“I know people with amazing ideas, but they don’t have the right investment to take their idea to the prototype stage. At the prototype stage, they don’t have the ability to take it to the manufacturing stage. So guess what happens? Another company from outside the country comes and snatches ‘em up. It was heartbreaking to see that our amazing talent is being sucked away.”
After decades in public service roles, former Minister of Defence Harjit Sajjan is reporting for duty once again as a defence-tech entrepreneur with Vancouver-based Juno Industries. Sajjan joins this week to offer a SITREP for Canada, including his thoughts on the Defence Industrial Strategy and Juno’s plans to become an innovation hub for defence in Canada.
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The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Zoho, developers of a unique and powerful software suite that transforms the way you work.
Zoho’s flagship user conference, Zoholics Toronto 2026, is coming May 21-22 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre! Join hundreds of business leaders, customers, and Zoho experts for two days of learning, inspiration, and connection. Explore the latest in AI, automation, and cloud-powered collaboration—and see how Zoho’s all-in-one suite helps organizations work smarter and grow faster.
Go here to learn more and secure your spot.
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Solve for X is back! The latest season of the MaRS podcast is exploring more world-changing ideas. Join journalist Manjula Selvarajah as she talks to the people behind the latest innovations in tech and science.
Get a jump on the future. Listen to season 4 of Solve for X wherever you get your podcasts.
“There’s a lot in this document… Do we feel the urgency and the threats are covered here?”
After months of waiting, the Defence Industrial Strategy offers clarity for $7 billion worth of spending commitments in Budget 2025. Is that enough? What’s missing? What comes next?
Vass Bednar (Canadian Shield Institute) and Matt Lombardi (The Icebreaker) join to evaluate the strategy, the spending, and some sticky questions about canola oil and Canadian sovereignty.
The BetaKit Podcast is presented by BetaKit Most Ambitious: Town Hall, the marquee opening event of Toronto Tech Week 2026.
Taking place on May 25 at the iconic TIFF Lightbox, BetaKit Most Ambitious: Town Hall will bring together over 500 leaders from across Canada’s tech and innovation ecosystem for meaningful conversations about strengthening the nation’s autonomy, security, and prosperity.
Get your tickets today before they sell out.
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The BetaKit Podcast is presented by The BetaKit Newsletter: BetaKit's flagship newsletter.
Every Sunday, The BetaKit Newsletter serves up in-depth analysis and insights on Canadian tech and innovation news, piping hot and straight to your inbox.
Your inbox deserves better, and so do you. Stay informed on all things Canadian tech by signing up for The BetaKit Newsletter today.
“With AI, it should bring down the barriers to how you quickly adopt new software without having to become masters of the software.”
When StackAdapt started with its adtech solution, competition was fierce and investors didn’t see the opportunity. A decade later, StackAdapt is one of Canada’s largest and most profitable private companies. CEO and co-founder Vitaly Pecherskiy joins to discuss how that happened, and why AI has changed B2B software development.
The BetaKit Podcast is presented by BetaKit Most Ambitious: Town Hall, the marquee opening event of Toronto Tech Week 2026.
Taking place on May 25 at the iconic TIFF Lightbox, BetaKit Most Ambitious: Town Hall will bring together over 500 leaders from across Canada’s tech and innovation ecosystem for meaningful conversations about strengthening the nation’s autonomy, security, and prosperity.
Get your tickets today before they sell out.
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The BetaKit Podcast is presented by The BetaKit Newsletter: BetaKit's flagship newsletter.
Every Sunday, The BetaKit Newsletter serves up in-depth analysis and insights on Canadian tech and innovation news, piping hot and straight to your inbox.
Your inbox deserves better, and so do you. Stay informed on all things Canadian tech by signing up for The BetaKit Newsletter today.
“We have a collective action problem. Somebody has to take the first step and say, ‘Hey, we’re going to deploy a lot of capital here in Canada. We’re gonna bet that Canada is going to grow more over the next 20 years than it did over the last 20 years.”
Recent data shows that the bottom has fallen out of Canadian venture capital, erasing any post-pandemic highs and taking the country back about a decade in terms of both dollars raised and dollars deployed by our nation’s VCs.
