
TechTO Quick Takes | Canadian tech news and analysis (TechTO.org)
Explore every episode of TechTO Quick Takes | Canadian tech news and analysis
Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
---|---|---|---|
26 Jan 2023 | Atomicjar taps into Canadian tech talent pool, Tiny merges with WeCommerce, Magnet Forensics attracts Private Equity and more | Thursday January 26, 2023 | 00:36:49 | |
Quick Takes is back, kicking off 2023 with the same run downs, stories and analysis of the latest chatter and news in Canadian Tech. Returning on a bi-weekly basis, we launch a new episode every other Thursday featuring the same analysis, news of the week, stories and perspectives you love. Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly breakdown the latest chatter and news from around the Canadian Tech Ecosystem, sharing their perspectives and featuring the shared stories of others from across the industry. You can share your takes with us for future episodes at: alex@techto.org. Subscribe to our 3x weekly newsletter to get these episodes, and more right to your inbox: www.techto.org/newsletter DON'T FORGET TO LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE WHEREVER YOU ARE LISTENING Today, the team breaks down: Atomicjar's raise and commitment to build teams in Canada (BIG THANKS to Eli Aleyner of Atomicjar for joining us LIVE) WeCommerce and Tiny join forces Magnet Forensics attracts Private Equity Accord raises $10m USD (they're also TechTO Insiders!) Today's Content: (0:00) A+A kick off the episode and introduce today's topics (1:17) Eli Aleyner of Atomicjar joins Alex for a Q&A and to share more news (15:23) WeCommerce and Tiny join forces. What is the news? (21:24) Why are the companies merging now? (26:22) Need a Co-Founder? Email alex@techto.org and tell us what you're looking for (26:33) Magnet Forensics attracts Private Equity (29:20) Our take on the transaction (33:03) Accord raises $10m USD (34:33) TechTO Events are fast approaching (www.techto.org to learn more and get your tickets) Learn more about Atomicjar here | |||
03 Sep 2021 | Flinks, Vice Media, Top Hat - September 2, 2021 | 00:24:22 | |
It’s the first Thursday in September, and today we’re talking about: National Bank of Canada makes $100m+ bet on Flinks, VICE Media is too much to handle for SPACs and raises $85m, and Top Hat continues to stock its shelf. | |||
26 Mar 2021 | Think Research, Thinkific, Maple, Hopper & Capital One, Beanworks & Quadient - Mar 26, 2021 | 00:32:15 | |
It’s Friday March 26th 2021, and today we’ll be talking about: Think Research thinks it can end COVID (featuring Sachin Aggarwal, CEO of Think Research), Thinkific and Maple tapping the TSX, Hopper is in the Capital One Wallet, and Beanworks sells their beans to Quadient. | |||
28 Oct 2021 | On Deck, Hopper, Magnet Forensics, Hootsuite, Propel, Calendarhero, Fellow, CCI - October 28, 2021 | 00:28:43 | |
It’s Thursday October 28th 2021, and today we’re talking about: On Deck launches a $100m USD accelerator, Hopper continues its transformation by acquiring PlacePass, IP-Oh Canada: Sharethrough, Magnet Forensics, Hootsuite, Propel Holdings, D2L and Q4; and in the lightning takes: CalendarHero acquired by Vendasta, Fellow.app raises $24m USD; and Council of Canadian Innovators | Conseil Canadien des Innovateurs launches board training. | |||
21 Oct 2024 | The hottest fundraising market | October 21, 2024 | 00:33:48 | |
Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO unpacked the latest headlines including: - KOHO's massive raise - Fable continuing to make strides in accessibility with their latest round - and more takeaways for today's Founders on how to fundraise right now Don't forget to like and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts. Subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss a minute or a new episode: www.techto.org/newsletter | |||
14 Apr 2022 | Glow-Up: Investments, Raises, Marketplace Listings: A16Z, Shopify, Dialogue, Uplinq - April 14, 2022 | 00:23:07 | |
It’s Thursday, April 14, 2022, and today we’re talking about:
Insider company of the week: https://www.ninjadelivery.ca/ | |||
09 Feb 2023 | What is going on with D-Wave, Shopify makes another investment in tech, A breakdown of the biggest raise of the year (so far) | February 9, 2023 | 00:28:37 | |
Quick Takes is back, with a brand new episode! Returning on a bi-weekly basis, we launch a new episode every other Thursday featuring the same analysis, news of the week, stories and perspectives you love. Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly breakdown the latest chatter and news from around the Canadian Tech Ecosystem, sharing their perspectives and featuring the shared stories of others from across the industry. You can share your takes with us for future episodes at: alex@techto.org. Subscribe to our 3x weekly newsletter to get these episodes, and more right to your inbox: www.techto.org/newsletter *DON'T FORGET TO LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE WHEREVER YOU ARE LISTENING* Today the team breaks down: What is happening with D-Wave (and all the rumours), Shopify's latest investment in tech, the biggest raise of the year (so far), and more events and happenings for the ecosystem. | |||
03 Jun 2022 | Pine shows VC's love Canadian FinTech, Three Comma Club drops it's first episode, a look ahead for our community | June 2, 2022 | 00:16:33 | |
It's Thursday, June 2 and today we are talking about:
| |||
14 Jul 2022 | Knixwear defines a category, PEs love PointClickCare, Introducing new segments, and more ways to raise | July 14, 2022 | 00:28:04 | |
It's Thursday July 14, 2022 and here are today's headlines:
With Knixwear making news in this episode, we want to showcase more content from the Founder and CEO of the brand Joanna Griffiths. Check out some of her discussions at past TechTO events: We also discuss PointClickCare and Mike Wessinger's Founder journey. He was a guest on our recent Three Comma Club Podcast. You can catch his full episode here | |||
09 Dec 2021 | Should you raise in secret?, Mastering Network Effects, Recent Funding, and Big Tech - December 9, 2021 | 00:34:18 | |
It’s Thursday December 9nd 2021, and today we’re talking about: mastering enterprise network effects with Spare, “Etsy for X” is fundable: GoodGood raises $6.5m, should you raise in secret? Buf finally announces $93M US in funding, and how to take on big tech: Rumble competes with YouTube and goes public. | |||
