The BetaKit Podcast Channel

"I know people with amazing ideas, but they don't have the right investment to take their idea to the prototype stage. At the prototype stage, they don't have the ability to take it to the manufacturing stage. So guess what happens? Another company from outside the country comes and snatches 'em up. It was heartbreaking to see that our amazing talent is being sucked away."
After decades in public service roles, former Minister of Defence Harjit Sajjan is reporting for duty once again as a defence-tech entrepreneur with Vancouver-based Juno Industries. Sajjan joins this week to offer a SITREP for Canada, including his thoughts on the Defence Industrial Strategy and Juno's plans to become an innovation hub for defence in Canada.
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The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Zoho, developers of a unique and powerful software suite that transforms the way you work.
Zoho's flagship user conference, Zoholics Toronto 2026, is coming May 21-22 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre! Join hundreds of business leaders, customers, and Zoho experts for two days of learning, inspiration, and connection. Explore the latest in AI, automation, and cloud-powered collaboration—and see how Zoho's all-in-one suite helps organizations work smarter and grow faster.
Go here to learn more and secure your spot.
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Solve for X is back! The latest season of the MaRS podcast is exploring more world-changing ideas. Join journalist Manjula Selvarajah as she talks to the people behind the latest innovations in tech and science.
Get a jump on the future. Listen to season 4 of Solve for X wherever you get your podcasts.

"There's a lot in this document… Do we feel the urgency and the threats are covered here?"
After months of waiting, the Defence Industrial Strategy offers clarity for $7 billion worth of spending commitments in Budget 2025. Is that enough? What's missing? What comes next?
Vass Bednar (Canadian Shield Institute) and Matt Lombardi (The Icebreaker) join to evaluate the strategy, the spending, and some sticky questions about canola oil and Canadian sovereignty.
 
The BetaKit Podcast is presented by BetaKit Most Ambitious: Town Hall, the marquee opening event of Toronto Tech Week 2026.
Taking place on May 25 at the iconic TIFF Lightbox, BetaKit Most Ambitious: Town Hall will bring together over 500 leaders from across Canada's tech and innovation ecosystem for meaningful conversations about strengthening the nation's autonomy, security, and prosperity.
Get your tickets today before they sell out.
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The BetaKit Podcast is presented by The BetaKit Newsletter: BetaKit's flagship newsletter.

Every Sunday, The BetaKit Newsletter serves up in-depth analysis and insights on Canadian tech and innovation news, piping hot and straight to your inbox.
Your inbox deserves better, and so do you. Stay informed on all things Canadian tech by signing up for The BetaKit Newsletter today.

"With AI, it should bring down the barriers to how you quickly adopt new software without having to become masters of the software."
When StackAdapt started with its adtech solution, competition was fierce and investors didn't see the opportunity. A decade later, StackAdapt is one of Canada's largest and most profitable private companies. CEO and co-founder Vitaly Pecherskiy joins to discuss how that happened, and why AI has changed B2B software development.

The BetaKit Podcast is presented by BetaKit Most Ambitious: Town Hall, the marquee opening event of Toronto Tech Week 2026.
Taking place on May 25 at the iconic TIFF Lightbox, BetaKit Most Ambitious: Town Hall will bring together over 500 leaders from across Canada's tech and innovation ecosystem for meaningful conversations about strengthening the nation's autonomy, security, and prosperity.
Get your tickets today before they sell out.
--
The BetaKit Podcast is presented by The BetaKit Newsletter: BetaKit's flagship newsletter.

Every Sunday, The BetaKit Newsletter serves up in-depth analysis and insights on Canadian tech and innovation news, piping hot and straight to your inbox.
Your inbox deserves better, and so do you. Stay informed on all things Canadian tech by signing up for The BetaKit Newsletter today.

"We have a collective action problem. Somebody has to take the first step and say, 'Hey, we're going to deploy a lot of capital here in Canada. We're gonna bet that Canada is going to grow more over the next 20 years than it did over the last 20 years."
Recent data shows that the bottom has fallen out of Canadian venture capital, erasing any post-pandemic highs and taking the country back about a decade in terms of both dollars raised and dollars deployed by our nation's VCs.
What's the reason for Canadian venture's slow decline? What is the impact on the ecosystem? And most importantly, what can be done to reverse the trend?
A power panel of grumpy men in venture join to discuss: Matt Roberts (RBCx), Jesse Wiebe (Startup TNT), and Ben Bergen (CVCA).
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The BetaKit Podcast is presented by Zoho, developers of a unique and powerful software suite that transforms the way you work.
Zoho's flagship user conference, Zoholics Toronto 2026, is coming May 21-22 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre! Join hundreds of business leaders, customers, and Zoho experts for two days of learning, inspiration, and connection. Explore the latest in AI, automation, and cloud-powered collaboration—and see how Zoho's all-in-one suite helps organizations work smarter and grow faster.
Go here to learn more and secure your spot.
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Related Links:
A perfect storm": 2025 was the worst year for Canadian VC fundraising since 2016 
Capital concentrates as Canadian VC market narrows: report
CVCA and NACO offer competing visions for feds' $750-million venture envelope
 The feds asked investors for candid feedback on BDC. It was never actioned

"Speed is of the essence. This is a super dynamic marketplace. Canada is losing entrepreneurs, we're losing the next generation of founders, and we need to do things, quick."
More than a decade ago, Canada launched the Start-up Visa program to attract entrepreneurial talent from around the world. After years of complaints of delays, fraud, and abuse, the program was suspended while featuring a whopping 10-35 year wait time. Boris Wertz (Version One Ventures) and Lucy Hargreaves (Build Canada) join to discuss what went wrong and what a functional entrepreneurial immigration program might look like.
Related links:
Canada suspends Start-Up Visa as feds look to transition to new program
Entrepreneurs face more than a decade wait for Canada's Start-up Visa
Why is the Start-up Visa program struggling?
Canada Can Attract the World's Best Entrepreneurs