What’s the reason for Canadian venture’s slow decline? What is the impact on the ecosystem? And most importantly, what can be done to reverse the trend?
A power panel of grumpy men in venture join to discuss: Matt Roberts (RBCx), Jesse Wiebe (Startup TNT), and Ben Bergen (CVCA).
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The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Zoho, developers of a unique and powerful software suite that transforms the way you work.
Zoho’s flagship user conference, Zoholics Toronto 2026, is coming May 21-22 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre! Join hundreds of business leaders, customers, and Zoho experts for two days of learning, inspiration, and connection. Explore the latest in AI, automation, and cloud-powered collaboration—and see how Zoho’s all-in-one suite helps organizations work smarter and grow faster.
Go here to learn more and secure your spot.
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Related Links:
A perfect storm”: 2025 was the worst year for Canadian VC fundraising since 2016
Capital concentrates as Canadian VC market narrows: report
CVCA and NACO offer competing visions for feds’ $750-million venture envelope
The feds asked investors for candid feedback on BDC. It was never actioned
“Speed is of the essence. This is a super dynamic marketplace. Canada is losing entrepreneurs, we’re losing the next generation of founders, and we need to do things, quick.”
More than a decade ago, Canada launched the Start-up Visa program to attract entrepreneurial talent from around the world. After years of complaints of delays, fraud, and abuse, the program was suspended while featuring a whopping 10-35 year wait time. Boris Wertz (Version One Ventures) and Lucy Hargreaves (Build Canada) join to discuss what went wrong and what a functional entrepreneurial immigration program might look like.
Related links:
“BDC is powerful in the sense that it can make or break a fund… And a lot of people are trying to close funds right now.”
In 2022, the federal government commissioned a report asking Canada’s VCs what they thought about Crown corporation BDC. The report was effectively forgotten, and the feedback was never actioned. Why? What did the report have to say about Canada’s largest venture investor? And with Canadian VC in a multi-year lull, is BDC’s “steady hand” approach preferred or simply necessary?
BetaKit reporter Madison McLauchlan joins to discuss.
Related Links:
“If we don’t get our AI ducks in a row at some point and we miss that boat to shore up our industries right now, it’s not really going to matter what regulations we have on the table. Because we won’t have control.”
The federal government has released the results of its public consultation on AI, including over 30 submissions from Minister Solomon’s AI task force. Former ISED senior policy advisor Jaxson Khan joins to discuss how the consultations might inform Canada’s AI future, and why the task force was “remarkably consistent” in its diagnosis, but not its prescriptions.
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The BetaKit podcast is presented by Fasken Emerging Tech, supporting trailblazing startups, venture capital funds and acquirers of high-growth tech companies for over 30 years.
If you’re curious about the health of Canada’s tech M&A scene, you’ve got to check out Exit InSights. It’s a first-of-its-kind report from Fasken’s Emerging Technology & Venture Capital Group that analyses private M&A activity among VC-backed and high-growth tech companies. You’ll learn how buyers and sellers are maximizing value, minimizing risk, and navigating one of the most vibrant tech ecosystems out there.
Download your free copy of the report.
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Related links:
“It’s important for the success of Y Combinator to see people investing at a very, very early stage. And if it means, to keep them happy so that they’re investing in YC companies, they will do what it takes.”
Globally recognized tech accelerator Y Combinator will no longer directly invest in Canadian-domiciled startups. Is the change a huge blow to Canada, a big nothingburger, politically motivated, or perhaps simply “formalizing what’s inevitable?”
Maverix Private Equity founder and managing partner John Ruffolo joins to discuss fuzzy data, “bullshit” narratives, and the real problems hampering Canadian tech.
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The BetaKit podcast is presented by Fasken Emerging Tech, supporting trailblazing startups, venture capital funds and acquirers of high-growth tech companies for over 30 years.
