The BetaKit Podcast Channel

Hosted by BetaKit Podcast Network

Technology NewsInterviews guestsExplicit

Website RSS feed

Episodes

200

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

About the show

The BetaKit Podcast Channel features weekly podcasts discussing both Canadian tech and innovation, as well as global tech from a Canadian perspective.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 16, 20261 hr 2 min

Cohere's Nick Frosst on sovereign AI and Star Trek

"If your entire technology is coming from a single country, and that country decides that every now and again they're going to shut off access to you, that's not a foundation you can build on." The US government just ordered Anthropic to ban access to its most advanced AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5. Seems like now is a good time to talk about sovereign AI. Cohere co-founder Nick Frosst joins to discuss how Canada's AI champion is built different than the other frontier LLM providers, how Star Trek informs the type of AI future the company is trying to create, and why he doesn't make a point of listening to Marc Andreessen about AGI. Did the Anthropic model ban prove Cohere is right about sovereign AI? Let's dig in. -- Amid global uncertainty, the path forward is clear: Canada's moment to build is now. Presented by Uber Canada, DMZ, and National Bank of Canada, BetaKit Most Ambitious is back, telling stories of nearly 100 Canadian innovators strengthening our nation's autonomy, security, and prosperity. Read BetaKit Most Ambitious now.

June 8, 20261 hr 2 min

Physical AI and economic nationalism at BetaKit Most Ambitious: Town Hall

"You guys have done what you've done with the wind in your face. Imagine if you had the wind at your back. Wow." Couldn't attend BetaKit Most Ambitious: Town Hall? Don't worry. Enjoy Waabi CEO Raquel Urtasun explaining how the future of transportation will be driven by physical AI before sitting down to discuss Canada's AI ecosystem with University of Toronto president Melanie Woodin. Then we have former RIM co-CEO and CCI chair Jim Balsillie talking about the need for economic statecraft to drive Canadian prosperity before sitting down with BetaKit editor-in-chief Douglas Soltys to discuss the strategies entrepreneurs should consider to get the wind at their back. -- Amid global uncertainty, the path forward is clear: Canada's moment to build is now. Presented by Uber Canada, DMZ, and National Bank of Canada, BetaKit Most Ambitious is back, telling stories of nearly 100 Canadian innovators strengthening our nation's autonomy, security, and prosperity. Read BetaKit Most Ambitious now.

June 1, 20261 hr 7 min

AI sovereignty & defence tech at BetaKit Most Ambitious: Town Hall

"Everywhere I go, BetaKit is there. They grill me. Every time I say something, I say 'I wish I didn't say that' because BetaKit recorded it." Couldn't attend BetaKit Most Ambitious: Town Hall? Don't worry. Enjoy our Vantage Points panel on Canadian defence and dual-use tech, featuring leaders from Dominion Dynamics, Sentinel R&D, and Xanadu, followed by a fireside chat with AI Minister Evan Solomon. -- Amid global uncertainty, the path forward is clear: Canada's moment to build is now. Presented by Uber Canada, DMZ, and National Bank of Canada, BetaKit Most Ambitious is back, telling stories of nearly 100 Canadian innovators strengthening our nation's autonomy, security, and prosperity. Read BetaKit Most Ambitious now.

May 22, 202647 min

How Toronto Tech Week became Canada's largest grassroots tech event

"You could start your day paddleboarding on Lake Ontario, then you could go to a workout class, then you could go to a session on what VCs want to hear." Last year, a decentralized community experiment led to 15,000 people attending over 300 events in the middle of June. With nearly 600 events welcoming people from around the world set to begin Monday, this year's Toronto Tech Week promises to be much bigger and bolder. Co-directors Julia Konefal and Mell Truong join The BetaKit Podcast to ensure you are eventmaxxing all week long in Toronto. -- Clio is proud to present the BetaKit Guide: Toronto Tech Week 2026. This guide is your ultimate shortcut to navigating all 600 events, from panels, mixers, and competitions, taking place across the city from May 25th to 29th. Read the full guide here.

May 15, 20261 hr 5 min

Harjit Sajjan reports for duty

"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. -- 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. -- 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.

April 27, 202659 min

Evaluating Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy

"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. -- 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.

April 20, 202659 min

How StackAdapt quietly built an adtech giant

"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. -- 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.

April 13, 20261 hr 24 min

How to fix Canadian VC

"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). -- 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. -- 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

February 23, 202652 min

How to fix Canada's Start-up Visa

"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: Canada suspends Start-Up Visa as feds look to transition to new program Entrepreneurs face more than a decade wait for Canada's Start-up Visa Why is the Start-up Visa program struggling? Canada Can Attract the World's Best Entrepreneurs

February 16, 202659 min

Is BDC too big to change?

"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: The feds asked investors for candid feedback on BDC. It was never actioned BDC head says bank pulled back from life sciences "too early" as it preps new VC fund BDC unveils $4-billion defence technology platform Another fund partner leaves BDC "A perfect storm": 2025 was the worst year for Canadian VC fundraising since 2016