In this candid episode, the three partners trace the origins of the fund: how Fred's entrepreneurial journey (including co-developing LTE at Nortel and a successful Series A & B raise at Mnubo) first brought him together with Dom, a veteran M&A banker who went on to launch Xpnd Capital and deliver two IPOs. Nectar rounds out the team, coming off years of post-investment value creation work at PNR and crossing paths with Fred through this very podcast.

The conversation gets real about what it actually takes to raise a fund from scratch: nearly three years in the trenches, no product to show, just a slide deck and conviction. They share what they've learned, the primacy of trust-building, the importance of giving candid feedback to founders (even on a "no"), and the gap they're filling in the Canadian ecosystem at the seed-to-Series A inflection point.

The team also lifts the curtain on their Prosperity Decoded thesis, backing AI-native companies driving enterprise productivity, sustainability, and resilience; and spotlights their first two portfolio companies: Maxa (AI for CFOs and FP&A) and Maket (AI for residential architecture and design).

They close on what excites them most: the caliber of Quebec founders, the community of successful exits now back as LPs and mentors, and the long game of building Canada's next generation of flagship technology companies.

We talk about his journey from building robots as a kid to launching startups while still in university, what he learned from failing his first company, and how General Magic is rethinking the way humans interact with software using natural language.

We also dive into their recent $7M seed round, going through a16z Speedrun, and why the future of computing might move beyond the traditional graphical interface.

I really enjoyed this conversation, Anthony is thoughtful, ambitious, and building something genuinely interesting. Let's get into it.

Tyler shares his journey from space-obsessed kid to Stanford researcher to venture-backed space founder, and explains how Zona is building a next-generation positioning system designed for centimeter-level accuracy, stronger signals, and built-in security. We unpack how modern infrastructure depends on timing and location, why GPS is vulnerable to jamming and spoofing, and what new satellite constellations unlock for autonomous systems, defense, data centers, and everyday devices.

We also go deep on building a hard-tech startup: raising capital for space infrastructure, launching satellites, assembling the right team, and navigating the long road from research to orbit.

If you're interested in space tech, deep tech startups, autonomous systems, or the new space economy, this episode is for you.

Topics covered:

• Why GPS needs an upgrade

• How next-gen satellite navigation works

• Centimeter-level positioning and resilient timing

• Space infrastructure and low-Earth orbit constellations

• From PhD research to space startup

• Lessons from building a hardware + space company

• The coming wave of space innovation and lunar missions

Topics covered include: Early exit offers vs long-term ambition Scaling from startup to global platform Fundraising strategy and cap table discipline Hiring executives and leadership evolution Crisis moments and near failures Building and keeping tech champions in Canada AI, moats, and the future of company building Recorded live at North Star — Inspiring Entrepreneurs in Montréal.

Across all three segments, one theme dominated: AI is moving faster than any tech cycle before it, and Canada has a once-in-a-generation chance to lead.

VC Panel, Navigating the AI Wave

Investors from Inovia, White Star, and Amiral Ventures explored the chaos and opportunity of today's market. The AI cycle is "psychotic" in speed and scope, but the fundamentals still matter: strong teams, sticky products, real customer value. The best startups will use AI as an enabler, not the product, and differentiate through privileged data, deep domain expertise, and the ability to deliver ROI, not hype.

Founder Panel, Building Real AI Companies in Montréal

Budpress, Maxa, and Wrk shared candid takes from the front lines: why traditional SaaS is being rewritten, how open-source models and reasoning engines are changing the game, and why Montréal remains one of the best bases in the world for AI talent and cost-efficient scaling. The founders stressed that Canada must shed its "small market" mindset, big outcomes are possible here.

Keynote with Sam Ramadori, AI, Climate, and Responsibility

Sam recounted his unlikely journey from private equity to leading BrainBox AI through an acquisition, and why he's now dedicating himself to Law Zero, a nonprofit effort led by Yoshua Bengio to build safer, more reliable AI systems. His message was clear: Canada has extraordinary AI talent, but must rally around sovereignty, responsible innovation, and deeper collaboration to avoid being squeezed between global superpowers.

