The Hard Part with Evan McCann

Byron Thom, Investor, Mentor and Board Member. Byron’s CV... Engineering undergrad IP Lawyer Co-Founder of Optigo Networks Investor at BDC’s IT Venture Fund Investor at Framework Venture Partners Corp Dev at Cymax Group Technologies Governor on the UBC Board of Governors Angel, Mentor and more. Takeaways How an engineering undergrad, law school and work as an IP lawyer influence Byron’s investing lens. The importance of team, market, and technology in VC. His first time as a founder of Optigo Networks. BDC’s role in Canada’s tech ecosystem. The spinoff of Framework Venture Partners from BDC. A good versus a great board member. The power of storytelling. The VC ecosystem is facing challenges in raising funds, and policymakers should support VC to ensure a vibrant tech ecosystem in Canada. Canada should leverage its leadership in AI and increase investment to commercialize, ensuring it remains a global leader. Thoughts on the Vancouver tech scene. Why UBC creates such an impact on the BC economy and tech ecosystem. Chapters 00:00 From Engineering to Law 06:53 Venture Capital and BDC 09:34 BDC's Role in the Canadian Tech Ecosystem 22:13 Investing in Founders 26:57 The Power of Storytelling 29:07 Back to an Operator Role at Cymax 29:25 The Growth of E-commerce and the Paradigm Shift in Buying and Selling 32:14 Qualities of a Great Board Observer and Board Member 35:08 UBC's Impact in Various Sectors and its Importance in British Columbia 40:49 The Thriving Vancouver Tech Scene and Focus Areas 44:43 The Need for Canada's Investment in AI and Commercialization 53:08 Challenges and Future of the VC Ecosystem 56:21 The Role of BDC in Supporting Venture Capital Keywords law, engineering, technology, co-founder, venture capital, IP, patents, BDC, Framework Venture Partners, angel investing, team, market, technology, storytelling, Cymax, BTC portfolio, e-commerce, paradigm shift, board observer, UBC Board of Governors, Vancouver tech scene, biotech, climate tech, AI, blockchain, Canada, AI strategy, productivity, investment, VC funds, PE funds, BDC, federal election

Keith Ippel, Co-Founder of Spring Activator, talks about the birthplace of Hootsuite, team importance over ideas, impact investing, and founder qualities. The podcast explores the evolution of Spring, community building, and Vancouver's tech sector future.

Kyle Folk is the CEO of Ground Truth Agriculture. Ground Truth Ag's solution will improve the process of obtaining and grading grain samples. This solution will enable farmers to view and maintain records of their grain quality in real-time, directly on the combine, and use that information to manage risk and increase income. This technology will eliminate discrepancies and save time and money for both farmers and the companies that buy their grain. Takeaways -Growing up in a farming family sparked an obsession with agtech -Kyle's first business IntraGrain Technologies, the acquisition and learnings -During an acquisition realize the importance of maintaining focus on running the business and not getting caught up in the acquisition process. -The biggest challenge in agtech is addressing tech fatigue and platform overload among farmers by designing user-friendly platforms that can integrate with other tools. -The current grading process is subjective and time-consuming, leading to inefficiencies and potential financial losses for farmers. -Utilizing computer vision and AI to unlock value for farmers. -Building a software + hardware business and the challenges behind that. -How agtech companies find distribution and get in front of farmers. Chapters 00:00 From Farming to Ag Tech: Kyle Folk's Journey 06:26 Lessons Learned from the Acquisition of IntraGrain 25:04 Challenges in the Grading Process 33:33 The Importance of Data in Grain Grading 43:02 The Potential Impact of Automated Grain Grading Keywords Ag Tech, agriculture, grain monitoring, grain grading, technology, acquisition, machine vision, AI, data fatigue, platform integration, ground truth, machine vision, grain grading, agriculture, AI, computer vision, customer support, ag tech, reputation

