Disruptors

Latest Episodes:

Cyber Wars: A Good Offense Is the Best Defense Mar 21, 2023

Show notes

Cyber threats have been around as long as the Internet, but attacks have ramped up in the last few years, with the pandemic dramatically shifting more of our work—and our lives—online. Organizations also moved more of their operations to the cloud, creating a new potential liability.

Recent high-profile security breaches have crippled some of Canada’s largest companies such as Empire Foods, Indigo, and Maple Leaf Foods, with costly impacts to the tune of tens of millions of dollars. Organized crime and some nation states are getting better and better at breaching existing security. It’s up to Canada to leverage our talent, technology, and knowledge to turn those cybersecurity challenges into opportunities.

On this episode of Disruptors, an RBC Podcast, host John Stackhouse takes a deep dive into what is being done to fight cybercrime. Guests include Adam Evans, RBC’s Senior Vice-President & Chief Information Security Officer Michelle Zatlyn, the founder, President, and COO of Cloudflare, and David Shipley, founder & CEO of Beauceron Security. What are the biggest risks to your data and what’s being done to keep it safe? Listen in to find out.

For more information about Cloudflare, check out their website. Click here to read about Beauceron Security. More information about RBC’s cybersecurity initiative can be found here.

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Views from the Valley: Is The Worst Over for Tech? Mar 07, 2023

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It’s no secret that 2023 hasn’t exactly started on a high note for the tech sector. With more than 100,000 workers laid off already this year, looking in from the outside, the industry seems to have lost some of its momentum. But what are insiders saying?

In the short term, large scale layoffs may not be over, but they’re slowing. And a look back in time offers insights into the kind of mega companies that got their start during economic downturns.

On this special, on-location episode of Disruptors, an RBC Podcast, host John Stackhouse speaks with tech leaders at the C100 annual summit in Silicon Valley, to get the real scoop from Canadians in the thick of it. We hear from a range of voices: Andre Charoo, managing partner at Maple VC, a venture capital firm with Canadian roots; Chris Arsenault, president and CEO of Inovia Capital; Shari Hatch Jones, founder and managing partner at Sightline Coaching, and Dominic Penaloza, founder and CEO of Peace. Is 2023 a time for the tech sector to move away from concepts and experimentation and start generating returns? Will the economic downturn slow development or is now the time for the best ideas to rise to the top? Listen in and find out.

For more information about the annual C100 Summit click here. To read about Maple VC, visit their site. Information on Inovia Capital can be found here and Sightline Coaching here.

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Semiconductor Showdown: Canada Enters the Chip Race Feb 21, 2023

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Is the hustle to build a reliable, domestic supply of semiconductors the new space race?

Semiconductors are small computer chips the size of a fingerprint that contain hundreds of millions, if not billions, of tiny transistors. And they’re essential for today’s electronics—from coffee machines to data centres that run the Internet. The world needs a lot of them to function.

But the world is a complicated place, filled with even more complicated supply chains. Nations worldwide are announcing semiconductor strategies to either onshore their production or at the very least make sure they aren’t being left behind.

On this episode of Disruptors, an RBC podcast, host John Stackhouse is joined by Benjamin Bergen, president of the Council of Canadian Innovators, and the co-author of a recent Globe and Mail op-ed, “U.S. is seizing the moment on chips and semiconductors—why can’t Canada?”

He’ll also speak to Jim Keller, CEO of Toronto-based Tenstorrent, makers of specialized AI application chips.

Semiconductor production is extremely complex and their factories are the most expensive in human history. Does Canada have the resources and know-how to keep up? Listen in to find out.

To read Benjamin Bergen’s op-ed, click here, to find out more about the Council of Canadian Innovators, go to their website. Click here to find out more about Tenstorrent’s specialized Next Generation chips. For more information about the U.S. government’s Chips and Science act, click here.

