Plus: Former Rogers CEO and venture capitalist Nadir Mohamed has died at age 69.
Our federal government loves consultations.
Federal authorities have just launched a public consultation on CUSMA in preparation for next year's planned review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement. The launch follows the recent closure of the public consultation on Budget 2025, due to take place on 4 November.
The government budget demands from Canadian technology exactly what one would expect: continued funding of the federal program (see ElevateIP story below) and implementation SR&ED reforms promised last fall's Economic Statement.
But on Thursday night, I heard one idea worth adding to the mix from Dayforce CEO David Ossip, who chaired the Council of Canadian Innovators' 10th anniversary dinner. Just after orchestration US$12.3 billion privatization deal As for his company, Osip held a fireside chat, offering words of wisdom about AI adoption and market selection.
However, I remember Osip's regrets more than his significant success.
“My biggest disappointment, I would say, in my career is the lack of support from other Canadian tech companies,” he said.
“There needs to be cooperation, and we don't have it. Everyone here has to buy everyone else's products.”
To encourage such cooperation, Osip proposed providing a purchase tax credit to Canadian companies buying Canadian technology. I know it's a running joke among political wonks that the solution to every Canadian problem is a tax break, but that seems easier to implement than SR&ED (or SR&ED reforms).
Politics aside, the need for Canada to finally buy Canadian currency was met with applause in the room and echoed later in the evening by CCI Vice Chairman John Ruffolo.
“In my opinion, the biggest market in the world for our Canadian innovators is Canada,” he said. “And I say that because it’s an untapped market.”
Douglas Soltis
editor-in-chief
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Canadian technology champion and former Rogers CEO Nadir Mohamed dies at 69
Nadir Mohamed, former CEO of Rogers and a leading figure in Canada's entrepreneurial ecosystem, died Thursday at age 69.
Mohamed was awarded the Order of Canada for advancing Canada's technology sector. He chaired the board of directors of the Digital Media Zone (DMZ) at the University of Toronto, as well as its venture capital arm, DMZ Ventures. He was also a founding board member of the Vector Institute and Next Canada in Toronto. As a venture capitalist, Mohamed co-founded ScaleUP Ventures, now known as Climate Innovation Capital.
Canada ahead of US in tech talent growth in 2024: CBRE report
In 2024, Canada's AI talent pool helped the country achieve a higher rate of tech talent growth than the United States, according to CBRE's 2025 Scoring Tech Talent report.
The annual report examines the quality of North American markets for “high-skilled” tech talent. Canadian cities such as Toronto, Waterloo, Edmonton and Calgary emerged as stronger tech markets on this year's list.
Despite the strength of talent, wage growth in the Canadian technology sector has slowed due to persistent inflation. According to Click Network Poll.Organizations reported average salary growth of just 3.5 percent year over year in 2025, a significant decline from the 2023 average salary increase of 7.5 percent.
Canadian venture capital activity continued to decline in the first half of 2025.
New CVCA data showed pre-seed and seed-stage investment activity in Canada continued to decline in the first half of 2025 as investors committed fewer dollars to fewer deals.
CVCA says $297.2 million in venture capital has flowed into Canadian tech startups across 133 pre-seed and pre-seed deals. This is 16 percent less than the total investment amount and 28 percent fewer transactions in these stages compared to 2024.
Startup groups call on Ottawa to extend ElevateIP funding
Canadian startup support organizations are calling on the federal government to relaunch ElevateIP. The program, which helps startups apply for patents and develop an intellectual property strategy to keep innovation in Canada, is set to expire in the spring.
“Thousands of startups understand the importance of protecting intellectual property, and canceling the program now leaves them without support at a critical time,” Communitech CEO Sheldon McCormick told BetaKit.
Purpose CEO Som Seif vows to fight OSC greenwashing allegations
Purpose Investments founder and CEO Som Seif said he will “vigorously contest” the greenwashing charges brought by the OSC against his firm.
The OSC alleges that Seif and Purpose used “false and misleading commercial communications” regarding the extent to which environmental, social and governance considerations influenced their investment decisions.
“We are struggling to understand why OSC is considering this as a topic for enforcement action against Purpose and, more specifically, against me,” Seif said in a statement.
Tender Ventures partners Isaac Aszoned leaves venture capital firm
Isaac Suwain has left Vancouver-based venture capital firm Pender Ventures after more than three years as a partner. Suwain told BetaKit that he left to explore other opportunities and projects, but said it was “too early” to say what's next for him.
Two Canadian impact-focused tech companies also management has changed This week. Former GoFundMe COO Soraya Alexander has been named the new CEO of Calgary-based charity donation management software company Benevity, while Toronto-based accessibility tech startup Fable has named former Boast chief revenue officer Toan Dinha to its top job.
Schulich Venture Academy has a 'broader vision' for upskilling Canadian tech startups
At an event in downtown Toronto last week, Schulich Venture Academy alumni, faculty, organizers and partners gathered to celebrate the graduation of its third cohort.
SVA leaders provided an update on the program's progress and shared a preview of its plans. The goal is to launch three new courses, three industry clusters (including artificial intelligence, electric vehicles and cleantech), and double community support by 2029.
Harley Finkelstein and David Segal will talk about their entrepreneurial journey at Open Day in Montreal
BetaKit, TechTO and Sage have teamed up to host one of many decentralized tech events taking place in Montreal from October 18th to 24th.
As part of the Montreal Open House, the three organizations will bring together two of the city's iconic entrepreneurs: Shopify President Harley Finkelstein and DavidsTea founder David Segal. The duo will share the lessons, challenges and key moments that shaped their entrepreneurial journey in a fireside chat at HEC Montréal on October 20.
Why YC and Speedrun are more like universities than foundations
In an article for BetaKit, David Crow of Danger Capital Corporation argues that Y Combinator and a16z Speedrun are about more than just capital; it is the modern equivalent of a university or research laboratory, rebuilt for the era of commercialization. For Canadian founders, this may be the most powerful path.
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🇨🇦 Weekly Canadian Deals, Dollars and More
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BetaKit Podcast – Why Canada's Defense Technology Sector is Suddenly Exploding
“This is really an opportunity for us to build sovereign capability and leapfrog to get our armed forces where they need to be by taking advantage of Canada's advanced technology.”
US President Donald Trump opened his mouth and suddenly Canada needed the defense technology sector. Matthew Lombardi of the icebreaker was called in by the federal government to help map the sector; he joins in to explain why many of the technologies Canada is currently developing have dual defense applications.
Take the BetaKit – LimeWire test on Fyre, Cohere au Paris and Mensa Shopify member
Think you're up to date on Canadian technology and innovation news? Time to prove it. Test your knowledge of Canadian tech news with the BetaKit quiz on September 19, 2025.
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Image courtesy of CCI.
