Disruptors

Latest Episodes:

The Creativity Economy Part 1: A (New) Power Skill for the 2020s Apr 13, 2021

Show notes

Click the following links to learn more about Cirque du Soleil and its creative process. You can find details on the programs and streams offered by The Creative Destruction Lab HERE, or visit the Rotman School’s page on the University of Toronto’s website. Acumen Law’s homepage is vancouvercriminallaw.com, and you can also follow Kyla Lee on Twitter @IRPLawyer. Learn more about the programs offered by OCAD University on the school’s website. Arrange a tour, or find details about the Metalworks Institute in Mississauga HERE. Theresa referenced a previous episode of Disruptors about NEXT Canada, and the next generation of Canadian entrepreneurs.

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Charging Ahead: Canada’s Role in The E-V Revolution Mar 30, 2021

Show notes

For details on Propulsion Quebec, its mission, and its business areas, visit propulsionquebec.com. You can learn more about GBatteries and its unique, ultra-fast charging technology at gbatteries.com.

Click the following links to read up on GM’s commitment to electrification, its Brightdrop announcement, and its new test track in Oshawa. RBC’s new thought leadership report, “Trading Places: Canada’s Place in a Changing Global Economy”, can be found HERE.

John also mentioned a previous Disruptors episode about the ‘Intangibles Economy’ featuring Jim Balsillie, which you can listen to HERE.

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The Last-Mile Ecosystem: One-on-One with the CEO of DoorDash Mar 16, 2021

Show notes

To learn more about DoorDash, its philosophy, and its origin story, you can visit the company’s website. For details on its revenue during the pandemic, read this recent Bloomberg article. John mentioned two previous pieces of RBC research during the podcast, including; “Small Business, Big Pivot” and “Humans wanted: How Canadian Youth Can Thrive in the Age of Disruption”. RBC has also released an updated version of its report on how the pandemic has disrupted the economy, called “And Now the Reset: 9 ways COVID has changed consumers, and business, for the decade ahead.”

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Diversity In/Action: Improving Inclusivity in the Tech Sector Feb 16, 2021

Show notes

It’s something that has the power to enable both empathy and exclusion; to provide us with new perspectives while simultaneously silencing other voices that deserve to be heard: technology.

And while the tech platforms we interact with every day demonstrated their value in the lead-up to and during last year’s BLM protests, the companies and culture that created them have long-standing issues with diversity and inclusion.

In this Black History Month episode of Disruptors, an RBC podcast, John Stackhouse is pleased to welcome as co-host Michael Carter, the Global Head of Technology Investment Banking at RBC Capital Markets in New York, for a compelling and complex conversation about the fight for equity in the tech sector. They’ll be joined by another voice that’s sure to be familiar to longtime listeners; Dax Dasilva, the CEO of Montreal-based Lightspeed Inc, who will share his perspective as a member of, and crusader for, both the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities.

The challenges are numerous: securing more investment funding for Black entrepreneurs, breaking down geographical barriers to diversity, and maintaining focus on the fight for racial justice in the face of other crises, like the pandemic. As you’ll hear from Tamar Huggins-Grant, the Founder and Executive Director of Tech Spark Canada, it’s not going to be a comfortable journey, but that’s OK, because she believes there has to be some level of discomfort if we really want things to change.

Notes:

For details on Lightspeed’s commitment to inclusion and diversity, click HERE. Dax Dasilva wrote an editorial in last summer’s Globe and Mail about the role of CEOs in fostering diversity, and he was also John’s guest on a previous episode of Disruptors: ”Diversity x Inclusion x Innovation”. John also discussed the lack of Black representation in the tech sector in February of last year, in the episode ”Why Are There So Few Black Entrepreneurs in Canadian Tech?”. Details on Tech Spark Canada’s mission to increase inclusivity in the technology sector are at techspark.ca. To learn more about Michael Carter’s background and work promoting innovation, inclusion, and diversity, click HERE. You can use the following links to read up on RBC’s Purpose, Vision, and Values, Community and Social Impact, and efforts to promote Diversity & Inclusion.