If you’re curious about the health of Canada’s tech M&A scene, you’ve got to check out Exit InSights. It’s a first-of-its-kind report from Fasken’s Emerging Technology & Venture Capital Group that analyses private M&A activity among VC-backed and high-growth tech companies. You’ll learn how buyers and sellers are maximizing value, minimizing risk, and navigating one of the most vibrant tech ecosystems out there.
“You have just seen control of one of the most popular social media platforms in one of the most influential countries in the world switch from one foreign power relative to you to another.”
Canada and the US have both claimed national security concerns over TikTok. Our country’s (unclear) response might not matter in the face of US-mandated corporate restructuring. As Grok’s unchecked deepfake image generation on X raises thorny legal questions, Canada might not have the leverage to regulate.
What is a middle power like Canada to do in the face of algorithmic media controlled by global superpowers (and their supporters)? CBC News senior reporter Anis Heydari joins to discuss.
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The BetaKit podcast is presented by Fasken Emerging Tech, supporting trailblazing startups, venture capital funds and acquirers of high-growth tech companies for over 30 years.
If you’re curious about the health of Canada’s tech M&A scene, you’ve got to check out Exit InSights. It’s a first-of-its-kind report from Fasken’s Emerging Technology & Venture Capital Group that analyses private M&A activity among VC-backed and high-growth tech companies. You’ll learn how buyers and sellers are maximizing value, minimizing risk, and navigating one of the most vibrant tech ecosystems out there.
Download your free copy of the report.
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Related links:
Court allows TikTok to continue operating in Canada, for now
Grok’s non-consensual sexual images highlight gaps in Canada’s deepfake laws
“How do I create the ‘wow’ moment for my end user? And slowness never creates the wow moment.”
PolarGrid founder and CEO Rade Kovacevic believes GenAI video and voice will be killer apps once they can function in real-time. Enabling real-time GenAI requires uncorking the inference bottleneck that the hyperscalers have helped build.
The BetaKit podcast is presented by Fasken Emerging Tech, supporting trailblazing startups, venture capital funds and acquirers of high-growth tech companies for over 30 years.
If you’re curious about the health of Canada’s tech M&A scene, you’ve got to check out Exit InSights. It’s a first-of-its-kind report from Fasken’s Emerging Technology & Venture Capital Group that analyses private M&A activity among VC-backed and high-growth tech companies. You’ll learn how buyers and sellers are maximizing value, minimizing risk, and navigating one of the most vibrant tech ecosystems out there.
“The workweek will continue until morale improves.”
Jared Lindzon and Joe O’Connor’s new book, Do More in Four: Why It’s Time for a Shorter Workweek, argues that the future of work will feature more productive employees working fewer days. How is that supposed to happen when boomers still run the world, Gen Z is still Gen Z, and AI is coming for all of our jobs anyway? Let’s dig in.
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Solve for X is back! The latest season of the MaRS podcast is exploring more world-changing ideas. Join journalist Manjula Selvarajah as she talks to the people behind the latest innovations in tech and science.
Get a jump on the future. Listen to season 4 of Solve for X wherever you get your podcasts.
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The BetaKit Podcast is presented by CADSI: the national voice of Canada’s defence, security, and emerging technology sectors, representing more than 1,000 companies from innovative SMBs to global primes.
CADSI advocates for a resilient and sustainable defence and security sector by engaging government, shaping policy, and strengthening Canada’s role with global partners. We create platforms that connect industry with decision-makers, foster collaboration, and reinforce Canada’s position as a reliable partner in international security.
Visit defenceandsecurity.ca to grow your defence business with CADSI.
"Maybe we will see the robots that we want in our lives in 2026. But be prepared: they will definitely be controlled by people in India with Xbox controllers."
Robots, and IPOs, and AI, Oh My! Managing editor Sarah Rieger joins to ask the biggest tech questions of 2026, after evaluating which 2025 tech questions were definitively answered.
Solve for X is back! The latest season of the MaRS podcast is exploring more world-changing ideas. Join journalist Manjula Selvarajah as she talks to the people behind the latest innovations in tech and science.
Get a jump on the future. Listen to season 4 of Solve for X wherever you get your podcasts.
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The BetaKit Podcast is presented by QuickBooks on the Intuit platform, built to help Canadian businesses work smarter, more efficiently, and make confident decisions.
