Raymond Chik is the Co-Founder and Board Chair of Hepzibah. Hepzibah is a 'full-stack' AI compute architecture startup; full-stack as in "From Models to Metals". Raymond's other work includes: Co-Founder and Board Chair of Kapik Integration which has spun out Star IC , Hepzibah, Untether AI and other companies Co-Founder of Untether AI which has raised $150M+ from Intel Capital, Radical Ventures and Tracker Capital Active angel and advisor Champion and supporter of Canadian hardware/hardtech Takeaways Genesis of Kapik and spinout companies. Seismic shift towards AI computing in the semiconductor industry. Should we build a semiconductor fab in Canada? What is the best option. Canada's under-recognized semiconductor industry includes ATI (acquired by AMD), Untether AI, Star IC, Tenstorrent, Taalas, Astrus and many more. Geopolitical trends in the chip space. Fostering homegrown talent and keeping it in Canada. Energy efficiency is becoming a key focus in AI chip development. Emerging trends beyond AI in chips. Edge computing is an emerging area with significant potential. Lack of investment in hardware in Canada. Investment landscape for chip companies. Raymond's new venture. Chapters 00:00 The Genesis of Kapik Integration 03:33 The Shift to AI Computing 07:45 Spinning Off New Ventures 12:08 Lessons in Entrepreneurship 15:06 The Debate on Semiconductor Fabs in Canada 20:11 The Semiconductor Landscape in Canada 25:21 Fostering Homegrown Talent and Companies 29:21 The Influence of Borders on the Semiconductor Industry 32:17 Emerging Trends Beyond AI 38:55 Investment Landscape in Semiconductor 42:08 Introducing Habsaba: A New Venture Keywords Kapik, AI computing, semiconductor industry, Canada, entrepreneurship, investment, edge computing, energy efficiency, technology trends, innovation

Daniel Saks is the CEO and the Co-Founder of Landbase. Landbase is the world's first AI action model for GTM. Intelligently automate your go-to-market, powered by GTM-1 Omni. Join the movement to reclaim your day. Takeaways How Daniel co-founded AppDirect Why the wave of cloud was a driving force for AppDirect Scaling to 1000+ people and maintaining the culture Why Agentic AI is the next exciting wave Why the focus on the GTM function Half of marketing campaigns fail to generate leads that convert. AI agents will likely be specialized for specific use cases. Building the right founding team AI can enhance human performance in sales. Building trust scores to improve outbound. The future of software will prioritize human experience. Co-Pilot vs. Auto-Pilot AI should prompt human decisions for efficiency. Angel investing Chapters 00:00 The Journey Begins: From Family Business to Silicon Valley 07:49 Building a Values-Based Culture at AppDirect 15:52 The Evolution of AI Agents: Specialized vs. Generalized 22:54 Co-Founder Dynamics: Building the Right Team 29:17 Understanding Target Profiles and Pain Points 35:27 The Role of Landbase in Different Business Stages 43:35 Innovative User Experience Beyond Screens Keywords entrepreneurship, Silicon Valley, AppDirect, AI, agentic AI, go-to-market strategies, startup culture, values-based leadership, co-founder relationships, technology trends, entrepreneurship, credibility, AI, sales, machine intelligence, user experience, angel investing, business strategy, trust, go-to-market

David Gaylord is the Co-Founder and CEO of Bushbalm. Takeaways Growing up in a family business and jumping into e-commerce early Working at Shopify and learnings there Genesis story behind Bushbalm Going full-time with Bushbalm after a few years and over $4M in revenue Why salons/professional channel has been so powerful for the brand Advantages of wholesale from distribution and beyond Effectively using 3PLs How to do retail partnerships well Doing great product launches Limited Edition products Product launches around seasonal demand Black Friday strategies Bootstrapping Cash flow dynamics and how to use them as an advantage Chapters 00:00 The Evolution of a Family Business 05:20 The Birth of Bushbalm 10:44 Navigating Distribution Channels 16:16 Wholesale vs. Direct-to-Consumer 22:30 Leveraging Social Media for Growth 29:45 Timing and Strategy for Seasonal Product Launches 36:05 Cash Flow Management: Lessons from Gymshark 41:30 Looking Ahead: Goals for the Upcoming Year Keywords e-commerce, Shopify, Bushbomb, product-market fit, family business, direct-to-consumer, retail, distribution channels, trade shows, 3PL, retail partnerships, product launches, Black Friday strategies, pricing strategies, bootstrapping, cash flow management, supplier relationships, company culture, business growth, consumer engagement