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The Business of Benevolence: How Technology is Changing Charitable Giving in Canada Jan 26, 2021

Show notes

It’s something that’s always been a part of the Canadian identity, but has taken on a new urgency over the past twelve months: our tendency to support charities, non-profits, and community organizations. In 2018, Canada’s charitable sector was the second largest on the planet, and we also had one of the highest rates of volunteerism in the world, trailing only the United States, New Zealand, and Norway. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic.

On this episode of Disruptors, an RBC Podcast, host John Stackhouse is joined by Kelly Schmitt, the incoming CEO of Benevity, in her first major interview since being announced as the next head of the Calgary-based company that’s trying to “infuse a culture of goodness into the world”. Together, John and Kelly dig into the challenges charities have been facing — both before and during the pandemic — and how the digital pivots many groups had to pull off almost overnight could signal a fundamental change to the way organizations raise funds in the future.

This podcast also features appearances from Todd Minerson, Country Director, Canada, at Movember, Eric Windeler, the Founder and Executive Director of Jack.org, and Luc Hartwick, the Rocketman Team Lead at RBC Ventures. Together, they challenge some of the conventional wisdom about the way charities do their important work, and provide invaluable insight into how nonprofits must evolve their operations and their thinking to thrive in the years ahead.

Notes:

You can click the following links to learn more about Benevity and its journey to ‘unicorn’ status. For details on the charities featured in this episode and the work they’re doing in our communities, visit Movember.com and Jack.org. For more on how RBC Ventures partners with entrepreneurs and industry leaders to create products and services that go beyond banking, visit RBCVentures.ca. In this podcast, John also refers to a previous Disruptors episode about gaming and esports, featuring a segment on the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, which you can find HERE.

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2021, Year of the Gamer: How Video Game Culture is Conquering Canada and the World Jan 12, 2021

Show notes

Did anyone in your household wake up to find a new video game, virtual reality headset, or console under the tree over the holidays? Do your kids spend hours on end online, watching their favourite gamers on Twitch, Tik-Tok, or YouTube? Is your business struggling to connect with young people, those elusive members of Gen-Z who don’t watch TV, listen to radio, or read newspapers? If your answer to any of those questions is ‘yes’, this podcast is definitely for you.

On this episode of Disruptors, an RBC podcast, it’s ‘game on’, as host John Stackhouse dives into what are likely unfamiliar waters for most people over a certain age; the world of gaming, influencers, and esports. It’s projected to become a $300 billion dollar business over the next decade, and as John hears from his main guest, Adrian Montgomery, the CEO of Toronto’s Enthusiast Gaming, a staggering percentage of young people now consider it a key component of their very identities. Add it all up, and you’ll learn why gaming has become a critical conduit for reaching and engaging with that increasingly influential demographic in 2021, as Canada struggles to recover from the pandemic.

John and Adrian will also hear from other organizations on the front lines of this disruption: Josh Marcus, the co-founder of Rumble Gaming and MKM Esports; Kevin Truong, the Head of Esports & Gaming at the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation; and Tawanda Masawi, the CEO & co-founder of GameSeta eSports. Over the course of the conversation, they touch on a surprisingly broad range of topics, including the U.S. Presidential Race, how esports could supplant traditional sports, and even Sidney Crosby’s golden goal for Team Canada at the 2010 Olympics.

Notes:

You can click the following links to learn more about the companies and organizations mentioned in this episode: Enthusiast Gaming, Rumble Gaming, GameSeta Esports, and the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation’s Quest to Conquer Cancer. The latest numbers on video game spending in Canada can be found HERE. For further reading, we recommend Game On! A Look at the Economics of eSports, from RBC Direct Investing, and eSports: About To Go Mainstream, a previous Disruptors piece from December of 2017.