The night ended with a message to the community: this is our moment. We have world-class research, world-class founders, and a fast-maturing ecosystem. If we choose ambition, and support one another, Montréal can be one of the defining AI hubs of this decade.

Étienne opened up about the lessons he learned along the way, the value of resilience, trust, and playing the long game in both building and backing startups. He also spoke about his partnership with Luis & Varun at Telegraph Hill Capital and their shared mission to support founders in Quebec.

Real talk, honest stories, and practical takeaways, this one's for anyone thinking about their next chapter, whether it's starting up or stepping into VC.

We discuss his career path, touching on Etienne's background in management consulting, transition into VC, and current role at a prominent firm. We explored investment trends, particularly in AI and cybersecurity, and shared insights into their firm's differentiators and investment strategies. The conversation wraps up with advice for aspiring VCs on the importance of networking, building a personal brand, and developing essential skills like context switching.

The conversation covers the importance of aligning founder priorities, the unique challenges of creating hardware, and the innovative techniques used in field testing. George also shared insights into how Rozvelt has quickly gained traction and their ambitious plans for the future.

Their innovative approach focuses on reducing manual review costs by over 80%. Lisen discusses various use cases, including income verification for rental and mortgage screening. He emphasizes their unique, no-code implementation that integrates seamlessly with existing systems. The conversation also touches on the future of AI, industry challenges, fundraising strategies, and Discrepancy AI's next product launch that aims to automate complex report generation.

The conversation explores the development and optimization of AI technology, the challenges of turning research into scalable engineering solutions, and the realization of practical applications beyond the university setting. Gennady shares insights on the importance of efficiency in AI, the company's approach to optimizing hardware and software for AI models, and the experiences of raising funds and building a team. The episode offers a deep dive into the technical and strategic aspects of growing an AI company and highlights the significance of open-source models and innovations in the evolving AI landscape.

The conversation explores the development and optimization of AI technology, the challenges of turning research into scalable engineering solutions, and the realization of practical applications beyond the university setting. Gennady shares insights on the importance of efficiency in AI, the company's approach to optimizing hardware and software for AI models, and the experiences of raising funds and building a team. The episode offers a deep dive into the technical and strategic aspects of growing an AI company and highlights the significance of open-source models and innovations in the evolving AI landscape.

My job was pretty easy, I got the chance to listen to the brilliant Whitney Rockley from McRock Capital, Amélie Foz-Couture from Diagram Ventures and Clement Bourgogne from Jolt Capital. They share some unique insights on grassroots marketing, relationship based messaging, adapting for new markets and much more.

The panel discusses the importance and impact of marketing and branding in venture capital. Whitney shares the early grassroots marketing journey of Mac Rock, focusing on industrial software, and how their quirky, authentic videos and deep connections with entrepreneurs and LPs fostered a loyal following and facilitated significant deals. Amil Lee from Diagram explains their low-profile but relationship-driven strategy in the FinTech and climate tech sectors, emphasizing the power of personal outreach and alignment with their fund's strategy. Cleon shares how Jolt leverages its identity in deep tech and engineering, while highlighting the importance of staying true to core values. The discussion touches on the cost-effective nature of grassroots marketing, the importance of authenticity, trust, and consistency, and scaling branding efforts. They also stress the significance of data-driven thought leadership and firsts in maintaining a leadership position in a specialized fund.

En parallèle, ils ont développé un alliage d'aluminium ultra-résistant, ouvrant ainsi des opportunités dans les industries du sport et de l'aérospatial à travers Ferréol Technologie. Félix partage également des réflexions personnelles sur l'entrepreneuriat, soulignant l'importance de la passion, de la persévérance et des relations humaines dans leur réussite.

Inspired by Canva's transformation of graphic design, Maket aims to simplify and accelerate the architectural process using generative AI. Starting with residential design, the platform seeks to compress timelines and cut costs, providing both consumers and professionals with powerful tools.

Patrick discusses the challenges of traditional methods, the advancements Make It has made since its inception in 2021, and the company's growth to over 670,000 users.

We conclude with insights into navigating venture financing and the overarching ambition to revolutionize not just architectural design but the entire home building and renovation process.