The BetaKit Podcast Channel

“Regrettably, I don't think we're very good, to be honest, at collaborating with FinTechs, or collaborating with the private sector more broadly on solving for policy issues.” It's a podcast double feature this week, with two conversations offering a pulse check on financial innovation in Canada. First: Koho’s Daniel Eberhard (CEO) and Peter Aceto (Chief Banking Officer) detail the process of becoming a licensed bank along with the benefits and risks. Second: leaders from Manzil (Mohamad Sawwaf) and Borrowell (Eva Wong) join the Department of Finance Canada’s Julien Brazeau to discuss innovations focused on greater inclusion for Canada’s underbanked. Recorded live at Elevate Festival. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Uber Canada. Uber's driving positive change for riders, drivers, and communities across Toronto. Learn more about how Uber is moving Toronto forward. The BetaKit Podcast is also brought to you by The BetaKit Quiz, a new weekly challenge testing your knowledge of Canadian tech. Head to BetaKit.com/quiz every Friday, take the quiz, and see how well you score!

“The 776 fellowship has connected us to so many opportunities that we would never be connected to [otherwise].” Xatoms co-founder Diana Virgovicova explains how she uses quantum chemistry, AI, grants from tech leaders like Alexis Ohanian, and celebrity relationships to help solve a global clean water problem. Recorded live at Elevate Festival. Related link: Xatoms is planning a quantum leap to clean the world’s water The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Shakepay: Canada's easy way to buy and earn bitcoin. Visit shakepay.com/betakit and join over 1 million Canadians shaking for bitcoin. Also presented by Brampton Venture Zone’s Launch Program: applications for the 2025 cohort are open until November 8th.

"Our DNA is Canadian, but if it's going to help increase the odds that we can build a terrific company hiring out of the US or hiring elsewhere in Canada, we'll do that in a heartbeat." Come for the fireside chat with Clio CEO and co-founder Jack Newton, recorded live at BetaKit Town Hall: Vancouver. Stay for the AMA with BC tech leaders. Presented by AWS Startups: accelerate your innovative ideas with AWS credits of up to $100,000 through the AWS Activate Program.  Also presented by Brampton Venture Zone’s Launch Program: applications for the 2025 cohort are open until November 8th.

“We just don’t have the clout to be able to successfully push policy on top of these platforms without cooperation or partnership from other countries.” Former Google Canada and Twitter Canada exec Rory Capern joins to discuss the ongoing US Big Tech antitrust cases, the state of social media and digital advertising, and what recourse (if any) Canada has to move forward effective regulation. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Shakepay: Canada's easy way to buy and earn bitcoin. Visit shakepay.com/betakit and join over 1 million Canadians shaking for bitcoin.  

“The development of AI is racing ahead from most large corporations’ ability to keep up with it. What does that mean? There’s a nice gap there. There’s a beautiful gap to create products and go fill that gap.” Founders and government capital convene to discuss the go-to-market and scaling realities for AI companies in Canada. Featuring Dwayne Dulmage (BDC), Hongwei Liu (Mappedin), Sarah Legendre-Bilodeau (Videns Analytics), Sam Ramadori (BrainBox AI), and Pape Wade (Airudi). Recorded live at ALL IN in Montréal. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Shakepay: Canada's easy way to buy and earn bitcoin. Visit shakepay.com/betakit and join over 1 million Canadians shaking for bitcoin.  

Join Michael Katchen, Co-founder and CEO of Wealthsimple, and Brett Huneycutt, Co-founder and CPO, as they celebrate a decade of transforming Canadian finance. They reveal how Wealthsimple grew to manage an impressive $50 billion in assets and discuss their plans for an IPO and international expansion. Learn about their commitment to creating a user-centric financial platform amid traditional market challenges and their innovative strategies to build trust and enhance customer experiences in a banking-dominated landscape.

Raesetje Sefala, a research fellow at The Distributed AI Research Institute, dives into the transformative potential of AI in post-apartheid South Africa. She discusses innovative data collection methods that can inform government decisions, emphasizing the importance of accurate representation for marginalized communities. Sefala sheds light on how Canada's approach to AI and data transparency can benefit from South Africa's experiences, particularly in enhancing community services and addressing urban governance issues.

“This is a technology that now is directly impacting society every day and is impacting people's lives. And if we're going to help continue its development in a positive way, we actually need to be involved—not just on the technical side, but also on the policy and the societal impact side as well.” Elissa Strome, executive director of the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy at CIFAR, joins for an open-ended discussion on what that strategy has achieved and where it needs to go next in the face of GenAI, compute crunch, and the stalled Bill C-27. Recorded live at ALL IN. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by WonderFi. Don’t miss BetaKit Talks: You Don’t Know Crypto on September 24th! Discover the latest in Canadian blockchain innovation at our exclusive in-person event. Join us on September 24th for an evening of learning and networking.

“This was mine. This was done. I was going to be the next Steve Jobs, I was going to be rich—everything was happening. And now they took it away.” As the young co-founder of Ottawa-based Gymtrack, Pablo Srugo had one goal: “become insanely rich.” Now a partner at Mistral VC, he joins the podcast to share what went wrong and caution founders against becoming their own worst hypebeast. The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Shakepay: Canada’s easy way to buy and earn bitcoin. Visit shakepay.com/betakit and join over 1 million Canadians shaking for bitcoin.

“Using Canada as an excuse for why you didn’t get funding, you didn’t get to hire the right person … I think that’s bullshit.” Shopify president Harley Finkelstein joins for a brand refresh on Canadian entrepreneurship, pushing back against doom-and-gloom narratives before digging into his real issues of concern and offering proactive tips for entrepreneurs looking to scale globally. Presented by AWS Startups: accelerate your innovative ideas with AWS credits of up to $100,000 through the AWS Activate program.