27 Jan 2022 | Raise Galore! Recent Funding Market News: Shoplazza, BenchSci, Caribou - January 27, 2022 | 00:25:26 | |
It’s Thursday, January 27th, 2022, and today we’re talking about: what's happening with funding markets, centralized crypto banking is becoming more competitive in Canada, easiest way to enter new geographies can be via acquisition, SHOPLAZZA raises $150m USD from SoftBank Group Corp., BenchSci raises $50m USD, and Caribou raises $3m USD. | |||
12 Aug 2021 | Velocity, FreshBooks, Kira Systems, Litera - August 12, 2021 | 00:27:33 | |
It’s Thursday August 12th, and today we’re talking about: Southwestern Ontario team up to launch Health Innovation network, FreshBooks now contain a $1b valuation and is looking to expand globally and due diligence is completed as Kira Systems is acquired by Litera. | |||
20 Jan 2021 | Wattpad, Bold Commerce, Rewind, Navdeep Bains - Jan 20, 2021 | 00:29:44 | |
It’s Wednesday January 20th 2021, and today on TechTO Quick Takes we’ll be talking about: Wattpad sold to South Korean internet giant Naver, Bold Commerce raises $35m led by Omers Ventures, Rewind.io raises $19m series A, and Navdeep Bains steps down as Minister of Innovation. | |||
26 Feb 2024 | Stay Golden | the good & bad of fundraising, plus more lightning round deals from the last few weeks | February 26, 2024 | 00:26:22 | |
Today's episode is sponsored by Humi As a TechTO community member, you can get access to their exclusive offer: 25% off, with no implementation and base fees – plus 30 days free. Learn more about Humi and how they can support your business at www.humi.ca/techto Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO are back to break down the headlines from the past few weeks in Canadian Tech.
- The future of Techstars Toronto (and why it may have failed) - Staying Golden with the big news from Golden Ventures - The bright future of Canadian Tech
Aside from the takes and headlines of the week, do you want us to dive into other things? More frequently asked questions, US news, industry-specific topics? LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS! You can also register for all upcoming events mentioned here: Don't forget to like and subscribe wherever you're watching or listening to this series. | |||
30 Sep 2021 | Semios, LevelJump, Zuva, Conexiom, Gatik, Convictional - September 30, 2021 | 00:30:41 | |
It’s Thursday September 30th 2021, and today we’re talking about: Semios harvests $100m USD to eat up agtech, Salesforce acquires LevelJump.io, Kira Systems spinout Zuva raises $20m, and a lighting round: Conexiom raises $130m from Warburg Pincus LLC, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company rolls into Gatik, and Convictional raises $6.7m. | |||
04 Nov 2021 | Raising With or Without Momentum, Becoming a Repeat Founder?, Scaling Hardware - November 4, 2021 | 00:33:12 | |
It’s Thursday November 4th 2021, and today we’re talking about: Momentum fundraising: Tiger Global Management invests $37M in Float, No momentum yet? Be a repeat founder: Practice raises $10m US, Scaling hardware is hard: ecobee sells to Generac Power Systems for $770M. Lightning takes: Uvaro raises, and AlayaCare goes shopping. | |||
11 Aug 2023 | AI startups continue to thrive, how VCs are adjusting to the current market, and a recent acquisition on all of our minds | August 11, 2023 | 00:25:51 | |
Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO are back to break down more of the news, trends, and analysis from the past few weeks in Canadian Tech. | |||
26 Jan 2024 | Have our predictions held up? Plus, we're finally talking about more good news including raises and acquisitions | January 26, 2024 | 00:25:12 | |
Today's episode is sponsored by Humi As a TechTO community member, you can get access to their exclusive offer: 25% off, with no implementation and base fees – plus 30 days free. Learn more about Humi and how they can support your business at www.humi.ca/techto Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly return to break down the latest stories from the past few weeks in Canadian Tech. - Look back at our initial 2024 predictions and compare yours here | |||
12 Jan 2023 | Quick Takes RETURNS | Web3 contagion enters Canada, Radical Ventures rides the AI wave, and more | January 12, 2023 | 00:29:31 | |
Quick Takes is back, kicking off 2023 with the same run downs, stories and analysis of the latest chatter and news in Canadian Tech. Returning on a bi-weekly basis, we launch a new episode every other Thursday featuring the same analysis, news of the week, stories and perspectives you love. Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly breakdown the latest chatter and news from around the Canadian Tech Ecosystem, sharing their perspectives and featuring the shared stories of others from across the industry. You can share your takes with us for future episodes at: alex@techto.org. Subscribe to our 3x weekly newsletter to get these episodes, and more right to your inbox: www.techto.org/newsletter DON'T FORGET TO LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE WHEREVER YOU ARE LISTENING Today, the team breaks down:
(0:00) A+A kick off the episode and introduce today's topics (1:16) Radical Ventures riding the AI wave (4:16) Why is radical unique for the ecosystem? (11:14) Coinsquare backs out of acquisition. What happened? (18:43) Nuvei growing rapidly. What's the secret? (26:52) Upcoming events for our community - check them out at www.techto.org | |||
04 Feb 2021 | Quebec VC, Hubba, Snowflake - Feb 4, 2021 | 00:27:32 | |
It’s Thursday February 4th 2021, and today we’ll be talking about: $100M for Quebec Venture Funds, Longtime Toronto startup darling Hubba shuts down, and Snowflake, a giant cloud company, is opening an office in Canada. | |||
07 Sep 2023 | What does the rest of 2023 look like, AI's impact on our jobs, where did all the acquisitions go, and the affects of politics on Canadian tech | September 7, 2023 | 00:28:54 | |
Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO return to breakdown the latest news, trends, and analysis on this brand new episode of Quick Takes.
| |||
19 Oct 2023 | More money for AI, timing the market, and finally we talk about some raises | October 19, 2023 | 00:27:35 | |
Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly return with the latest episode of TechTO Quick Takes. They breakdown the latest news, trends and analysis from the past few weeks in Canadian Tech. Today, Alex and Alex chat through:
Special thanks to our friends at Float for sponsoring today's episode.
