The BetaKit Podcast Channel

Joe Canavan, Canada's 2025 Angel of the Year and Principal at Canavan Capital, shares his deep passion for tech investing after a finance career. He discusses the vital role of mentorship and personal connections in fostering startup success. Canavan also highlights the challenges posed by recent tax policies and advocates for cohesive governmental support to enhance Canada's tech ecosystem. His insights on bolstering economic sovereignty and the importance of community support resonate strongly in today’s innovation landscape.

“I think for any entrepreneur that’s navigated the last five years, I don’t know if there was a worse time to be building a company.” Clutch found a new gear for its business after a post-pandemic lull … just in time for tariffs to hit. Dan Park (CEO) and Stephen Seibel (COO) join to discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated online car retail, how the end of cheap capital pumped their brakes, and how Clutch regained traction after a savvy market expansion. What has this journey taught them about how to prepare for whatever tariffs will do to the auto industry? Let’s dig in. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Float. Float helps Canadian companies manage spend, automate expenses, and now, convert FX at rates 90% lower than the banks. Sign up in minutes and learn why Canada counts on Float. Related links: Clutch gears up for expansion with $100-million CAD Series B round Clutch cuts staff to extend runway, citing market conditions Clutch cut approximately 65 percent of its staff as online auto marketplaces gear down Clutch recovers valuation and eyes growth with $50-million Series D round

“ Toronto Tech Week belongs to everyone. Toronto Tech Week is by definition a platform, and it succeeds or fails by the virtue of all the hosts and all of the ecosystem in Toronto wanting to participate.” Filling the summer event gap that Collision left in the city, Toronto Tech Week plans to host 10,000 people attending over 100 events this June. How did the ‘community-driven platform’ come to be? How will it be different than other tech events? Toronto Tech Week founding partners and co-organizers Ameet Shah (Golden Ventures), Satish Kanwar (Good Future), and Mell Truong (Sage Consulting) join to tell the story. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Float. Float helps Canadian companies manage spend, automate expenses, and now, convert FX at rates 90% lower than the banks. Sign up in minutes and learn why Canada counts on Float. Related Links: Local leaders launch Toronto Tech Week to accelerate city’s ambitions Chamath Palihapitiya, Sanja Fidler among Homecoming headliners as Toronto Tech Week unveils event calendar BetaKit to launch “Most Ambitious” issue on June 23, 2025

“ At the end of the day, I really wanted a Pebble. It didn't exist. No one was building anything remotely like it. So I, without really knowing what I was doing, decided to go and make it.” Almost 10 years after Pebble’s demise, Eric Migicovsky is back building smartwatches. The Canadian behind some of the largest Kickstarter projects of all time explains why he’s relaunching the device he originally made for himself, the incredible luck that has allowed him to do so, and the lessons he’s learned along the way. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Float. Float helps Canadian companies manage spend, automate expenses, and now convert FX at rates 90% lower than the banks. Sign up in minutes and learn why Canada counts on Float. Related links: Why We’re Bringing Pebble Back Kickstarter's all-time most-funded list Eric Migicovsky's blog post on why Pebble failed  

“ It's worth it. Because this deserves to live. We've gotten it far enough that this deserves to actually come to fruition. I don't think there is another company in the world today that actually is closer to this sci-fi dream.” Revisiting BetaKit’s January interview with SRTX founder Katherine Homuth about her company’s ambitious goal to modernize Western textile manufacturing in light of recent news that she will step down as CEO contingent on a deal to secure new financing. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Float. Float helps Canadian companies manage spend, automate expenses, and now convert FX at rates 90% lower than the banks. Sign up in minutes and learn why Canada counts on Float. The BetaKit Podcast is also brought to you by Consensus, where innovators meet investors. This May, crypto’s longest-running conference will welcome 20,000 attendees to shape the future of the decentralized digital economy at its inaugural festival in Toronto, Canada’s largest tech and financial hub. You can’t afford to miss it. Visit go.coindesk.com/betakit to sign up and save 20% off your ticket! Related links: SRTX founder and CEO Katherine Homuth to step down amid fundraising push and tariff threat SRTX temporarily lays off 40 percent of staff ahead of US tariff “worst-case scenario”

