For this, the 40th episode of the StartWell Podcast we sit down with Jason Goldlist (co-founder), Laura Backman (Insiders Manager) and Alexandra Reilly (Growth Marketing Manager) to talk about TechTO - the largest startup focused community organisation in Toronto.

The session was recorded during our first TechTO-StartWell coworking day, launching monthly drop-in coworking for the TechTO Insiders community of startup founders, mentors, investors and innovators.

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Qasim Virjee 0:27

It's such a pleasure to have team tech to here in the stairwell studio, broadcast studio today on King Street West, I thought we'd take a little bit of time to actually chat about what tech to is, what its relevance is to the world. And specifically, you know, go around the table and just kind of see, you know, introduce you guys to the start. Well, audience, of course, and then also get a sense of kind of like what we're trying to do here today, inaugural launch day of the tech to insiders co working day at Stark Well, I'm pretty excited about

Laura Backham 1:03

it. I'm so excited about it's pretty excited. But yeah, I've been looking forward to this for a long time. So why

Qasim Virjee 1:08

don't we just start with Laura, Laura, who are you? And what's your name?

Laura Backham 1:12

Who are you? It's pronounced Lau No, I'm just getting its Laura. I've been volunteering with tech to for a really long time. And so I'm very familiar with the community. I'm very excited to be more involved with the community. Now that I'm on the core team. I was hired in to manage our insiders program. And so that's, you know, a paid membership that we offer to people who want to be even more involved in the community get extra special access to events like this first co working day that we're having, you know, sometimes a discounted ticket to some of our larger events. And we're working on producing a lot of special content for the insiders community as well. But in the meantime, until we hire a couple positions, I'll also be taking care of all of our in real life events that we have coming up this year. So I'm really excited because I've loved the events for four or five years now.

Qasim Virjee 2:00

Alright, let's let's, let's do some introductions for the other people. I didn't know how to follow that. Okay, so then your next

Alexandra Reilly 2:06

I'm gonna go next. Okay, I am Alexandra Riley. I'm the growth marketing manager at Tech to I am very passionate about what we're doing for the Canadian tech ecosystem, I really do believe, whether it's something as large as you know, you're trying to start a business or you're starting to scale or you're trying to raise or even just, you're new to Canada and you're looking at opportunities, or you're trying to pivot into tech, I love that there is something for everyone. And tech to is really providing a safe space for people to come and learn in general. So, as part of my role, I'm managing our, our newsletter, and as Laura alluded to, helping her with a few content and marketing initiatives for our insiders program. And I'm just I'm so happy to be a part of the team and to be at start wall today and getting to meet some of our insiders. I think it's a it's so exciting.

Laura Backham 3:00

Beat that co founder. Yeah, there you go.

Alexandra Reilly 3:02

I'm just trying to make Jason cry.

Jason Goldlist 3:04

I'm so proud of you guys. Seriously,

Qasim Virjee 3:07

from the new school to the old school. Right? Drop, drop some knowledge. Yeah,

Jason Goldlist 3:10

that's what it's all about, Jake. You know, this is Jason gold list. I started