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Canada’s Quest for Quantum Dominance Feb 07, 2023

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Imagine a mathematical problem so complex, it would take today’s most sophisticated supercomputer 9,000 years to solve. Now, imagine a new type of computer that could solve the very same problem in just a fraction of a second. That’s the promise of quantum computing—and it turns out, Canada is well on its way to becoming a global force in the research, development, and implementation of that cutting-edge technology.

On this episode of Disruptors, an RBC podcast, host John Stackhouse is joined by the CEO of Toronto-based Xanadu Quantum Technologies Inc, Christian Weedbrook. Just last year, Xanadu became one of the first companies on the planet to successfully achieve what’s known as “quantum advantage” or “quantum supremacy”; in essence, demonstrating that a programmable quantum device can solve a problem that no classical computer could in a realistic time frame. There’s also a special guest appearance by Dr Stephanie Simmons, Founder and Chief Quantum Officer at Photonic. She was also recently named the co-chair of the newly announced National Quantum Strategy of Canada.

The next step is to scale the technology, and develop real-world applications that can be used to tackle pressing problems like pandemics and climate change.

But plenty of other countries, including Israel, India, China and the United States, are competing with Canada in this race, and Europe is also investing billions into quantum research and development. So how can Canada maintain the pole position? What’s needed in terms of government support and investment? And why did Christian name his company after an infamous box-office bomb from the 1980s? You’ll have to listen to find out!
You can learn more about Canada’s quantum strategy on the Federal Government’s website.

Xanadu has posted a series of resources online, including a helpful explainer video, which you can find here. RBC Capital Markets also wrote about the promise of quantum technology back in December 2022, you can read that article here. You can learn more about Dr. Stephanie Simmons and Photonic here.

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Davos 2023: “Things could be a lot worse” Jan 24, 2023

Show notes

After a three-year hiatus, the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, came back with a vengeance, just as a fragmented world confronts a confluence of crises.

The global meeting of government, business and community leaders—the first in three years—can’t quite be described as optimistic, among the 600+ CEOs, 200 cabinet ministers, 50 heads of government and 20 central bank governors who attended the event. But after a year marked by war, inflation, energy shortages and pandemic fears, the general view of Davos 2023 was, “hey, things could be a lot worse.”

In this episode, host John Stackhouse offers his key learnings during his visit to the Swiss Alps. Alongside his special co-host Naomi Powell, Managing Editor of RBC Economics and Thought Leadership, John takes us through the memorable moments and key themes from this year’s #WEF2023 in Davos. From complications arising from the war in Ukraine, to the energy transition and the global innovation landscape, listen to John’s front-row seat perspective.

Hear from some of the world’s top leaders and thinkers, including Matthew Prince, CEO of IT security firm Cloudflare, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Svein Tore Holsether, the CEO of Yara International, a leading crop nutrition company.

John also talks about the macro and micro trends discussed at the forum, and where Canada can lead. Also, what was the general sentiment around prospects for 2023 among world leaders? Listen in and find out.

John Stackhouse shares his takeaways from Davos 2023, click here to read the piece called, “The Meh-conomy & Matterhorn-sized risks: 12 themes for a fragmented world.” John also penned daily “dispatch from Davos” editorials, which you can read on his LinkedIn page.
For more information about the World Economic Forum, click here.

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Investing in Climate Action: What Canada Can Learn from the US Jan 13, 2023

Show notes

As we begin a new year, we’re creeping ever closer to the point of no return in the fight against climate change. Sea levels are rising, the earth is warming, we’ve seen thawing permafrost and large scale die-offs in coral reefs, and parts of the Amazon are experiencing increased instances of drought and deforestation.

Thankfully, the world is taking notice and more money than ever before is on the table.

The U.S. is making its largest investment ever in green technology in the form of the Inflation Reduction Act or I.R.A., an almost 370 billion dollar pledge to fight climate change. Across the pond, the European Commission has pledged to mobilize at least a trillion Euros in sustainable investments over the next ten years. So how does Canada ensure it isn’t left behind and instead find its place at the head of the pack? Now is the time to think big.

