EN 
Canadian tech companies need global investors, global customers and global ambition. Canada needs a stronger scale-up system at home so more of the capital, customers, talent and long-term value creation stay connected to this country.
John Stackhouse sits down with Boris Wertz of Version One Ventures and Sid Paquette of RBCx to discuss Canada’s growth capital gap, the role of domestic capital, why customers and procurement matter, and where Canada can still build globally competitive technology companies.
Here’s some of what you’ll learn:
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Where Canada’s tech capital gap shows up as companies move from startup to scale-up
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Why global capital is necessary, but domestic capital still matters
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Why Canadian companies need more customers and procurement pathways, not just more funding
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Where Boris and Sid see Canada’s strengths: energy, quantum, AI, physical AI and biotechnology
FAQs
This episode is about Canada’s tech growth capital gap and what Canadian companies need to compete globally from Canada. John Stackhouse speaks with Boris Wertz and Sid Paquette about domestic capital, global investors, procurement, AI, physical AI, bio and the long-term work of building more Canadian technology champions.
The guests are Boris Wertz, founder and general partner of Version One Ventures, and Sid Paquette, head of RBCx. The conversation is hosted by John Stackhouse on Disruptors.
In the episode, Sid Paquette frames the issue as less about whether strong Canadian companies can raise capital globally and more about whether enough domestic capital is present when those companies reach the growth stage. The conversation also connects capital to customers, procurement, venture networks and long-term value creation in Canada.
Boris Wertz argues that AI is creating faster cycles, more exponential outcomes and more concentration in fewer companies, founders and venture funds. That makes the scale-up question more urgent for Canada.
Boris Wertz and Sid Paquette argue that Canadian companies need more real customer opportunities, including from government and private-sector buyers. Sid notes that if no Canadian company is included in an RFP process, that should be a red flag.
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