The Business Leadership Podcast

In this special episode of The Business Leadership Podcast, Edwin Frondozo sits down with John MacRitchie, Assistant Vice President of Zone Learning and Strategic Initiatives at Toronto Metropolitan University, to reflect on five years of the Brampton Venture Zone and what it has unlocked for founders, researchers, and the broader community.

John was instrumental in bringing the Brampton Venture Zone to life and shares why Brampton was the right place to build a founder-first incubator — one grounded in community, persistence, and long-term investment.

We explore:

• Why Brampton emerged as a key innovation hub in Canada

• How BVZ differs from traditional incubators by focusing on place-based innovation

• The role of community in multiplying entrepreneurial impact

• What the Brampton Venture Expo reveals about ecosystem momentum

• How BVZ connects researchers, clinicians, and entrepreneurs as the School of Medicine launches

• What the City of Brampton’s renewed investment signals for the next five years

This episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at how innovation ecosystems are intentionally designed — and sustained — over time.

This episode is a special collaboration with UpNext Global and the Brampton Venture Zone by Toronto Metropolitan University, produced in celebration of BVZ’s fifth anniversary.

🎥 Watch the full video interview on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/LDx9ASzzWmE

Guest:
John MacRitchie
Assistant Vice President, Zone Learning & Strategic Initiatives
Toronto Metropolitan University

In this special episode of The Business Leadership Podcast, Edwin Frondozo sat down with Sakeena Mihyar, Founder and CEO of SAVIN, as part of BVZ: Five Years Bold — a founder story series celebrating five years of the Brampton Venture Zone.

Sakeena is a refugee-led founder building a digital, neuroscience-based mental health platform delivering trauma care in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. Inspired by her lived experience as a survivor of war, SAVIN uses evidence-based EMDR therapy principles to make trauma treatment accessible, culturally appropriate, and scalable across languages and regions.

We explore:

• How lived experience became the foundation for a global mental health platform

• Why neuroscience-based trauma care can outperform traditional talk therapies

• The challenges of building a HealthTech company as a refugee and Muslim woman founder

• How empathy and inclusion can be operationalized at scale

• How BVZ supported SAVIN in identifying blind spots, refining its pitch, and scaling impact globally

Today, SAVIN operates across Canada and internationally, including in post-conflict regions such as Syria, supporting communities affected by trauma with dignity and care.

This episode is a special collaboration with UpNext Global and the Brampton Venture Zone by Toronto Metropolitan University, produced in celebration of BVZ’s fifth anniversary.

🎥 Watch the full video interview on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/Gxhz-q0NRWQ

Guest:
Sakeena Mihyar
Founder & CEO, SAVIN
BVZ Launch Program Alum

In this special episode of The Business Leadership Podcast, Edwin Frondozo sits down with Latchmi Raghunanan, Founder and CEO of Maman Biomedical, as part of BVZ: Five Years Bold — a founder story series celebrating five years of the Brampton Venture Zone.

Latchmi shares how her personal IVF journey became the catalyst for founding Maman Biomedical, a MedTech startup developing technologies to reduce the physical, emotional, and financial burden of fertility treatments. Drawing from her background as a materials scientist, she reflects on the journey from kitchen-countertop prototyping to building a company focused on real-world patient care.

We explore:

• How lived experience can shape meaningful healthcare innovation
• The leadership challenges of building a biomedical startup from an academic background
• Translating scientific research into something investors and partners can understand
• How BVZ provided visibility, credibility, and community at an early stage

This episode is a special collaboration with UpNext Global, the F1 Circuit of the Startup Ecosystem, and the Brampton Venture Zone by Toronto Metropolitan University, produced in celebration of BVZ’s fifth anniversary and the founders' bridging science, entrepreneurship, and patient impact.

🎥 Watch the full video interview on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/zJc86VLVI5Y

Guest:

Latchmi Raghunanan

Founder & CEO, Maman Biomedical

BVZ Launch Program Alum

In this special episode of The Business Leadership Podcast, Edwin Frondozo sits down with Saumik Biswas, Co-Founder and CEO of Tenomix, as part of BVZ: Five Years Bold — a founder story series celebrating five years of the Brampton Venture Zone.

Saumik shares how Tenomix is using AI, robotics, and ultrasound imaging to transform one of the most manual and error-prone workflows in cancer care: lymph node detection during pathology and cancer staging. By automating this process, Tenomix aims to improve diagnostic accuracy, reduce lab backlogs, and support better treatment decisions for patients worldwide.