On this episode of Disruptors, an RBC podcast, host John Stackhouse speaks to Dr. Andrew Steer, President and CEO of the $10 billion Bezos Earth Fund, as well as Eli Aheto, a Managing Director at BeyondNetZero, a new climate venture from General Atlantic that invests in high-growth companies developing innovative climate solutions. These two titans are collectively responsible for investing billions of dollars in green tech. They discuss with John about where the money will go and what the future can look like—if we play our cards right.

For more information on the Bezos Earth Fund, visit their site. More information on BeyondNetZero can be found here.

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Biodiversity 3.0: How to Leverage Nature as an Asset Dec 15, 2022

Show notes

WTF: where’s the finance? It was a hot topic at COP27, the UN Climate Conference in Egypt in November, and it continues to be a source of debate at the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the Convention on Biological Diversity, which is just wrapping up in Montreal.

In 2011, 20 targets were set at the Convention on Biological Diversity. A study done nine years later showed that the world had failed to fully achieve a single one. This is not an opportunity we can afford to waste again. But in order to bridge the $700 billion biodiversity financing gap, real changes will have to be made.

On this episode of Disruptors, an RBC podcast, host John Stackhouse speaks with the leaders of some of Canada’s most prominent environmental organizations about biodiversity, how to fund it, and the best way to incorporate tech into our country’s conservation efforts. Catherine Grenier is the President and CEO of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Dr. Justina Ray is the President and Senior Scientist at Wildlife Conservation Society of Canada, and Hadley Archer is the Executive Director of Nature United. All are partners of RBC’s Tech for Nature program, a $100 million, multi-year commitment to preserving the world’s greatest wealth: its natural ecosystem.
Click on the following links to read more about: Nature Conservancy of Canada, Wildlife Conservation Society of Canada, and Nature United. For more information about the UN Biodiversity Conference: COP15, click here.

To learn more about RBC Tech For Nature visit their site.

To read John’s takeaways from the event, visit his LinkedIn page.

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AI Helped Produce This Episode Dec 06, 2022

Show notes

AI was expected to revolutionize the way we do just about everything, but the changes that were promised haven’t materialized as quickly as expected. What’s holding AI back?

On this episode of Disruptors, an RBC podcast, host John Stackhouse sits down with Ajay Agrawal to dig into this question and more. Ajay is a professor at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management; he was named to The Order of Canada this year for his contributions to enhance Canada's productivity, competitiveness, and prosperity through innovation and entrepreneurship, and he’s the founder of the Creative Destruction Lab, an early proponent of AI ingenuity.

Ajay is also the author of two books about AI. His latest, Power and Prediction: The Disruptive Economics of Artificial Intelligence, co-written with fellow Rotman professors Joshua Gans and Avi Goldfarb, focuses on the fact that AI hasn’t lived up to the excitement that he himself helped create. When he looked back at the predictions made in his 2018 bestseller, Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence, he realized it was time to shift focus away from AI as a technology and instead look at the economics of the systems in which it operates.

This episode also features an exciting new AI technology called GPT-3, which uses deep learning to produce text that reads like it was written by a human. It was created by Open AI, an organization founded in San Francisco in 2015. Ilya Sutskever, their chief scientist, is Canadian and a U of T alum.

GPT-3 even provided a brief summary of John and Ajay’s conversation:

“Creative Destruction Lab was designed to address the market failure of commercializing early stage science. The program helps entrepreneurs with the judgment they need to turn their scientific innovation into a business. AI is characterized as a drop in the cost of prediction.

AI is not going to figure out the complexities of health care. There are many barriers to deploying AI in health care, including system frictions that are not aligned with the incentives of hospitals, doctors, and insurers. It is difficult to experiment with AI in health care because of the need for a system-level overhaul.

AI has the potential to help reduce discrimination by making it easier to detect and then fix. However, too much regulation of AI has the potential to stifle innovation. Canada is doing well on the research side of AI, but there is room for improvement on the application side.”

