TechPoutine with Eleonore Jarry, Ian Jeffrey, Gabriel Sundaram & Nectarios Economakis – Details, episodes & analysis

The crew is back around the table to unpack the AI tidal wave reshaping how companies are built, funded, and run. Eleonore, Nectar, Ian, and Gabriel dig into Shopify's AI-first memo, Jack Dorsey's bet at Block, and what "AI-native" actually means when every company claims the label.

From there: the once-in-a-generation opportunity hiding inside Quebec's 16,000 annual SMB successions, why the future may belong to the trades as much as the technologists, and whether the classroom can survive a tool that's smarter, more patient, and more personalized than any teacher.

Then the gloves come off on Canadian venture: should the federal $750M tech envelope go to growth or early stage? Why raising your seed from a US fund quietly exports the company. And the brutal stat nobody's talking about, emerging manager funding in Canada collapsing from $1.8B to $249M in a single year.

Plus: who's switching from ChatGPT to Claude, why Notion is becoming the OS of the firm, and a few predictions that may not age well by the time you press play.

Tech Poutine is back and so is the energy.

The Tech Poutine crew is back for the first episode of the year. Recorded straight from the Startup Fest studio , Eleonore, Ian, Gabriel, and I dive into the rapidly shifting landscape of venture capital and the local tech ecosystem. The market is moving incredibly fast, and we break down the most exciting, and terrifying, trends hitting the industry right now.

• Stay22's Massive Win: We kick things off with a massive shoutout to Andrew and Hamed from Stay22 on their $122 million raise led by Summit Partners. We discuss their incredible grit through multiple near-bankruptcies , how they navigated revenue going to zero during COVID , and the legendary story of Hamed pitching Dave McClure in a taxi.

• Is SaaS Dead? We explore the dramatic shift away from the traditional SaaS playbook. The crew analyzes how public markets are repricing software companies with shrinking multiples , while AI-native foundational models are commanding massive valuations based on incredibly high revenue per head.

• 10x Engineering & The End of Backlogs: AI tools are sending developer productivity through the roof, allowing tiny engineering teams to do the work of much larger traditional teams. We share real-world stories of engineers coding features from their phones while on vacation in Japan and AI product managers automatically generating backlogs by listening to meetings and reading Slack.

Mila Ventures & Canada's Opportunity: Gabriel shares the inside scoop from his new office at Mila, detailing the announcement of Mila Ventures' new fund and the return of a highly entrepreneurial buzz to the ecosystem. We close out with a call for the Canadian ecosystem to abandon its conservative tendencies and move fast to capitalize on this once-in-a-lifetime tech cycle.

In this episode, the team reunites to discuss the current state of venture capital and the tech industry. The discussion highlights the significant events and reports shaping the industry, including the Web Summit in Vancouver and the CVCA conference in Calgary. The conversation touches on the differences between the Canadian and U.S. markets, drawing parallels to the U.S. market 15 years ago. They delve into the impact of AI on the industry, the evolving landscape of VC funding, and the importance of international capital. Notably, the podcast also honors John Stokes from Real Ventures, who recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award, reflecting on his contributions and the dynamics of his work with startups. The episode wraps up with optimism about the new generation of founders and the need for the older generation to share insights and resources to foster growth in the ecosystem.

In this episode, the team reunites to discuss the success and impact of the recent North Star event in Montreal. They reflect on the feedback from various attendees, including student founders, experienced entrepreneurs, and VCs. The discussion highlights the unique atmosphere and notable speakers at the event, as well as the need for continued engagement and inspiration within the startup community. The conversation then shifts to broader topics including the evolving dynamics of venture capital, the implications of AI on business models, and the increasing trend of tech entrepreneurs turning to traditional businesses. The episode concludes with thoughts on the importance of strong leadership in times of geopolitical tension and the potential for future tech-focused events in Montreal.

In this North Star panel discussion, Gabriel Sundaram, a co-founder of Attain, hosts successful CEOs and founders to share their entrepreneurial journeys and key strategies for building and scaling startups. Panelists include Andrew from Stay 22, Anna from Dialogue and Coral, Malik from Nesto, and Joanne from PemPem. They discuss the importance of speed, intensity, and obsession in growing a business, the balance between rapid execution and maintaining personal well-being, and the role of mentorship and coaching. The conversation also emphasizes the value of storytelling in media, adapting to market realities, and the significance of teamwork and finding joy in the entrepreneurial journey. The session ends with advice for students on leveraging academic skills in the business world and maintaining a healthy balance while pursuing their passion.

In this engaging talk, Harley Finkelstein, President of Shopify, shares insights from his entrepreneurial journey, highlighting the significance of passion, necessity, and grit in building successful businesses. He recounts his early ventures, the foundational role of Montreal in his career, and the evolution of Shopify into a global powerhouse. Addressing a room of entrepreneurs and students, Harley emphasizes the importance of knowing one's mission, leveraging technology, and persevering through failures. He also discusses personal growth, the concept of life's work, and the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit of Montreal. The talk concludes with Harley's perspective on the importance of grit and the belief that entrepreneurship is central to solving problems and creating value.

In this North Star panel discussion, Eleonore Jarry from Brightspark Ventures sat down with student founders. The conversation highlights the experiences of various student founders, their innovative projects, and the challenges they face in the startup ecosystem. Key topics include raising initial funds, the importance of team and mission, navigating the academia-industry transition, pivots and finding product-market fit, and the unique advantages and support systems available to young entrepreneurs. The panelists also engage in practical discussions on retaining talent within Montreal's ecosystem and fostering stronger ties between academic institutions, startups, and the broader venture capital landscape.

The band is back together! Eleonore is back from mat leave and we had the chance to record an episode with Ian Jeffrey and Gabriel Sundaram - all while eating a good poutine. 

We spoke about: 

• How the industry can improve for young moms 

• Stage of early stage in Canada and what it takes to uplevel 

• Latest events & news (Lightspeed, AI startups, Kaufman Fellows)

In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Sophie Boulanger, CEO @ 1Valet. Sophie is one of Canada's most innovative and dynamic entrepreneurs. She has 20 years of experience in the strategy, performance, growth and value creation of organizations, brands and retail operations in the consumer goods industry. She's the co-founder of Bonlook which was acquired in 2021. 

On the second day, we spoke with Julie, she is a serial entrepreneur and current venture capital partner at Amiral Ventures. She's the co-founder of Tracktik, an innovative company specialized in optimizing the management of security agencies, she led the company to international success.

We spoke about their respective founder journeys, building companies that exited and the lessons they learned along the way

We have an amazing TechPoutine episode to share with you today. Ian Jeffrey, Gabriel Sundaram and I sat down with Kyle Braatz, co-founder & CEO @ Fullscript.

We spoke about: 

• How Kyle built his business from the ground up to over $1BN in annual revenue servicing 100,000 practitioners and 10 million patients
• How Kyle balanced growth and profitability
• Management principles scaling from 0 to 800 people (culture, board of directors)
• Working with private equity sponsors
• His thoughts on the recent capital gains changes
• Why he joined a group to purchase the Ottawa Senators