Subscribe | |||
12 Apr 2024 | AI, death tech, and more companies going private | April 11, 2024 | 00:31:57 | |
Today's episode is sponsored by Humi - learn more about their solutions at 15:09 Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO are back to break down some top stories from the last week. In today's episode, they chat about: - The Billion dollar AI package (all hype or the real deal?) - DeathTech is in the news (finally) - Is more privatization coming? If you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to like and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts. #TechTO #QuickTakes #TechNews More on Eirene: In today's episode, we discuss Eirene's recent raise and how they are re-inventing the funeral industry through a modern, tech-savvy approach. CEO Mallory Greene spoke at a recent TechTO. Watch here to learn more | |||
01 Dec 2023 | Navigating turbulent times, the next step forward for the residential investment market, the pillars of success for today's startups, and a look ahead to 2024 | December 1, 2023 | 00:27:37 | |
Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO return with a new episode of TechTO: Quick Takes. In this series, Alex and Alex break down the latest news, trends, announcements, and analysis from the past few weeks in Canadian Tech. In today's episode, we discuss: - How a business can navigate turbulent times - A new strategic partnership for BetaKit - Look ahead to 2024 - And the pillars of success for startups in today's market If you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to like and subscribe wherever you're watching or listening. Don't forget to share your takes with us on the past few weeks in Canadian Tech. #TechTO #TechNews #Analysis #QuickTakes | |||
25 Feb 2021 | Dapper Labs, Borrowell, Galvanize - Feb 25, 2021 | 00:27:23 | |
It’s Thursday February 25th 2021, and today we’ll be talking about: Vancouver’s Dapper Labs shoots some hoops to raise $250m, Toronto based Borrowell raises $25M to acquire Kelowna BC-based Refresh Financial, and Diligent acquires Vancouver based Galvanize for $1 billion. | |||
04 Mar 2024 | Special Edition of Quick Takes | Ft. Matt Golden of Golden Ventures | 00:16:29 | |
On this special edition of Quick Takes, Matt Golden of Golden Ventures joined the podcast to chat about the recent announcement for Golden Ventures. In this interview, Matt shares more on: - The opportunities they are providing for Founders - The outlook for the Canadian tech ecosystem - The full offerings of Golden Ventures and what's new - What they look for when providing funding and mentorship to Founders Share your takes with us and let us know who you'd like to hear from next. #QuickTakes #Fundraising #Founders #CanadianTech | |||
30 Jun 2023 | Access to tech talent is getting easier, retaining Canadian tech talent, what headwinds mean for these two companies, and lots of news and announcements to unpack | June 30, 2023 | 00:39:06 | |
Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO return to break down the latest news trends and analysis from the past few weeks in Canadian Tech. | |||
20 May 2021 | Knixwear, Relay Financial, BuyProperty, Wingocard, Unbounce - May 20, 2021 | 00:33:29 | |
It’s Thursday May 20th 2021, and today we’re talking about: Knixwear gets intimate with the TZP Group for $53M USD, Relay Financial relays $15m into their bank account and a Lighting round: BuyProperly raise, Wingocard raise and Unbounce acquisition Snazzy AI. | |||
11 Mar 2021 | Wealthsimple, Dialogue, Wrapbook, Snapcommerce, Backbone Angels, Shopify & Pipe - Mar 11, 2021 | 00:29:57 | |
It’s Thursday March 11th 2021, and today on TechTO Quick Takes we’ll be talking about: Wealthsimple focuses on Canada, Dialogue dials up an IPO, Wrapbook wraps up $27m from A16Z, Snapcommerce snaps up a large round, Shopify women back BIPOC founders with Backbone Angels, and Shopify invests in Pipe. | |||
06 May 2021 | Wealthsimple, Sonder, BuzzBuzzHome, Precision AI, Carrot Studio - May 6, 2021 | 00:38:01 | |
It’s Thursday May 6th 2021, and today we’re talking about: Wealthsimple raises the largest Canadian private round ever, Sonder is checking-in to a SPAC, BuzzBuzzHome moves into a new build with Zonda, and this week in early stage funding: AgTech is sprouting, with raises from Precision AI and Carrot Ventures. If you haven’t already tried out Wealthsimple, they are a proud supporter of the TechTO community and you can use the link to get started with a special offer: wealthsimple.com/promo/techtotrade | |||
01 Aug 2024 | How to raise $900m | August 1, 2024 | 00:37:26 | |
Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO are back to breakdown some highlights and top headlines from across Canadian tech. Today they offer insights into some of the top headlines, including: - The biggest Canadian software venture round ever! - How to raise BIG in this market - Is AI in Canada keeping up? - And a pivot and customer-focused approach that helped this company find exponential growth Want to weigh in and share your takes? Like and subscribe and make sure you DM us to leave a comment. We want to hear from you! | |||
04 Apr 2024 | What does Apple and the 'G' in Lasagna have in common? | April 4, 2024 | 00:23:15 | |
Today's episode is sponsored by Humi - learn more about them and their special offer for the community at 13:17 of this episode What does Apple and the 'G' in Lasagna have in common? They both move in silence... In today's episode of TechTO Quick Takes, Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly break down some key headlines from the past month in Canadian Tech, including: - A big announcement from PocketHealth - A silent acquisition from Apple - Breaking news we are very proud of - Plus a rumor in the ecosystem If you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to like and subscribe wherever you watch or listen to your news and podcasts. Share your takes with on social and let us know what you want us to chat about next. We spoke in today's episode about PocketHealth and Founder Rishi Nayyar. We had the pleasure to chat with him exclusively for our Founders Journey podcast where we asked about his best lessons for Founders and his journey to building PocketHealth. Listen to the full episode here to learn more about his inspiring journey #TechTO #QuickTakes #CanadianTech #TechNews | |||
