Idea to Investment

TechAlliance

Welcome to "Idea to Investment," the podcast that looks into the dynamic world of entrepreneurship and investment. Join us as we embark on a journey with innovators and investors, uncovering the captivating stories that unfold from the inception of an idea to securing vital investments. This podcast goes beyond the surface, offering an intimate look into the challenges, triumphs, and pivotal moments that shape a business. We aim to amplify the voices of entrepreneurs, showcasing their resilience and ingenuity, while also gaining insights from the investors who believed in their vision.

  1. Episode #30 - Blumind

    12/11/2025

    Episode #30 - Blumind

    Welcome to "Idea to Investment," the podcast that looks into the dynamic world of entrepreneurship and investment. Join us as we embark on a journey with innovators and investors, uncovering the captivating stories that unfold from the inception of an idea to securing vital investments. In this episode, we sit with Niraj Mathur, Co-Founder & CEO of Blumind, and Albert Chen, Partner at Two Small Fish Ventures. We dig into what it really takes to build and invest in deep tech. Albert shares how Two Small Fish Ventures evaluates founders and ideas, plus what stands out across the 1,000+ pitches he sees each year. Niraj brings the founder perspective, from engaging customers early to translating complex technical work into a story investors understand. Together, they break down the shifts happening in Canada’s deep-tech landscape and the opportunities emerging for founders. To know more about Blumind, visit their website here. Connect with Niraj Mathur here. To know more about Two Small Fish Ventures, visit their website ⁠⁠⁠here.⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Albert Chen ⁠⁠⁠here.⁠⁠⁠ Liking our podcast so far? Know more about your biggest cheerleaders in this innovation ecosystem and how we can bolster growth for your venture here on our website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.techalliance.ca/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Looking for business advisors to help you start your business on your own terms? Book an introductory call at no cost with our seasoned business advisors here - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.techalliance.ca/book-a-call/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keep yourself updated on the latest news, upcoming events and initiatives through our newsletter. Subscribe now - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.techalliance.ca/techalliance-newsletter/

    37 min
  2. Episode #29 - Janet Bannister

    11/05/2025

    Episode #29 - Janet Bannister

    Welcome to "Idea to Investment," the podcast that looks into the dynamic world of entrepreneurship and investment. Join us as we embark on a journey with innovators and investors, uncovering the captivating stories that unfold from the inception of an idea to securing vital investments.  In this episode, we sit with Janet Bannister, Founder and Managing Partner at Staircase Ventures, an investment group that leads seed-stage rounds into Canada’s highest potential tech companies. In this power-packed episode, Janet shares what stands out to her among 1500 pitches that she sees every year, how underhyped areas might be great avenues for exploring the next big thing, how media needs to change storytelling to drive change towards an equitable investment approach, and why founders need to partner, and not impress, investors to get the most out of them. To know more about Staircase Ventures, visit their website ⁠⁠here.⁠⁠ To know more about Janet Bannister, visit his LinkedIn ⁠⁠here.⁠⁠ Liking our podcast so far? Know more about your biggest cheerleaders in this innovation ecosystem and how we can bolster growth for your venture here on our website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.techalliance.ca/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Looking for business advisors to help you start your business on your own terms? Book an introductory call at no cost with our seasoned business advisors here - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.techalliance.ca/book-a-call/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keep yourself updated on the latest news, upcoming events and initiatives through our newsletter. Subscribe now - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.techalliance.ca/techalliance-newsletter/

    34 min
  3. Episode #28 - Xatoms

    10/03/2025

    Episode #28 - Xatoms

    Welcome to "Idea to Investment," the podcast that looks into the dynamic world of entrepreneurship and investment. Join us as we embark on a journey with innovators and investors, uncovering the captivating stories that unfold from the inception of an idea to securing vital investments.  In this episode, we sit with Diana Virgovicova and Kerem Topalismailoglu, Co-Founders of Xatoms, a deeptech venture leveraging quatum-chemistry to clean the world's polluted water, along with their investor Martin Laforest, Managing Director at Quantacet, a VC fund focused on global quantum technology market.Together, they dig into the unique challenges of deeptech fundraising, the importance of de-risking portfolios, and how quantum-tech companies push investors to think differently. To know more about Xatoms, visit their website ⁠⁠⁠⁠here.⁠⁠⁠⁠ To know more about Quantacet, visit their website here. Liking our podcast so far? Know more about your biggest cheerleaders in this innovation ecosystem and how we can bolster growth for your venture here on our website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.techalliance.ca/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Looking for business advisors to help you start your business on your own terms? Book an introductory call at no cost with our seasoned business advisors here - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.techalliance.ca/book-a-call/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keep yourself updated on the latest news, upcoming events and initiatives through our newsletter. Subscribe now - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.techalliance.ca/techalliance-newsletter/