QuickBooks on the Intuit platform is an all-in-one connected business solution that leverages the power of artificial intelligence and human expertise to simplify how you run and grow your business. From managing cash flow and payroll to delivering personalized, proactive insights leveraging the power of AI agents, QuickBooks helps you spend less time crunching numbers and more time growing your business.
Visit quickbooks.intuit.ca to see how Intuit QuickBooks can help you outdo the work.
“2025 is the year that we committed to the bit, and all pretences went away.”
Special guest star Rob Kenedi (Decelerator) joins for The BetaKit Podcast's annual tradition: stuffing your holiday stocking with the biggest tech stories of 2025. Have a different take on tech this year? Let us know: podcast@betakit.com.
Solve for X is back! The latest season of the MaRS podcast is exploring more world-changing ideas. Join journalist Manjula Selvarajah as she talks to the people behind the latest innovations in tech and science.
Get a jump on the future. Listen to season 4 of Solve for X wherever you get your podcasts.
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The BetaKit Podcast is presented by QuickBooks on the Intuit platform, built to help Canadian businesses work smarter, more efficiently, and make confident decisions.
QuickBooks on the Intuit platform is an all-in-one connected business solution that leverages the power of artificial intelligence and human expertise to simplify how you run and grow your business. From managing cash flow and payroll to delivering personalized, proactive insights leveraging the power of AI agents, QuickBooks helps you spend less time crunching numbers and more time growing your business.
Visit quickbooks.intuit.ca to see how Intuit QuickBooks can help you outdo the work.
“Can you imagine a quarter—25 percent—of Canada isn’t sure if they’ll be employed next year? That is a wild statistic.”
Kevin Kliman, president of Canadian business at Employment Hero, joins to explain why Canada’s workforce is underemployed and anxious about 2026. He also shares data indicating things are particularly bad for Gen Z, before offering tips on how they can make their mark in the modern workforce—with AI.
Solve for X is back! The latest season of the MaRS podcast is exploring more world-changing ideas. Join journalist Manjula Selvarajah as she talks to the people behind the latest innovations in tech and science.
Get a jump on the future. Listen to season 4 of Solve for X wherever you get your podcasts.
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The BetaKit Podcast is presented by QuickBooks on the Intuit platform, built to help Canadian businesses work smarter, more efficiently, and make confident decisions.
QuickBooks on the Intuit platform is an all-in-one connected business solution that leverages the power of artificial intelligence and human expertise to simplify how you run and grow your business. From managing cash flow and payroll to delivering personalized, proactive insights leveraging the power of AI agents, QuickBooks helps you spend less time crunching numbers and more time growing your business.
Visit quickbooks.intuit.ca to see how Intuit QuickBooks can help you outdo the work.
“It seems irrational, and irrational behaviour is where drama lives, it’s where comedy lives. It’s where all the fun is.”
A communications tycoon built an empire turning airwaves into cash. Now, his son, long dismissed by his father, is fighting for control of the family business. Meanwhile, one shrewd public servant is determined to derail the company’s billion-dollar takeover.
Is this a plot point from season three of Succession? No! It’s a Canadian story… and it’s all true—mostly. Award-winning playwright Michael Healey joins to discuss Rogers v. Rogers, his new play based on the Alexandra Posadzki book of the same name.
Solve for X is back! The latest season of the MaRS podcast is exploring more world-changing ideas. Join journalist Manjula Selvarajah as she talks to the people behind the latest innovations in tech and science.
Get a jump on the future. Listen to season 4 of Solve for X wherever you get your podcasts.
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The BetaKit Podcast is presented by QuickBooks on the Intuit platform, built to help Canadian businesses work smarter, more efficiently, and make confident decisions.
QuickBooks on the Intuit platform is an all-in-one connected business solution that leverages the power of artificial intelligence and human expertise to simplify how you run and grow your business. From managing cash flow and payroll to delivering personalized, proactive insights leveraging the power of AI agents, QuickBooks helps you spend less time crunching numbers and more time growing your business.
