The son of African immigrants, Olowolafe Jr. didn’t see his community represented within Toronto’s startup community. To solve that problem, Olowolafe Jr. partnered with the DMZ to launch the Black Innovation Fellowship, a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to help Black entrepreneurs achieve success.  Sitting down with BusinessCast host Robert Gold, Olowolafe Jr. traces his own journey as a business leader and outlines some of the barriers entrepreneurs from racialized communities face when trying to launch their own enterprises.  But it’s not all bad news. Olowolafe Jr. takes us through what needs to be done to diversify Canada’s startup community at-large, and how the Black Innovation Fellowship is doing just that.

Consumers love free samples. But there’s something illogical about the tried-and-true marketing method.   Entrepreneur Marie Chevrier saw the problem with this tactic when she was a brand ambassador in university. While handing out sample products to anyone who would walk by, Chevrier realized there had to be a better way to strategically utilize the power of free samples. Fast forward to today and Chevrier is the CEO of Sampler, a startup that helps brands distribute physical product samples to digitally targeted customers. Chevrier joins BusinessCast host Robert Gold to take us through her journey starting Sampler, from simple idea to effective marketing engine, and how her company is reorienting sample-marketing in the digital space.

Doctors depend on a wide array of systems to provide patient care. There’s just one problem: none of the them properly talk to each other. That’s why Manny Abraham created Orbcare Inc., a platform that merges the information doctors use and patients provide, making sense of it all to streamline patient care. All sorts of similar pain points exist in the medical field and, Abrahams, with over twenty years of experience in the sector, joins BusinessCast host Robert Gold to dive into the exciting fusion of innovation and medicine.

Fast-paced automation means robot worker issues aren’t going away anytime soon and likely impact the law long into the future. Existing regulations will give way to legal grey areas that will require lawmakers and companies to play a pivotal role in navigating the future.  For companies, this means being more forward thinking when it comes to integrating new robots into their workplace until the law catches up. Already, companies right now are finding out the hard way that automated technology can be costly when it malfunctions.

Whether good entrepreneurs are born or made is a question that’s been debated and dissected for years. Can the essential skills entrepreneurs need to survive — risk-taking, dedication and creativity — ever truly be taught? Or is it simply like driving a car, which can be learned and eventually mastered with enough time and practice? For some of today’s most successful founders, entrepreneurship is a life lesson that never stops teaching. Innate talent plays a role in building up a successful business, but it’s not the only deciding factor. Sean Mullin, the executive director of the Brookfield Institute, believes combining practical at theoretical is beneficial for individual hoping to launch their own company.

Today’s most prominent space enterprises range from one-stop satellite shops to do-it-yourself space travel companies. Kepler Communications is one of the few Canadian startups competing (and succeeding) in the cut-throat business. The business creates a in-space telecommunications that help satellites better communicate when not near a ground station.

In today’s fast-paced economy companies face competition from not only homegrown businesses, but from entrepreneurs around the globe. An engaged workforce can be the secret weapon that can make all the difference. Brennan McEachran, co-founder of employee engagement platform Soapbox, is one of today’s  new-age entrepreneurs working to transform the Canadian workplace. The company’s online application lets employees easily communicate and pitch ideas to management and their peers anytime, anywhere. Executives can then track how ideas progress and provide better feedback all with the touch of a button. The app breaks down barriers and boosts engagement with workers at all levels of a company.

A new generation of financial technology startups are changing the world of finance in ways that were once considered unimaginable. They’re making it easier for businesses to manage their investments using artificial intelligence, transfer funds across borders in less time and help clients raise funds using robo-advisors.

Toronto-based AccessNow, founded by Maayan Ziv, is just one of the many startups making the world a more accessible place. Listen to the latest BusinessCast episode, hosted by Robert Gold, to hear Maayan’s inspirational story. Afterwards take a look below at the futuristic products that may someday transform society. 

The first episode in the series investigates Canada’s winning tech streak. Chartered accountant and host Robert Gold chats with DMZ Executive Director Abdullah Snobar about the state of tech entrepreneurship and, more importantly, why the world should care about Canadian startups.