CanCon Podcast

“ 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. OVHcloud offers transparent, sovereign cloud solutions designed to help you build on your own terms—without vendor lock-in or hidden fees. With over 80 services available, you can build and scale your infrastructure confidently, knowing your data is hosted in Canada and supported by 44 data centres globally. Visit ovhcloud.com to get started with trusted cloud built for scale. Related links: x402: An open standard for internet-native payments A primer on the decentralized finance stack Coinbase Canada CEO pushes for crypto-friendly government just as company reveals hack that could cost up to $400 million USD

“ 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 presented by OVHcloud, the global cloud provider trusted by innovators worldwide. OVHcloud offers transparent, sovereign cloud solutions designed to help you build on your own terms—without vendor lock-in or hidden fees. With over 80 services available, you can build and scale your infrastructure confidently, knowing your data is hosted in Canada and supported by 44 data centres globally. Visit ovhcloud.com to get started with trusted cloud built for scale. -- The BetaKit Podcast is also brought to you by The BetaKit Guide: Wildfire. Explore the role of Canadian technology in helping to predict, prevent, and adapt to the global reality of wildfire.  

“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. OVHcloud offers transparent, sovereign cloud solutions designed to help you build on your own terms—without vendor lock-in or hidden fees. With over 80 services available, you can build and scale your infrastructure confidently, knowing your data is hosted in Canada and supported by 44 data centres globally. Visit ovhcloud.com to get started with trusted cloud built for scale. Related links: 2025 bad bot report Cyber Threats to Canada's Democratic Process: 2025 Update

“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 on your own terms—without vendor lock-in or hidden fees. With over 80 services available, you can build and scale your infrastructure confidently, knowing your data is hosted in Canada and supported by 44 data centres globally. Visit ovhcloud.com to get started with trusted cloud built for scale. Related links: Dragons' Den's Arlene Dickinson, Build Canada's Daniel Debow recognized as Nation Builders at 2025 NACO awards Why empowering Canadian high-growth companies is more critical than ever “Can we just write the cheque?”: angel investors encouraged to be bold amidst economic uncertainty at NACO Summit

“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 the auto industry? Let's dig in. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Float. Float helps Canadian companies manage spend, automate expenses, and now, convert FX at rates 90% lower than the banks. Sign up in minutes and learn why Canada counts on Float. Related links: Clutch gears up for expansion with $100-million CAD Series B round Clutch cuts staff to extend runway, citing market conditions Clutch cut approximately 65 percent of its staff as online auto marketplaces gear down Clutch recovers valuation and eyes growth with $50-million Series D round

“ 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 tell the story. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Float. Float helps Canadian companies manage spend, automate expenses, and now, convert FX at rates 90% lower than the banks. Sign up in minutes and learn why Canada counts on Float. Related Links: Local leaders launch Toronto Tech Week to accelerate city's ambitions Chamath Palihapitiya, Sanja Fidler among Homecoming headliners as Toronto Tech Week unveils event calendar BetaKit to launch “Most Ambitious” issue on June 23, 2025

“ 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 Float. Float helps Canadian companies manage spend, automate expenses, and now convert FX at rates 90% lower than the banks. Sign up in minutes and learn why Canada counts on Float. Related links: Why We're Bringing Pebble Back Kickstarter's all-time most-funded list Eric Migicovsky's blog post on why Pebble failed  

“ 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 now convert FX at rates 90% lower than the banks. Sign up in minutes and learn why Canada counts on Float. The BetaKit Podcast is also brought to you by Consensus, where innovators meet investors. This May, crypto's longest-running conference will welcome 20,000 attendees to shape the future of the decentralized digital economy at its inaugural festival in Toronto, Canada's largest tech and financial hub. You can't afford to miss it. Visit go.coindesk.com/betakit to sign up and save 20% off your ticket! Related links: SRTX founder and CEO Katherine Homuth to step down amid fundraising push and tariff threat SRTX temporarily lays off 40 percent of staff ahead of US tariff “worst-case scenario”