Visit quickbooks.intuit.ca to see how Intuit QuickBooks can help you outdo the work.
Related links:
“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 make confident decisions.
QuickBooks on the Intuit platform is an all-in-one connected business solution that leverages the power of artificial intelligence and human expertise to simplify how you run and grow your business. From managing cash flow and payroll to delivering personalized, proactive insights leveraging the power of AI agents, QuickBooks helps you spend less time crunching numbers and more time growing your business.
Visit quickbooks.intuit.ca to see how Intuit QuickBooks can help you outdo the work.
Related links:
“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.
Uber Canada is helping to reduce drunk driving and make it safer to get around according to 87% of Canadian riders. Alcohol remains a factor in a quarter of crash fatalities on public roadways in Canada - and Uber Canada is working with MADD Canada (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) to bring that number to zero. With over 100,000 designated drivers on the road, Uber plays a vital role in this fight.
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The BetaKit Podcast is also presented by QuickBooks on the Intuit platform, built to help Canadian businesses work smarter, more efficiently and make confident decisions.
QuickBooks on the Intuit platform is an all-in-one connected business solution that leverages the power of artificial intelligence and human expertise to simplify how you run and grow your business. From managing cash flow and payroll to delivering personalized, proactive insights leveraging the power of AI agents, QuickBooks helps you spend less time crunching numbers and more time growing your business.
Visit quickbooks.intuit.ca to see how Intuit QuickBooks can help you outdo the work.
“In the beginning, we were like, ‘this must be a scam’ because with the way things move in Waterloo and Toronto, it seemed way too fast.”
A chance pitch competition connection took Colare co-founder Nain Abdi from Waterloo to Silicon Valley. He explains what pulled his company south, why his peers are eager to make a similar leap, and what (if anything) could convince him to return to Canada.
The BetaKit Podcast is presented by QuickBooks on the Intuit platform, built to help Canadian businesses work smarter, more efficiently and make confident decisions.
QuickBooks on the Intuit platform is an all-in-one connected business solution that leverages the power of artificial intelligence and human expertise to simplify how you run and grow your business. From managing cash flow and payroll to delivering personalized, proactive insights leveraging the power of AI agents, QuickBooks helps you spend less time crunching numbers and more time growing your business.
Visit quickbooks.intuit.ca to see how Intuit QuickBooks can help you outdo the work.
Related Links:
“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 BetaKit Keynote Stage at SAAS NORTH.
The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Zoho, developers of a unique and powerful software suite that transforms the way you work.
Zoho’s flagship user conference, Zoholics Toronto 2025, is coming November 18-19 at the Toronto Congress Centre! Join hundreds of business leaders, customers, and Zoho experts for two days of learning, inspiration, and connection. Explore the latest in AI, automation, and cloud-powered collaboration—and see how Zoho’s all-in-one suite helps organizations work smarter and grow faster.
Visit https://events.zoho.com/ZoholicsCanada2025 to learn more and secure your spot.
Related links:
It’s a power-packed post-Budget panel podcast featuring a plethora of Canadian policy wonks! Vass Bednar (Canadian SHIELD Institute), Benjamin Bergen (CCI), and Jaxson Khan (Aperture AI) join to explore the story Budget 2025 tells of Canada, and what juicy nuggets of tech policy and financial commitments need to be dunked in the dipping sauce of greater detail. Let’s dig in!
The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Zoho, developers of a unique and powerful software suite that transforms the way you work.
Zoho’s flagship user conference, Zoholics Toronto 2025, is coming November 18-19 at the Toronto Congress Centre! Join hundreds of business leaders, customers, and Zoho experts for two days of learning, inspiration, and connection. Explore the latest in AI, automation, and cloud-powered collaboration—and see how Zoho’s all-in-one suite helps organizations work smarter and grow faster.
Visit https://events.zoho.com/ZoholicsCanada2025 to learn more and secure your spot.
Related links:
“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.
The Cyber Challenge, powered by Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst and CCTX, helps Ontario-based tech startups tackle real-world cybersecurity challenges. You will gain direct access to major industry players, test your solutions in real-world settings, and unlock new market opportunities—all at no cost. That’s right, there is no equity required.
