What The Tech?

On this episode of What The Tech we welcome Aaron Konyer, Chief Technology Officer at Modular Solutions. Founded in 2015, Modular Solutions (formerly Nude Solutions) is a SaaS company on a mission to remove pain and friction from the insurance industry through software that allows Insurance Carriers, Managing General Agencies, Mutuals and Brokers to transform and modernize their businessIn his role as CTO, Aaron leads the design and evolution of the Modular Solutions platform, bringing experience in system architecture, distributed services and backend engineering to build maintainable and adaptive systems that scale alongside business needs.  It’s an incredible, Alberta-born business that’s also a Boast partner, and I couldn’t be more excited to pick Aaron’s brain on Modular’s unique place in their industry, the cool tech he’s been steering, and what it takes to succeed in today’s market.  Boast accelerates the success of innovative businesses globally with software that integrates financial, payroll, and engineering data into a single platform of R&D intelligence. Visit Boast.ai, sign up for our Blog newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn for weekly #InnovatorsLive sessions and the latest news to fuel your growth. Intro and Outro music provided by Dennis Ma whose mixes you can find on Soundcloud at DJ DennyDex.

In this episode of Boast's What the Tech podcast we chat with Steven Vi, Lead Solutions Engineer at VizworX Inc., a custom software development company based in Calgary. Steven shares his journey from academic research at the University of Calgary to leading complex tech projects at VizworX. They discuss the company's innovative approaches using AR, VR, AI, IoT, geospatial data mapping, and much more to solve diverse business challenges. Steven delves into exciting projects like virtual operations environments and distributed command centers, highlighting the collaborative and forward-thinking ethos at VizworX. The conversation also touches on funding innovation through various grants and the R&D tax credits and the importance of combining core research with practical application to drive real-world impact.00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome01:45 Steven's Background and Role at VIS Works03:49 The Intersection of Technology and Business08:59 Applied Research and Development at VIS Works15:09 Funding and Innovation Strategies21:55 Future Projects and Closing RemarksBoast accelerates the success of innovative businesses globally with software that integrates financial, payroll, and engineering data into a single platform of R&D intelligence. Visit Boast.ai, sign up for our Blog newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn for weekly #InnovatorsLive sessions and the latest news to fuel your growth. Intro and Outro music provided by Dennis Ma whose mixes you can find on Soundcloud at DJ DennyDex.

For fast-growing tech companies, navigating SR&ED tax credits can mean the difference between extending runway by quarters or getting bogged down in painful audits that consume dozens of hours. The key differentiator? Finding a technical partner who can translate engineering innovation into tax language without requiring extensive hand-holding. Tyler Kelloway, Director of Finance at CoLab Software, joins the latest What The Tech podcast to share his journey from Big Four accounting to wearing every hat at a Y Combinator startup, and why switching to a specialized SR&ED provider saved significant development time while growing their claims year over year. Boast accelerates the success of innovative businesses globally with software that integrates financial, payroll, and engineering data into a single platform of R&D intelligence. Visit Boast.ai, sign up for our Blog newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn for weekly #InnovatorsLive sessions and the latest news to fuel your growth. Intro and Outro music provided by Dennis Ma whose mixes you can find on Soundcloud at DJ DennyDex.

Some of the best entrepreneurial journeys begin with simple problems that need solving. For Ahmed Hadjeres, founder and principal electrical engineer at ProductShop, that problem was remarkably straightforward: He loved music shows but couldn't score tickets. That quest for free concerts led him to build access control technology that would eventually be used at Tomorrowland, Lollapalooza, and the Olympics before being acquired by Eventbrite. On the latest What The Tech podcast, Hadjeres shares his unconventional journey from first-year engineering student to venture studio founder, and why Montreal's innovation ecosystem needs more support despite having world-class talent. Boast accelerates the success of innovative businesses globally with software that integrates financial, payroll, and engineering data into a single platform of R&D intelligence. Visit Boast.ai, sign up for our Blog newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn for weekly #InnovatorsLive sessions and the latest news to fuel your growth. Intro and Outro music provided by Dennis Ma whose mixes you can find on Soundcloud at DJ DennyDex.

From working behind the counter in his family's retail business to overseeing finance, operations, product, and engineering at one of Canada's most innovative fintech companies, Aly Khan Musani's career path demonstrates how foundational business principles remain constant even as industries evolve. As CFO and COO of Symend, Musani brings more than 20 years of leadership experience to bear on a deceptively complex problem: Helping major companies like Telus communicate effectively with customers who've missed payments. On the latest What The Tech podcast, he shares insights on building behavioral science-driven solutions, navigating government funding programs, and why understanding cash flow gives you control over your destiny. Boast accelerates the success of innovative businesses globally with software that integrates financial, payroll, and engineering data into a single platform of R&D intelligence. Visit Boast.ai, sign up for our Blog newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn for weekly #InnovatorsLive sessions and the latest news to fuel your growth. Intro and Outro music provided by Dennis Ma whose mixes you can find on Soundcloud at DJ DennyDex.

