Tourism might not be the first thing you associate with tech—but it should be.

In this episode, we talk with Ashley Lansink from Explore Waterloo Region about the unexpected connection between tourism and tech and why both are critical for economic development in our community.

Ashley walks us through how the team markets Waterloo Region to leisure travellers, sport organizers, and business event planners alike. We also explore how tourism boosts talent attraction and community pride, and how founders can get support when planning conferences, tournaments, or team events.

Listen is as we discuss:

• The power of “curious combinations” in Waterloo Region’s new brand

• Hosting the Call of Duty League Championships (yes, at The Aud!)

• Why a vibrant visitor economy helps attract top talent

• Bringing major events like esports and Ontario Games to town

Stay curious!

01:03 – What is Explore Waterloo Region and what does it do?

01:47 – Hosting the Call of Duty League Championships at The Aud

02:48 – Kitchener on the global stage with record-breaking esports viewership

03:28 – Upcoming events: National Dodgeball Championships, judo, and more

04:10 – Tourism for locals: changing the narrative of "I live here"

05:00 – Marketing leisure, group, sport, and business tourism differently

06:23 – Canoeing the Grand, St. Jacobs charm, and city–rural duality

07:44 – Agritourism and authentic experiences as regional differentiators

08:54 – New brand: Stay Curious—and how it came together

09:31 – Building a brand that spans cities, townships, and industries

11:17 – What changed: brand personality, tone, consistency across business lines

12:57 – Balancing sport, leisure, and business personas in the new brand

13:26 – How whimsy and ambition work together in brand storytelling

14:47 – Events that attract talent: Call of Duty, Ontario Games, tech conferences

16:18 – Why Waterloo Region is the perfect place for tech conferences

18:04 – The advantage of working with Explore WR: access to venues, speakers, logistics

20:29 – Sustainability in events and hosting carbon-neutral conferences

21:06 – Want to bring a sporting event? Start with Explore WR

22:03 – Hidden gem facilities: Schlegel Park (aka “the multiplex”)

23:02 – Oktoberfest and the magic of holiday events

24:39 – The Mistletoe Trail, St. Jacobs Sparkles, and Sip and Shop

25:25 – Family-friendly Oktoberfest experiences + ghost walks

26:31 – Farmtoberfest makes its debut

27:30 – Wrapping up: why tourism and tech go hand in hand

Every founder needs trust and connection. So does every community.

In this episode, we sit down with Eric Avner, President and CEO of the Waterloo Region Community Foundation, to explore what it means to build a thriving community—socially, financially, and systemically.

Eric explains how WRCF is investing in long-term, intergenerational impact: from managing over 420 community funds and endowments to launching new tools like WRgive.ca and GatherWR that make it easier to do good. 

He also unpacks insights from the latest Vital Signs report, including Waterloo Region’s dramatic demographic shift, and why belonging and social infrastructure matter more than ever.

We talk about:

• The future of philanthropy (hint: it’s hyperlocal)

• Why belonging is dropping—and how to rebuild it

• What founders and tech leaders can learn from community building

• Creative experiments to reconnect neighbourhoods

• How to make generosity part of your company’s story
  

Listen in now!

01:00 – Why trust and connection matter to founders—and communities
01:34 – What WRCF actually does (and why more people should know)
04:35 – From ToastyToes to the Essentials Fund—local giving in action
05:41 – Making it easier to do more good (without needing millions)
06:55 – Mission-aligned investing and local impact loans
07:59 – Introducing Vital Signs and the focus on social infrastructure
08:45 – In-migration, out-migration, and the churn of change
10:00 – Why growth alone doesn’t make a better place
11:48 – What makes social infrastructure work (and what happens when it doesn’t)
13:35 – Vital Signs report highlights: we’re younger, more diverse—and less connected
15:52 – Sarah’s experience moving back: finding community is hard
17:10 – Loose Change Louie’s, cold emails, and the search for “your people”
18:36 – Eric’s “Lunch of Erics” experiment and accidental connection hacks
19:32 – Gen Z and Millennials: half the sense of belonging of older generations
20:40 – Frequency matters: why recurring spaces beat one-off festivals
22:14 – 60% of Canadians don’t belong to any group or association
23:13 – The loneliness epidemic or the laziness epidemic?
23:38 – Is the pendulum swinging back to in-person connection?
25:00 – Examples of small, local ways to reconnect community
26:45 – Who do you trust to pick up your Amazon packages? That’s your neighbour.
27:24 – What is WRgives? And why it’s like civic Kickstarter
30:00 – How it works (and why some projects aren’t even charities)
31:32 – Why WRCF is acting more like a startup than a legacy institution
31:57 – Other ways to get involved (funds, GatherWR, newsletter, ideas welcome!)
33:06 – There’s no shortage of spaces—we just need to find and use them
34:29 – Be the change you want to see… or just start a neighbourhood potluck

What does it mean to be community-first in a tech ecosystem?

