Morley Ivers

Entrepreneurs thrive on speed. But SR&ED slows them down. Canada doesn’t lack ambition or talent. We lack a system that actually helps. The fix isn’t more funding. It’s a smarter process. If we redesign SR&ED to be simple, direct, and focused on entrepreneurs, Canada can unlock the next generation of world-class companies. That means: 1️⃣ Making applications simple and accessible. 2️⃣ Keeping IP here at home. 3️⃣ Supporting the messy middle where ideas turn into businesses. Canada has the talent. We have the dollars. What we need now is the infrastructure to connect them—and Build Canada is about doing just that. Read the full memo here 👇 https://lnkd.in/eF-xR4Tv

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Canada just dropped $25M into a single gap in the venture pipeline. CIBC and Women in VC announced a $25M fund targeting female-led SaaS companies. The data is simple: → Women-led startups get <3% of global VC funding → Yet they consistently show higher capital efficiency and stronger early retention → And still, they receive less than 3% of global venture funding → Most never raise again because they weren’t funded properly to begin with This fund is one of the first signals that Canada’s capital markets are starting to price talent with discipline. Because this isn’t about “supporting women.” It’s about investing in founders who are already outperforming, even when under-resourced. The bigger signal? → Founder profile ≠ founder potential → Capital is starting to chase performance, not pitch polish → SaaS isn’t just a sector - it’s systems. And women are building better ones. I’ve seen it first-hand: when capital sharpens, better companies emerge and cleaner GTM systems get built. Some of the best I’ve seen are led by founders the market still underestimates. It shows the ecosystem is stronger when capital chases performance over pattern. #femtech #womeninvc #womenintech #saas #femtech #womeninvc #womenintech #saas

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🚨 NEW POD ALERT 🚨 On the latest episode of the #humanunicornpod, I sit down with Amar Varma — co-founder of Mantle ($10m raised), Autonomic (acquired by Ford for <$400m), Xtreme Labs (acquired by Pivotal), longtime builder of Toronto’s tech ecosystem-- and maybe most importantly, amazing father of 4. From pioneering mobile app development before the iPhone App Store existed, to scaling two of Canada’s most successful exits, Amar shares what it really takes to build durable companies outside Silicon Valley. We dive into his founder journey, lessons learned from working with global tech giants, and his vision for the next wave of Canadian unicorns including the one he's building now- Mantle. 🇨🇦🦄

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GoBolt has now conducted over 3M deliveries on an EV in Canada. This is as much about our operations team as it is our proprietary software and TMS. It employs AI tools and other workflows that make us more efficient, all supported by Google. — Where EV deliveries cannot yet be made we plant trees to sequester the carbon emissions, and have planted nearly 200,000 trees via veritree.

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A tech‑repair legend is building a bagel chain powered by AI that knows exactly when to bake. Jeff's Bagel Run began in 2021 when Jeff and Danielle Perera turned homemade New York–style bagels into a farmers market favorite; then opened their first shop in Ocoee, FL. After tasting those bagels, uBreakiFix cofounder Justin Wetherill joined as president, bought in at 50%, and co‑founded JBR Franchise Co. Built for consistency, tech, and simplicity: --Au‑dough‑mation: AI forecasts demand by store and flavor, guiding bakers on exactly what to mix, proof, and bake—slashing waste and guaranteeing freshness. --Unified POS/KDS/App: In‑store, app, and delivery orders flow seamlessly into the kitchen and coffee bar; 26%+ of sales run through their custom loyalty app. --Vertical integration: They acquired Otus Coffee to own beverage quality, and a one‑shift, grab‑and‑go model keeps labor lean and operations tight. Franchise traction: 15 locations open with 100+ in development across five states, and plans to add 20–30 more by year’s end. For prospective franchisees: Jeff’s Bagel Run shows how you can leverage simplicity, proprietary tech, and operational control to find your next winning opportunity; you simply plug into a proven blueprint and hit the ground running with no guesswork required. We cover stories of tech‑driven franchise promise like this every week in our Newsletter. Dive deeper at newsletter.franzy.com

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Canada can’t keep funding everyone and expect to build global winners. Harley Finkelstein (Shopify's President) just dropped a bunch of SR&ED reforms: ✅ Pre-approvals ✅ Cut out middlemen ✅ Reward companies that keep IP in Canada ✅ Expand support to commercialization All great ideas. Here’s the problem: Canada wants to fund everyone. But in tech, outcomes follow a power law. Most companies will fail. A few will drive all the value. SR&ED helps any company that qualifies. Doesn’t matter if you’re the next Shopify or a zombie org running on government dollars. Yes, we increased funding. $4B in tax credits is no joke. But if we want to build real winners, tax credits aren’t enough. We need a second playbook for companies at the tipping point. Series A and B teams ready to scale. Ready to win global markets. That means: ✅ Strategic co-investment alongside private capital ✅ Government and pseudo-government procurement contracts going to startups (not just grants) ✅ Direct incentives to hire, sell, and export allocated to scale-stage companies ✅ Fast lanes for regulatory and pilot approvals SR&ED fixes are great. But if we want to build the next generation of category leaders, we have to do more than simplify paperwork. We have to pick winners and bet bigger. Another 100 seed-stage startups won’t change the economy. Five more Shopifys would.

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