Amazingly concise! This episode also features an AI-generated John Stackhouse, so listen in and see if you can tell the difference.

To read Ajay Agrawal’s newest book, “Power and Prediction: The Disruptive Economics of Artificial Intelligence”, co-written with fellow Rotman School of Management professors Joshua Gans and Avi Goldfarb click here. Follow this link to the University of Toronto’s article about testing out GPT-3 and this one for more about Open AI, GPT-3 and Dall-E2. Some background on IBM Watson can be found here.

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COP27: Turning Talk into Action? Nov 19, 2022

Show notes

Amidst a backdrop of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, rapidly rising inflation, ever-lingering COVID, and near constant political convulsions, this year’s COP27 took on an unprecedented weight.

In this episode, let John Stackhouse walk you through the recently wrapped COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. With his special guest co-host Naomi Powell, Managing Editor of RBC Economics and Thought Leadership, get John’s front row seat perspective on the United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as the Conference of the Parties (COP27)

Hear from some of the world’s top leaders and thinkers, including talking to climate scientists Katharine Hayhoe and Johan Rockström; Elizabeth Nsimadala, the President of the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation, as well as Heather Chalmers, the president and CEO of GE Canada.

From loss and damages to climate financing, John talks about the successes and failures of COP27, and where Canada stands out. Is the goal of halting global warming at 1.5*C still attainable? Listen in and find out.

John Stackhouse shares his takeaways from COP27, click here to read the piece called, “Reality Bites”. For more information about COP27, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt click here. If you’d like to know more about some of the people John spoke with, read up on Katharine Hayhoe at the Nature Conservancy; Rick Smith, the president of the Canadian Climate Institute, or the call to action by Elizabeth Nsimala, the President of the Eastern Africa Farmers Federation. Disruptors recently took an in-depth look at how Canada can reduce emissions and waste in the agricultural sector, it’s a special, three-part series called, The Growing Challenge, listen here.

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The Growing Challenge Part 3: The Hidden Threat of Food Spoilage and Waste Nov 15, 2022

Show notes

It’s an issue that’s estimated to cost Canada more than $21 billion per year -- nevermind the environmental impacts. But how much thought have you really given to the problem of food waste and spoilage, and how it could be hampering our country’s effort to reduce emissions? Whenever wasted or spoiled food ends up buried in a landfill instead of decomposing while exposed to air, it generates methane — a potent greenhouse gas with 86 times the warming power of carbon dioxide. And it just so happens that Canada is one of the worst countries on the planet when it comes to wasted food. So what can be done about it?

On this episode of Disruptors, an RBC podcast, co-hosts John Stackhouse and Trinh Theresa Do wrap up their special, three-part series called “The Growing Challenge”, with an in-depth examination of how both food waste and spoilage represent a huge and often overlooked obstacle to our nation’s sustainability efforts. They’ll also discuss new technologies and tactics helping food producers to address the issue — as well as how we as consumers all need to change our attitudes when it comes to things like best before dates, portion sizes, and so-called “rescued food.”

In addition to some familiar voices from earlier episodes in the series like Sonya Hoo, Evan Fraser, and Kristjan Hebert, John and Theresa will also hear from Meeru Dhalwala, author, chef, and the co-owner of Vij’s and Rangoli restaurants in Vancouver; Randy Huffman, the Chief Food Safety and Sustainability Officer at Maple Leaf Foods; Kevin Groh, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Loblaw Companies Limited; as well as Jeremy Lang, the founder and Vice-President of Sustainability at Pela Earth, which makes a smart, countertop-based composting system called Lomi.

To learn more about Meeru Dhalwala you can visit her Wikipedia page or follow her on Instagram at @meerudhalwala. Maple Leaf Foods has much more information about its sustainability goals on its website. Loblaw Companies Limited has details on its efforts to reduce waste in both the textiles and food industries. Click here to learn more about the Lomi smart composter, and here for information about Pela’s compostable phone cases. For more about BCG’s work on food systems and food security—follow this link. And for details on The Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph, please click here.

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