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Pandemics, Pivots, and Predictions: Looking Back on 2020 and Ahead to 2021 Dec 15, 2020

Show notes

Extraordinary. Unprecedented. Devastating. There’s no shortage of words that have been used to describe everything Canadians have endured over the past 12 months. COVID-19 has fundamentally disrupted our daily lives to such a degree that -- even though a vaccine is now being rolled out -- the ripple effects will be felt for years to come. But what will this “new normal” look like for businesses? Which changes will stick around, and which ones will disappear along with the pandemic? And how will the needs of consumers continue to evolve as we turn another page on our calendars?

On this special, year-end episode of Disruptors, an RBC podcast, host John Stackhouse welcomes back a voice that’s sure to be familiar to regular listeners; Theresa Do from RBC’s Thought Leadership Team. Together, they talk to a series of business leaders from across the country who’ve had to pivot their operations in dramatic and unexpected ways over the past year. They also delve into RBC’s world-class research to find out what these changes could signal about what’s coming our way in 2021.

This episode also features appearances from Soslan Tsoutsiev, the President of Transformer Table; Brandon Grossutti, the founder of FromTo; Andrew Feenstra, the owner of Cyclesmith; Alisha Esmail, the founder of Road Coffee Company; and Lisa Helps, the Mayor of Victoria, British Columbia. But listen until the very end and it’s Antoni Cimolino, the Artistic Director of the Stratford Festival of Canada, who will leave you feeling inspired and maybe even moved, with a poignant anecdote about the resilience of live theatre in times of pandemic.

Notes:

The following organizations are featured on this podcast: The Stratford Festival of Canada, Transformer Table, Road Coffee Company, FromTo, and Cyclesmith. You can learn more about the City of Victoria’s pandemic recovery plan HERE. Click the following links to read the full RBC reports on ‘8 Ways COVID will Transform the Economy and Disrupt Every Business’ and ‘Navigating 2021. You can find more world-class research on RBC’s Thought Leadership page. These previous episodes of Disruptors were also mentioned in this podcast: “Beyond the Cart: How Grocery Commerce is Transforming,” “To Go Please: How Food Delivery Platforms are Transforming Restaurants,” and “Open Oceans, Open Opportunity: Mapping Canada’s Role in the Blue Economy”.

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Impersonal Information: Data and Privacy Protection in 2020 and Beyond Dec 08, 2020

Show notes

What do digital privacy and COVID-19 have in common with climate change, Kompromat, counter-espionage hackers, and the new Netflix movie “The Social Dilemma”? They’re just a few of the many topics that come up in a timely and compelling conversation with Canada’s so-called “Hacker King”, on the latest episode of Disruptors, an RBC podcast.

On the heels of new federal privacy legislation, host John Stackhouse sits down with Ron Deibert, founder of the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, and author of Reset: Reclaiming the Internet for Civil Society. They discuss how, in an era of record-breaking data generation and high profile digital security breaches, Canadian businesses can learn to access the potential of data and manage the risks by taking a wide-angled, interdisciplinary approach.

Featuring a guest appearance from Kevin Chan, Facebook Canada’s Head of Public Policy, this episode is essential listening for anyone concerned about the lack of strong protocols governing the collection of our online data. The concern is well-founded. But be sure to listen through to the end, because as you’ll hear from Ron, there are still reasons for optimism.

Notes:

You can learn more about the Citizen Lab’s work at the University of Toronto HERE, or on Ron Deibert’s personal website. The latest numbers about the impact of cybersecurity incidents on businesses can be found on Statistics Canada’s website or in the Canadian Centre for Cybersecurity’s National Cyber Threat Assessment 2020. Kevin Chan recently co-wrote an editorial about social media regulation that was published in the Globe and Mail, and you can hear him on a previous episode of Disruptors about the dangers of deepfake technology. John also refers to a previous episode about the Intangibles Economy from November 24th when he mentioned Canadian IP leaving the country.