29 Jul 2021 | 1Password, Deep Genomics, Paystone, Notch, Shopify - July 29, 2021 | 00:31:51 | |
It’s Thursday, July 29th, 2021, and today we’re talking about: The Maple Syrup Mafia invests in 1Password, Deep Genomics raises $180m US led by SoftBank Group Corp., Paystone engages with private equity to raise $30m. Notch rebrands and raises $10m US, and Shopify announces more earnings and more investments. | |||
10 Feb 2021 | Proptech, Symend, Shopify, Small raises - Feb 10, 2021 | 00:27:51 | |
It’s Wednesday February 10th 2021, and today we’ll be talking about: The “Proptech in Canada” report, Calgary-based Symend raises $43M, Shopify’s deal with Facebook and Instagram, and Why we don’t talk about small raises. | |||
30 May 2024 | Crossing the finish line, announcing rejection and the importance of a great problem solving strategy | May 30, 2024 | 00:31:15 | |
Today's episode is sponsored by Humi Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO return to breakdown the top headlines of the past week in Canadian Tech. In today's episode, they chat through an array of topics including: - The importance of disclosing rejection - What it means to stand out in your vertical (FinTech specifically) - Some important raises to highlight in our lightning round Like and subscribe and make sure you share your takes on the news and trends with us. For more information about the events mentioned in this episode, visit our events page at: www.techto.org/in-real-life-event #TechTO #QuickTakes #CanadianTech #News #Analysis | |||
28 Jan 2021 | Waterloo, Tealbook, ShipperBee - Jan 28, 2021 | 00:31:45 | |
It’s Thursday January 28th 2021, and today on TechTO Quick Takes we’ll be talking about: University of Waterloo brain drain?, Tealbook raises US$14.4-million, and Torstar acquires ShipperBee. | |||
12 Feb 2024 | Big spenders and relationship building | February 12, 2024 | 00:25:01 | |
Today's episode is sponsored by Humi As a TechTO community member, you can get access to their exclusive offer: 25% off, with no implementation and base fees – plus 30 days free. Learn more about Humi and how they can support your business at www.humi.ca/techto Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO are back to break down the headlines from the past few weeks in Canadian Tech. Today, the duo chat through: - Two recent rounds and the significance they hold for the community - How new and experienced founders can build and leverage relationships to raise capital The team also calls upon you (our listeners) to share your thoughts on the series. Comment if you'd like to see us put out episodes once a month with more content, or you enjoy our current cadence. Aside from the takes and headlines of the week, do you want us to dive into other things? More frequently asked questions, US news, industry-specific topics? LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS! You can also email us at info@techtoronto.org to share your thoughts You can also register for all upcoming events mentioned here: www.techto.org/in-real-life-event Don't forget to like and subscribe wherever you're watching or listening to this series. #TechTO #QuickTakes #TechNews #Analysis #Founders #Podcasts | |||
21 Apr 2022 | Let it Rip (or Not): Recent Raises, Acquisitions: Sheertex, OTPP, Vetster, Coinberry - April 21, 2022 | 00:34:05 | |
It’s Thursday April 21, 2022, and today we’re talking about:
| |||
05 Oct 2023 | The superpower for winning over investors, what we can learn from Clearco's resilience, and how the most successful founders raise capital today | October 5, 2023 | 00:21:59 | |
Today's episode is brought to you by Float. Learn more about Float and how they can support you and your business at https://floatcard.com/ Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO are back to break down more of the latest news, trends, and analysis from across Canadian Tech.
| |||
10 Jun 2022 | Crypto companies are making a killing, Penny modernizes direct selling, is no news bad news for Canadian tech? | June 9, 2022 | 00:20:23 | |
It's Thursday June 9, 2022 and today we are talking about
| |||
17 Jul 2024 | Back in the headlines again | July 17, 2024 | 00:40:11 | |
Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO return to breakdown some of the trends, stories, and headlines from the past few weeks in Canadian Tech. Today, the duo chat and debunk a few headlines including: - The massive shift in Canadian tech talent - 6 transactions that are worthy of conversation - And a company we haven't spoken about in a while is back in the headlines What does this all mean for you? Tune in and listen to the full breakdown. Don't forget to like and subscribe wherever you watch or listen to your news, and make sure you share your takes with us. | |||
04 May 2023 | Shopify announces global workforce layoffs, a raise that "may or may not happen", our take on the recent "bad news" of the week, and more announcements and raises to discuss | May 4, 2023 | 00:27:38 | |
Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO return to break down the latest news, trends, and analysis from the Canadian Tech Ecosystem. Listen LIVE across the TechTO channels, or catch up later wherever you listen to your podcasts. Don't forget to like and subscribe so you never miss an episode! | |||
22 Jul 2022 | Planned makes pivots during COVID to emerge on top, Introducing a new segment, are corporate VC's taking the lead? | July 21, 2022 | 00:25:24 | |
It's Thursday July 21, 2022 and here are todays headlines:
We also spoke to a TechTO Insider about his current hiring needs at KitchenHub. To learn more about the company and apply for opportunities, visit their careers page here Discount code mentioned: TechTO10 for 10$ off your first order at kitchenhub.com | |||
27 May 2021 | PartnerStack, Ledn, Tenstorrent Inc., Novisto, 7shifts, Rumble - May 27, 2021 | 00:34:52 | |
