Gerard Metrailler

When it comes to email communication security, Secure Exchanges is just the easiest, most efficient and economically sound solution for all professionals for about any industry. It's AWESOME! When it comes compliance to Quebec law 25, GDPR, CPPA or any other Data Protection law you can count on Secure Exchanges to protect the data during transport. Secure Exchanges #E2EE #Encryption #DataProtection #emailSecurity #CyberSecurity #DigitalSignature #Innovation

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It seems to me that the question should be ... can incubators identify/create/support/augment exceptional companies - who cares if they are just good at supporting more average or worse yet underperforming companies - We should be focused on the exceptional outliers and the encouraging part was the note "The highest revenue-generating startups were the exception, posting slightly more than non-BAI firms, but only in 2020" but .... unfortunately those positive revenue signals might have zero to do with the incubators and everything to do with access to a capital and a willingness/ability in 2020 to spend it on revenue capital at any cost. The other problem with this kind of a study is revenue is a MEANINGLESS metric for biotech companies. How the authors measured success/impact in this segment of the market would be of interest as I suspect access to wet labs, shared equipment and facilities, and in some cases corporate strategics should be highly accretive to these kinds of companies.

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Great discussion. I’ve been blessed to live a couple transformative movements as well. At Acorn we’re focusing on how can we apply AI to specific use cases. Not marketing slogans and lingo. So no, we won’t change our URL to .ai and we won’t confuse our customers. AI is a tool that will solve problems for our users and when they ask how we’ll share the tools we use to build the solutions they like. Our view is that if we do this the trends won’t matter.

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In Q1 2024, electronic sales rose 1% year-over-year (YoY), with Q2 2024 forecast to register a 5% YoY increase. IC sales posted robust 22% YoY growth in Q1 2024 and are expected to surge 21% in Q2 2024 as shipments of high-performance computing (HPC) chips increase and memory pricing continues to improve. IC inventory levels stabilized in Q1 2024 and are expected to improve this quarter.

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Such a great blog post which I suggest every founder read. So many golden nuggets in here. But one that stands out: What are some qualities that you see in the most successful founders? Well, I love smart people, with high IQs, and high EQs, that’s great. But, of the founders that I see, the highest correlation with success is with their grit quotient. They’re not necessarily the smartest people in the world, but their grit and determination are unbelievable. They never give up and always find a way to blast through any obstacle they face. It’s the mentality of “succeed or die” – it’s that kind of determination that wins. #gritcotient #grit #founder #highperformancemindset

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Solving problems within the Canadian tech industry requires a national attitude adjustment on several key fronts: - Adopting a long-term thinking approach rather than focusing solely on short-term gains - Thinking big and competing on a global scale, not just locally - Recognizing that a few highly motivated and properly incentivized individuals can create massive value for the country It feels as though Canada needs its own version of the Iwakura mission, where someone deeply understands the traits that have made the US so successful historically and the lessons Asia has learned in modern times that have led to their rapid ascension. This person would then run a campaign based on those lessons. Until the root causes are addressed, it's difficult not to recommend that individuals align themselves with the US in their pursuit of building, as failing to do so could severely limit their potential.

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https://lnkd.in/gmDD47Jw Maclean's magazine has just unveiled its annual Power List, and we are thrilled to announce that Mark Leonard, President of Constellation Software Inc., has been recognized as one of the most influential tech leaders of the year. "For quietly amassing one of the world’s top tech portfolios His more-is-more capital allocation strategy has earned him the nickname “Canada’s Warren Buffett” and earned his shareholders a gobsmacking 23,000 per cent return. Since 2005, Constellation Software has spent $8.7 billion acquiring more than 1,000 companies—mostly small software firms running monopolies in niche markets too small for competition—and servicing unsexy industries like cable broadcasting and mortgages (2023 acquisitions include WideOrbit and Optimal Blue). Rather than merge his companies or sell them for parts, Leonard lets them operate independently, using the steady cash return to fund new acquisitions. The famously reclusive Leonard is allergic to flashy headlines, but nothing says sex appeal like a five-digit ROI."