“ 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 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. The BetaKit Podcast is also brought to you by Consensus, where innovators meet investors. This May, crypto's longest-running conference will welcome 20,000 attendees to shape the future of the decentralized digital economy at its inaugural festival in Toronto, Canada's largest tech and financial hub. You can't afford to miss it. Visit go.coindesk.com/betakit to sign up and save 20% off your ticket! Related links: Foodtech in Canada: 2025 Ecosystem Report

”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 sales, industry connections, and non-dilutive funding. If you're ready to scale, refine, and lead cybersecurity innovation, apply today at www.thecyberchallenge.ca. The BetaKit Podcast is also brought to you by Consensus, where innovators meet investors. This May, crypto's longest-running conference will welcome 20,000 attendees to shape the future of the decentralized digital economy at its inaugural festival in Toronto, Canada's largest tech and financial hub. You can't afford to miss it. Visit go.coindesk.com/betakit to sign up and save 20% off your ticket!   Related links: Something Is Rotten in the State of Cupertino Apple's AI division reportedly starting from scratch   Apple's Craig Federighi Discusses the Future of iPhone AI Apple's Catch-22 Cohere's Command A goes brrrrrrrrr Cohere had to extend the axis a bit Telus, data centres and ‘Sovereign AI' (powered by Nvidia) 25% of Y Combinator's latest startup batch is vibe coding Vibe coding startups are already raising millions @leojr94_ vibe coded his way into a cyber attack (lol)  

 ”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 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.  Related links: How to fix SR&ED Four new Canadian tech announcements in the Fall Economic Statement that shouldn't be overlooked Fall Economic Statement brings more delays for open banking in Canada A requiem for the feds' (failed) innovation strategy

“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.  Related links: Major tech figures get into politics with launch of Build Canada  The tech CEOs who want a DOGE for Canada  Canada's tech broligarchs are getting organized too Should we be worried about Canadian DOGE? DEI rollback is the “wrong direction for Canada,” open letter says What Debow says he's hearing from senior civil servants  

“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 Elevate. CIX is Canada's largest startup awards program and investment conference that brings together Canada's most promising tech founders, global investors, and industry advisors to power new deals. Join us March 26 at the Design Exchange. Get your tickets now!

“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.me/hintonkeynote

“ 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.  

“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.  

“ 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 BetaKit Newsletter today.

“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 journalism that keeps Canada's tech sector in focus.  

 ”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 Newsletter today.

“ 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.  

“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 Valley for his data analytics business. As CEO Tom Oliver considers the deal, he is targeted by an unknown perpetrator, and his friend, homicide detective Jason Liu, must strive to keep him safe. If you enjoyed ‘Suits' and ‘Succession,' this book is for you. Order your copy today.

“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 successful Canadian entrepreneur is offered millions from Silicon Valley for his data analytics business. As CEO Tom Oliver considers the deal, he is targeted by an unknown perpetrator, and his friend, homicide detective Jason Liu, must strive to keep him safe. If you enjoyed ‘Suits' and ‘Succession,' this book is for you. Order your copy today.

“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 about how Uber is moving Toronto forward.  

“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 on all plans, plus 40 FREE migrations! 3-day trial with no credit card required! Supercharge your website and focus on what matters most this holiday season.

“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.

“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.  

“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 Canada's underbanked. Recorded live at Elevate Festival. 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. The BetaKit Podcast is also brought to you by The BetaKit Quiz, a new weekly challenge testing your knowledge of Canadian tech. Head to BetaKit.com/quiz every Friday, take the quiz, and see how well you score!

“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.

"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 cohort are open until November 8th.

“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.  

“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 earn bitcoin. Visit shakepay.com/betakit and join over 1 million Canadians shaking for bitcoin.  

“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.

“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 The Comeback, a three-part series on how the team's early experience taught them the importance of solving the right problems, and helped Motion close a $30-million USD financing round.