In this episode, we check in with Communitech CEO Sheldon McCormick to reflect on his first five (LinkedIn says six!) months on the job and look ahead to what’s next. From AI adoption to KW Oktoberfest lederhosen, we talk about building momentum, reconnecting the region’s tech community, and why Sheldon believes the “return to office” is critical for Communitech’s mission.

We also explore:

• Communitech’s shift back to its original community-first ethos

• How AI adoption and “AI-native” thinking are reshaping how orgs operate

• The importance of global networks, not just local ecosystems

• The vision for increasing activation across 10% of the region’s tech workforce

And yes, there’s hummus, lederhosen, and festhallen talk too.

01:47 – Oktoberfest plans and lederhosen commitments

03:08 – Community events and hosting techtoberfest

04:11 – Hosting OpenAI’s Salman Chowdhury in Waterloo

06:17 – Nabil’s hummus, persistence, and bringing global talent here

07:11 – Building network effects vs stopping “brain drain”

08:29 – Why Communitech is thinking in terms of network, not just ecosystem

09:10 – Making Waterloo globally competitive without becoming an island

10:24 – What keeps Sheldon up at night (spoiler: the tension between urgency and commitments)

11:49 – Why “Community in Tech” starts with what’s in the name

13:05 – Reconnecting the community post-COVID

14:07 – AI is top of mind for everyone—from startups to HR leaders

14:54 – How Communitech is adopting AI (and learning from members)

17:01 – First step: documenting processes and aligning on outcomes

17:56 – Internal adoption of AI to reduce “cost per member served”

18:22 – Why Communitech is going back to a full-time in-office model

19:52 – Is return-to-office a model for other tech orgs?

21:54 – Being out in the community vs just being at your desk

23:35 – Reframing Communitech as a movement, not just an address

24:46 – Looking ahead: what success could look like in 6 months

25:28 – Defining goals: 10% tech worker activation, late-stage founder mentorship

28:37 – Using AI for podcast production (and why timestamps matter!)

There are over 71 million people acting as caregivers for their parents in North America, spending an average of 26 hours a week with everything from grocery shopping to health and wellness care. 

It’s a burden that we all should take on with grace, but a little help wouldn’t hurt.

In this episode, we sit down with Jacqui Murphy and Mike Kirkup, two of Waterloo Region’s most respected tech leaders, who have launched a new venture, Elderella. Born from personal experience and extensive discovery work, Elderella is building tools that ease the invisible burden of elder care, starting with coordinated planning and just-in-time resources for caregivers.

We talk about:

• The invisible load caregivers carry

• Why AI is revolutionizing startup operations and prototyping

• Building a startup that’s AI-native in structure and process

• The origin story behind the Elderella name (and its Cinderella-inspired mission)

• How Communitech brought this co-founder duo together
  

This episode is an episode for caregivers, founders, or anyone trying to do right by their parents.

Timestamps:

01:05 – Introducing Elderella and the caregiver challenge
03:07 – Alex’s discovery call with Elderella
04:46 – Caregiving is unexpected, invisible, and isolating
07:49 – Mike and Jacqui’s origin stories and why this problem
09:23 – How they became co-founders (thanks, Communitech)
13:35 – Why leaving the house leads to great ideas
14:50 – Is Elderella an AI-native company? Yes—and here’s what that means
17:26 – A product for caregivers, not institutions
18:01 – Most common pain points from discovery calls
19:48 – Why caregivers feel invisible and burnt out
21:06 – Just-in-time learning for caregiving
22:25 – The need for proactive care roadmaps
24:16 – Navigating elder care with compassion and respect
26:00 – The demographic tsunami that’s already here
27:52 – Building joy and calm into product design
28:44 – Unlocking help from your support network
30:00 – Coordination as the unlock for community care
31:33 – Parenting vs elder caregiving visibility
32:24 – We need all hands on deck
33:17 – Building a throwaway prototype in 4 days
35:48 – HIPAA-compliant infra is easier than ever
36:12 – Marketing from day one: not for splash, but for learning
38:11 – The story behind the Elderella name
39:31 – You don’t need the perfect brand—just start
40:10 – How to sign up for a discovery call
42:01 – Leave your house—good things happen outside
43:24 – Where to find events around town

When you’re building a startup, resources are scarce. Time. Money. People. Unfortunately that means founders make trade offs that might hurt them in the long run.

