Welcome to BetaKit’s startup stories of the week! Here, you will find the week’s most important news, features, and editorials published on BetaKit. If you prefer this update hit your inbox every week, make sure to subscribe to the BetaKit Newsletter using the form at the bottom of this page.
Top Stories of the Week
Danielle Graham joins Dream Maker Ventures as firm targets $75 million Diversity Fund(BETAKIT)
Danielle Graham, founder of Communitech’s Fierce Founders program, has joined Dream Maker Ventures as a principal to help the VC firm raise a $75 million Diversity Fund.
AI could disrupt workforce in every sector by 2030, Brookfield Institute report finds(BETAKIT)
The Canadian workforce could face complex forces ranging from automation to digitalization as technology begins to assimilate into daily life.
Saskatchewan startup beats out Shopify as POS behind cannabis retailers(BETAKIT)
With Ontario’s PC government deciding on a private model for its brick-and-mortar retail cannabis stores, a Saskatchewan startup is now coming out on top.
Toronto-founded PagerDuty goes public, sees stocks jump in market debut(BETAKIT)
The company priced its IPO at $24 a share, with a $1.8 billion USD valuation, after raising $218 million in its US offering.
Startup Milestones
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Fanxchange acquired by US ticket marketplace, Vivid Seats, for $80 million CAD (Read here)
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Synapse raises $3.3 million CAD seed funding for corporate e-learning software (Read here)
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Buckzy Payments secures $1.75 million CAD for cross-border payments solution (Read here)
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HiMama raises $7.25 million CAD Series A to expand child care software (Read here)
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Akira opens tech-enabled healthcare clinic in Toronto (Read here)
Must Reads
Canadian tech needs to redefine its sense of scale(BETAKIT)
Canada has become a launch-pad for early-stage companies, but, with a few notable exceptions, we are largely still lacking later-stage success stories.
Ask an Investor: How can I create optionality after I get an acquisition offer?(BETAKIT)
No matter what stage your business is in, optionality is something you can be proactively driving towards before an acquisition comes your way.
Why 2019 will reveal Canada’s new tech darling (CanCon ep. 139)
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