“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 live at ALL IN. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by WonderFi. Don't miss BetaKit Talks: You Don't Know Crypto on September 24th! Discover the latest in Canadian blockchain innovation at our exclusive in-person event. Join us on September 24th for an evening of learning and networking.

“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 bitcoin.

“Using Canada as an excuse for why you didn't get funding, you didn't get to hire the right person … I think that's bullshit.” Shopify president Harley Finkelstein joins for a brand refresh on Canadian entrepreneurship, pushing back against doom-and-gloom narratives before digging into his real issues of concern and offering proactive tips for entrepreneurs looking to scale globally. Presented by AWS Startups: accelerate your innovative ideas with AWS credits of up to $100,000 through the AWS Activate program.

"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 experts, curated resources, plus AI and Web3-specific benefits. Get up to $350k in cloud credits over two years, plus access to hands-on technical training, mentorship from startup experts, and connections with a thriving community. Visit startups.google.com/betakit to learn more and apply today!

“The world is loopy. Everything is a cycle. Everything is a product of compounding changes.” Summer is almost over, so hear from these Canadian tech leaders as you prepare to get back to work in September. Featuring insights from Michael Katchen (Wealthsimple), Daniel Eberhard (Koho), Dax Dasilva (Lightspeed), Stuart Lombard (Ecobee), and Tobi Lütke (Shopify). Presented by AWS Startups: accelerate your innovative ideas with AWS credits of up to $100,000 through the AWS Activate program.  

“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 Podcast is presented by Google Cloud: scale your startup faster and smarter with the Google Cloud credits, technical training, startup experts, curated resources, plus AI and Web3 specific benefits. Get up to $350k in cloud credits over two years, plus access to hands-on technical training, mentorship from startup experts, and connections with a thriving community. Visit startups.google.com/betakit to learn more and apply today!

“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 new FinTech startup, Vault. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Google Cloud: scale your startup faster and smarter with the Google Cloud credits, technical training, startup experts, curated resources, plus AI and Web3 specific benefits. Get up to $350k in cloud credits over two years, plus access to hands-on technical training, mentorship from startup experts, and connections with a thriving community. Visit startups.google.com/betakit to learn more and apply today!

“If you're an emerging manager on your first or second fund, you need to find winners. But realistically, the vast majority of funds here in Canada are still emerging managers.” Sand Hill North Partner Ryan Henry joins to share his family office's unique perspective on deal activity on both sides of the border, before unpacking what feels true for Canadian VCs and founders, and how far those feelings are from reality. Presented by AWS Startups: accelerate your innovative ideas with AWS credits of up to $100,000 through the AWS Activate program.  

“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.  

“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.

“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.

"When we unveiled the company and the product to the world, the hope was 'people are going to be excited.' Or maybe we're completely wrong." Can a ragtag team of ex-BlackBerry employees and fanboys bring mobile keyboards back with Clicks? Clicks' Kevin Michaluk (CrackBerry) and Jeff Gadway (BlackBerry) join to explain what prompted them to build an iPhone keyboard in 2024. The answer may surprise you as much as the gadget's target customer. Presented by Float, co-hosts of In the Black: Building Enduring Businesses. Learn what's top of mind for Canada's fastest-growing companies, including Xanadu, Wealthsimple, and Float.

“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 Float's new Bill Pay and Reimbursements product by June 30, 2024, and you will be entered to win 2 tickets to see Taylor Swift live!

“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.

"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: the Canadian-made, AI-powered equity management solution designed for modern founders and operators. Visit withmantle.com/betakit to get started with your first 12 months free.

"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.

“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.

“We've been offered or at least suggested, ‘Why don't you move your headquarters to the US?' The only way we'll move our headquarters outside of Toronto or Canada is if I get fired.” Christian Weedbrook, CEO and founder of Xanadu, joins to discuss his optimism in building a quantum unicorn in Canada, his hope of raising an all-Canadian round, and how it will help him get one step closer to a quantum data centre. 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.