Disruptors

Latest Episodes:

How to Build a Strong Tech Workforce in a Post-COVID Economy May 26, 2020

Show notes

Canada has always had a place for talent from all over the world, but post-crisis, will our approach to acquiring global talent need to change? How do we ensure Canadian businesses and workforces are set up for success as the landscape of work has evolved? Innovation and design-centric thinking are key, and for companies of any size, so is building proactive, adaptive and agile teams. On this episode of RBC Disruptors, John Stackhouse is joined by Sheetal Jaitly, Founder and CEO of TribalScale and Eman Faiz, senior product designer at TribalScale to discuss:

How do we approach talent acquisition in a post-COVID society?
What strengths does the Canadian tech sector bring as we reimagine the economy?
Beyond hard and soft skills, what should companies look for in prospective candidates to drive success in a changing landscape?

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How Is “Photography 3.0” Helping Us Experience the World in a Post COVID Society? May 19, 2020

Show notes

Art has always acted as a mirror to society. Our art changes as things like technology, globalization, and now, a global pandemic drastically alter the way we live our lives. Canada is a hub for creative digital technologies and the arts. In this episode of RBC Disruptors, John Stackhouse is joined by iconic Canadian photographer Ed Burtynsky and his business partner and gaming expert, Vikas Gupta. Together at AVARA Media, they are pushing the boundaries of photography using augmented reality, virtual reality and photogrammetry to create immersive, three-dimensional visual experiences. With people across the globe adjusting to a widely professed “new normal,” a boom in augmented reality and virtual experiences is taking place. In this episode, we discuss:

How is technology transforming the photographic experience?
How can Canadian artists and creatives make an impact in a digital-first world?
How are augmented reality and virtual reality going to help us better communicate and enhance the human experience post COVID-19?

Learn more about Ed Byrtynsky and Avara Media's work here:

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In Innovation, It’s David vs Goliath May 12, 2020

Show notes

Canada’s economy has been put on notice. Leading into the COVID crisis, the biggest powers were throwing around their weight, and the world’s smaller countries were beginning to feel it. In a post-COVID economy, small nations will need the savvy of the shrewdest start-ups, and their start-ups will need to be even more on their game. It’s the only way a small country of relatively small businesses can excel in a big world dominated by big platforms. David Skok has a front row seat for this new competition for scale. As the founder and editor-in-chief of The Logic, he’s running Canada’s digital publication focused on the innovation economy, covering companies and creators who are in a race against time. Just like his media start-up. In this episode we discuss:

Can the media succeed in Canada without subsidies?
What do we need to create ten Shopify's?
Is Sidewalk Labs’ exit a victory or defeat for Canadian innovators?

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Can Alberta Tech Transform Global Energy? May 05, 2020

Show notes

Alberta’s economy will shrink by billions of dollars in 2020 and the unemployment rate is set to exceed 20%. Starting the year with a price war launched by foreign countries, combined with a global pandemic, demand has been decimated and Alberta’s economy is in crisis.

In this episode of RBC Disruptors, John Stackhouse is joined by Alice Reimer, Co-Founder of the51 and Site Lead for Creative Destruction Lab and Marty Reed, CEO of Evok Innovations, to discuss the challenges facing Alberta’s energy sector and the steps Alberta needs to take to ensure our energy sector is a critical part of a greener global economy. In today’s episode we discuss:

How Alberta technology can transform the future of global energy;
The steps Alberta’s energy sector can take to power a cleaner and more competitive economy;
How to foster a culture of innovation in Alberta to create exportable IP, attract top talent, and diversify the energy sector and economy.

News clips provided from:

1. Edmonton Journal, April 15, 2020

Full length clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KziURItutQU

2. Global News, April 24, 2020

Full length clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MAhjng6x5E

3. Global News, March 25, 2020

Full length clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nqt8HS7WJo

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Will the COVID Crisis Lead to a Digital Revolution in Government? Apr 28, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode of RBC Disruptors, we are joined by Alex Benay, Partner, Digital and Government Solutions at KPMG, former CIO of Canada and one of the world's 100 most influential people in digital government, and Hillary Hartley, Ontario's first Chief Digital and Data Officer, to discuss how governments have pivoted to push out billions of dollars in support to Canadians through the COVID-19 crisis almost entirely through digital channels – and what that could mean for a digital government of the future. In today’s episode we discuss:

How the government rapidly shifted to a digital-first approach during the COVID-19 crisis;
How governments can seize this opportunity to rethink Canada’s digital infrastructure in a post-COVID world;
The need for government to re-think their models, and adopt a major shift in mindset toward speed and user centricity.

