Calian Group CEO Kevin Ford has set a bold goal. Through organic growth and acquisitions, the company wants to achieve $1 billion in annual revenues. Achieving that goal will depend on a series of successful acquisitions. Remarkably, Calian acquired 11 companies during the pandemic. In this episode of Techopia Live, OBJ's Michael Curran and EY's Warren Tomlin co-host to ask Calian's CEO about his M&A playbook.

Techopia Live: Inside Calian's M&A Playbook

Kinaxis is bucking a downward trend for global technology firms. As others lag, Kinaxis has just opened a multi-million dollar headquarters in Kanata and has also posted record financial results, upping its guidance for investors. Kinaxis CEO John Sicard speaks with Ottawa Business Journal publisher Michael Curran in this episode of Techopia Live podcast.

Techopia Live: Supply chain chaos lifting Kinaxis to new heights

It's a common refrain in Ottawa’s technology sector: You can work in the local sector for decades and still be surprised that you don’t know all the success stories. This is the case JSI Telecom, a company founded in 1979 that has developed a global reputation for helping law enforcement, intelligence agencies and security organizations analyze data. JSI has more than 400 employees working around the world in offices near Washington, Frankfurt and Sydney.

Just days ago, an external CEO took the helm of the family enterprise. Sacha Gera, a veteran of the local tech sector, who has worked for Nortel, Nokia, CGI, BlackBerry and Calian, is the new CEO, appointed to take the company to the next level, including fully exploring the potential of emerging artificial intelligence technology.

Ottawa Business Journal publisher Michael Curran speaks with Gera in this episode of Techopia Live.

Techopia Live: New CEO heralds next chapter for JSI

In this bonus episode of Techopia Live, OBJ publisher Michael Curran talks with Jennifer Teoh, associate partner at EY in Ottawa and Forty Under 40 recipient in 2020. Jennifer works with CFOs and specializes in ESG (environmental, social and governance) reporting. Jennifer says that non-financial reporting data such as ESG is quickly becoming a differentiator for companies, which increasingly need to have quantifiable metrics around their ESG initiatives.

Also featured in this episode is Heather Ward, the CEO and co-founder of Hyperion Global Energy. Hyperion says it has developed a groundbreaking carbon recycling system that transforms waste carbon emissions into mineral feedstocks at industrial scale. Ward provides an update on Hyperion and speaks about Ottawa’s growing cleantech sector.

Techopia Live: Demystifying ESG and Hyperion’s carbon capture tech

Entrepreneurs make the world a better place. They solve big problems and innovate to find solutions that no one has ever considered. In doing so, entrepreneurs create jobs, wealth and even, on occasion, help address social issues.

This episode of Techopia Live features the person who is leading the charge for entrepreneurs across Canada, Kayla Isabelle, CEO of Startup Canada.

Kayla Isabelle is an Ottawa Business Journal and Ottawa Board of Trade Forty Under 40 recipient from 2022 and a Globe and Mail 2023 Changemaker.

Kayla Isabelle joined Startup Canada in 2019 and gradually moved up the ranks. Today she manages an Ottawa-based team that supports more than 135,000 entrepreneurs across Canada, through its online program and cross-country tour.

While Kayla Isabelle remains bullish on entrepreneurship in Canada, she says there are also troubling trends in this post-pandemic period.

Techopia Live: Isabelle leading the charge for Canadian entrepreneurs

This year’s SAAS NORTH 2023 conference, held Nov. 15 at the Shaw Centre, attracted more than 1,000 attendees. Known as a hub for Canadian SaaS founders and their teams, the event heard from key players in the Ottawa community like Solon Angel, Kyle Braatz, Julia Elvidge and Sacha Gera.

To join in on the fun, Techopia Live host Riaz Sidi took viewers to the event with him, getting reaction and highlights from heavy-hitting Ottawa leaders Urooj Qureshi, founder and CEO of Impactor App; Jennifer Francis, founder of SheBoot; Janeffer Gangji, founder of Exemplify Talent; and, Joanne Kiskis, vice-president of marketing at Polymath.

Techopia Live: highlights from SaaS North 2023: Part 2

Wesley Clover International occupies a unique role in Ottawa’s technology ecosystem. It’s more than a company. It’s a foundation upon which dozens of technology startups have launched and scaled.

Wesley Clover was founded by Sir Terry Matthews, the city’s greatest tech icon. After 51 years leading the local tech scene, Matthews is still hands-on with the company and its portfolio. He is supported by a team of executives, including Ben Morris, vice-president of technology strategies.

Morris grew up in Kanata in the shadow of the community’s technology office towers. Today, he has a diverse job that varies almost daily. On behalf of Wesley Clover portfolio companies, Morris deals with banks, investors, prospective clients and generally solves problems to help the portfolio thrive.

In this episode of Techopia Live, Morris speaks with Ottawa Business Journal publisher Michael Curran to provide an inside look at Wesley Clover and the tech trends that will shape the sector in 2024.

Techopia Live: Inside Wesley Cover with Ben Morris

With valuations down and a tight venture capital market, tech venture founders are looking for ways to stretch their working capital.

In some cases, that means cutting expenses and laying off employees. In other instances, it means going back to early-stage investors for more money.

The Capital Angel Network is answering this call in this challenging economic climate.

With approximately 60 members, CAN says it’s staying committed to its portfolio companies with a significant increase in follow-on investments.

In this episode of Techopia Live, Ottawa Business Journal publisher Michael Curran speaks with Suzanne Grant, executive director of CAN. Grant provides an update on the local angel scene, plus previews the upcoming National Angel Capital Organization Summit, which happens in Ottawa on May 7-8.

Techopia Live: Angel investors respond to tight financing market | Episode 261

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

With consumers keen to support merchants in their community, an Ottawa startup is helping retailers connect with those prospective customers. Airbrowz uses geofencing technology to notify individuals of special promotions and offerings from retailers in their immediate area. In the episode, Techopia talks to Airbrowz co-founder Micheal Burnatowski and lawyer Jessica Barrow of Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall LLP.

Techopia Live: Startup Airbrowz looks to help Ottawa merchants capitalize on ‘shop local’ push

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