There is a global race to embrace AI. Countries and regions are making investments and mapping out strategies to accelerate AI adoption.

Amidst this flurry of activity, something more grassroots is happening in Ottawa. A volunteer-run organization called AI Tinkerers Ottawa, established in late 2023, has surged to 800 members.

This isn’t just a group of AI enthusiasts. On the contrary, only “high technical, active builders” are welcome at regular monthly meetings held at Bayview Yards.

In this episode of Techopia Live, OBJ publisher Michael Curran speaks with the co-founder of AI Tinkerers Ottawa, Hai Nghiem. Nghiem shares the backstory of the local group, what it's trying to achieve and also shares some early details on his own AI venture, Cats with Bats.

Techopia Live: Grassroots group tinkers with AI | Episode 275

Techopia Live was on location for April's TechTuesday, focusing on climate action as Earth Day 2025 approaches. The event spotlighted Planetary Technologies and their groundbreaking ocean-based carbon removal solutions. Planetary Technologies was recognized as a Top 20 finalist in the prestigious $100M Carbon Removal XPRIZE.

The event featured a presentation by Mike Kelland, CEO of Planetary Technologies, detailing their innovative approaches and vision for a sustainable future. Following the presentation, Veronica Farmer, VP of Marketing at Wesley Clover International, moderated a fireside chat between Mike Kelland and Jack Gulas, Managing Director of Improving and an early investor in Planetary Technologies.

Reflecting on their past experience building a software company, Mike and Jack discussed their transition to addressing climate change through clean technology. The conversation explored the potential of investing in climate-focused innovation from both ethical and business perspectives.

Riaz Sidi, Techopia Live Correspondent, also interviewed several attendees, including Mike Kelland (Planetary Technologies), Tiffani Westerman (WCS North America), Sal Masad (Green Carbon Products), Sergey Poltev (CapitalTek), Lindy Ledohowski (RBCx), and Devashish Paul (BluWave-ai).

Looking for more information on Techopia? Visit https://obj.ca/techopia for regular updates on Ottawa’s technology sector. 

You can also sign up for Techopia’s weekly email newsletter: https://obj121.activehosted.com/f/

Techopia Live @ Tech Tuesday: Trading Pixels and Software for Ocean Restoration | Episode 280

Techopia Live was on location at the 2025 Ottawa Bootstrap Awards, held during Tech Tuesday at the Brookstreet Hotel, celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit of local businesses that have grown through self-funding and minimal outside investment. The Annual Ottawa Network Bootstrap Awards recognize early-stage companies across all industries, both for-profit and non-profit, that have demonstrated innovation, sustainability, marketing excellence, and community impact through bootstrapping.

This inspiring event highlighted the stories of resilient entrepreneurs who have overcome challenges, pivoted strategically, and built successful ventures with limited resources. The awards also fostered connections within Ottawa’s entrepreneurial community, encouraging collaboration and continued growth.

Riaz Sidi, Techopia Live Correspondent, spoke with several winners and attendees about their journeys and the value of perseverance, smart financial management, and community support, including Diana Birsan (Downplay), Erika Poupart (Neuralign International), Karl Payeur (Downplay), Michael Nelson (Tactiqal), and Salah Masad (GCP).

For more on Ottawa’s entrepreneurial and tech scene, visit https://obj.ca/techopia.

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Techopia Live @ Tech Tuesday: 2025 Ottawa Bootstrap Awards | Episode 281

Techopia Live was on location at TechTuesday for a compelling panel discussion exploring the realities of fast-growing companies, featuring local leaders recognized by the 2024 Deloitte Canada Technology Fast 50™ and Companies-to-Watch awards. Held in partnership with Deloitte and moderated by Wesley Clover International’s Veronica Farmer, the session offered rare insights into the pressures, pivots, and strategies behind rapid business growth.

The conversation brought together three Ottawa-based tech leaders who shared the growing pains behind the headlines: Brad Crepeau of FoodCycler / Food Cycle Science, Pierce Ujjainwalla of Knak, and Kailin Noivo of Noibu. Together, they discussed what it really takes to lead through uncertainty, scale operations, and maintain momentum in competitive markets—all while staying true to their vision and values.

Riaz Sidi, Techopia Live Correspondent, also spoke with attendees throughout the event, including Arianna Farley of Deloitte Canada, Angella Goran of Tapango Technologies Inc., and Ruth Ayalew and Diya Praveen of Youth Ottawa.

For more on Ottawa’s entrepreneurial and tech scene, visit https://obj.ca/techopia.

Subscribe to Techopia’s weekly newsletter here: https://obj121.activehosted.com/f/5

Techopia Live @ Tech Tuesday: Unique Insights from Leaders of Fast-Growing Companies | Episode 282

Ottawa’s entrepreneurs, founders and investors gathered on June 12 for AccelerateOTT, the flagship event of Ottawa Innovation Week, organized by Invest Ottawa.

The one-day conference brought together many of the city’s founders for a day of keynotes, networking, and critical conversations about scaling, resilience, and the road to global impact. The theme? “Legends in the Making.”

In this episode of Techopia Live, Riaz Sidi hits the floor at AccelerateOTT to speak with notable leaders from Ottawa’s tech ecosystem, including Sonya Shorey (Invest Ottawa), Nick Quain (Invest Ottawa), Fahim Sheikh (Trellis Corporation), Erin Kelly (Advanced Symbolics), Firass Sleiman (Connectit Rogers), Michelle Scarborough (Thrive Venture Fund BDC Capital), and Mary Yazdani (reasonX). 

From bootstrapped journeys to venture-backed success stories, this episode highlights the spirit of innovation shaping Ottawa’s economy.