Mike Gozzo is the Chief Product and Technology Officer (CPTO) at Ada. Mike is also an Operating Advisor at Bessemer Venture Partners. Previously Mike founded Smooch.io which Zendesk acquired. He then worked as SVP of Product at Zendesk. Takeaways Smooch.io was born from a unique incubation experience. The story behind the acquisition by Zendesk for $80M. Cultural alignment was a key factor in choosing Zendesk. Why he left his role at Zendesk to join Ada. After joining Ada why he cut the number of products and narrowed the company's focus. AI is reshaping product development and customer interactions. Flexibility in software design. The importance of delivering high-quality automated resolutions. Product teams should be structured around key metrics. How Ada structures their product and technical teams. Inference and intelligence in AI will become commoditized. Early-stage founders should focus on customer feedback. His work with Bessemer, angel investing and advice for founders. Chapters 00:00 The Genesis of Smooch.io 12:45 Navigating the Acquisition by Zendesk 13:01 Cultural Integration and Reflections Post-Acquisition 18:02 The Decision to Leave Zendesk for Ada 20:27 Impactful Decisions at Ada 22:58 AI's Influence on Product Development 25:45 The Evolution of AI in Customer Service 30:14 Building Effective Product Teams 36:27 The Future of AI Applications 39:49 Insights from Venture Capital and Angel Investing 42:13 Advice for Early-Stage Founders 44:41 Personal Growth and Professional Excitement 47:02 Navigating Challenges as a Founder Keywords Smooch.io, Zendesk, acquisition, startup culture, product management, AI, customer experience, entrepreneurship, Canadian startups, innovation, AI, customer service, product management, venture capital, early-stage startups, founder advice, machine learning, automated resolutions, product teams, investment strategies

Gregory Macdonald is the Founder and CEO of Bathorium. Bathorium was founded on the concept of benefits based on bathing; bath soaks that invigorate, restore and rejuvenate the end user. From day one this Canadian company's mandate is to create a truly memorable bath experience focusing on the bathers' well-being. Takeaways Bathorium was inspired by a transformative bath experience in Italy The company started in local markets Sourcing quality ingredients A feature on Good Morning America propelled their growth Channels, DTC, wholesale and more Thinking behind product offerings Pricing strategies and positioning The importance of brand Buying out his co-founder The second decade of the brand Chapters 00:00 The Genesis of Bathorium 05:01 Sourcing Ingredients and Building a Supply Chain 10:14 Pivotal Moments in Bathorium's Journey 15:26 Navigating Channels and Market Strategies 22:07 The Impact of Pricing and Brand Positioning 28:06 Looking Ahead: The Second Decade of Bathorium 34:38 The Role of Mentorship in Business Keywords Bathorium, entrepreneurship, clean beauty, wellness, product sourcing, market strategy, co-founder dynamics, brand positioning, mentorship, retail partnerships

Xavier Hébert-Couturier is the CEO and Co-Founder of Picketa Systems. Picketa Systems offers real-time plant tissue sampling for growers and agri-businesses to conduct nutrient analyses rapidly and independently. An online platform informs farmers instantly of nutrient deficiencies, enables agronomists to tailor nutrient critical levels and delivers a comprehensive overview of crop needs at the glimpse of a dashboard" Takeaways Genesis story of Picketa How the business model has evolved How real-time nutrient analysis is a gamechanger Building their prototype How Picketa fits into a farmer's typical process Creating a seamless user experience Grassroots marketing and getting in front of farmers The focus on agronomists as their super users Hardware + software integration and how to make it a great product Selecting what crops to focus on early on Industry trends show consolidation and a focus on precision agriculture Platform integrations Chapters 00:00 The Genesis of Picketa Systems 06:27 Business Model Evolution 11:52 Adapting Technology for Diverse Environments 17:23 Hardware and Software Integration 23:23 Navigating Industry Trends 33:06 Ecosystem and Platform Integration Keywords Picketa Systems, agriculture technology, crop analysis, tissue sampling, agronomy, business model, user experience, data utilization, marketing strategies, hardware integration

