Startup Canada Podcast

“We offer more materials as an option than any other brand in the market, globally. We offer five different options, and consumers can make their own choice.” Marina Tran Vu knows that sugar cane straws are a sweet and sustainable alternative to plastic. She also knows they can create more jobs for farmers in Southeast Asia and Vietnam while challenging the status quo of single-use plastics. Marina is the Founder and CEO of EQUO. Marina and EQUO have been featured in Forbes, and Shark Tank Vietnam, and she was the first Canadian-Vietnamese startup to be admitted into Techstars Toronto in 2021.The post Sweet Sweet Sustainability with Marina Tran Vu first appeared on Startup Canada.

“I want to hire as many folks with disabilities as possible. ”I also hope we inspire other small businesses to hire folks with a disability.” William Wells is the Founder and Head Roster at Artery Roastery based in Ottawa, Ontario. William and the Artery team know what a positive impact can do to a person living with a disability, a farmer defending their land in Guatemala, and a single mother living in Rwanda – and their actions and products give back to these groups every day.  Artery Coffee Roasters know their farmers and producers on a first-name basis. They provide stable and worthwhile employment to people living with disabilities and they know that consumers want to support businesses that give, and don’t just take.  William is a volunteer and Board Director of ABLE2 and in August of 2022, Artery won Best Drip Coffee for Ottawa. The post Business From the Heart with William Wells first appeared on Startup Canada.

“Entrepreneurship can be done at your own pace. It doesn’t have to be a huge million-dollar company – the most important thing is just to take the leap.” Scientists by training, Stephanie and Kristina are the right minds to innovate in the space of sun protection. After one too many sunburns on their scalps, this duo knew they needed to create a product to protect delicate skin, without the mess and grease that is left behind by traditional sun creams. With impact in mind, Arbre Inc.  is committed to developing SPF products that are safe for your skin and our earth. Together, Kristina and Stephanie are educating folks about understanding SPF, decoding sunscreen labels, and recently received Health Canada approval for their products.The post Innovation Under the Sun with Stephanie Tien and Kristina Knox first appeared on Startup Canada.

“At the heart of it, I love gathering. To Kula, we say.” Prepared with love, Asha Wheeldon is the Founder of Kula Foods, where she creates delicious, nourishing, and culturally relevant plant-based foods that connect people back to their roots. Kula Foods is afro veganism for the next generation where East African flavours are at the center of every dish, from Ginger Beef, Goat Curry to BBQ chicken and ribs.  Based in Vancouver BC, Asha’s products can be found at local farmers’ markets, ordered through Doordash, and at various retailers across Vancouver and Toronto.The post Creating Community Through Food with Asha Wheeldon first appeared on Startup Canada.

What a year we have had! Kayla Isabelle, CEO of Startup Canada, takes the mic on the Startup Canada Podcast to reflect on the key events and programs of 2022. Tune in for Kayla’s favourite moments and get a glimpse of what we are planning for 2023.The post 2022 Reflections: A Message From Our CEO first appeared on Startup Canada.

Julia St.Amand is a graduate of the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Kinesiology in 2022. She has worked as a pharmacy assistant, strategic sourcing specialist, and Teachers Assistant and currently, is the co-founder of RetinaLogik Inc.  RetinaLogik Inc is based in Calgary Alberta, and is on a mission to make vision screening and care more accessible for everyone. Julia was our first-place winner of our Startup Global pitch competition in October 2022.  “Canada is one of the best places to build a startup. There are so many resources, funding programs, and opportunities to test your idea.” In this week’s episode of the #StartupCanadaPodcast, sponsored by Mastercard and Scotiabank, Julia talks about her vision for RetinaLogik, her advice for managing teams, and how she maintains a strong relationship with her co-founder.The post Empathetic Leadership with Julia St.Amand first appeared on Startup Canada.

David Gaylord is the current Chief Executive Officer at Bushbalm, a skincare and technology brand focused solely on the bikini line. After spending 7+ years at Shopify he took his ecommerce expertise to launch Bushbalm direct-to-consumer where they grew rapidly, launching in Indigo, Whole Foods, Holt Renfrew and more. The brand is now expanding its channel strategy with over 1,000 waxing salons already carrying the product, and will be launching in a major retailer. Rachel Kerr is the Director of Brand and Sales at Bushbalm Skincare and the company’s first employee. Rachel honed her PR and marketing skills at both Giant Tiger and Hyatt Hotels and since joining Bushbalm overhauled the brand while fostering a community that normalizes common skin irritations that are often ignored by mainstream beauty. “If we see something is working, we will try it five more times. Shorter clip, different caption, different image.” In this week’s episode of the #StartupCanadaPodcast, sponsored by Mastercard and Scotiabank, Rachel & David dive into how they’ve built their DTC brand, how they lean in to talking about taboo topics, and how they’re leveraging TikTok in their marketing strategy.The post Taboo Topics Make For Viral Products with Rachel Kerr and David Gaylord first appeared on Startup Canada.

