The Hard Part with Evan McCann

Matthew Lombardi co-founded The Icebreaker with Jeff Waite and Michael Edwards.The Icebreaker is Canada's defence innovation network, trusted by founders and funders, operators and professionals at DND and the CAF, defence primes, IDEaS, NATO DIANA, and everywhere decisions are made to defend the nation.Their mission: to make Canada a net exporter of defence technology by 2030.The Icebreak LinksThe Icebreaker Hackathon on September 20.Hundreds of Canadian companies making ‘dual use’ products useful for defence, survey finds - The Globe and MailChapters00:00 The Genesis of The Icebreaker and Canadian Defence Tech05:35 Urgency for Change in Defence Strategy08:09 Cultural Shifts in Defence Innovation10:54 The Role of Technology in Defence and Civilian Life13:32 Building a Community in Defence Tech16:27 Spotlighting Canadian Innovators19:09 Infrastructure Needs for Defence Innovation21:52 Procurement and the Future of Defence24:28 The Arctic: A New Frontier for National Security27:25 National Pride and the Defence Tech Movement30:12 Opportunities for New Talent in Defence Tech

Carter Li is the CEO of SWTCH.SWTCH - https://swtchenergy.com/Chapters00:00 Genesis of SWTCH: A Personal Journey05:35 Challenges of EV Charging in Existing Infrastructure08:06 Designing Charging Solutions Based on Dwell Time11:05 Technological Advances in EV Charging13:49 The Value of EV Infrastructure in Real Estate16:33 Shifts in the EV Charging Landscape19:32 Vertical Integration in Charging Solutions22:27 Innovative Solutions for Grid Overload25:29 Monetization Strategies in Charging Infrastructure27:15 The Future of Urban Living and EV Charging29:55 Scaling Hardware in EV Charging32:57 The Impact of Autonomous Vehicles on Charging35:44 Finding Balance in the Entrepreneurial Journey

Simon Hørup Eskildsen is the Co-Founder and CEO of turbopuffer.turbopuffer is a fast search engine that combines vector and full-text search using object storage, making all your data easily searchable.Chapters00:00 Introduction to turbopuffer06:46 Revolutionizing Search with TurboPuffer11:45 Technical Innovations Behind TurboPuffer15:55 Caching Mechanisms and Performance19:27 Scaling Challenges and Solutions23:09 Navigating Industry Shifts and Market Dynamics30:08 Sales Strategies and Founder-Led Growth35:43 Pricing Models and Customer Relationships41:25 Staying in Canada vs. Moving to the US44:59 Coping with Challenges in Entrepreneurship

Stewart Lyons is the CEO of Bird.Bird is on a mission to provide eco-friendly transportation for everyone. Chapters00:00 Stewart Lyons: A Journey Through Entrepreneurship05:29 Navigating Regulatory Challenges in Canada08:04 Turning Around Bird Global: Strategies and Insights11:07 Operating a Global Business from Canada13:15 Building Trust with Regulators and City Partners15:52 Operational Complexity: Making Bird Profitable18:37 Innovations in Scooter Technology21:11 Seasonal Operations: Adapting to Market Conditions24:17 Seasonal Workforce and Scalability25:10 Exploring Diverse Transportation Modes27:02 Franchising and Business Replication29:53 Safety Measures in Micro-Mobility33:46 User Experience and Software Integration35:24 Subscription Model for Repeat Users37:25 Micro-Mobility as Last Mile Solution39:18 Insights on Acquisitions40:54 Balancing Growth and Profitability43:24 Motivation and Resilience in Business

Christian Weedbrook is the Founder and CEO of Xanadu.Xanadu is a Canadian quantum technology company and one of the world's leading photonic quantum hardware providers. Chapters00:00 Understanding Quantum Computing05:51 Infrastructure and Capital Needs for Quantum08:40 Raising Capital in Quantum Tech11:58 Government Support and Quantum14:16 Photonics vs. Other Quantum Approaches15:55 Talent Acquisition in Quantum17:45 Global Operations and Foundry Partnerships19:27 Staying Canadian in a Global Market21:02 Maintaining Passion and Energy22:12 Commercialization of Technology25:09 Interplay Between Quantum and AI27:06 Future of Quantum Hardware28:34 Software Development in Quantum31:18 Building Partnerships and Use Cases33:10 Quantum Computing for Battery Development34:31 Applications Across Industries36:11 Future Predictions for Quantum Computing37:21 Misconceptions About Quantum38:46 Coping with Challenges in Business