It’s Thursday, May 27th 2021, and today we’re talking about: PartnerStack stacks up $35M with new partners, and Ledn raises $30M to expand its crypto offerings. This week in early stage funding: Tenstorrent Inc., Novisto, 7shifts: Restaurant Scheduling, and Rumble. Also, Canadian startups hit record levels of VC funding in Q1; and today we break down the numbers, and discuss what that means for you. | |||
14 Oct 2021 | ResQ, Rose Rocket, FreshBooks, Paystone, CostCertified, Alida - October 14, 2021 | 00:26:46 | |
It’s Thursday October 14th 2021, and today we’re talking about: Tiger Global Management pounces on ResQ. Rose Rocket drives into a new round, FreshBooks and Paystone use their funds just like they said they would; and in our lighting round: IPOs for Q4 and D2L; CostCertified raises $8.5m, and Alida is alive with a new raise. | |||
13 May 2021 | Ada, Xanadu, Sports IQ Analytics, Curbie Cars, Railz.ai, Rally Platform - May 13, 2021 | 00:33:03 | |
It’s Thursday May 13th 2021, and today we’re talking about: Ada chats up investors for $130M, Xanadu may or may not have raised $100m from Bessemer Venture Partners; and this week in early-stage funding: raises from Sports IQ Analytics, Curbie Cars, Railz.ai, and Relay Platform. | |||
24 Mar 2022 | Benefit of Early Pivots, Brand, Venture, Cryptocurrency | Validere, Talent.com, BoC - March 24, 2022 | 00:29:41 | |
It’s Thursday March 24, 2022, and today we’re talking about:
| |||
06 May 2022 | Canadians want Neo banking, Shopify takes on Amazon, Bonsai looks ahead to the future - May 6, 2022 | 00:21:15 | |
It's Friday, May 6 and today we are talking about:
| |||
21 Nov 2023 | How to raise pre-product, the Canadian banks get ranked, more trends for 2024 and a raise we're feeling Certn about | November 21, 2023 | 00:25:00 | |
Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO return with a brand new episode of TechTO Quick Takes. They are breaking down the latest news, trends, and analysis from the past few weeks in Canadian Tech. Today, Alex and Alex discuss: - How to raise pre-product, and what we can learn from the DeepSky raise - Potential trends for 2024 - Ranking the Canadian banks on the Evident AI Index - Did too many companies go public on the TSX during the boom? - Will we see a trend of more tech companies 'delisting' - And an acquisition we are Certn about If you enjoyed today's episode, leave us a review. Don't forget to like and subscribe so you never miss out on future episodes. Share your takes with us and let us know what you'd like to hear about next! #TechTO #QuickTakes #TechNews | |||
22 Jul 2021 | Q4, AlayaCare, Portage, Golden Ventures - June 24, 2021 | 00:28:42 | |
It’s Thursday, June 24th, 2021, and today we’re talking about: Q4 tells investors to wait for their IPO, AlayaCare brings home $225m for home care. | |||
09 Mar 2023 | Big big money for GaN, repeat founders brew up a raise, learn what it takes to be acquired | March 9, 2023 | 00:34:41 | |
Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly are back with a brand new episode of Quick Takes, where they break down the latest tech news, trends, and analysis from the past few weeks. Today's episode is brought to you by CPSA: You’re passionate about your tech solution, we’re passionate about helping you sell it. Learn proven techniques for prospecting, negotiating, pitching, and client-relationship to close more business and grow your market share with membership in the Canadian Professional Sales Association. Start your free trial today (no credit card required). Don’t forget to check out their March 23 free webinar, Close More Business in a Down Economy. Struggling to find predictable sales revenue? Riding a rollercoaster of peaks and valleys? Learn how to create a sense of urgency and increase the size of your deals to generate more revenue with less effort. Sign-up here.
Like and Subscribe wherever you are watching or listening and catch up on previous episodes wherever you listen to your podcasts or watch your content. | |||
01 Jun 2023 | A name change (and a raise), Outgrowing the competition, BenchSci makes headlines with a BIG raise, and more on the current market and what to expect | June 1, 2023 | 00:42:39 | |
Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO return to break down the latest news, trends, and analysis from the past few weeks in Canadian Tech. A special guest also joins the podcast today to discuss a recent raise and how it all came together. Scott Stevenson of Spellbook discusses their recent news and all the learnings and takeaways for the community. Alex and Alex also chat through: Learn more about Spellbook at www.spellbook.legal Don't forget to like and subscribe wherever you're watching or listening | |||
20 May 2022 | Tasktop gets purchased, Accessibility pays off for Fable, AI helping to incentivize sales people, and some Fund and Raise News | May 19, 2022 | 00:28:53 | |
It's Thursday May 19 and here's what happening this week in Canadian Tech:
Quicker takes:
| |||
01 Feb 2022 | Hot Topic: Canadian Neo Bank, KOHO, Achieves 200m+ Raise! - February 1, 2022 | 00:18:43 | |
It's Tuesday, February 1st, 2022, and today we are talking about: KOHO raises $200m+ to become the leading Canadian neo bank. | |||
13 May 2022 | Dapper Labs makes moves to grow their ecosystem, Faire takes the money while the going is good, Certn's focus continues to pay off | May 12, 2022 | 00:25:20 | |
It’s Thursday May 12, 2022, welcome to Quick Takes. Today, we are talking about:
Lightning round:
| |||
23 Sep 2021 | Rewind, Dapper Labs, Daylight, OpenDoor, iNovia, Foxquilt, Copperleaf - September 23, 2021 | 00:25:41 | |
It’s Thursday September 23rd 2021, and today we’re talking about: Rewind and Dapper Labs both raise additional capital, FormHero raises an A and rebrands to Daylight, Opendoor enters Canada via the Skylight; and a lighting round: Inovia Capital’s SPAC, Foxquilt series A, and Copperleaf Technologies goes public. | |||
23 Feb 2023 | FounderFuel returns in a BIG way, the CIC launches, more raises from the past week, and predictions for 2023 | February 23, 2023 | 00:26:23 | |
Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly breakdown the latest chatter and news from around the Canadian Tech Ecosystem, sharing their perspectives and featuring the shared stories of others from across the industry. You can share your takes with us for future episodes at: alex@techto.org. Subscribe to our 3x weekly newsletter to get these episodes, and more right to your inbox: www.techto.org/newsletter *DON'T FORGET TO LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE WHEREVER YOU ARE LISTENING* Today the team breaks down: FounderFuels return and what that means, the CIC launches in Canada, more raises from across the ecosystem and Alex Norman makes a prediction for 2023. **AS MENTIONED ON THE SHOW: FounderFuel is currently accepting applications for their next cohort. Applications close on March 12, 2023 >> APPLY HERE: https://founderfuel.com/apply/ | |||
17 Feb 2022 | What Every Start-Up Needs: Insight, Scaling, & More | Paper, Cohere, BMO, 7shifts - February 17, 2022 | 00:25:52 | |
It's Thursday, February 17, 2022, and today we are talking about:
| |||
11 Nov 2021 | Owl.co, Wrapbook, Bolt, Threekit, Gradient Spaces - November 11, 2021 | 00:31:45 | |
It’s Thursday November 11th 2021, and today we’re talking about: owl.co breaks the rules on their way to a $30m US raise, Wrapbook brings the gig economy to entertainment and becomes a unicorn, Bolt rides logistics and US expansion plans to a $75m series B, Threekit 3D & Augmented Reality adopts web3 and raises $35m; and a bonus take: Georgian backs Gradient Spaces, a 2S-LGBTQ-IA+ incubator. | |||
16 Dec 2021 | TechTO's Predictions For 2021: Right or Wrong? Recap on This Year's Biggest Trends - December 16, 2021 | 00:28:57 | |
It’s Thursday, December 16th, 2021, and today we have a very special episode where we are taking a look back at 2021 and asking ourselves: What were the biggest trends of 2021? Is Alex Norman psychic? The predictions he got right and wrong in 2021. What did the TechTO community read, watch and listen to this year? We’ll reveal the highlights from our best performing content in 2021. | |||
23 Mar 2023 | The next consolidators in Canadian Tech, a COVID pivot gone wrong, the glow-up of the travel industry, and our predictions for acquisitions in 2023 | March 23, 2023 | 00:36:59 | |
Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO return to break down the latest news, trends, and analysis from the Canadian Tech Ecosystem. | |||
20 Apr 2023 | The new Canadian consolidators club expands, the benefits of changing trends, what is a clean room platform? Plus more raises and announcements we thought were notable | April 20, 2023 | 00:29:15 | |
Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO return to break down the latest news, trends, and analysis from the Canadian Tech Ecosystem. Today's episode is sponsored by our friends at CPSA: You’re passionate about your tech solution, we’re passionate about helping you sell it. Learn proven techniques for prospecting, negotiating, pitching and client-relationship to close more business and grow your market share with membership in the Canadian Professional Sales Association. Start your free trial today (no credit card required). Plus: Listen to Kurtis McBride of Miovision at a past TechTO event: https://youtu.be/hmoNS4C8oEk Learn more about Miovision and check out their product demo here: https://youtu.be/sNIxkjWFT_w Checkout Aspect Biosystems recent conversation at our past TechTO event in Vancouver: https://youtu.be/hg4G3zyzYC0 SPOTIFY: https://lnkd.in/gxWsXrx | |||
02 Dec 2021 | Constellation Software, Tiger Analytics, Salesforce, Klue, Spare, Roadmunk - December 2, 2021 | 00:27:01 | |
It’s Thursday December 2nd 2021, and today we’re talking about: Constellation Software Inc. launches a VC arm, Tiger Analytics and Salesforce get a Klue, Spare raises $18m for its mobility software platform, and the end of the road for Roadmunk. | |||
15 Jun 2023 | The rumour that proved to be true, What's worth the hype, When building on someone else's platform actually pays off, and a few top stories from the past few weeks | June 15, 2023 | 00:21:59 | |
Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO return to break down the latest news trends and analysis from the past few weeks in Canadian Tech. | |||
10 Jun 2021 | Sequoia, Ssense, Waabi, Lightspeed, Trulioo, Poka, Kepler, VRScheduler - June 10, 2021 | 00:35:38 | |
It’s Thursday June 10th 2021, and today we’re talking about: Sequoia Capital makes a high end investment in SSENSE. Waabi drives into $83.5m from Khosla. Lightspeed HQ continues its shopping spree. Trulioo identifies $394m USD; and this week in early stage funding: Poka Inc., Kepler, and VRScheduler. | |||
22 Jul 2021 | The End of Easy Money?, Tech Talent Shortage, Fightcamp, Ritual, Softbank - July 8, 2021 | 00:38:53 | |
It’s Thursday, July 8th, 2021, and today, we’ve a got special episode discussing the key questions facing the Canadian tech scene in the second half of 2021: Is this the end of easy money? How bad is the tech talent shortage? What trends will accelerate - or reverse - as vaccination rates rise and Canada re-opens? And quick takes on FightCamp’s raise, Ritual.co’s acquisition, and SoftBank entering Canada with an investment in Clearco. | |||
13 Sep 2022 | WE'RE BACK | COVID changes stick as LumiQ raises, Roblox acquires TriplePlay, and is Embedded Tech and Ecommerce the future? | September 8, 2022 | 00:31:11 | |
It's Thursday September 8, 2022 and here are today's headlines:
Want to make sure you never miss an episode? Give us a follow on Spotify and YouTube. You can also subscribe to the TechTO newsletter at techto.org/newsletter to get new episodes right to your inbox! Give us a shout on social or send us a message and let us know your takes on the week in Canadian Tech! **Special thanks to Smith School of Business at Queen's University for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at smithqueens.com/aidegree to get involved in their program! | |||
03 Feb 2022 | Growth Via Acquisition, 3 Big Funding Announcements, Revenue Increase & Big Sales - February 3, 2022 | 00:32:04 | |