“ By the time these companies are ready for B and C [rounds], their cap tables are super clean, too. So it doesn't really make sense that we're not putting money into them.” In a time of global uncertainty, a new report by the Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) shows that Canada lags other countries in foodtech funding, relying too much on public funding. CEO Dana McCauley joins to discuss the report, how CFIN’s 6,500 members are navigating tariffs, and why it's important that Canada invests in the tech that feeds us. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by The Cyber Challenge, powered by Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst and CCTX—your pathway to new sales, industry connections, and non-dilutive funding. If you're ready to scale, refine, and lead cybersecurity innovation, apply today at www.thecyberchallenge.ca. The BetaKit Podcast is also brought to you by Consensus, where innovators meet investors. This May, crypto’s longest-running conference will welcome 20,000 attendees to shape the future of the decentralized digital economy at its inaugural festival in Toronto, Canada’s largest tech and financial hub. You can’t afford to miss it. Visit go.coindesk.com/betakit to sign up and save 20% off your ticket! Related links: Foodtech in Canada: 2025 Ecosystem Report

”Apple won't use user data to develop and train AI. And Apple lives in a world where AI is going to be table stakes in any software or hardware moving forward.” Call it counter-programming. A tech palate cleanse for all the election and trade war talk. This week, Rob and Doug tackle the latest AI developments: vibe coding, Cohere’s (temporary?) LLM pole position, AI data centres from Telus (powered by Nvidia), and Apple’s delayed intelligence. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by The Cyber Challenge, powered by Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst and CCTX—your pathway to new sales, industry connections, and non-dilutive funding. If you're ready to scale, refine, and lead cybersecurity innovation, apply today at www.thecyberchallenge.ca. The BetaKit Podcast is also brought to you by Consensus, where innovators meet investors. This May, crypto’s longest-running conference will welcome 20,000 attendees to shape the future of the decentralized digital economy at its inaugural festival in Toronto, Canada’s largest tech and financial hub. You can’t afford to miss it. Visit go.coindesk.com/betakit to sign up and save 20% off your ticket!   Related links: Something Is Rotten in the State of Cupertino Apple’s AI division reportedly starting from scratch   Apple’s Craig Federighi Discusses the Future of iPhone AI Apple’s Catch-22 Cohere’s Command A goes brrrrrrrrr Cohere had to extend the axis a bit Telus, data centres and ‘Sovereign AI’ (powered by Nvidia) 25% of Y Combinator’s latest startup batch is vibe coding Vibe coding startups are already raising millions @leojr94_ vibe coded his way into a cyber attack (lol)  

 ”One of the things that I think we've got to critically think about in our country for the future is that we've got to begin using those dollars effectively, like the $4 billion in SR&ED.” CCI’s Ben Bergen joins to discuss items innovators hope will be on the agenda in the forthcoming federal election before ranking what programs (VCCI, SR&ED, etc.) and policies (AI regulation, open banking, etc.) the next government in power might adopt, drop, or move forward. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by The Cyber Challenge, powered by Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst and CCTX—your pathway to new sales, industry connections, and non-dilutive funding. If you're ready to scale, refine, and lead cybersecurity innovation, apply today at www.thecyberchallenge.ca.  Related links: How to fix SR&ED Four new Canadian tech announcements in the Fall Economic Statement that shouldn’t be overlooked Fall Economic Statement brings more delays for open banking in Canada A requiem for the feds’ (failed) innovation strategy

“I don’t know what Canadian DOGE is. You know what I know? That everyone is projecting both their hopes and fears onto this thing.” Ex-Shopify VP Daniel Debow joins to discuss his Build Canada initiative, what it’s attempting to achieve, what it isn’t, and his frustration regarding ongoing associations with ‘Canadian DOGE’. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by The Cyber Challenge, powered by Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst and CCTX—your pathway to new sales, industry connections, and non-dilutive funding. If you're ready to scale, refine, and lead cybersecurity innovation, apply today at www.thecyberchallenge.ca.  Related links: Major tech figures get into politics with launch of Build Canada  The tech CEOs who want a DOGE for Canada  Canada's tech broligarchs are getting organized too Should we be worried about Canadian DOGE? DEI rollback is the “wrong direction for Canada,” open letter says What Debow says he’s hearing from senior civil servants  

“It feels like my inclusion was optional, and that is a scary message to be told. ‘We were doing you a favour by letting you in the room.’” AccessNow founder and CEO Maayan Ziv has been working in the accessibility space for over a decade—long enough to know that progress is slow and takes a fight. With DEIA currently being blamed for “everything from bad business decisions to plane crashes,” Ziv joins to explain why she feels the fight is “slipping through our fingers.” The BetaKit Podcast is presented by CIX SUMMIT, powered by Elevate. CIX is Canada’s largest startup awards program and investment conference that brings together Canada’s most promising tech founders, global investors, and industry advisors to power new deals. Join us March 26 at the Design Exchange. Get your tickets now!