    34 min
  4. 06/05/2025

    Episode #25 - Pieter Dorsman

    Welcome to "Idea to Investment," the podcast that looks into the dynamic world of entrepreneurship and investment. Join us as we embark on a journey with innovators and investors, uncovering the captivating stories that unfold from the inception of an idea to securing vital investments.  In this episode, we sit with Pieter Dorsman, Venture Partner at Good News Venture, an investment group focused on pre-seed and seed stage companies focused in AI and Blockchain technologies. Hosted by Ken Eastwood, the two of them dive deep into the Canadian tech and innovation landscape in the West Coast of Canada, Pieter's expertise in developing strong funder-founder relationships, and exit strategies for companies looking for that transition. To know more about Good News Ventures, visit their website ⁠here.⁠ To know more about Pieter Dorsman, visit his LinkedIn ⁠here.⁠ 👏 This podcast has been made possible through the generous support of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TD Ferrera Wealth Advisory Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Liking our podcast so far? Know more about your biggest cheerleaders in this innovation ecosystem and how we can bolster growth for your venture here on our website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.techalliance.ca/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Looking for business advisors to help you start your business on your own terms? Book an introductory call at no cost with our seasoned business advisors here - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.techalliance.ca/book-a-call/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keep yourself updated on the latest news, upcoming events and initiatives through our newsletter. Subscribe now - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.techalliance.ca/techalliance-newsletter/

    32 min
  5. Episode #24 - Re:Pair Genomics

    05/06/2025

    Episode #24 - Re:Pair Genomics

    Welcome to "Idea to Investment," the podcast that looks into the dynamic world of entrepreneurship and investment. Join us as we embark on a journey with innovators and investors, uncovering the captivating stories that unfold from the inception of an idea to securing vital investments.  In this episode, Shiron Lee, Co-Founder of Re:Pair Genomics and their funder, Jonathan Suckling, Senior Manager at Centre of Aging + Brain Health Innovation, talk about a founders' approach to non-dilutive and dilutive funding, the investment landscape for Canadian medtech companies, and how does grant fuel a company's investment journey. To know more about Re:Pair Genomics, visit their website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To know about their CABHI, visit the website ⁠here.⁠ 👏 This podcast has been made possible through the generous support of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TD Ferrera Wealth Advisory Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Liking our podcast so far? Know more about your biggest cheerleaders in this innovation ecosystem and how we can bolster growth for your venture here on our website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.techalliance.ca/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Looking for business advisors to help you start your business on your own terms? Book an introductory call at no cost with our seasoned business advisors here - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.techalliance.ca/book-a-call/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keep yourself updated on the latest news, upcoming events and initiatives through our newsletter. Subscribe now - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.techalliance.ca/techalliance-newsletter/

    31 min
  6. Episode #23 - TMRRW Inc.

    04/04/2025

    Episode #23 - TMRRW Inc.

    Welcome to "Idea to Investment," the podcast that looks into the dynamic world of entrepreneurship and investment. Join us as we embark on a journey with innovators and investors, uncovering the captivating stories that unfold from the inception of an idea to securing vital investments.  In this episode, Liwordson Vijayabalan, President and Founder of TMRRW Labs talks about AI disruption in the martech ecosystem, his unique approach to fundraising and seeking investment, and the advantage of understanding the investor side of the deal to strike gold. To know more about TMRRW Labs, visit their website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To know about their Welcome platform, visit the website here. 👏 This podcast has been made possible through the generous support of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TD Ferrera Wealth Advisory Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Liking our podcast so far? Know more about your biggest cheerleaders in this innovation ecosystem and how we can bolster growth for your venture here on our website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.techalliance.ca/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Looking for business advisors to help you start your business on your own terms? Book an introductory call at no cost with our seasoned business advisors here - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.techalliance.ca/book-a-call/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keep yourself updated on the latest news, upcoming events and initiatives through our newsletter. Subscribe now - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.techalliance.ca/techalliance-newsletter/

    34 min

About

Welcome to "Idea to Investment," the podcast that looks into the dynamic world of entrepreneurship and investment. Join us as we embark on a journey with innovators and investors, uncovering the captivating stories that unfold from the inception of an idea to securing vital investments. This podcast goes beyond the surface, offering an intimate look into the challenges, triumphs, and pivotal moments that shape a business. We aim to amplify the voices of entrepreneurs, showcasing their resilience and ingenuity, while also gaining insights from the investors who believed in their vision.