What Canada can learn from AI use in South Africa
AI conferences have a unique vibe. They’re ostensibly tech events, featuring the requisite 30,000-foot view of the future and no roadmap on how to get there. But at this stage of the technology’s lifecycle, they’re also academic gatherings, and thus tend to feel a little insular and snooty… Like if OpenAI were a two-day event […]
“It used to be lonely being Indigenous in tech.” How one tech founder’s question led to a community of hundreds
A series of conversations that sprung from one question soon evolved into a vibrant community of more than 340 Indigenous tech leaders, founders, and professionals spread geographically across Turtle Island. The Indigenous Tech Circle, which officially became a non-profit entity on National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21st, 2024), now includes hundreds of members spread across […]
Propel Holdings to acquire UK-based QuidMarket for $95.9 million CAD
Toronto-based FinTech firm Propel Holdings has entered into an agreement to acquire United Kingdom-based FinTech lender QuidMarket to the tune of $95.9 million CAD ($71 million USD). Based in Nottingham, England, QuidMarket offers an online lending solution that Propel said has originated over 310,000 loans to UK consumers since 2011. The all-cash deal is aimed […]
Looking for a tech job in Toronto? Here are three companies hiring
After slipping in 2023, Toronto recently reclaimed its fourth-place position in the CBRE’s new Scoring Tech Talent ranking. According to CBRE, the city’s resurgence comes from the addition of 95,900 tech jobs between 2018 and 2023, a growth of 44 percent. The organization called it “a dose of good news for Canada’s largest city in […]
Stripe opens new Toronto office with plans to hire 50 team members
American-Irish payments company Stripe is growing its Toronto presence with the opening of a new office in the city. The space, which opened Sept. 26, is located at 1 University Avenue in the city’s downtown core. It opened almost exactly three years after Stripe first established a physical presence in Toronto. The expansion reflects Toronto’s […]
It’s not the technology, it’s what you build with it
Trust, speed and security. Those were the selling points discussed on Tuesday at BetaKit Talks: You Don’t Know Crypto – presented by WonderFi, an event that assembled CEOs and builders in the crypto space to discuss the applications of their work for the broader technology sector. “When people think of crypto, they typically think of […]
EdTech startup LumiQ receives strategic investment from Vertu Capital
Toronto-based private equity firm Vertu Capital has completed a strategic investment into EdTech startup LumiQ. The deal marks Vertu’s fourth platform investment since the private equity firm closed its inaugural fund with more than $300 million CAD in capital commitments. In a statement, Vertu said LumiQ features all the fundamentals of an ideal investment for […]
“Eyes wide open” and a clear view on success
This is the third and final installment of “The Comeback,” the story of one team’s search for a good problem, and the lessons learned along the way. Read Part One: Wrecked, and Part Two: Rebuilt. Taylor Brandt, a principal at venture firm Headline, was no stranger to the problems that stymied marketing teams across the […]
Lightspeed confirms strategic review of business as company reportedly explores sale
In response to recent media reports that the company is exploring a sale, Montréal-based Lightspeed Commerce has confirmed that it is currently conducting “a strategic review of its business and operations.” The payments technology company announced that it periodically undertakes such reviews “with a view to realizing its full potential.” As part of this process, […]
SAAS NORTH gets real
Bankruptcy, imperfections, and immigration policy aren’t normally topics raised on the mainstage. But, well, it’s been a year. Get ready for tech to get candid at the SAAS NORTH conference on November 13-14, 2024, at Ottawa’s Shaw Centre. The BetaKit Keynote Stage will serve as a front-row seat to the most compelling conversations at SAAS […]