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A few days ago, BetaKit shared an article about my views on Canada and winning the global tech leadership race: https://lnkd.in/gANamE9n In the article I tried to convey a few key points I am passionate about: 1) Canada has the opportunity to be THE leader in tomorrow's technology-first world, not just A leader. But we have to act differently. I will try to speak and write more about this in upcoming months. 2) Young people don't see a world of opportunity in front of them, the way my graduating class did 15+ years ago. If we offer young people a bleak housing and job market, we can't ALSO ask them to "be bold and take risks." 3) We should approach winning in the global tech ecosystem like a startup against incumbents. If the US is like Google, Canada must stop trying to be "mini-Google." Worse yet, when my peers and I interact with government, it feels like Canada is trying to beat Google by acting like IBM! 🤮 4) The whole conversation about the capital gains inclusion rate hurting Canada's future success is a distraction. If Canada is the best place to live and grow, people will be able to handle equitable taxation. Let's focus on making that happen. We need to ask our tech leaders to think bigger, think bolder. 💪 5) It seems everyone wants to talk about helping new startups form in Canada, but no one wants to talk about how we live in an economy dominated by monopolies like Loblaw and Rogers. If we aren't willing to tear down these inefficient, overpriced behemoths, we aren't being serious about wanting to develop a rich (competitive) entrepreneurial culture in Canada. What do you think?

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https://lnkd.in/g8kjkY3t Nearly $2.4 billion CAD in total VC funding was deployed into Canadian technology startups across 143 deals during the second quarter, per CVCA’s latest VC market report. This marks an improvement compared to Q1 on both counts but trails the second quarter of 2023.   On a year-over-year basis, total funding declined by 14 percent and deal count dropped by nearly 16 percent in Q2 2024. Relative to what was a mixed Q1 for Canadian VC funding though, VC investment jumped 85 percent while deal volume increased by only five percent.   In a statement, Furlong said this performance was “driven by investors doubling down on companies with proven track records and strong fundamentals,” reflecting what many VCs have dubbed a ‘flight to quality’ amid the tech downturn.

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On today’s Collisions YYC episode, we dive deep into data privacy and the critical role it plays in business today. Stephane Hamel, a leader in data analytics and privacy with Université Laval, walks us through everything from GDPR to Canada’s new Bill C-27. Whether you’re a business owner, marketer, or simply a concerned consumer, this episode provides the tools you need to rethink your approach to data. Tune in now to learn how to stay ahead in the age of privacy-first business practices! 🎧 https://lnkd.in/gRrWhSpw

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Tali AI's CEO Mahshid Yassaei is on-stage at Elevate Canada sharing her vision as well as her success with investors as an AI technology innovator. The coolest thing about what Tali is doing is that it's actually making a difference. Imagine going to your medical appointment and having the clinician (Doctor, Nurse, NP, etc) actually look 👀 at you while you're talking to them. THAT is what we are making happen from the patient point of view (and the clinician won't be touching the computer, touching you, touching the computer, which is a whole other thing). Now, imagine you're a clinician and you see 14 patients per day, or more. Each patient note has to be adjusted, other information recalled, and added to the electronic health record. Most clinician's do this at night, at home when they should be learning or spending time with family. We can give these clinicians back an average of 20-hours per month in time documenting patient visits. What would you do with an extra 20-hours per month?

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Good Morning All - I’m thrilled to introduce this years C100 2024 #C100Growth and #C100Fellows cohorts! These companies, executives, and founders represent the next wave of Canadian tech opportunity, each poised to make a significant impact in their respective industries. This year we had an incredible applicant pool of hundreds to select from and were blessed to make tough incredible selections. The 12 companies joining our Growth Program exemplify the deep quality of Canadian tech and the incredible repeat innovation that Canada has to offer, with more than half of the leaders being serial entrepreneurs. The cohort comprises pioneers in B2B SaaS, fintech, health tech, cleantech, and AI. This years 26 early-stage companies showcase Canadian ingenuity, technological advancement, and a commitment to social impact - it's also the largest cohort ever – and is characterized by its diversity, spanning B2B SaaS, deep tech, health tech, fintech, legal tech, and more. Congratulations to all and welcome to the C100 family! #CdnTech #Innovation #Entrepreneurship