It’s Thursday February 3rd, 2022, and today we’re talking about: Accelerating growth via acquisition: Daylight Automation acquires Proof Data Technology, three large funding announcements: all with similar timing? Coincidence?, Hopper is taking on Airbnb to increase revenue and improve unit economics Blackberry sells patents to legacy smartphone business for $600m. | |||
31 Mar 2022 | Market Changes: How This Affects Growth, Monetizing, Web3, Latest Funding | Athennian - March 31, 2022 | 00:19:16 | |
It’s Thursday March 31, 2022, and today we’re talking about:
Insider company of the week: http://www.decklinks.com/ | |||
06 Apr 2023 | The Funding Market comes back to life, pros and cons of tourist investors (and what it even is), and more announcements and raises from the past week | April 6, 2023 | 00:26:57 | |
Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO return to break down the latest news, trends, and analysis from the Canadian Tech Ecosystem. SPOTIFY: https://lnkd.in/gxWsXrx | |||
18 Mar 2021 | Koho, Brim, Revolut, Lightspeed & Vend, iNovia, Greensoil Proptech - Mar 18, 2021 | 00:33:07 | |
It’s Thursday March 18th 2021, and today we’ll be talking about: KOHO and Brim Financial reload their cards with new rounds (featuring Rasha Katabi, CEO & Founder of Brim), Revolut finds Canada revolting, Lightspeed HQ adds Vend to their cart, Inovia Capital raises $450M USD for its growth fund, and Greensoil PropTech Ventures has a first close of $50M. | |||
08 Jul 2022 | TrackTik gets acquired, More layoffs roll in as Clutch right sizes for the current market, and Isaac Soeweine joins Pender Ventures | July 7, 2022 | 00:30:41 | |
It's Thursday July 7, 2022 and here are today's headlines:
| |||
24 Feb 2022 | How to Generate Massive Business, Web3, Valuations | RideCo, eSentire, RouteThis - February 24, 2022 | 00:22:52 | |
It’s Thursday February 23rd, 2022, and today we’re talking about:
| |||
13 Jan 2022 | Future of Health Tech, 'Unicorn' Status, Crypto, and Canadian-Scale Opportunities - January 13, 2022 | 00:28:00 | |
It’s Thursday, January 13th, 2022, and today we’re talking about: Health tech expanding beyond virtual care, how important is it to be called a “unicorn”?, profitable opportunities exist in Canada-scale - and not just venture-scale - companies, and Crypto exchanges are getting regulated. | |||
15 Dec 2023 | Optimism for 2024, our takes on the trends for the new year, has fundraising for Canadian startups rebounded? | December 15, 2023 | 00:40:57 | |
For the final episode of 2023, Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO team up for one last edition to break down all the news, trends and analysis as we head into the new year. Today, Alex and Alex chat through: - KOHO's news and the optimism it brings for 2024 - Are we finally seeing fundraising return for Canadian startups? - And we run through the hot topics from 2023 and our takes on the trends for the coming year Thanks for listening and sharing your takes with us this year! Make sure to let us know what you'd like to hear more about in 2024! Like and subscribe wherever you're watching or listening. We'll see you in 2024! #QuickTakes #TechNews #Podcast | |||
25 Nov 2021 | Trends on Watch: Funding, IPOs, SPACs, Accelerators, Salaries, Connecting, Web3 - November 25, 2021 | 00:31:10 | |
It's Thursday November 25th 2021, and today we’ll be talking about 5 major trends that we see in the Canadian tech ecosystem, across: Funding’s flight to quality, Going public: IPOs and SPACs, Accelerators: More or Less?, Salaries: to the moon?, Distributed teams vs. back to office, Announcing rounds, and Web3. | |||
16 Jan 2024 | Can we tell the future? The team starts the year by sharing their predictions for tech jobs, the funding market, AI and more for the upcoming year | January 16, 2024 | 00:35:03 | |
Quick Takes is back! | |||
23 Jun 2022 | This week in Tech, Collision hits Toronto, Shopify expands their features, Lightning raises and more! | June 23, 2022 | 00:27:40 | |
It's Thursday June 23, 2022 and today we are talking about:
| |||
21 Jun 2022 | More layoffs plague the tech sector | What does this mean for the Canadian Tech Ecosystem | June 16, 2022 | 00:22:13 | |
It's Thursday June 16, 2022 and today we are talking about: The layoffs plaguing the tech ecosystem, so what does this mean for Canada? We'll discuss... | |||
27 May 2022 | Federal Government endorses local venture ecosystem, Humi proves regulations and taxes are your friend, Timing is everything for Moves | May 26, 2022 | 00:27:08 | |
It’s Thursday, May 26, and today we’re talking about:
| |||
18 Feb 2021 | Shopify, Dye & Durham, Convictional & Lightspeed - Feb 18, 2021 | 00:29:44 | |
It’s Thursday February 18th 2021, and today we’ll be talking about: Are we at peak Shopify?, Dye & Durham raises $500M, and YC-darling Convictional partners with Lightspeed. | |||
10 Feb 2022 | Scale-Up Growth, Raises, Assessing Valuation, Investment: Quantum, Hopper, & More - February 10, 2022 | 00:25:54 | |
It’s Thursday February 10th, 2022, and today we’re talking about:
| |||
29 Jul 2022 | Addressing the elephant in the room, Meet another TechTO Insider, and who are the new acquirers in tech? | July 28, 2022 | 00:25:28 | |
It’s Thursday July 28, 2022, and here are today’s headlines:
| |||
04 Mar 2021 | Clearbanc, Dooly, Digital gambling (Score Media, Rivalry, Torstar) - Mar 4, 2021 | 00:30:09 | |
It’s Thursday March 4th 2021, and today on TechTO Quick Takes we’ll be talking about: Clearbanc sprouts wings with its new $100m ClearAngel fund, Vancouver-based Dooly sells investors on a $20m investment, and Canadian gambling tech wins big: Score Media, Rivalry, Torstar | |||
07 Oct 2021 | AutoLeap, Dapper Labs, Klass, Coconut Software, Sandpiper Ventures, Interac - October 7, 2021 | 00:24:40 | |
It’s Thursday October 7th 2021, and today we’re talking about: AutoLeap drives into a $18m US round, Dapper Labs buys Lil Miquela, Klass Capital schedules $28m in Coconut Software; and a lighting round: Sandpiper Ventures makes first close on its new fund, and Interac Corp. acquires the rights to SecureKey Technologies Inc in Canada. | |||
22 Jul 2021 | Properly, Allocadia, Auvik Networks, Shopify, Think Research, Untether AI - July 22, 2021 | 00:29:50 | |
