Vasu Nadella from Vital Bio and Michael Helander from OTI Lumionics

Vasu Nadella is the Co-Founder and CEO of Vital Bio.

Vital Biosciences has raised $48M+ from Sam Altman, Lachy Groom, Marc Benioff, Northpond Ventures, Labcorp, Inovia Capital and Route 66 Ventures. Vital is bringing to market its revolutionary blood-testing product, the VitalOne. A compact device the size of a desktop computer, VitalOne conducts more than 50 lab-grade test results (95% of routine lab orders), with results available within just 20 minutes. The goal is to enable doctors to conduct tests, diagnose and treat patients in a single visit.

Michael Helander is the President and CEO of OTI Lumionics.
OTI Lumionics specializes in advanced materials for OLED displays and lighting applications. They focused on developing innovative solutions to enhance the performance and efficiency of OLED technology. OTI has raised $55M+ from LG Technology Ventures, Samsung Venture Investment Corporation, UDC Ventures, Anzu Partners and The Family Office of Lee Lau.

Takeaways

Canadian founders should think globally and tackle big problems that can have a global impact.

Dive into the "Tall Poppy Syndrome".

Why Michael and Vasu have decided to build in Canada.

Celebrating successes and creating a culture that supports risk-taking and failure is crucial for the Canadian startup ecosystem.

The Canadian VC ecosystem needs more successes to drive more investment and support for innovative startups.

Retaining talent in Canada requires competitive wages, benefits, and growth opportunities.

Government programs should focus on supporting long-term bets and providing risk capital for early-stage startups.

Chapters

00:00 OTI and VitalBio Background

03:14 Tackling Hard Problems in Canada

06:44 Challenges in the Canadian Ecosystem

12:25 Investment Gap in Canada

19:19 Cultural Shift and Tall Poppy Syndrome

23:12 Retaining Talent in Canada

28:18 Driving the Canadian VC Ecosystem

34:09 Canadian Founders in the US

38:27 Perception of Failure in Canada

41:07 AI Talent in Canada

10:00 Challenges in the Industry

20:00 Advancements in Technology

30:00 Impact on Society

40:00 Future Possibilities