Shopify’s Deplatforming Policy
Canada’s most valuable company just booted the outgoing US leader off of its platform. Let’s talk about why, how,…
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Pandemic (Year Two) Action Plan
Happy New Year! How will this one be different from the last? What can we do to make it different? This is also our first Black…
The perils of bad design
We’ve all experienced it at some point in the pandemic. COVID-19 has forced us to change our way of doing things, and that…
Year from Hell, year in review
We didn’t want to do a 2020 clip show. Everyone does a clip show at the end of the year. Why the hell would we do a clip…
What Canada’s healthcare system learned from the pandemic
Regular listeners of the Black Swan podcast know that its focus is on the entire Canadian innovation ecosystem, from startups…
A vaccine is coming, but the data’s still viral
The big national news last week was the federal government appointing a general to oversee the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.…
Canada’s innovation imperative
Did you know the Covid-19 pandemic presents opportunities for Canadian innovation? That’s according to Jim Balsillie, the…
How Set Scouter built industry-wide safety standards to stay in business
On Black Swan, we attempt to ask and answer the important questions. I can think of none more important than this: will we…
Sean Silcoff explains how 2020 became the year of the Canadian tech IPO
Earlier this year, Globe and Mail Technology reporter Sean Silcoff wrote that “private is the new public” – in essence,…
Acceleprise GP Whitney Sales explains how to close deals during COVID
In March and April, it felt like the whole world went on pause. Consumers stayed at home and businesses stopped spending. For…
The Lord Mayor of London wants Canadian tech to know the UK is open for business
In April, the Lord Mayor of London, William Russell, was to lead a trade mission to Toronto as part of ongoing plans to drum…
Pandemic Immigration Policy
The US has suspended the H1B visa allowing high-skilled tech workers to enter the country. Canada’s response? Billboards.…
How to scale in a pandemic
About four months ago, Black Swan had Jordan Dutchack on the podcast talking about the difficulties of cancelling his Uniting…
Hootsuite’s mistake and watching the throne (speech)
Fall usually reflects a time of change, and often change we look forward to. It’s hard to feel that way right now –…
Lilia CEO Alyssa Atkins on how COVID-19 changed her Y Combinator demo day
While some people are embracing back to school, in Canadian tech, it’s accelerator graduation season (yes, that’s a…