Dennis Pilarinos is the Founder and CEO of Unblocked.Unblocked brings all the context about your codebase together, so your team gets expert-level answers, no matter where they’re working.Chapters00:00 The Journey of Dennis09:48 Building Developer Tools: Challenges and Insights16:59 The Importance of User Experience in Development24:45 AI's Role in Modern Development29:58 Attracting Top Talent in Tech34:19 The Evolution of Vancouver Tech Ecosystem

Mark Doble is the CEO of Alexi.Alexi is the flexible AI platform trusted by leading law firms to develop proprietary insights, orchestrate high-quality work, and deliver stronger results — in a fully private, firm-controlled environment.Chapters00:00 Exploring the Gaps in Legal Tech05:26 The Evolution of Legal Research Automation08:00 Understanding AI Hallucinations in Legal Contexts12:20 The Role of Human Lawyers in an AI-Driven World15:38 Building a Platform for Law Firms20:12 Navigating the Challenges of Long-Term Implementations24:35 The Future of Law Firms in the Age of AI30:19 Balancing Innovation and Customer Needs35:11 The Impact of AI on Legal Product Development39:01 Dealing with Hard Times in Entrepreneurship

Stu Szabo is the Co-Founder and CEO of Beacon.Beacon is a new solution built to facilitate smooth transitions for immigrants relocating to Canada. Their Super App simplifies the financial and informational hurdles that newcomers face, offering everything from banking solutions to essential resources, all designed to ease the transition into Canadian life.Chapters00:00 The Inspiration Behind MyBeacon07:14 Transitioning from Investor to CEO12:36 Rethinking Financial Services16:28 The Immigrant Experience in Canada20:41 The Necessity of Immigration for Canada24:01 Strategic Focus on Nationalities25:13 Rethinking Financial Services26:29 Identifying Unique Pain Points28:21 Innovative Solutions for Bill Payments30:21 Cultural Differences in Financial Experiences32:51 Challenges for Newcomers in Canada37:24 Navigating Complex Financial Landscapes40:08 The Journey to Launching a Startup44:09 Overcoming Hard Times in Entrepreneurship46:47 Introduction and Importance of Following the Podcast

Andrew Ostro is the Co-Founder and CEO of PolicyMe.PolicyMe's mission is to reinvent insurance for Canadians by merging smart technology with unwavering humanity–driving down costs, simplifying protection, and prioritizing your needs at every step.Chapters00:00 The Birth of PolicyMe05:25 Understanding Life Insurance08:37 The Buying Process of Life Insurance11:36 Streamlining Insurance Pricing14:40 Innovations in Underwriting17:17 AI and Operational Efficiency21:18 Types of Life Insurance25:03 Product Expansion and Strategy30:46 Navigating the Insurance Landscape35:34 Marketing and Growth Strategies43:21 Coping with Challenges as a Founder

Kylan Gibbs is the Co-Founder and CEO of Inworld.Inworld develops AI products for builders of consumer applications, enabling scaled applications that grow into user needs and organically evolve through experience.Chapters00:00 Founding Story of Inworld05:29 Consumer vs. Enterprise AI Applications08:33 Bridging the Gap: Prototypes to Production11:34 Runtime: Scaling Consumer AI Applications14:20 Experimentation and User Engagement17:18 The Complexity of AI in Consumer Products20:11 Personalization in AI Experiences23:17 The Future of Consumer AI Applications25:56 Building Robust AI Systems29:08 Consumer Adoption of AI Tools31:50 Navigating the AI Landscape34:38 The Role of Runtime in AI Viability37:47 The Future of Consumer Apps in the AI Era40:36 Getting Started with Runtime43:34 Kylan's Journey and Insights45:18 Coping with Challenges as a Founder