Alex Barrett is the Co-Founder and CEO of Meroka, Alex is also the Co-Founder and General Partner at Boon Fund. Meroka's mission is to make independent practice ownership the default path for physicians in all specialties. Meroka believes that care delivered in the independent setting produces superior patient outcomes at a lower cost. By breaking down barriers to successfully operate an independent practice, they aim to empower more physicians to choose ownership over employment and swing the pendulum away from consolidation. Because healthcare deserves to be personal, not corporate. Takeaways -Early Inovia and Alex's tactic of building common ground with founders -The ups and downs at RenoRun -Boon Fund, operators backing operators and why that is an advantage -Raising money for Meroka as a previous and current investor -B2B SaaS has become saturated, opening the door for models like Meroka inspired by Constellation Software and Valsoft -Meroka's business model and focus on the US market -Building and maintaining co-founder relationships -The need for higher risk appetite and getting rid of the fear of failure in Canadian tech Chapters 00:00 Early Days at Inovia 02:27 Building Confidence and Selling Skills 05:13 Lessons from RenoRun 07:30 Boon Fund: Operator-led Investing 09:17 Genesis of Boon Fund 11:39 Boon Fund's Unique Perspective 14:12 Genesis of Meroka 21:08 Focus Areas for Meroka 23:25 Finding the First Hundred Customers for Meroka 25:48 Different Types of Buyers in Medical Practices 29:54 Raising Money for Meroka 33:03 Strategy for Investors in Meroka 34:13 Importance of Co-founder Relationship 36:24 Building a Team and Hiring 38:23 Expressing Vision and Mission 40:51 Canadian Tech Scene and Risk Appetite 44:34 Favorite Book and Excitement for the Future 47:09 Career Trajectory and Reaching Potential

Fatima Zaidi is the Founder and CEO of Quill, a Lecturer at the University of Toronto and Co-Chair of Tech4SickKids. Quill is an award-winning podcast production agency, specializing in branded content and podcast marketing. They produce podcasts for enterprise-level brands that are looking for content that achieves maximum impact and results. Working with companies like PwC, Expedia, Emergent BioSolutions, SickKids Foundation, and TD, they bring their brand’s story to life to drive reach, engagement, and growth through podcasts. Quill is also the owner of the podcast analytics and audience insights tool, CoHost which provides their clients with deeper data on who their listeners are and what resonates with their content. Takeaways Genesis story behind Quill. Quill's bootstrapped journey. Debunking the myth behind podcast saturation. How brands/companies should think about podcasts. Why podcasts are one of the strongest content mediums. Differences between creator and brand-led podcasts. Analytics in podcasting and what led to Quill's product CoHost. Why niche audiences are the most powerful. Chapters 00:00 Early Career Moves and Transition to Startups 01:21 Making the Jump to Start Quill 05:27 The Power of Timing and Positioning 07:23 The Value of Authentic Content in Podcasting 09:44 Unlocking the Potential of Podcasting for Brands 10:16 Debunking Myths About Podcasting 12:49 The Importance of Podcast Strategy for Brands 13:22 Creating Authentic Conversations in Podcasting 14:57 The Power of Podcasts as a Medium 20:56 The Birth of CoHost and the Need for Better Analytics 23:08 The Importance of Niche Audiences in Podcasting 25:23 Monetization and Attribution for Brands 26:54 B2B Analytics Tool and Sales Strategies 28:13 Hiring and Team Building 30:36 Bootstrapping vs. Raising Money 33:30 Synergy between Agency and Tech Product 35:36 The Importance of Advisors and Community 42:56 The Future of Podcasting 44:26 Favorite Books and Podcasts 47:16 Personal and Professional Excitement 48:32 Dealing with Hard Times 50:04 Imposter Syndrome and Advocating for Yourself

Sang Lê was the Co-Founder and CEO of Peko (acquired by Fresh Prep). Peko is Western Canada’s first “peculiar” & surplus grocery delivery service, on a mission to fight food waste. As of February 2023, they became a part of Fresh Prep Foods - Canada’s most sustainable meal kit delivery service. Takeaways Effectively leveraging internships. Genesis story behind Peko. How to find advisors and mentors. How to build a following through effective earned media, pitch competitions and more. Learnings from the acquisition and what post-acquisition life is like. Chapters 00:00 Early Founder Experiences 03:11 Internships and Experiments 09:13 Genesis of Peko 13:48 Building Relationships and Scaling 22:59 Acquisition and Post-Acquisition 27:35 Advice and Mentors 35:21 Favorite Book and Excitement 37:56 Dealing with Hard Times 38:55 Closing Message

