TechPoutine with Eleonore Jarry, Ian Jeffrey, Gabriel Sundaram & Nectarios Economakis

Hosted by Nectarios Economakis

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Latest episode

May 2026

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EN-CA

About the show

Canadian Technology news with industry veterans: Eleonore Jarry, Gabriel Sundaram, Ian Jeffrey, Nectarios Economakis

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26 recent

May 7, 2026Episode 2042 min

TechPoutine #20 - Building in the AI Era: Talent, Capital, and the Canadian Reality

The crew is back around the table to unpack the AI tidal wave reshaping how companies are built, funded, and run. Eleonore, Nectar, Ian, and Gabriel dig into Shopify's AI-first memo, Jack Dorsey's bet at Block, and what "AI-native" actually means when every company claims the label. From there: the once-in-a-generation opportunity hiding inside Quebec's 16,000 annual SMB successions, why the future may belong to the trades as much as the technologists, and whether the classroom can survive a tool that's smarter, more patient, and more personalized than any teacher. Then the gloves come off on Canadian venture: should the federal $750M tech envelope go to growth or early stage? Why raising your seed from a US fund quietly exports the company. And the brutal stat nobody's talking about, emerging manager funding in Canada collapsing from $1.8B to $249M in a single year. Plus: who's switching from ChatGPT to Claude, why Notion is becoming the OS of the firm, and a few predictions that may not age well by the time you press play.

April 6, 202632 min

TechPoutine #19:The AI Land Grab, the Death of SaaS, and Stay22's $122M Raise

Tech Poutine is back and so is the energy. The Tech Poutine crew is back for the first episode of the year. Recorded straight from the Startup Fest studio , Eleonore, Ian, Gabriel, and I dive into the rapidly shifting landscape of venture capital and the local tech ecosystem. The market is moving incredibly fast, and we break down the most exciting, and terrifying, trends hitting the industry right now. Episode Highlights Stay22's Massive Win: We kick things off with a massive shoutout to Andrew and Hamed from Stay22 on their $122 million raise led by Summit Partners. We discuss their incredible grit through multiple near-bankruptcies , how they navigated revenue going to zero during COVID , and the legendary story of Hamed pitching Dave McClure in a taxi. Is SaaS Dead? We explore the dramatic shift away from the traditional SaaS playbook. The crew analyzes how public markets are repricing software companies with shrinking multiples , while AI-native foundational models are commanding massive valuations based on incredibly high revenue per head. 10x Engineering & The End of Backlogs: AI tools are sending developer productivity through the roof, allowing tiny engineering teams to do the work of much larger traditional teams. We share real-world stories of engineers coding features from their phones while on vacation in Japan and AI product managers automatically generating backlogs by listening to meetings and reading Slack. Mila Ventures & Canada's Opportunity: Gabriel shares the inside scoop from his new office at Mila, detailing the announcement of Mila Ventures' new fund and the return of a highly entrepreneurial buzz to the ecosystem. We close out with a call for the Canadian ecosystem to abandon its conservative tendencies and move fast to capitalize on this once-in-a-lifetime tech cycle.

November 4, 202524 min

Brightspark Get Together: Montreal's Tech Renaissance | Lunch, Learn, and Lead

The Tech Poutine crew returns with a live episode featuring an engaging discussion on the strengths and challenges of Montreal's tech ecosystem. The episode kicks off with reflections on a networking lunch held at Hotel Neligan, where 20-25 attendees (ranging from LPs to founders) conversed about vital topics like Canadian tech, scalability, AI, converting service businesses to product businesses, and the importance of team dynamics. Key takeaways include the significance of coaching, the unique advantages of Montreal's size and accessibility, and the necessity for the ecosystem to nurture belief and ambition in young founders. The participants emphasize the need for collaboration over competition, celebrating successes, and maintaining connections within the tech community for sustained growth and global competitiveness.