Paige Cey is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Benny. Benny is a new take on energy drinks. Takeaways The idea for Benny emerged from a shared love for adaptogens. The adaptogen trend and tailwind. Where the name Benny came from. The brand targets a millennial and Gen Z audience. In-person events. Building community for Benny. Social media strategy. Wholesale distribution. Flavor decisions. Relationships with co-packers. US expansion plans. Co-founder relationships. Thoughts on pricing. Hints at future products. Chapters 00:00 The Genesis of Benny: A Startup Journey 02:54 Crafting the Product: From Idea to Reality 06:11 Branding and Community: Building Friends with Benny 09:06 Navigating Production: The Co-Packer Experience 12:06 Marketing Strategies: In-Person Events and Community Engagement 15:11 Wholesale vs. E-Commerce: Balancing Distribution Channels 18:10 Flavor Decisions: Crafting Unique Taste Experiences 20:46 Customer Relationships: Engaging with Benny Drinkers 24:19 Innovative Beverage Launch and Consumer Engagement 26:46 Understanding Adaptogens and Their Benefits 30:04 Social Media Strategy and Community Building 32:12 The Importance of Authenticity in Brand Storytelling 36:09 Plans for U.S. Expansion 39:16 Co-Founder Dynamics and Relationship Building 41:42 Personal and Professional Growth 44:07 Mindset and Resilience in Entrepreneurship Keywords Benny, startup, adaptogens, yerba mate, branding, community, e-commerce, wholesale, flavors, marketing, Beverage industry, energy drinks, pricing strategy, adaptogens, retail strategy, social media marketing, community building, U.S. expansion, funding, co-founder relationships, entrepreneurship

Yuri Sagalov, Managing Partner of Wayfinder Ventures, shares his journey from Russia to the U.S. and how it shaped his entrepreneurial spirit. He discusses the evolution of Y Combinator and the glamour of being a founder compared to an investor. Yuri reflects on his angel investing successes and highlights 'velocity' as a crucial predictor of startup success. He also explains Wayfinder's unique approach to supporting founders and the growing accessibility of angel investing, revealing his contrarian views in the venture capital landscape.

Gennady Pekhimenko is the CEO and Co-Founder of CentML. Gennady is also an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto and a Faculty Member at Vector Institute. Takeaways Genesis of CentML - from academia to industry Commercializing university research Tailwinds behind AI and market opportunities Three Pillars of AI - models, data and hardware Enterprise adoption of AI - trends and insights The future of AI models - commoditization vs. innovation Raising $30M+ from Gradient Ventures, Radical Ventures, Deloitte Ventures, Nvidia, Thomson Reuters Ventures and more Attracting talent - competitive AI job market The UofT AI talent pool with Geoff Hinton, Raquel Urtasun, Aidan Gomez and many more What the federal government should do with the $2.4B in AI funding Why compute in Canada is critical to our AI success The role of Vector Institute Personal growth as a CEO and constantly learning Chapters 00:00 The Genesis of CentML: A Journey Through Academia and Industry 04:31 Commercializing University Research: The Builder Mindset 07:47 The Tailwinds of AI: Market Opportunities and Challenges 11:01 Three Pillars of AI: Models, Data, and Hardware 15:19 Enterprise Adoption of AI: Trends and Insights 18:37 The Future of AI Models: Commoditization vs. Innovation 21:46 Building a Flexible and Scalable AI Business 25:35 Attracting Talent: Competing in the AI Job Market 29:06 The Power of Networking: The Toronto AI Ecosystem 32:11 Government Initiatives: Building AI Infrastructure in Canada 37:42 AI Adoption in Enterprises: A Gradual Shift 40:57 Personal Growth: The Journey of a Startup CEO Keywords CentML, AI, machine learning, commercialization, university research, enterprise adoption, AI infrastructure, talent acquisition, Toronto AI ecosystem, government initiatives

Olivia Steedman is the Executive Managing Director and Global Head of Teachers' Venture Growth (TVG). Olivia joined Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan in 2002 as a founding member of the Infrastructure and Natural Resources group, where she served in various senior roles before standing up TVG in 2019. Teachers’ Venture Growth is the late-stage venture and growth investment arm of Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. TVG focuses on late-stage venture and growth equity investments in cutting-edge technology companies worldwide. They partner with founders with bold missions, looking to expand their product offering, scale geographically, and become the leaders in their markets. TVG brings long-term thinking and active investing to help build better businesses and a better world. They think globally and act locally through their direct presence across Asia, North America and Europe. Takeaways Olivia's background in civil engineering and accounting + joining Teachers' The founding of TVG The investment strategy of TVG What TVG looks for in growth-stage companies The investment opportunities with the rise of AI Operating and building a global investment team Recent investments Venture landscape globally and in Canada TVG's fund of funds platform Chapters 00:00 Olivia's Journey to Teachers 04:48 Investment Strategy and Risk Management 11:02 Focus Areas and Sector Insights 17:39 Global Team Dynamics and Geography 22:24 Investment Criteria and Portfolio Management 28:24 Trends in the Venture Growth Landscape 34:02 Personal Insights and Closing Thoughts Keywords Teachers' Venture Growth, Ontario Teacher's Pension Plan, venture growth, investment strategy, AI, global team, portfolio management, infrastructure, enterprise software, fintech, climate tech