165 episodes

Disruptors, an RBC podcast, is an ongoing 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.

Disruptors RBC Thought Leadership, John Stackhouse

    • Business
    • 4.8 • 401 Ratings

Disruptors, an RBC podcast, is an ongoing 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.

    Unlocking the Energy Transition’s Economic Benefit

    Unlocking the Energy Transition’s Economic Benefit

    The complexities of the climate transition require funding and access to capital that includes broader support nationwide — because without investment, there will be no transition.

    But it’s a bumpy year for innovators, with higher interest rates and consumer resistance. Our research also shows that while climate intentions are admirable, consumers are going to act with their economic benefit in mind.

    We must find ways to simplify sustainable solutions that lead to acceleration and scale to unlock value for society — and a lot of it will come down to technology and whether it can transform our economy fast enough.

    On this episode, we’re joined by Peter Tertzakian and Jackie Forrest of the ARC Energy Research Institute to discuss the energy transition and what is sure to be a critical year in Canada’s climate journey.

    • 29 min
    Shattering Glass Ceilings in Canadian Cleantech

    Shattering Glass Ceilings in Canadian Cleantech

    Innovative green technology is critical for driving environmental resilience and economic growth — though this tech is no stranger to obstacles.

    Cleantech faces challenges and persistent barriers and having a diverse ecosystem — including entrepreneurs and investors — that encourages innovation and provides access to capital is critical to scale and market acceptance. This also means women and individuals from underrepresented communities need to be part of the solution.

    This episode is a roundtable cohosted with Alison Nankivell, the incoming CEO of MaRS Discovery District, North America’s largest urban innovation hub and a nonprofit that provides support for startups. We’re joined by three women on the frontlines of Canadian cleantech; Myra Arshad of ALT TEX; Natalie Ashdown of Evoco and; Jacqueline Hutchings of Friendlier.

    • 29 min
    Doubling Down: The Definitive Decade for Climate

    Doubling Down: The Definitive Decade for Climate

    The climate transition is complex, not just for countries and economies, but for households and individuals.

    Across the country, Canadians are engaging more with climate action — though we’re still not doing enough to help ourselves and the warming planet.

    Canada’s climate capital needs to double to $60 billion in annual investments, and if this is going to be the decade that paves a sustainable path, we’ll need to fund, scale and support innovative green technologies.

    On this episode, we're taking a deeper dive with leaders from three Canadian clean tech companies; Stephane Germain, President at GHGSat; Apoorv Sinha, CEO of Carbon Upcycling; and Louis Tremblay, CEO of FLO EV Charging to discuss the opportunities and challenges for their respective industries and what that means for our nation.

    • 30 min
    Davos Discourse: AI Takes Centre Stage

    Davos Discourse: AI Takes Centre Stage

    The World Economic Forum (WEF) is known for its annual gathering of global leaders, policymakers, CEOs, and academics — convening to address the most pressing issues facing people and the planet.

    “Rebuilding Trust” was the theme this year, though the topic of the week was artificial intelligence — dominating the dialogue on the world stage and the advertisement space in the streets.

    The pursuit of productivity was on everyone’s mind and each AI session was jam packed. But how much of it is hype versus reality?

    To help make sense of it all, we hear from these pioneers and visionaries on the ground in Davos; Erik Brynjolfsson (Stanford Digital Economy Lab); Michelle Zatlyn (Cloudflare); Ashvin Parmar (Capgemini); Anna Paula Assis (IBM); Nicholas Thompson (The Atlantic); and Andrew Ng (Coursera).

    • 30 min
    Hydrogen Horizons: Powering a Green Path Forward

    Hydrogen Horizons: Powering a Green Path Forward

    The green hydrogen race is on, and billions are at stake. Countries big and small view hydrogen as an opportunity to convert wind, solar, gas and nuclear into molecules that they can sustainably ship around the world.

    The hydrogen promise extends beyond reducing our carbon footprint and developing cleaner sources of energy; it’s also about reimagining a new industrial model for our economy, opening avenues for economic growth and job creation.

    Canada is a country filled with vast renewable resources, but first we must navigate the complexities of the technology, economics and politics associated with a shift to clean energy adoption.

    Is green hydrogen the next great Canadian energy export and will it be the tech innovation of the decade?

    We’re joined by Gene Gebolys, CEO at World Energy and Marco Alvera, CEO at Tree Energy Solutions (TES) — two global energy pioneers betting on Canada’s green hydrogen potential, from the windswept Atlantic coast to the Mauricie region of Quebec. We also hear from the CEO at the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association, Ivette Vera-Perez.

    • 28 min
    New Year’s Promise: Pragmatic Shift to a Digitally Charged Future

    New Year’s Promise: Pragmatic Shift to a Digitally Charged Future

    2023 was a year of disruptive change, with the cost-of-living crisis, rising geopolitical tensions, the ongoing climate emergency and rapid technological transformation.

    Amid the murky backdrop of increasing challenges and negative outlooks, there is also hope and opportunity; a tech resurgence is brewing that’s expected to rise like a phoenix from the Silicon ashes; AI is a dynamic reality shaping the future; cleantech advancements are a driving force for progress; and innovative technologies seek to revolutionize the way we connect, create and work to solve some of our most pressing issues.

    To come this year on Disruptors, we’ll continue speaking with champions of change and icons of innovation as they navigate the twists and turns of an increasingly disruptive world.

    2024 isn’t just a new year, it promises to be a pragmatic shift into a digitally charged future.

    • 3 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
401 Ratings

401 Ratings

LishaMillz12 ,

Weekly listener

I work in the technology space and Disruptors is on my weekly rotation of podcasts. As a woman in tech, I was delighted to hear the episode from IWD that focuses on some pretty remarkable women in clean-tech. More please!

RVS.08 ,

Great tech pod

Interested in the Canadian tech landscape? Then this podcast is for you. Highly recommend!

DGC1999 ,

My go-to podcast for Canadian innovation

Love this podcast and John is a great host! It consistently sheds light on innovative topics like new tech and climate action — really insightful with great delivery.

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