One of the first things to be put on the “...we’ll get to it list” is branding and marketing. But building a great product isn’t enough, especially in a crowded space or a new category where customer education is critical to success.

Our guest today wants you to know that you don’t have to choose between building a great product and a solid marketing strategy.

Roshni Wijayasinha is the CEO and lead strategist of Prosh Marketing, a fractional marketing firm providing guidance and support to startups and scale-ups across Canada. Prosh is also a member of the Communitech Pro Squad, a curated group of professionals offering mentorship and services to Communitech members.

Roshni shares why marketing shouldn’t be left until after launch, how early brand and go-to-market thinking de-risk your product, and why you don’t need a massive budget to start building traction. From PR hacks and social strategies to AI tools and customer discovery tips, this episode is packed with insights for founders at any stage.

She also shares how her passion for street art informs her creative approach to marketing—and how you can bring more creativity to your startup strategy.

03:16 – What is the Pro Squad?
04:39 – Meet Roshni Wijayasinha from Prosh Marketing
05:57 – Roshni’s journey from Microsoft to Kobo to fractional CMO
07:03 – The danger of delaying marketing until product launch
08:47 – Why beta testing beats early bad PR
09:41 – Funnel vs flywheel thinking in startup marketing
10:59 – Marketing with $0: Partnerships, email, social, and more
13:00 – Choosing the right social media channel
14:40 – Is LinkedIn dead? (Spoiler: No)
16:21 – Using channels in a way your customers actually want
16:54 – How AI is supercharging—but not replacing—startup marketing
19:05 – Paid ads: underrated channels and smarter testing
20:31 – PR on a budget: tools and tactics
21:34 – Founder as thought leader: writing opinion pieces that get noticed
22:27 – Roshni’s street art practice and how it inspires her marketing
24:24 – Bringing murals and creative energy into company culture
25:28 – The one thing every founder should know about marketing
28:15 – Free strategy call offer from Prosh Marketing for Communitech founders

Whether you're navigating return-to-office policies, figuring out how to adopt AI safely, or rethinking your total rewards strategy, HR leaders are facing more complexity than ever. That’s where SocialHRCamp KW comes in. It’s a one-night event bringing together HR and People & Culture professionals for honest conversations, actionable insights, and community support.

In this episode, we’re joined by Selina Miah and Larissa Currah, two of the trio of organizers behind SocialHRCamp KW, happening on September 25, 2025, at Magnet Forensics’s office in Waterloo. They talk about why they brought the global event series to KW, what makes this region’s HR community so special, and what to expect at this year's event, including panels on AI in the workplace, legal trends in HR, and total rewards that actually matter.

Whether you're head of HR at a scaling startup or a team of one at an SMB, this episode has something for you.

00:41 – Meet Selina Miah and Larissa Currah from SocialHRCamp KW
01:21 – How the global event series came to Kitchener-Waterloo
03:15 – The power of peer learning in the local HR community
04:37 – Why similar HR frameworks still yield different insights
05:51 – Reflecting on the last 5 years of change in the workplace
07:37 – HR burnout and the need for continued connection
08:20 – Three core themes of this year’s event: AI, legal, and total rewards
09:53 – How AI is impacting HR beyond recruitment
11:21 – Organizational-wide AI adoption and HR's strategic role
12:47 – Guardrails, privacy, and the risks of unchecked AI use
14:11 – Treating AI as part of health, safety, and change management
15:36 – Generational differences in AI adoption and perception
16:28 – Leveraging students and new grads in your AI strategy
18:26 – AI literacy as a new job requirement
20:00 – Shifting gears to total rewards
20:49 – What’s new in the world of perks, benefits, and retention
23:30 – Aligning total rewards with real employee needs
24:38 – Examples of benefits that matter: mental health, menopause, fertility
25:23 – Event details: date, time, location, speakers, and sponsors
26:51 – Thank you to sponsors, venue, vendors, and raffle contributors
27:19 – How to get tickets and where to find SocialHRCamp KW online

Originally released on May 28, 2025

He's six weeks into the job, and ⁠Communitech's new CEO, Sheldon McCormick,⁠ has some thoughts.