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The Intangibles Economy: How to Make Canada an IP Powerhouse Nov 24, 2020

Show notes

It’s a term that’s been front and centre this fall, as the federal government considers ways to shepherd Canada out of the economic downturn caused by COVID: intellectual property. But what exactly is IP -- and how could it be central to the recovery?

On this episode of Disruptors, an RBC podcast, host John Stackhouse sits down for a no-holds-barred conversation with one of Canada’s most outspoken tech and innovation advocates: Jim Balsillie, a businessman, philanthropist, former co-CEO of Research in Motion, and Chair of Council of Canadian Innovators. Balsillie believes there’s simply too much at stake to continue the Canada’s current approach to innovation, which he says has allowed foreign companies to cannibalize our businesses, pulling the benefits of IP research and development out of the country. Balsillie believes we’re at a pivotal moment, in which our economic prosperity, digital sovereignty, even our national security, could be impacted for years to come.

Over the course of the conversation, Jim and John will also hear from CCI’s Director of Strategic Initiatives, Dana O’Born, and from a Canadian business leader who has successfully leveraged IP to grow his company. Jason Tham, the CEO of Nulogy will touch on the lessons he learned and discuss what needs to be done differently if Canada is indeed to become an IP powerhouse.

Notes:

Click the following links to learn more about the Canadian Council of Innovators, its recent open letter to the Prime Minister about nation building, and its plan for economic recovery. To read the Government of Canada’s National IP Strategy, click HERE. Jim Balsillie’s call for a national data strategy made headlines in the Financial Post and Toronto Star back in 2018.For more information about the businesses mentioned in this episode, visit Nulogy.com and Geocomply.com. If you enjoyed this conversation, you may also want to listen to these previous Disruptors episodes: Beyond Silicon Valley: Why We Need a Global Playbook For Innovation, and Global Canadians: The Tech Sector’s Secret weapon.

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From Connected Cows to Smart Cities: Enabling the 5G Economy Nov 10, 2020

Show notes

There’s been no shortage of hype. Now, after years of headlines heralding it as a transformative technology, an evolution in wireless service, even a “game changer for humanity,” 5G is finally being rolled out across Canada by the big three telecom providers. But are we ready to make the most of it? And what does 5G’s arrival really mean for consumers and businesses? The possibilities are legitimately exciting.

On this episode of Disruptors, an RBC podcast, host John Stackhouse examines the true potential of this next-generation of wireless networks, as well as the apps and devices they will enable, with the help of the President of Bell Mobility, Claire Gillies. Together, they tackle the full spectrum of questions surrounding 5G, including why it’s really more of a “revolution” than an evolution, and how it will transform everything from healthcare to agriculture. You’ll definitely want to hear about the driverless combine John once saw rolling across the open prairie in Saskatchewan. Or about how 5G might finally make it easy to park downtown.

You’ll get to hear about one of the cities on the front lines of adapting to this new economy. Cyrus Tehrani, the Chief Digital Officer for the City of Hamilton, shares his thoughts on how 5G will “level up” some of the services people depend on every day. And Keith Ponton, a Senior Systems Consultant from IBI group with decades of experience in the telecom business, offers his perspective on how Canada compares to other countries in the 5G race, and where the greatest opportunities for advancement lie.

Notes:

Two previous pieces from RBC’s Thought Leadership team are mentioned in this episode. Click the links to read Farmer 4.0: How the Coming Skills Revolution Can Transform Agriculture, and Paging Dr. Data: How the Coming Skills Revolution Can Transform Healthcare. For details on Hamilton, Ontario’s ‘Digital Transformation’, you can visit the city’s website. To learn more about IBI Group’s work in the fields of engineering, planning, transportation and technology, click HERE. And for the latest on Bell Mobility’s rollout of 5G services, go to Bell.ca

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