Plantaform is beginning the new year with a bang. The Gatineau-based company, which aims to “revolutionize smart indoor gardening,” just kickstarted its U.S. expansion by exhibiting at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. At CES, Plantaform won three major awards, including Best of Innovation in the food and agritech category.

The company will also be featured in CBC’s Dragon’s Den in February, plus showcase its device at Costco locations, including some in the Ottawa area.

Founded in 2020, Plataform leveraged technology from NASA to build an egg-shaped consumer device suitable for kitchen countertops to grow fruits and vegetables using fog.

In this episode of Techopia Live, OBJ publisher Michael Curran speaks with Plantaform cofounder and CEO Alberto Aguilar about how 2025 might be a milestone year for the tech company.

Note: For local viewers and listeners, Plantaform will be Costco at these locations: Kanata (Jan. 21 to Feb. 2), Gloucester (Feb. 4-16) and Nepean (Feb. 18 to March 2).

Techopia Live: Plantaform bursting to life in 2025 | Episode 276

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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

Solon Angel, the godfather of AI in Ottawa and beyond, is rapidly scaling his latest venture by embracing the full potential of artificial intelligence.

Angel’s latest venture, Remitian, has put AI at the centre of everything it does, from code development and operations to marketing. Remitian serves as a masterclass in building an AI-first business from the ground up.

Founded in November 2023, Remitian is already shaking up the accounting world by offering hassle-free tax remittance solutions to firms, streamlining submissions for their clients.

Angel, who is now working out of Miami while maintaining a footing in Ottawa, also discusses the dynamics of operating a cross-border business.

In this episode of Techopia Live, Ottawa Business Journal publisher Michael Curran speaks with Angel about why Remitian might be his next home run.

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

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Techopia Live: Solon Angel’s latest AI venture Remitian | Episode 287

The future of money is digital, and it’s already here.

In this episode of Techopia Live, we’re at TechTuesday exploring From Cash to Code: Finance at a Crossroads. Hosted by Riaz Sidi, this discussion dives into how digital currencies, stablecoins, and open banking are transforming the way money moves and how Canada’s financial system is adapting to this global fintech revolution.

Moderated by Joshua Seerattan, Senior Investment Analyst at Wesley Clover International, the panel features Alex Vronces (Useful Digressions) and Marie-Chantal Leduc (Tetra Trust Company). Together, they share insights on fintech innovation, digital assets, and the future of banking, from regulation and infrastructure to business adoption and investment opportunities.

The episode also includes additional interviews with attendees and community members, including Laura Walsh (Techstars), Dominic Scaletta (Myticas Consulting), and Thusha Agampodi (Fullscript).

Whether you’re a founder, investor, or policymaker, this conversation reveals what’s at stake as Canada navigates the shift from traditional finance to digital financial ecosystems and how Ottawa is helping drive the next wave of fintech innovation.

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

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Techopia Live @ Tech Tuesday: From Cash to Code – The Future of Digital Finance | Episode 288

Top global tech clusters have strong connections between private sector companies and universities, facilitating the conduct and commercialization of research, the transfer of knowledge, and the sourcing of talent. This vision is taking another step forward with the University of Ottawa’s expanding Kanata North campus.

Not only has the campus moved to a larger space at 350 Legget Dr., but other university departments are increasingly delivering programs in Kanata North.

In this special episode of Techopia Live, Ottawa Business Journal publisher Michael Curran speaks with Sean Geddes, the Director of Innovation and Partnerships for Kanata North. Special guests include Gregory Richards from the Telfer School of Management, which is launching a Digital Enterprise Centre, Paul Grenon from the uOttawa Professional Development Institute, which is launching a speakers series focused on government innovation, and Garrick Apollon from the uOttawa Faculty of Law, which is launching Startup Legal Clinics in Kanata North.

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

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Techopia Live: uOttawa expands Kanata North campus | Episode 289

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: Plantaform bursting to life in 2025 | Episode 276

Ottawa Business Journal

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