On this episode of Tech About Town, we've got Sheldon in the studio with hosts Alex Kinsella and Rosie Del Campo to talk about what startups need, what the community needs, and what the 27-year-old organization needs to do differently to help tech companies start, grow and succeed.

Tune in and get to know our new CEO and what's on the horizon for the Waterloo Region tech ecosystem.

This episode is brought to you by ⁠Communitech⁠ and ⁠Elevate IP.⁠

3:21 – Sheldon talks about his first impressions, learning the ropes, and balancing founder instincts with listening.

6:02 – How Communitech’s legacy influenced Sheldon’s decision to take the role.

8:08 – What founders are saying. Sheldon reflects on conversations with founders about economic uncertainty, AI, and Communitech’s role.

12:38 – Discussion on how AI is impacting founders—and where Communitech can help.

14:27 – Why Sheldon took the job. Sheldon talks about bringing founder empathy to the role and becoming a trusted partner.

18:10 – Rebuilding community. Sheldon and Alex talk about COVID’s impact and how Communitech can help reconnect the ecosystem.

19:47 – Why Waterloo? Sheldon shares how his family—and a few of his wife's bridesmaids—brought him to the region.

21:43 – Local favourites rapid fire. Arabella, Public, JLB, Lucero, and date night go-tos.

24:04 – What needs to change? They discuss legacy programs and how Communitech needs to evolve beyond just being “a place.”

29:43 – Acting like a startup. Why Communitech needs to move faster, stay current, and focus on what founders actually need.

32:09 – Back to basics and the power of proximity. Sheldon talks about returning to more in-person interaction and using community as a competitive advantage.

34:42 – Elevate IP Minute. Alexis Conrad shares a cautionary tale of IP lost at 30,000 feet.

Waterloo Region's tech community is built on events. From founder meetup to hardtech hikes to panel discussion (yeah, even panel discussions), getting together IRL is back and better than ever.

On this episode of Tech About Town, our own events specialist Victoria Harrison joins us in the studio with Shriaa Sheth, Events & Communitiy Engagement Specialist at the Accelerator Centre, to dig into what makes an event succesful.

Whether you're planning your first event or an established pro, tune into this episode to learn their secrets and what events they're most excited for this year.

• Accelerator Centre events

• Communitech events

01:29 – Guest spotlight: Shriaa Sheth from Accelerator Centre
02:22 – What makes an event successful?
04:09 – Founder-focused event elements & networking tools
06:17 – Measuring attendee experience and post-event surveys
07:47 – Launching the AC Expert Founder Workshop series
08:58 – Incubate + showcase preview (Aug 20)
09:41 – Panels: pros, cons and moderating tips
13:45 – Designing inclusive events (dietary, accessibility, alcohol-free)
18:04 – The rise of non-alcoholic options at tech events
18:56 – Getting the word out: multi-channel promotion & posters
22:17 – Cross-org collaboration to avoid double-booking
23:23 – Favourite event venues around Waterloo Region
27:06 – Tannery Event Centre relaunch & future plans
30:27 – Immersive venues and creative event spaces
34:15 – Unlimited-budget dream events & pub-crawl idea
37:48 – Waterloo Tech Week & September event rush
39:29 – Sponsorship hustle and final thoughts

Whether it was a PSA on TV or inside a bus, we’ve all learned the FAST method for detecting a stroke. Each year, 12 million people suffer a stroke—and unfortunately, six million of those end in death. 

Kevin Macwan and Purvish Soni quit their day jobs to launch Sensible Vascular. They are developing a faster, safer, and more effective thromboectomy solution to remove clots to provide better patient outcomes.

In this episode, Kevin and Purvish share how their experience at industry giants like Medtronic helped them recognize the gaps in current stroke treatment and gave them the confidence to take the leap into entrepreneurship.

From co-founder matchmaking on YC to tinkering in a basement, they walk us through the early days of building Sensible Vascular and the long road ahead to regulatory approval.

It's a story about timing, trust, and the relentless drive to make stroke intervention faster, safer, and more effective, because when it comes to stroke, every second counts.