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Behind the scenes at #Elevate2024 - speaking at the biggest tech conference in Canada re: #VentureCapital investing in deep-tech. Joined by Janet Bannister (Staircase Ventures), Eva Lau (Two Small Fish Ventures), Chris Neumann (Panache Ventures), we covered: - what types of companies are exciting to VCs (hint: moonshots), - specialist vs. generalist VC funds (founders: while it’s wonderful to meet a specialist VC that knows your domain really well, that is currently the exception, not the norm - so the art of telling your story to a broader investor base is crucial) - how VCs construct their portfolio to meet LP expectations (as a founder, you need to understand what motivates the investors you’re interacting with) Glad Creative Destruction Lab assembled this epic panel on the Moonshots stage ! Elevate Sonia Sennik #FutureTech #Innovation #IOV

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Entering the defense industry as an emerging Canadian tech innovator posed its own set of unique challenges. How do we reach professionals who naturally maintain a low profile due to security reasons? And once connected, how do we navigate such a complex industry? These were significant questions for us at Zighra when we began developing AI solutions aimed at empowering defense professionals with actionable intelligence and enhanced operational agility. That’s why I’d like to highlight the exceptional contributions of Ammaarah Shaikh, who now oversees Zighra’s product & growth. From her beginnings as a University of Waterloo intern to becoming a pivotal figure in our strategic advancements, Ammaarah’s persistence and outstanding organizational skills have been vital. She has been instrumental in securing high-level meetings that are crucial for presenting our innovative solutions to the right stakeholders. So, a huge thank you to Ammaarah! You have not only grown tremendously since joining us but have also significantly helped Zighra expand its impact in the #Govtech and defense sectors. Women in Defence and Security (WiDS) #cansec2024 #RecognizingExcellence #cybersecurity #AI

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Must attend event to discuss the future of #innovation, #business and #entrepreneurship of #Canada! RSVP and see you there!

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Is it the fear of #accountability or the fear of being #cancelled that has corporations falling into the category of #greenhushing? Corporations should not and can not conflate the two...and stakeholders should not and can not use a corporations disclosure as a signal to launch an attack. The collective goal of corporations and their stakeholders should be to solve the problems they have influenced or have influence over - #climatechange, #water abundance, #food security, #social #equity and shared #prosperity. This is done by challenging one another with respect and positive intent. If you are a corporation that is not disclosing your goals, targets, ambitions and performance for fear of being "#cancelled", we understand...but remind you that authentic actions built of positive intent, while they may not be bullet proof, is your best defence - and the greatest opportunity to capture the #alpha from addressing your #sustainability challenges. And if you are a corporation failing to disclose because you do not want to be held accountable...well, the risk of not disclosing has historically proven to be more destructive. If you are a stakeholder that has found yourself focused on issue spotting rather than issue solving, recall that greenhushed corporations provide ever more limited data that restricts your means of productive engagement....and isn't that the goal? Productive engagement...? Someone must have written a great song about this in the 60's... #decarbonization #gigacorn #gigacornhunter

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It’s been 2 years since I left VTS, the company that acquired my startup Lane. Building a #startup in Canada means playing on hard-mode; it’s hard to raise capital, it’s hard to compete against US companies, it’s hard to get scale in a smaller market.  Building a #proptech startup means playing on hard-mode; it’s a tight knit relationship based industry, it’s a slow moving industry, it’s an industry that doesn’t take risks. So building a #proptech #startup in Canada? I’ll let you draw the conclusion. But we did it!  The team at Lane built one of the fastest growing startups to come out of Canada and also one of the biggest exits in proptech.  We could not have done it without such an amazing team. In fact, the Lane Alum continued to do incredible stuff.  I did a bit of research and collectively not only is everyone doing very well in their careers but Lane Alum have: - 8 new tech startups launched - 4 other new businesses launched  - 3 books published - 1 venture fund launched That feels incredible! I hope the experience they had at Lane contributed in some small part to all this success. It’s this stuff that makes me excited to start companies and why I am getting back into it.  I’ve been working on something that will be game changing for companies and I’ve definitely started with a team first approach. I’m going to keep it stealth for now, but can’t wait to share it more broadly with everyone. Shoot me a message if you’re interested in participating.

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📟"The semiconductor sector is viewed as an isolated industry while the reality is that semiconductors underpin every industry you can name. They are the engine for many critical sectors, namely AI, advanced manufacturing, smart city, mobility, renewable energy, and health care—all of which are leading industries in Canada. They are everywhere, and Canada requires this ongoing support and a comprehensive strategy to compete globally in semiconductor design and fabrication." 𓇲 Read ventureLAB's latest #thoughtleadership piece by Avinash Persaud

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