Hello and welcome to What The Tech from Boast AI, where we talk with some of the brilliant minds behind new and exciting tech initiatives to learn what it takes to tackle “Technological Uncertainty” and eventually change the world. For small businesses navigating the complex world of R&D tax credits, finding the right partners can make all the difference between leaving money on the table and maximizing government incentives. That's where strategic partnerships between accounting firms and specialized tax credit providers create real value for entrepreneurs. This week welcome to the show John Hunt, CPA and Sr. Manager at General Ledger Partners (aka GLP). In his role, John and team provide detailed, efficient and accurate bookkeeping and financial consulting services to small businesses. Based in Austin, Texas, John and his team actually partner with Boast to help their clients maximize their access to Innovation Tax Credits to enhance their runway and build stronger products.  For subscribers to the show, you may remember we last connected with John’s colleague Jason Terry last year to chat through what it’s like supporting innovative SMBs in 2024. Needless to say, a lot has changed between then and now, and I can’t wait to pick John’s brain on how doing business at any scale in the U.S. has evolved in 2025, how his team partners with Boast, and what’s on deck for the future. Boast accelerates the success of innovative businesses globally with software that integrates financial, payroll, and engineering data into a single platform of R&D intelligence. Visit Boast.ai, sign up for our Blog newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn for weekly #InnovatorsLive sessions and the latest news to fuel your growth. Intro and Outro music provided by Dennis Ma whose mixes you can find on Soundcloud at DJ DennyDex.

What The Tech is back for a new season of innovation insights with leaders across Canada's tech ecosystem. On our return episode, we welcome to the show Leigh Christie, Cofounder of MistyWest. Launched in 2003, MistyWest is an engineering design consultancy that helps create futuristic technologies that enable a healthier planet while bringing prosperity to all humankind. While their primary focus is on projects that advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Misty West provides product consulting services to a wide range of industries, from IoT to computer vision systems to battery packs and device packaging.  Leigh and his team at MistyWest are also Boast partners who share our vision for helping connect innovators with the resources they need to bring world-changing products to market. I’m thrilled to pick his brain on how he got into the innovation space, what he’s seen in the two decades since founding MistyWest and what’s on the roadmap.Boast accelerates the success of innovative businesses globally with software that integrates financial, payroll, and engineering data into a single platform of R&D intelligence. Visit Boast.ai, sign up for our Blog newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn for weekly #InnovatorsLive sessions and the latest news to fuel your growth. Intro and Outro music provided by Dennis Ma whose mixes you can find on Soundcloud at DJ DennyDex.

On this episode of What The Tech from Boast AI, we’re thrilled to welcome onto the show entrepreneur-extraordinaire David Brennan!  David is the CEO and Co-Founder of Arkeo AI, which is a SaaS Copilot that enables sales teams to achieve faster win rates and ultimately close more deals. More than just a sales tool, Arkeo AI is designed specifically for SaaS founders and their teams to make informed decisions and drive growth. As customers integrate their systems, Arkeo offers AI Agents tailored to specific departments that continuously analyze data and deliver actionable insights while also alerting to opportunities and threats.  As powerful as the Arkeo AI solution is, this is hardly David’s first go-round in the entrepreneurship space. He holds an Executive MBA with a specialization in Innovative Leadership, co-founded Safety Evolution in 2016, and helped execute the strategic acquisition of SafetyTrek in 2022 before embarking on the Arkeo Ai journey.  It’s an impressive career to date, and David shares some of his expertise for building a successful AI business in 2024, and what’s on deck for the future. Boast accelerates the success of innovative businesses globally with software that integrates financial, payroll, and engineering data into a single platform of R&D intelligence. Visit Boast.ai, sign up for our Blog newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn for weekly #InnovatorsLive sessions and the latest news to fuel your growth. Intro and Outro music provided by Dennis Ma whose mixes you can find on Soundcloud at DJ DennyDex.

On this latest episode of What The Tech, we welcome the Founder & CEO of Tuktu Care, Rustam Sengupta!  Rustam is a passionate serial entrepreneur with a focus on senior care technology, climate change, and renewable energy. As the founder and CEO of Tuktu Care, an on-demand marketplace that connects aging adults with local providers and companions, he leads the creation of innovative solutions for better aging in place.  Before Tuktu Care, Rustam worked with SDTC, one of Canada's leading sustainable energy funding organizations, and taught at the University of British Columbia. He also managed research projects for the Initiative for Sustainable Energy Policy (ISEP) at Johns Hopkins University.  If that wasn’t enough, Rustam also serves on the boards of several impactful organizations and nonprofits, while also serving as Executive in Residence at the Foresight Cleantech Accelerator in Vancouver—a group that we’re big fans of here at Boast!  It’s an impressive CV and I cannot wait to pick Rustam’s brain on what it takes to achieve success and drive such positive change as an entrepreneur. Boast accelerates the success of innovative businesses globally with software that integrates financial, payroll, and engineering data into a single platform of R&D intelligence. Visit Boast.ai, sign up for our Blog newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn for weekly #InnovatorsLive sessions and the latest news to fuel your growth. Intro and Outro music provided by Dennis Ma whose mixes you can find on Soundcloud at DJ DennyDex.

Welcome to What The Tech from Boast AI, where we talk with some of the brilliant minds behind new and exciting tech initiatives to learn what it takes to tackle “technological uncertainty” and, eventually, change the world.  Today we welcome VentureX Principal Sydney Wong onto the show! Sydney is an exited tech founder turned early-stage investor with 10+ years of experience in venture capital, startups, and management consulting. She currently leads investments at VentureX Capital and built their venture studio from the ground up as a first hire. Her expertise spans deal sourcing, due diligence, and portfolio support, with a track record in PreSeed to Series A.  On top of all that, Sydney is passionate about building high-impact startups and fostering a strong VC community as Chapter Lead for Women in VC. It’s an incredible mission, and we pick her brain on her experiences to date in the startup space, what’s on deck for the rest of 2024, and her take on the tech and startup ecosystem heading into 2025. Boast accelerates the success of innovative businesses globally with software that integrates financial, payroll, and engineering data into a single platform of R&D intelligence. Visit Boast.ai, sign up for our Blog newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn for weekly #InnovatorsLive sessions and the latest news to fuel your growth. Intro and Outro music provided by Dennis Ma whose mixes you can find on Soundcloud at DJ DennyDex.