"It was a day-by-day gut-check. You close your eyes and jump onto the concrete head first." SAAS NORTH co-founder David Tyldesley explains how Cube Business Media plans to bring Canada's top SaaS conference back as an in-person event this November. Sponsored by Silicon Valley Bank and Innovate BC.

CanCon Podcast

How SAAS NORTH plans to lead Canadian tech events back to IRL

"There has always been an entrepreneurial side of my brain. I've always been involved in the business." Juno Award-winning musician and Side Door co-founder Dan Mangan explains his plans to scale an "Airbnb for gigs." Sponsored by SAAS NORTH and Innovate BC.

What a marriage proposal at a Vance Joy show taught Dan Mangan about scaling Side Door

"Trust, and Indigenous impact measurement, and the wellbeing of Indigenous families sit alongside risk and return. In fact, in our fund, sit significantly above risk and return as investment considerations." Raven Capital Managing Partner Paul Lacerte explains how the firm invests in Indigenous impact entrepreneurs in a culturally safe way. Sponsored by SAAS NORTH. Related: Canadian tech must embrace Indigenous reconciliation

Raven Capital wants to invest in the Reconciliation economy

"The reality is they have been used to an environment where they can increase fees without increasing value to customers." The Honourable Colin Deacon, Member of the Senate of Canada, joins for a wide-ranging conversation on open banking, the woeful state of competition in Canada, and its impact on innovation (and consumers). Sponsored by SAAS NORTH. Use the code "BetaKit30" for a 30% discount on tickets!

Senator Colin Deacon talks open banking, competition, #FreeBoswell

"You will capture things that you did not expect to capture." Felix and Paul of Felix & Paul Studios explain how they pulled off the largest production ever filmed in space, what this means for 5G and VR, and what comes next (hint: it's the metaverse). Sponsored by Big Data and AI Toronto. Produced with support from TWG.

How Felix & Paul won an Emmy shooting VR on the ISS

"It's not rocket science, it's just hard." CCI Executive Director Benjamin Bergen joins to walk through the major political parties' tech platforms (and what they're missing) ahead of the federal election. Sponsored by VanHack. Produced with support from TWG.

Electioneering

“We are just scratching the surface.” Dani Lipkin, Director of Global Business Development at TMX Group, joins to explain why the first half of 2021 is already the best year ever for Canadian tech companies on the TSX, and why it took so long. Sponsored by VanHack. Produced with support from TWG.

How Canadian tech took over the TSX

"Are you looking for a reprieve from the summer heat or do you want a hot pod summer?" Co-hosts Douglas Soltys and Rob Kenedi are joined by producer Kattie Laur to answer listener questions about whether the election killed open banking, why TekSavvy's pissed and the CRTC doesn't seem to care, and when it's time to start ignoring Shopify announcements. Sponsored by VanHack. Produced with support from TWG.

TekSavvy's pissed and Shopify's a FinTech (AMA episode)

“Nothing weird, just bugs.” HOPE Pet Food co-founder, Kasey Dunn, joins to explain the impact pet diets can have on factory farming and climate change. The solution? Bugs! Sponsored by VanHack. Produced with support from TWG.

How your dog can help stop climate change

"Canada is three telecom companies in a trenchcoat.” Public Policy expert Vass Bednar joins to discuss the US approach to regulating Big Tech, Canada's 'good enough' competition policy, and why we're so culturally comfortable with oligopolies. Free Matthew Boswell! Produced with support from TWG.

Free Boswell: Canada’s anti-competitive policy

"There's no bigger board meeting than you staring in the face of death in the hospital. Death has all the leverage." Boast.AI co-founder and president Lloyed Lobo speaks candidly on what he's learned about the true cost of entrepreneurship after a near-death experience with COVID-19. Produced with support from TWG.

The one about the time Lloyed Lobo almost died

 "I know how to take down the different systems that support a nation-state and make it look like it's somebody else's business." CybernetIQ founder and CEO Joe Cummins discusses the rise of cyberattacks against critical infrastructure, why that's the case, and Canada's level of preparedness to fend off attacks (spoiler: it's not good). Sponsored by The Diabetes App. Produced with support from TWG.      

How vulnerable is Canada to cyberattacks?

"I also love shipping product. These guys probably want to kill me most days." Our Lady Peace frontman and S!NG chief product officer Raine Maida talks NFTs, IP protection, and the future of music creation and ownership. Oh, and why Beeple didn't do the new music video. Sponsored by The Diabetes App. Produced with support from TWG.

Raine Maida actually found a good use for Blockchain

 "Thirty percent of input costs, every year, are chemical. In no other industry in the world should you have something representing 30 percent of your costs operate at something like an 80-90 percent inefficiency. It's mind-blowing." Precision.ai CEO Dan McCann joins to explain how his AgTech company is really a Cleantech company, and why well-intentioned federal regulations are preventing farmers from saving tons on herbicide use. Produced with support from TWG.    

Regulation prevents this Canadian startup from reducing farming herbicides by 90 percent

"Can we expect that Canadian tech will start paying talent what they're worth?" Co-hosts Douglas Soltys and Rob Kenedi are joined by producer Kattie Laur to answer listener questions about US companies nabbing Canadian talent; under-the-radar unicorns, what's happening in cleantech and healthtech; and employee mental health. Sponsored by Nugget.ai. Produced with support from TWG.

When will Canadian tech stop paying peanuts? (AMA episode)

The CanCon Podcast is a weekly podcast covering important Canadian tech news, as well as some global tech topics from a Canadian perspective!