If you're ready to scale, refine, and be a leader in cybersecurity innovation, apply today at www.thecyberchallenge.ca.
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The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Xero: the global small businesses platform, designed to make life easier for small businesses–anywhere, any time.
Running a business is demanding enough without the burden of bookkeeping. Xero’s global platform is designed to take accounting off your plate, giving you the freedom to focus on what you do best. By unifying essential tools like accounting, payroll, and payments, Xero helps you automate tasks and gain the clarity you need to make smarter decisions.
Join a global community of forward-thinking businesses. Discover what Xero can do for you at: https://bit.ly/42AT8iV.
“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 Podcast is brought to you by The Cyber Challenge, powered by Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst and CCTX—your startup’s pathway to sales, industry connections, and non-dilutive funding.
Ontario’s critical sectors depend on operational technology systems that weren’t designed for today’s cyber threats. Unlike IT, operational technology environments demand specialized solutions — and startups can lead the way.
Join our free webinar on October 24 to learn about the risks critical sectors face, and how startups can seize this opportunity.
When: Friday, October 24, 2025
Time: 12 - 1PM EST | Where: Virtual (Zoom) | Cost: Free
Register today at thecyberchallenge.ca.
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The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Xero: the global small businesses platform, designed to make life easier for small businesses–anywhere, any time.
Running a business is demanding enough without the burden of bookkeeping. Xero’s global platform is designed to take accounting off your plate, giving you the freedom to focus on what you do best. By unifying essential tools like accounting, payroll, and payments, Xero helps you automate tasks and gain the clarity you need to make smarter decisions.
Join a global community of forward-thinking businesses. Discover what Xero can do for you at: https://bit.ly/42AT8iV.
“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.
The Cyber Challenge, powered by Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst and CCTX, helps Ontario-based tech startups tackle real-world cybersecurity challenges. You will gain direct access to major industry players, test your solutions in real-world settings, and unlock new market opportunities—all at no cost. That’s right, there is no equity required.
If you're ready to scale, refine, and be a leader in cybersecurity innovation, apply today at www.thecyberchallenge.ca.
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The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Xero: the global small businesses platform, designed to make life easier for small businesses–anywhere, any time.
Running a business is demanding enough without the burden of bookkeeping. Xero’s global platform is designed to take accounting off your plate, giving you the freedom to focus on what you do best. By unifying essential tools like accounting, payroll, and payments, Xero helps you automate tasks and gain the clarity you need to make smarter decisions.
Join a global community of forward-thinking businesses. Discover what Xero can do for you at: https://bit.ly/42AT8iV.
“Don’t talk to your customers because your customers will keep you in the place that you used to be.”
AI adoption is now an industry-wide mandate. It’s putting a lot of pressure on Canadian entrepreneurs: to scale with customer demand (safely and responsibly); to reskill employees; even to kill their old company to let the new AI-first version live. What are the challenges and opportunities? Featuring Michael Buhr (C100), Aydin Mirzaee (Fellow AI), Avery Pennarun (Tailscale), and Amanda Arciero (Airudi). Recorded live at ALL IN 2025.
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.
The Cyber Challenge, powered by Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst and CCTX, helps Ontario-based tech startups tackle real-world cybersecurity challenges. You will gain direct access to major industry players, test your solutions in real-world settings, and unlock new market opportunities—all at no cost. That’s right, there is no equity required.
If you're ready to scale, refine, and be a leader in cybersecurity innovation, apply today at www.thecyberchallenge.ca.
“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 tools to make sure the planes land safely. Recorded live at ALL IN 2025.
The BetaKit Podcast is presented by CADSI: the national voice of Canada’s defence, security, and emerging technology sectors, representing more than 1,000 companies from innovative SMBs to global primes.
CADSI advocates for a resilient and sustainable defence and security sector by engaging government, shaping policy, and strengthening Canada’s role with global partners. We create platforms that connect industry with decision-makers, foster collaboration, and reinforce Canada’s position as a reliable partner in international security.
Visit defenceandsecurity.ca to grow your defence business with CADSI.