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Canadian Innovation in Crisis Apr 21, 2020

Show notes

For today’s episode of RBC Disruptors, we’re kickstarting our new season with Michael Serbinis and Janet Bannister. Mike is a serial entrepreneur, and founder of League, a Toronto startup focused on providing a digital alternative to traditional health insurance. Janet is the managing partner of Real Ventures, a Montreal-based VC firm. She’s also the first woman to head a major VC outfit in Canada. In today’s episode we discuss:

Steps that every business needs to consider to overcome this pandemic
The future of work in Canada, and how we can use technology to transform a lot of processes
The impact this crisis will have on our ecosystem and how we can prepare for a very different future

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RBC Disruptors: Season Two Trailer Apr 19, 2020

Show notes

RBC Disruptors is an ongoing podcast series hosted by SVP John Stackhouse about reimagining Canada’s economy in a time of unprecedented change. It features thought-provoking conversations with Canadian business and innovation leaders about planting the seeds of a new economy. CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE: • Follow RBC Thought Leadership on LinkedIn • Follow John Stackhouse on LinkedIn • For more insights visit RBC Thought Leadership Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Is Data Bigger than Oil? Feb 28, 2020

Show notes

The data economy in Canada is worth more than $200 billion. Over the past two years, more data has been created than ever before. And, while Canadian companies invest $40 billion a year in data, many believe that Canada is falling behind its peers when it comes to collecting and leveraging data. So what’s holding us back?

On RBC Disruptors, meet former Google exec Sam Sebastian, CEO of Pelmorex, the Canadian data giant behind The Weather Network that connects with 60M users globally each month. Sebastian and John Stackhouse discuss:
- How Pelmorex is using AI and machine learning along with location, weather and behavior data to create bespoke insights for their clients
- The tension between protecting user privacy and new product innovation
- How companies can successfully collect and use data without eroding public trust

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Why Are There so Few Black Entrepreneurs in the Digital Economy? Feb 21, 2020

Show notes

Today on RBC Disruptors, John Stackhouse sits down with two Torontonians who are working to ensure black entrepreneurs have access to more opportunities in the city’s thriving tech sector. They discuss the challenges unique to Canadian black entrepreneurs, the barriers they face getting their ideas off the ground, and why companies that invest in diversity and inclusion tend to be more successful.

Isaac Olowolafe Jr., who heads a Toronto-based asset management firm, is the founder of Dream Maker Ventures – a venture capital fund that invests in diverse founders from marginalized communities. He’s joined by Abdullah Snobar, the Executive Director of the DMZ – a tech incubator at Ryerson University. Dream Maker Ventures and the DMZ raised $1M to launch the Black Innovation Fellowship – a program addressing the lack of diversity in the startup ecosystem.

In light of Black History Month, Isaac and Abdullah called for Canadians to consider the importance of access and championing of black innovators. Increased opportunity and visibility will be key in advancing black entrepreneurship in the digital economy.

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How a Canadian Company Used AI to Detect the Coronavirus Feb 13, 2020

Show notes

On New Year’s Eve, BlueDot—a Toronto technology company aiming to fight epidemics using AI—saw something concerning. By the next day, BlueDot had alerted its clients of the possible outbreak of a novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China—days before the World Health Organization.

On RBC Disruptors, meet Dr. Kamran Khan, a Canadian physician and entrepreneur using AI and Big Data to create an early-warning system for infectious diseases. Khan and John Stackhouse discuss:

How BlueDot’s early warning system detected the 2020 coronavirus ahead of everyone else
Why Canada is a challenging environment for healthcare innovation
How societies struggle in 2020 to contain infectious diseases despite a wave of new technologies

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