00:43 – Introducing today's topic: strokes and thrombectomy
01:44 – Meet Kevin Macwan and Purvish Soni from Sensible Vascular
02:52 – First startup experience and joining Communitech’s Bootcamp
03:52 – Key takeaways from their first accelerator program
05:16 – Discovering Waterloo Region's medtech ecosystem
07:10 – How Kevin and Purvish met and started working together
08:27 – Learning from big medtech companies like Medtronic
09:40 – Bringing startup knowledge from the corporate world
11:00 – The power of lived experience in gaining investor trust
12:13 – Finding out they lived 10 minutes apart
13:28 – "YC meets Tinder" – on co-founder matching
14:17 – What made them go all-in on their startup
16:24 – Building trust and validating the idea
17:21 – Complementary skills: business meets engineering
18:54 – The role of family support in taking the leap
20:11 – Early physician feedback and validation
21:24 – Let’s talk about the product: a new approach to thrombectomy
23:08 – The need for stroke awareness and patient education
25:53 – Getting accepted into The Forge at McMaster
27:58 – Where they see the company two years from now
29:30 – Canada vs. U.S.: navigating medtech regulatory paths
32:04 – Building partnerships with stroke centres
33:15 – Final thoughts and how to learn more
33:52 – About Communitech and how founders can get support

We’re trading silicon for shiitake with Stephanie Lipp, co‑founder of MycoFutures. The biomaterials startup is turning mushroom mycelium into a fully biodegradable alternative to leather.

Think handbags that sprout from a lab, not a feedlot. Stephanie and her partner Leo Gillis grow mycelium sheets that rival leather for strength and feel, while slashing water, energy, and chemical use.

Stephanie joined us from Montreal to talk about how MycoFutures got started and how the startup is working to break through barriers on its road to commercialization.

Special guest host: Mohammed Kamla

What if your Wi-Fi could do more than just connect your devices?

For Taj Manku, co-founder and CEO of Cognitive Systems, a personal caregiving challenge sparked a professional breakthrough. When his aging parents experienced medical emergencies, Manku found himself navigating the emotional and logistical weight of caregiving while raising a family and running a fast-growing tech company in Waterloo.

That experience led to Caregiver by Cognitive, an eldercare solution powered by WiFi Motion, software that turns ambient Wi-Fi signals into a passive way to monitor movement in the home, with no cameras, no microphones and no extra effort from aging loved ones.

In this episode of Tech About Town, Taj joins us to share how his team built a privacy-first tool that helps families worry less, the challenges of elder tech adoption, and why Waterloo continues to be the perfect home base for Cognitive’s global impact.

00:42 — Introducing Dr. Taj Manku and the idea of Wi-Fi-powered caregiving

03:01 —The origin of Cognitive Systems

06:40 — From fall-detecting pendants to smart plugs: why ambient Wi-Fi wins

07:28 — “Rise & Shine,” Last-Motion alerts and inactivity notifications

10:17 — Privacy first: starting tough conversations with ageing parents

13:38 — How (and why) Caregiver stays separate from 911 call-centres

15:03 — Two parents, one home: what the system can—and can’t—see

16:24 — Ageing in place with dignity while families “worry less”

17:54 — In-home-care adoption: pricing, installation and industry response

20:00 — Branding shift: B2B roots vs. B2C ambitions

23:31 — Building the “Caregiver by Cognitive” brand with partners

25:44 — Why Waterloo Region is still the perfect global HQ

28:34 — Wrap-up, show notes and where to learn more about Communitech

What do plush toys and tech startups have in common? If you ask Landon Brett, the answer is everything.

Landon is the CEO of Makeship, one of Canada’s fastest-growing creator economy companies. Makeship launched in 2018 with just $8,000 and a bold idea: help online creators bring their characters to life through limited-edition plush toys. Today, Makeship has grown into a global business with over 65 employees and more than $20 million paid out to creators, without taking on a dime of outside funding.

In this episode, Landon joins us to talk about Makeship’s journey from its Kitchener roots to the global stage, the power of fan communities, and how his team is building trust at scale with creators big and small. Plus, he shares what it takes to scale, why being scrappy still matters, and how Makeship plans to hit $100 million in annual revenue in the next three years.

00:00 – What do plushies and startups have in common?

01:47 – From $8K to crowdfunded success

06:15 – Superfans know their stitching

09:20 – The road to $100M

13:50 – Platforms shift, creators adapt

18:30 – Tariffs, transparency, and trust

23:35 – Leading through chaos

27:40 – Plushie wishlist and career tips

Visit makeship.com to learn more about the company (and get yourself some plushies). Need help getting your startup off the ground? Visit communitech.ca to learn how we can help!