September 10, 2025Episode 211 hr 36 min

Live Tech Poutine Recording @ Ax-C

In this live podcast episode of Tech Poutine, four innovative entrepreneurs from Quebec Tech share their journeys, challenges, and insights. The discussion was held at Ax.c in downtown Montréal, We kicked off with introductions from the hosts and the panel members: Nectarios, Ian, Catherine and Gabriel, and entrepreneurs Marc-Olivier, Laurent, Marc-Antoine, and William. They collectively highlight their motivations for starting their companies, the importance of understanding their customers' pain points, and the role of innovative technologies in their respective fields. Marc-Olivier discusses Gaia, a platform aimed at improving telecom operations, while Marc-Antoine shares his journey with Enthnocare, focusing on advanced prosthetics. Laurent from Innodal speaks about biotechnologies in food safety, and William from Mechasys explains their solutions for the construction industry. The conversation also addresses the significance of securing funding, the critical role of high-quality talent, and the challenges of navigating regulatory landscapes. The episode concludes with an engaging Q&A session with the audience, where the founders reflect on what Montreal needs to better support its startups.

September 10, 2025Episode 2017 min

Tech Poutine | William St-Pierre, CEO & Co-Founder, Mechasys

In this interview, William St-Pierre discusses his innovative business in the field of tech hardware and software, focusing on a laser projector system designed to display construction plans at full scale on job sites. He talks about the challenges of traditional methods, the development process, and the importance of finding the right partners for capital raising. William highlights the difficulties and solutions in adopting new technologies in the construction industry, particularly in overcoming resistance to change. He emphasizes the necessity of perseverance, the importance of good partnerships, and the impact of regional differences on the adoption of their product.

September 10, 2025Episode 1917 min

Tech Poutine | Laurent Dallaire, CEO and Co-Founder, Innodal

In this episode, Laurent discusses his work in biotechnology, specifically focusing on the development of antimicrobials for food processing to eliminate harmful bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella. Laurent explains the significance of his innovation in preventing foodborne illnesses and the rigorous regulatory environment they navigated, culminating in approval from Health Canada and the FDA. Laurent outlines the challenges of commercializing biotechnology, the importance of education within the food industry, and the impact of new technologies on food safety. He also shares insights into the evolving landscape of food technology and the future of the industry.

September 10, 2025Episode 1817 min

Tech Poutine | Marc-Antoine Malouin, CEO and Co-Founder, Ethnocare

In this interview, Marc-Antoine shares the inspiring story behind his company, which develops advanced medical prosthetics. He explains how the company brings cutting-edge sports, textile, and manufacturing technologies to the traditionally artisanal field of prosthetics. Marc-Antoine delves into the personal motivation behind his work, inspired by his experience with his mother using uncomfortable orthopedic products. He discusses the importance of co-creation with users and healthcare professionals, challenges in commercialization, and the necessity of building a team with the right expertise from the start. The episode highlights his journey from university research to selling thousands of units in 29 countries, emphasizing the mission to enhance the lives of those with amputations.

September 10, 2025Episode 1716 min

Tech Poutine | Marc-Olivier Alain - Co-Founder, Head of Product, Gaiia

In this interview, we discover Gaïa, an innovative startup in the telecommunications sector. Marc Olivier discusses their unique approach to service management for telecom companies, offering an integrated platform to optimize operations and improve the user experience. They share their journey, from founding their previous company to creating Gaïa, and how they conquered the US market. The challenges of rapid growth, customer retention, and the company's future ambitions are also discussed, emphasizing the importance of innovation and adaptability in developing technological solutions.

July 15, 202527 min

Live recording with special guest John Rikhtegar @ Startupfest

In this special live recording of the Tech Poutine podcast, we welcome John Rikhtegar, Director of Capital at RBCX, to discuss the current state of venture capital and investment in Canada. John shares insights on market cycles, the impact of AI on investments, and the challenges and opportunities facing fund managers and entrepreneurs. We explored historical patterns in venture capital, discussed the importance of credibility and early-stage investing, and debated the pros and cons of building startups in today's economic climate. The conversation highlights the potential for technology firms and the future growth of the Canadian tech ecosystem.

June 19, 202544 min

TechPoutine #EP14: Phil Telio and the story of Startupfest

In this episode, we spoke with Philip Telio, founder of Startup Fest, about the 15-year anniversary of the renowned event. Phil reflects on the origins of Startup Fest, the transition from smaller events like Startup Camp, and the pivotal moments that have marked the festival's evolution. He shares anecdotes about influential figures like Andy Nulman and events like the elevator pitches and the memorable tornado incident. The discussion also covers the importance of community, the introduction of new initiatives like mentor offices, and the festival's enduring impact on the startup ecosystem. The episode concludes with a look at the new startup hub Ax-C and its potential role in fostering innovation in Montreal.