conversation about why the beginning of 2023 will be just as hard for startups to fundraise in. Recorded live at SAAS NORTH on the BetaKit Keynote Stage. Sponsored by Caravel Law.
2022-12-0930 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelDissecting the anatomy of a #CDNtech seed round"If we take a look at some of the salaries we were seeing, it was probably four engineers and our entire round was gone." Eva Lau (Two Small Fish), Shawn Hewat (Wavy), and Kathleen Chan (Calico) discuss what it was like to raise a seed round in 2021 and what changed in 2022 so founders are ready for 2023. Recorded live at SAAS NORTH on the BetaKit Keynote Stage. Sponsored by Caravel Law.
2022-12-0234 min
The BetaKit Podcast Channel#CDNtech talks down rounds, disasters, and "recipes for failure""There was a bit of ego raising." "I think it has been a disaster." "I read BetaKit for the truth." Canadian tech luminaries try to make sense of a crazy year in this compilation of interviews recorded live at SAAS NORTH. Featuring: Laura Lenz (OMERS Ventures), Leo Lax (L-SPARK), Louis Têtu (Coveo), Ria Bhavnani (Shopify), Peter Housley (Unbounce), Natalie Archibald (Clio), and Sean Silcoff (Globe & Mail). Sponsored by Caravel Law.
2022-11-2657 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWill some Canadian tech companies die during the downturn? (LIVE at SAAS NORTH)"Are we willing to let companies die in Canadian tech?" "Yes." VC Matt Roberts joins for a special episode of the BetaKit Podcast recorded live at SAAS NORTH, answering attendee and speaker questions about the impacts of the current tech downturn, the FTX clustercuss, and Canada's next BlackBerry. Sponsored by Caravel Law.
2022-11-1840 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelMaking future bets on Shopify, Wealthsimple & the metaverse (AMA episode)"If Canadian VCs weren't allowed to talk to journalists anonymously, they would never say anything." The BetaKit Podcast's monthly AMA episode answers listener questions about what the future holds for Shopify, Wealthsimple, venture funding, and tech in the 2020s.
2022-10-2954 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelIs Real Ventures done? Is BDC just getting started? (AMA episode)"Half a billion dollars for women in Canadian tech. Pretty cool!" The BetaKit Podcast's monthly AMA episode answers listeners' (tough!) questions about bad news coming from Real Ventures and exciting news coming from BDC, with some Elevate highlights thrown in. Sponsored by SAAS NORTH (use code BETAKIT20 for an early bird discount).
2022-09-2452 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelExploring the city Google couldn't buy"This is the rise and fall of a company that had hundreds of millions of dollars to play with and nothing left to say about it." Globe and Mail reporter Josh O'Kane joins to discuss his new book, Sideways: The City Google Couldn't Buy, along with BetaKit senior editor Meagan Simpson. Sponsored by SAAS NORTH.
2022-09-1650 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelCanadian tech is (still!) hiring"I'm just concerned about finding tech talent." Nora Jenkins Townson (Bright + Early) and Meagan Simpson (BetaKit) join to explain why over 350 companies are looking to hire Canadian tech talent in the midst of a downturn. Sponsored by Linebox.
2022-09-0945 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelLearning from embedded FinTech leaders at Traction"Shopify Pay still uses Stripe and they have some crazy scale." Immad Akhund (CEO, Mercury) and Jon Fry (CEO, Lendflow) join BetaKit's Douglas Soltys onstage to discuss how startups can embed FinTech into their products, increase revenue, and avoid the hidden icebergs. Recorded live at Traction Conference 2022. Sponsored by Linebox and Thinksound.
2022-09-0234 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelShopify stumbling, Rogers resilient, recession fundraising (AMA episode)"That's the pull quote. 'Amber Mac: things are crumbling.'" Special guest Amber Mac joins to answer listener questions on the award-nominated BetaKit Podcast. Topics include: Shopify's layoffs, Rogers' revenue resiliency following its second outage in the last year, Canada's digital divide and its impact on remote work, and early-stage fundraising tips. Sponsored by Diuca.
2022-07-301h 03
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelQuiet tech towns & Twitter's Elon Musk Problem (AMA episode)"I both love and hate this question." BetaKit Associate Editor Meagan Simpson joins for her second AMA episode to answer a complex bunch of listener questions: what did the New York Times get wrong about Toronto tech? Is the Globe anti-competition? What should the banks do with their excess profits? What are the dangers of troll capital? Sponsored by Osler and Cisco.
2022-04-1453 min
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelUkraine, soonicorns, Canadian tech vibe check (AMA episode)"What is your vibe right now about Canadian tech?" Co-hosts Douglas Soltys and Rob Kenedi are joined by BetaKit associate editor Meagan Simpson to answer listener questions submitted LIVE during a special Twitter Spaces AMA edition of the BetaKit Podcast. Sponsored by Pocketed.
2022-03-031h 12
The BetaKit Podcast ChannelWhy every SaaS company will become a FinTech BetaKit associate editor Meagan Simpson leads a panel conversation with JD St-Martin (Lightspeed) and Joost Ouwerkerk (Hopper) about the desire (or need?) for SaaS companies to offer new financial services. Recorded live at SAAS NORTH.
2022-01-1741 min
NACO Academy PodcastState of the Innovation Economy by Douglas Soltys, Editor-in-Chief at BetaKit“The main takeaways… are the difficulties people are having in projecting a way out of this and building a plan, and the difficulties in taking care of teams right now, as we are locked in self-isolation in trying circumstances.” — Douglas Soltys, Editor-in-Chief at BetaKit Originally Recorded on April 23, 2020. Click here to join future roundtables.
2020-04-2605 min
Vancouver Tech PodcastEpisode 18: BetaKit
Drew and James head straight into events from last week and the upcoming week. This episode's special guest is Jonathon Narvey, a long-time freelancer and the west coast editor at BetaKit. The interview starts at 0:32:12.
Jonathon Narvey has been a freelance writer for over 15 years. Recently, he has taken up the position of the new west coast editor of BetaKit, a news site offering Canadian startup coverage as well as tech innovation in the great white north. As we talk we Jonathon, we cover topics on Vancouver housing, SEO that doesn't suck, tips for new...
2016-03-211h 16