It’s Thursday, July 22nd, 2021, and today we’re talking about: Properly raises a proper Series B, Allocadia is acquired by BrandMaker, | |||
18 Nov 2022 | The new reality for startups, and some major raises put Canadian Tech on the map | November 17, 2022 | 00:24:07 | |
Welcome to TechTO Quick Takes. Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO meet to breakdown the latest new, trends and analysis from the past week in Canadian Tech. It's Thursday November 17th, 2022 and today we are talking about:
Catch up on past episodes wherever you listen to your podcasts. You can also check out our upcoming events at www.techto.org | |||
30 Apr 2021 | Alphawave, Thinkific, Clio, Vena - April 29, 2021 | 00:17:23 | |
It’s Thursday April 29th, 2021, and today we’re talking about: Toronto-based Alphawave who develops “semiconductor intellectual property core”, Thinkific, who topped a $1bn market cap in its trading debut on the TSX and Burnaby-based, Clio, raised a $110m USD Series E round co-led by T. Rowe Price. | |||
20 Jan 2022 | Future of Work, Secrets Behind the Raise, Space Tech, International Expansions - January 20, 2022 | 00:35:36 | |
It’s Thursday January 20th, 2022, and today we’re talking about: The Future of Work is getting funded, the secrets behind 1Password’s raise, space tech is blasting off in Canada, temporary tattoo maker Inkbox permanently acquired by Bic, Canalyst raises $70m US, and Shopify enters China. | |||
03 Nov 2023 | Is AI solving the housing crisis? More investments from the Hyatt brothers, and how this company is capitalizing on the AI chip shortage | November 2, 2023 | 00:29:16 | |
Alex Norman and Alexandra Reilly of TechTO return with a brand new episode of TechTO Quick Takes. They are breaking down the latest news, trends, and analysis from the past few weeks in Canadian Tech. Today, Alex and Alex discuss: - How AI and Robotics are helping to solve the housing crisis - The Hyatt brothers recent investment and why it's significant - Upcoming community events to attend - Benefits of capitalizing on the AI chip shortage If you enjoyed today's episode, leave us a review. Don't forget to like and subscribe so you never miss out on future episodes. Share your takes with us and let us know what you'd like to hear about next! #TechTO #QuickTakes #TechNews | |||
22 Apr 2021 | Clearco, Axonify, Absorb Software, MazumaGo, Plooto - Apr 22, 2021 | 00:29:49 | |
It’s Thursday April 22nd 2021, and today we’re talking about: Clearbanc evolves into a double unicorn named Clearco, Waterloo's Axonify trains a US private equity firm to invest in them, Calgary-based Absorb Software is absorbed by another US private equity firm for over $500m USD, and Pay attention to these payment players: Victoria-based MazumaGo and Plooto. | |||
29 Sep 2022 | Avidbots cleans up with a big raise, What's happening with Real Ventures, and BDC is levelling the playing field for female founders | September 29, 2022 | 00:22:27 | |
It's Thursday September 29th, 2022 - and today we are talking about:
To make sure you never miss an episode, like and subscribe on our Spotify and YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcasts. **Special thanks to the Smith School of Business for sponsoring today's episode. Visit their website at smithqueens.com/aidegree to learn more about their program | |||
22 Jul 2021 | Is Canada’s brain drain over?, Float, Acquisition Week in Canada, Algolux - July 15, 2021 | 00:34:51 | |
It’s Thursday, July 15th 2021, and today we’re talking about: Is Canada’s brain drain over? In other news, Float raises $4m to launch a Canadian SMB credit card. Further, Canadian companies go on a shopping spree, and Algolux sees a $18.4m USD raise. Read the full report on Canadian tech talent here: https://www.cbre.ca/en/research-and-reports/Canada-Scoring-Tech-Talent-2020 | |||
16 Apr 2021 | Loopio, Perpetua, goeasy & LendCare - Apr 16, 2021 | 00:33:14 | |
It’s Friday April 16th 2021, and we’ve got a trio of 9-digit deals to cover from the past week: Loopio accepts a proposal for $200M USD, Perpetua needs to perform for $250M USD, and goeasy and LendCare unite in a $320M deal Photo of a young Adam Epstein and the TechTO x Tab Payments Tromba Tequila bar at TechTO in 2015: https://youtu.be/2_jXnFhebTE?t=889 | |||
01 Apr 2021 | Clutch, OSC & Crypto, Dapper Labs, Getty Images & Unsplash - Apr 1, 2021 | 00:34:41 | |
It’s Thursday April 1st 2021, and today we’ll be talking about: Clutch fills up the tank with $60m, The Ontario Securities Commission cracks down on crypto, Dapper Labs runs it back with $305M, and Getty Images takes another dip into Canada with Unsplash. Photo of a young Alex Norman and Dan Park drinking a beer at TechTO in 2015: https://youtu.be/8iQYZ26gx60?t=90 | |||
19 Sep 2022 | Your burning questions...answered | Alex Norman gives his insights into the most discussed topics in tech | September 15, 2022 | 00:30:38 | |
It's Thursday September 15, 2022 and for today's episode, we asked you to share your burning questions! Alex Norman took the time to give his perspective on everything from the current investment market, what VC's are seeing, and even shared what his favourite hot sauce was. To catch the full insights, listen here and don't forget to subscribe to us on Spotify and YouTube so you NEVER miss an episode. **Thanks as well to our friends at Voiceform who enabled to us to gather real time audio feedback that we shared LIVE on the show. Check them out at www.voiceform.com** Special thanks to Smith School of Business at Queen's University for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at smithqueens.com/aidegree to get involved in their program! | |||
15 Mar 2023 | BREAKING NEWS: More on what we know about the collapse of SVB | 00:20:47 | |
On today's breaking news episode of Quick Takes - Jared Gordon of TechTO is joined by Andrew Hennigar of BLG, and William Lam of Jeeves to break down what the future looks like after this latest news rocked the tech world. Don't forget to like and subscribe wherever you are listening to your podcasts. We'll be back with a brand new episode of Quick Takes next week on March 23. #TechTO #BreakingNews #TechNews #SVB |