Hot topics included:
– The path from founder to legend
– How Ottawa can scale and compete globally
– Building a thriving tech ecosystem rooted in community
– AI adoption in Canada vs. the U.S.

Whether you’re a startup founder, an investor, or just curious about the next big thing coming out of Ottawa, this episode is for you.

Looking for more Techopia?

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🔔 Subscribe for more Techopia Live episodes and Ottawa tech news.

Techopia Live: AccelerateOTT looks to shape future legends | Episode 283

Ongoing infrastructure improvement and property development are based on an underlying assumption: that Ottawa and Eastern Ontario can continue to rely on a reliable and environmentally friendly supply of electrical power. Is that a safe assumption?

Following the launch of City Building 2025 magazine, Ottawa Business Journal publisher Michael Curran speaks with Bryce Conrad, President and CEO of Hydro Ottawa, about this assumption.

What is Hydro Ottawa doing to build a modern and more resilient electric grid in the face of increasingly severe climate events?

What projects are getting investment from Hydro Ottawa to ensure increased green energy?

How can Hydro Ottawa prepare for increased energy demand triggered by electric vehicles and AI?

These questions and more are answered in this special podcast to launch City Building 2025 magazine. The theme for this year’s magazine is “Projects in the Pipeline.” The magazine looks at major development projects that are planned or springing up in six areas of Ottawa and Eastern Ontario.

To read the digital edition of City Building 2025, visit https://issuu.com/greatrivermedia/docs/city_building_2025?fr=xKAE9_zMzMw

OBJ PODCAST WITH BRYCE HYDRO OTTAWA - Audio

Every tech startup founder faces the same hurdle: funding. It's incredibly tough to grow a tech company when intense research and development come long before a paying customer. But what if there were a proven way to inject significant private capital into Ottawa's tech ecosystem?

A dedicated group of Ottawa business leaders, Canada Flow Through Shares, thinks they have the answer. 

They're pushing for a tax policy inspired by Canada's mining industry, which has successfully used flow-through shares for decades to raise hundreds of millions. This innovative approach allows investors to directly deduct qualifying company expenses, making tech startups a far more attractive investment.

In this episode of Techopia Live, Ottawa Business Journal publisher Michael Curran speaks with David Perry, the driving force behind Canada Flow Through Shares. David explains how this model has supercharged investment in other sectors and countries, and outlines the crucial next steps for getting this powerful policy into the federal budget. Don't miss this essential discussion on how flow-through shares could fundamentally transform tech funding in Canada's capital.

Looking for more Techopia?

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Techopia Live: Unlocking Capital: Are flow through shares a gamechanger for tech? | Episode 284

Techopia Live was on location at TechTuesday for a thought-provoking panel exploring Pulse Check: Technology’s Role in Healthcare Innovation. Moderated by Wesley Clover International’s Veronica Farmer, the session brought together Ottawa-based leaders who are reimagining how patient-centred care is delivered, scaled, and supported by technology.

The conversation featured Bruce Ford of Celestra Health Systems, Danielle Manley of Carleton University’s School of Nursing, Kara Kitts of The Ottawa Hospital, and Kenneth Lawless of the Ottawa Health Innovation Hub. Together, they shared how smart diagnostics, AI-driven decision-making, hospital innovation labs, and cross-sector partnerships are reshaping healthcare in Ottawa and beyond.

From embedding AI competencies in medical education to building a $300-million advanced medical research facility, panellists highlighted both the opportunities and challenges of integrating technology into front-line care. Their perspectives showcased how collaboration between research, technology, and healthcare delivery is creating the foundation for the next generation of patient care.

For more on Ottawa’s entrepreneurial and tech scene, visit https://obj.ca/techopia.

Subscribe to Techopia’s weekly newsletter here: https://obj121.activehosted.com/f/5

Techopia Live @ Tech Tuesday: Pulse Check on Technology in Healthcare Innovation | Episode 285

Prime Minister Mark Carney's pledge to increase Canadian defence spending to two per cent of GDP could present considerable economic opportunities for Ottawa-based companies.

The multi-billion dollar commitment goes beyond reinvigorating Canada’s Armed Forces; the Prime Minister aims to use military spending to bolster industrial policy, extending into high-growth areas like AI, cybersecurity, quantum computing and R&D.

In this episode of Techopia Live, Ottawa Business Journal publisher Michael Curran speaks with Brian Kells, an associate lawyer with Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall LLP, who specializes in business law. Kells, who served in Canada’s infantry for nearly 15 years, including time in Afghanistan, reflects on the economic potential of new defence procurement and what entrepreneurs should consider when contemplating doing business with the military.

The podcast dissects the new defence policy and identifies the specific business openings created by this massive modernization effort. This is essential viewing for Ottawa entrepreneurs and tech leaders seeking to understand how their companies can capitalize on the biggest defence tech boom in Canadian history.

For more on Ottawa’s entrepreneurial and tech scene, visit https://obj.ca/techopia.

Subscribe to Techopia’s weekly newsletter here: https://obj121.activehosted.com/f/5

#defence #canada #ottawa #ottawatech #canadianbusiness #militarytech

Techopia Live: What defence spending could mean for Ottawa | Episode 286

The Ottawa Business Journal is the leading source of business news and information Canada's national capital region. CEOs and business leaders turn to OBJ for the business news they can't find anywhere else – unique and relevant content tailored to business managers, owners, professionals and executives.

With a number of media platforms available to reach our audience, Ottawa Business Journal has something for every advertiser. OBJ's scope includes its monthly newsmagazine, the largest business news website in Ottawa, OBJToday daily e-newsletter, active social media channels, a YouTube channel with hundreds of videos, multimedia industry projects and some of Ottawa's premier business events.

Techopia Live: Grassroots group tinkers with AI | Episode 275

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