Tarun Sachdeva is the Co-Founder and CEO of Gitwallet. Gitwallet is a toolkit for open-source maintainers to commercialize their services for their repos and ecosystems. We help leading maintainers create robust support offerings, sell across channels, and grow their businesses. Tarun also has some great writing on his blog. Takeaways What makes UWaterloo and the co-op program so legendary. Working on the very first AWS team as an intern. AWS started as a mobile team called Amazon Anywhere. His experience building and leading product teams at Wattpad. Great products vs. good products. Nuances to launching products at startups vs. scaleups. Dive into open source software (OSS) and why Tarun is building in the space. How Gitwallet helps OSS maintainers commercialize more effectively. Why the Toronto tech scene has renewed energy and excitement. Chapters 00:00 UWaterloo and the Co-op Program 05:08 Working on the Original AWS Team 10:03 Time at Wattpad 13:15 Interest in Product and Product Leadership 16:38 Launching Products at Different Stages 23:09 Genesis of Gitwallet 29:12 Commercialization of Open Source 34:14 Toronto Tech Scene 42:37 Dealing with Hard Times

Shawn Adrian is the Founder of Input Logic. Input Logic is a digital product studio in Nanaimo, BC founded in 2011. They launch beautifully crafted web and mobile apps for brands and startups. Takeaways Don't be shy to talk about money and value when freelancing. Finding product-market fit requires a combination of timing, luck, and intuition. Building a great product studio involves talent retention and focusing on the craft. Hiring great talent and retaining them is crucial for a successful product studio. It's important to find people who love the craft and allow them to focus on it. When choosing clients, it's ideal to work with founders who are building zero-to-one products and are willing to take a scrappy approach. Aligning craft with business constraints requires prioritizing goals, problem-solving, and making decisions on scope and features based on potential revenue impact and customer value. Launching an MVP involves focusing on design, bug-free execution, and providing value to end users. Iteration and feedback are essential for continuous improvement. Growth and feedback can be challenging, and it's important to implement metrics and provide clients with tools to make data-driven decisions. Learning from successful growth-focused founders can provide valuable insights. Equity deals should be evaluated based on the founder's experience, network, and the involvement of trusted individuals. Chapters 00:00 Early Interest in Design 01:29 Freelancing and Best Practices 05:49 Input Logic and Quote Robot 10:00 Starting Input Logic 14:01 Finding Product-Market Fit 24:34 Building a Great Product Studio 27:43 Hiring and Retaining Talent 28:36 Finding the Right Clients 30:10 Sweet Spot for Revenue 31:14 Aligning Craft with Business Constraints 33:09 Launching and Iterating on Products 34:18 Growth and Feedback 39:02 Equity Deals 40:26 Favorite Books 42:13 Personal Excitement for the Year 45:57 Professional Goals for the Year 46:07 Dealing with Hard Times 49:25 Passion for Canadian Founders

Faye Pang is the Canadian Country Manager at Xero. Xero is a global small business platform with 3.95 million subscribers which includes a core accounting solution, payroll, workforce management, expenses and projects. Xero also has an extensive ecosystem of connected apps and connections to banks and other financial institutions helping small businesses access a range of solutions from within Xero’s open platform to help them run their business and manage their finances. Xero is a FIFA Women’s Football partner. Faye is an LP in Women's Equity Lab. Canada’s first all-female early-stage investment fund fostering an environment to learn and invest while supporting the next generation of game-changing companies. Takeaways Joining Uber Eats Canada when it had 6 people and grew the team to 120+. The realities of joining a fast-growing, demanding early-stage company. Hiring practices, a sense of urgency, and a collaborative culture contribute to attracting and retaining high-quality talent. Launching Uber Freight in Canada. Joining Xero Canada and bringing lessons and learnings from Uber. Selling to enterprise customers requires managing expectations, understanding complex decision-making processes, and coaching customers on evaluating new technology. Women's Equity Lab provides a platform for female investors to support and empower female founders in the tech industry. Chapters 00:00 Scaling Uber Eats Canada 02:23 Personal Growth and Transformation at Uber 08:09 Experience at Uber Freight 10:24 Transition to Xero 13:24 Role at Xero and Building the Team 16:26 Scaling from 1 to 10 21:00 Women's Equity Lab 35:26 Sales Team Structure at Xero 36:40 Canadian Tech Scene 39:49 Favorite Book 40:53 Excitement for the Future 41:51 Dealing with Hard Times 43:16 Message to Listeners

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