AI was front and centre at SaaS North 2024, which took over the Rogers Centre in Ottawa on Nov. 13-14. Attendees contemplated how AI is disrupting the tech sector, specifically how it’s enabling many SaaS companies to add functionality and experiment with new go-to-market strategies.

Techopia Live correspondent Riaz Sidi was on location at SaaS North, speaking with many high-profile attendees. His guests included Aydin Mirzaee of Fellow.app, Danielle Graham of The Firehood, local tech executive Sacha Gera, Kayla Isabelle of Startup Canada, Mark Stephenson of SaaS North, Priya Bhaloo of TagHR, Patrick White of L-Spark and Karine Bah Tahé of Oasis Learning AI.

This episode of Techopia Live is brought to you by the University of Ottawa Faculty of Engineering. Learn more here: https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-engineering/

Visit https://obj.ca/techopia for regular news updates on Ottawa’s technology sector.

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Techopia Live: AI disruption in focus at SaaS North | Episode 273

Techopia Live was on location for February’s TechTuesday, hosted by Wesley Clover Corp.

The monthly event brought together tech and political leaders for an engaging discussion on the intersection of humans and AI in sales, featuring insights from industry leaders at the forefront of innovation.

The panel, moderated by Veronica Farmer of Wesley Clover, included Rose Cain of Visier, Marcelo Bursztein of NovaceneAI, and Morgan Donaldson of Fullscript. The discussion focused on how and why the human element remains relevant in customer-facing roles, and how to balance it with the advantages of AI.

Veronica also interviewed several attendees to gather their input, including Jon Chatburn of Growth Guide, Rose Cain of Visier, Alan Coady of Fidus Systems, Morgan Donaldson of Fullscript, and Marcelo Bursztein of NovaceneAI.

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Visit https://obj.ca/techopia for regular updates on Ottawa’s technology sector.

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Techopia Live @ TechTuesday: Humans vs AI – The Battle for the Future of Sales | Episode 277

Techopia Live was on location for the special International Women's Day 2025 edition of TechTuesday, hosted by Wesley Clover International in collaboration with L-SPARK, Capital Angel Network, and SheBoot.

The monthly event celebrated women in technology as founders and angel investors, featuring startup pitches and a panel discussion. Four startups, Atorvia, I.Liv Performance, Quip Medical, and Sonaro, pitched their innovative solutions to a panel of investors and advisors, including Elza Seregelyi (L-SPARK), Suzanne Grant (Capital Angel Network), and Dr. Lindy Ledohowski (RBCx). The audience voted for their fan favorite, and the best pitch received a $10,000 cash prize.

Veronica Farmer of Wesley Clover International moderated a panel featuring angel investors Megan Paterson (COO, Kinaxis), Coreen Bouchard (Founder, PureLogic IT Solutions), and Seema Aurora (Tech Angel Investor & Founder, TAG HR), who shared their experiences and insights.

Veronica also interviewed several attendees, including Suzanne Grant (Capital Angel Network), Julia Elvidge (SheBoot), Coreen Bouchard (PureLogic IT), Karina Gasbarrino (Sonaro), and Yoobin Lee (Quip Medical), to gather their input.

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

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Techopia Live @ TechTuesday: Women Leading Tech as Angels and Founders | Episode 278

It’s a familiar story in Ottawa’s tech sector. An immigrant entrepreneur, brimming with technical prowess, settles in the city, scales a startup and achieves business success.

This is the story of Sergey Poltev. Born in Russia, Poltev started fixing computers at the age of 12. A few short years later, along with some teenage friends, he launched an Internet cafe and computer gaming shop. Business was booming, until the Russian mafia came calling, causing Poltev to reconsider his future. He sold his share of the business, using the money to travel and study in the U.S.

Eventually, Poltev found himself in Ottawa, and established an IT services company that is known today as CapitalTek. Twenty years later, the managed service provider and cybersecurity consultant counts dozens of local businesses and non-profit organizations as his customers. 

Poltev’s “keep it simple” approach has won him accolades, including a Forty Under 40 award from OBJ and the Ottawa Board of Trade and, more recently, a “MSP Titans of Industry” award.

In this episode of Techopia Live, OBJ publisher Michael Curran speaks with Poltev about his entrepreneurial journey, the consolidation of the MSPs and how CapitalTek is staying relevant to customers. Also, Poltev does a hacker show-and-tell to demonstrate some of the hardware that is used to crack into business IT systems and smartphones.

Looking for more information on Techopia?
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TECHOPIA LIVE WITH SERGEY FROM CAPITALTEK

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. 

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Techopia Live was on location at the 10th annual SaaS North Conference in Ottawa, where the city’s tech and business leaders gathered for an energizing two-day conference focused on Future-Proofing SaaS in the Age of AI.

Hosted by Riaz Sidi, the event featured conversations with founders, investors, and innovators shaping Ottawa’s tech scene, including: Mark Stephenson (Cube Business Media Inc.), Sacha Gera (Healwell AI), Liz Ellwood (Sidi.io), Sara Rykov (Metcove), John Nelson (Carleton University), and Artem Abramov (EL8).

From investor panels and startup showcases to real-time AI demos, the conference highlighted how Canadian founders are leveraging AI, building lean teams, and redefining the future of software.

For more on Canada’s SaaS and tech ecosystem, visit https://obj.ca/techopia.

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Techopia Live: SaaS North 2025: Future-Proofing SaaS in the Age of AI | Episode 290

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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.

New tracks tagged #Techopia Live