When a personal health scare revealed the limits of existing diagnostic tools, scientist and entrepreneur Shalini Gupta saw an opportunity to build something better.

On this episode of Tech About Town, Shalini shares how that moment led to the creation of Asima Health, a startup focused on same-day, blood-based cancer screening.

She talks about the challenges of launching a biotech company as a solo founder in Canada, how her research background enabled a breakthrough in early detection and why she's focused on making cancer monitoring more accessible for survivors.

From Velocity to the FDA, it’s a conversation about perseverance, precision and purpose.

• 0:04 — Intro and why preventative health matters

• 1:51 — Shalini’s health scare and how it inspired Asima Health

• 3:33 — Turning academic research into commercial technology

• 8:56 — How the test works across multiple cancer types

• 11:57 — Why she’s focused on cancer survivors as a market entry point

• 16:48 — Navigating U.S. vs. Canadian healthcare systems

• 19:15 — Shalini’s journey as an immigrant founder and personal sacrifices

• 21:38 — Building a team in Kitchener and the support of Velocity and Communitech

• 23:51 — Virtual Fierce Founders experience and the power of mentorship

• 26:20 — Advice she’d give herself before starting the company

What got you here won’t get you there. In this episode of Tech About Town, we sit down with Communitech Growth Coach Dave Litwiller to talk about scaling your team, leadership and markets. 

From the art of delegation without abdication to navigating global expansion in unpredictable times, Dave shares real-world insights on how founders can grow without losing grip. Plus, we get into startup Darwinism, job title inflation and the big question every founder should be asking before going international.

Dave was nice enough to share his show notes with us (and you), too!

3:06 – Dave on scale-up stage companies and growing leadership teams

4:50 – Coaching founders to delegate without abdicating

7:25 – Founders, boards and power dynamics

11:03 – When to bring in new C-level leaders

13:04 – Structuring leadership teams in scaling tech companies

14:26 – Title inflation vs. functional leadership

17:47 – Founder-CEO identity and adapting with company growth

21:31 – Real stories: navigating transitions in early-stage startups

24:17 – Global expansion: founder concerns in uncertain times

25:10 – Hardware vs. SaaS: Who’s affected by global market shifts

27:59 – Testing new markets: opportunistic vs. strategic expansion

32:11 – The one thing many scaling founders overlook

He's six weeks into the job, and Communitech's new CEO, Sheldon McCormick, has some thoughts.

On this episode of Tech About Town, we've got Sheldon in the studio with hosts Alex Kinsella and Rosie Del Campo to talk about what startups need, what the community needs, and what the 27-year-old organization needs to do differently to help tech companies start, grow and succeed.

Tune in and get to know our new CEO and what's on the horizon for the Waterloo Region tech ecosystem.

This episode is brought to you by Communitech and Elevate IP.

3:21 – Sheldon talks about his first impressions, learning the ropes, and balancing founder instincts with listening.

6:02 – How Communitech’s legacy influenced Sheldon’s decision to take the role.

8:08 – What founders are saying. Sheldon reflects on conversations with founders about economic uncertainty, AI, and Communitech’s role.

12:38 – Discussion on how AI is impacting founders—and where Communitech can help.

14:27 – Why Sheldon took the job. Sheldon talks about bringing founder empathy to the role and becoming a trusted partner.

18:10 – Rebuilding community. Sheldon and Alex talk about COVID’s impact and how Communitech can help reconnect the ecosystem.

19:47 – Why Waterloo? Sheldon shares how his family—and a few of his wife's bridesmaids—brought him to the region.

21:43 – Local favourites rapid fire. Arabella, Public, JLB, Lucero, and date night go-tos.

24:04 – What needs to change? They discuss legacy programs and how Communitech needs to evolve beyond just being “a place.”

29:43 – Acting like a startup. Why Communitech needs to move faster, stay current, and focus on what founders actually need.

32:09 – Back to basics and the power of proximity. Sheldon talks about returning to more in-person interaction and using community as a competitive advantage.

34:42 – Elevate IP Minute. Alexis Conrad shares a cautionary tale of IP lost at 30,000 feet.

What if two of the four gas pumps at a gas station were out of order, but no one told you until you pulled in? That’s the reality for many electric vehicle (EV) drivers today, and Jennifer Buchanan and Andrea Curry are on a mission to change it. 