“You have to connect with people on an emotional level – that is the business of music” Vel Omazic co-founded Canada’s Music Incubator in 2011 and has been CMI’s executive director ever since. Canada’s Music Incubator provides customized professional development, live performance opportunities and ongoing mentorship to emerging artists, managers and industry professionals across all genres of music. Vel has worked in the Canadian music industry for three decades, which has included roles such as Vice-President of National Promotion and Media Relations for Sony Music Canada. Vel is also on the Advisory Board for Toronto Metropolitan University’s Music Den, a hub for music tech and next generation music companies, and an advisor for Platform’s Music Tech Accelerator program (Reverb) in Calgary. Vel is also on the Advisory Board for Gatecrash Music’s AMPLIFY Incubator in Mumbai, India, which is modelled after CMI.  In this week’s episode of the #StartupCanadaPodcast, sponsored by Mastercard and Scotiabank, Vel dives into his multi-decade career within the corporate side of music, his transition into non-profit and entrepreneurship, and his advice for artists.The post Investing in Artists with Vel Omazic first appeared on Startup Canada.

“If employees feel unseen or under-appreciated, it can have devastating effects.” With over 20 years of experience as a founder, leader, and innovator, Muni is passionate about pushing the boundaries of technology to advance the human experience. Kudos allows teams to provide peer-to-peer recognition to acknowledge contributions, accomplishments, and behaviours that align with their culture and values. In 2022, Kudos was named the best place to work in Canada by Human Resources Director (HRD) Canada. Prior to Kudos, Muni led the creation of award-winning technology and design solutions for clients throughout Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, and Mexico. Muni has been listed as the lead inventor on numerous international patents, including the Digital Vinyl® CD that was acquired by Verbatim. A background in architecture was the spark that ignited Muni’s professional career specializing in product, user experience, brand, and strategy. His dedication to creating innovations and models, which embrace diversity; foster unity and culture; and enhance human performance, has led Kudos to be a disruptive force in the employee engagement industry. This week’s episode of the #StartupCanadaPodcast, sponsored by Mastercard and Scotiabank, is part of our mental health takeover for mental health awareness month. In this episode, we discuss employee engagement, empowering your team, and how to recognize and celebrate your teams to prevent burn out.The post Empowered Teams are Motivated Teams with Muni Boga first appeared on Startup Canada.

”University of Toronto is where Insulin was discovered. I believe we can find the same discoveries for the brain too! Why not?”  Dr. Daphne Voineskos is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto and is a Clinician Scientist and psychiatrist at the Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention at CAMH. She also is the Medical Lead of the rTMS Clinic at the Poul Hansen Family Depression Centre at UHN. Dr. Voineskos’ scientific impact is advancing and personalizing investigational and therapeutic brain stimulation techniques in treatment-refractory psychiatric disorders.   Dr. Voineskos has recently been named the Labatt Family Professor in Depression Biology at the University of Toronto. Her early international reputation for her research and scientific potential has been recognized locally, by the Department of Psychiatry, provincially by the prestigious John C. Polanyi Prize in Physiology/Medicine, and internationally by the American Psychiatric Association. She is principal investigator or co-investigator on multiple federally and philanthropically funded studies to optimize and personalize brain stimulation delivery and is a committed mentor and supervisor to graduate students and medical trainees. Dr. Voineskos’ research program is focused on the neurobiological mechanisms and abnormalities in depression, with the translational goal of integrating these scientific findings into clinical care   This week’s episode of the #StartupCanadaPodcast, sponsored by Mastercard and Scotiabank, is part of our mental health takeover for mental health awareness month. In this episode, we discuss Dr. Voineskos’ work and research in mental health and how she sees the mental health landscape evolving in the coming years for Canadians.The post Powerful Mental Health Discoveries with Dr. Daphne Voineskos first appeared on Startup Canada.