In this episode of Tech About Town, the Clockwork co-founders break down the messy truth behind EV charger reliability, the business case for fixing it, and how their software helps operators keep chargers up and running to keep EVs moving.
Plus, they unveil their bold new metric—the Clockwork Charge Score, a Rotten Tomatoes-style rating for EV chargers that could transform how we charge, plan road trips, and even spend public infrastructure dollars.

If you've ever hesitated to go electric, this episode just might flip the switch.

Is SEO really dead—or just evolving (again)? In this episode, Alex and guest host Alison Piel sit down with freelance content strategist Tim Peckover to talk AI, LLMs, and why the rumours of SEO’s demise are (still) greatly exaggerated. 

From early days at Clearpath to leading content at Smile.io, Tim shares how AI is changing the game for content creation, and why you shouldn’t be afraid to use em dashes.

Whether you're a founder, marketer, or just wondering why your blog post from 2016 still ranks, this one's for you.

Stick around to learn the one test Tim swears by to make sure your content’s actually worth reading.

00:47 – Tim Peckover’s path from sales to content marketing

04:30 – How writing a blog turned into a full-time career

07:55 – Why content is more than just blog posts (and why it matters)

10:24 – Did ChatGPT kill SEO? Spoiler: No. But here’s what changed

12:09 – The great M-dash debate and AI’s copywriting quirks

16:07 – Can AI replace your SEO specialist? Tim says: kind of

18:52 – Top tools for solo founders and small startup marketing

23:19 – Backlinks in the age of AI and how to earn them

26:05 – What schema is (and what LLMs care about instead)

27:50 – Tim’s top 3 SEO best practices for content that actually ranks

30:57 – “The Bill Test” – a simple way to keep your content honest

33:12 – Wrapping up: why great content still needs a human touch

When a loved one faces a health crisis, language barriers and medical jargon can make an already stressful situation even harder.

Seun Adetunji, founder and CEO of MedInclude, knows this firsthand — and she’s building the solution. In this episode, Seun shares her journey from caregiver to healthtech innovator, how MedInclude is simplifying healthcare communication, and why working with healthcare providers was key to their success.

Plus, hear how a pilot with Grand River Hospital is opening doors to even bigger opportunities — including emergency services.

If you’ve ever wondered how tech can bridge real-world gaps, this is the episode you don’t want to miss.

On this episode of Tech About Town, we welcome JP Eskander, CEO and founder of Sifio Health, and Stacy Sobering from Communitech to discuss how AI-driven scheduling and workflow optimization can reduce surgery wait times and improve hospital efficiency. 

They explore the barriers to innovation in healthcare, the impact of COVID-19 on tech adoption, and why Canada is an ideal testbed for new solutions. Plus, hear how startups like Sifio Health are navigating the complex healthcare landscape to bring real change. Stacy Sobering also shares how programs like Fast Track Health are connecting Canadian innovators with customers across the country and around the world.

You can also catch JP’s pitch from The Fast Track Health Showcase here.

00:20 – The buzz at the Fast Track Health Showcase
02:09 – What is Sifio Health? AI-driven hospital optimization
03:17 – Real-world hospital inefficiencies and the impact on patient care
04:58 – The challenge of integrating healthcare data systems

06:18 – Why healthcare innovation faces barriers
08:55 – How AI-driven scheduling improves patient outcomes
10:40 – How COVID-19 accelerated tech adoption in healthcare

12:19 – The surprising cost vs. revenue model difference in Canadian and US healthcare
14:03 – Why Canada is an ideal testbed for healthcare innovation
15:19 – The role of Fast Track Health in supporting startups like Sifio Health
18:01 – Can AI help design the hospitals of the future?

20:18 – How hospital referrals impact patient wait times

21:36 – The ongoing need for tech-driven solutions in healthcare

Ever wondered how startups scale globally without getting tangled up in red tape? In this episode of Tech About Town, we dive into the dynamic world of international hiring with Karen Klink, Director of Outpost Partnerships at Communitech, and Stacie Curtiss, VP of People and Culture at DOZR.

Discover how Communitech Outposts helps startups hire across borders seamlessly, why boots on the ground matter for growth, and how DOZR blends construction and tech to build a winning culture. Spoiler alert: there's even a surprising origin story behind Outpost involving a late-night HR dilemma and some creative thinking.

Ready for some heavy lifting (equipment)? Let’s get into it.