We explore:

• The clinical problem Tenomix set out to solve in cancer staging
• How AI-powered robotics can standardize and improve pathology workflows
• The challenges of building and funding deep MedTech in Canada
• How BVZ supported Tenomix through mentorship, strategy, and fundraising fundamentals

This episode is a special collaboration with UpNext Global, spotlighting startups and the Brampton Venture Zone at Toronto Metropolitan University, produced in celebration of BVZ’s fifth anniversary and the founders' push to advance healthcare innovation.

🎥 Watch the full video interview on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/weNRr3H4HxU

Guest:

Saumik Biswas

Co-Founder & CEO, Tenomix

BVZ Launch Program Alum

In this special episode of The Business Leadership Podcast, Edwin Frondozo sits down with Shreyansh Anand, Founder and CEO of Wave Medical, as part of BVZ: Five Years Bold — a founder story series celebrating five years of the Brampton Venture Zone.

Shreyansh shares how Wave Medical was launched during the pandemic to help clinics manage overwhelming volumes of medical data and documentation. Today, Wave’s platform supports hundreds of clinics across Canada, helping healthcare teams act faster on urgent patient information while reducing administrative burden.

We explore:

• What it was like to start a HealthTech company during the pandemic
• Why trust is the most critical currency in healthcare innovation
• How automation can improve patient outcomes without disrupting clinical workflows
• How BVZ helped Wave build credibility, secure early customers, and scale responsibly

This episode is a special collaboration with UpNext Global and the Brampton Venture Zone by Toronto Metropolitan University, produced in celebration of BVZ’s fifth anniversary and the founders building practical, high-impact healthcare solutions.

🎥 Watch the full video interview on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/oNt0Z5dOYZU

Guest:

Shreyansh Anand

Founder & CEO, Wave Medical

BVZ Launch Program Alum

In this special episode of The Business Leadership Podcast, I sit down with Usha Srinivasan, Founder and CEO of BReady.ai and the former Executive Director who helped launch and lead the Brampton Venture Zone.

Recorded as part of BVZ: Five Years Bold, this conversation explores how BVZ was built from the ground up during the early days of the pandemic, and how a community-first approach helped shape what is now a cornerstone of the Brampton Innovation District.

Usha shares:

• How BVZ came to life through collaboration between the City of Brampton and Toronto Metropolitan University

• Why listening deeply to the community shaped BVZ’s strategy, sectors, and programs

• Lessons in leadership, resilience, and confidence gained from building without a playbook

• How her journey at BVZ led to the creation of BReady.ai, supporting newcomers and underrepresented talent into meaningful employment

This episode is a special collaboration with UpNext Global and the Brampton Venture Zone by Toronto Metropolitan University, produced in celebration of BVZ’s fifth anniversary and the people who helped shape its legacy.

🎥 Watch the full video interview on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/9CXfdm83JpU

Guest:
Usha SrinivasanFounder & CEO, BReady.ai
Former Executive Director, Brampton Venture Zone

In this special episode of The Business Leadership Podcast, I sit down with Neelam Bance, CEO and Co-Founder of MedGeneius, as part of BVZ: Five Years Bold — a founder story series celebrating five years of the Brampton Venture Zone.

Neelam shares her journey building MedGeneius, a HealthTech startup delivering customizable and evidence-based pharmacogenomics (PGx) solutions that help patients, providers, labs, and hospitals turn complex genetic data into clear, actionable clinical insights.

We explore:

• The promise and challenges of precision medicine

• Building trust in data-driven healthcare innovation

• How BVZ supported her journey through mentorship, community, and founder connection

This episode is a special collaboration with UpNext Global and the Brampton Venture Zone by Toronto Metropolitan University, produced in celebration of BVZ’s fifth anniversary and the founders shaping the Brampton innovation ecosystem.

🎥 Watch the full video interview on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHLxqlIPpwE

Guest:
Neelam Bance

CEO & Co-Founder, MedGeneius
BVZ Launch Program Alum (2025)

In this special episode of The Business Leadership Podcast, I sit down with Neelam Bance, CEO and Co-Founder of MedGeneius, as part of BVZ: Five Years Bold — a founder story series celebrating five years of the Brampton Venture Zone.

Neelam shares her journey building MedGeneius, a HealthTech startup delivering customizable and evidence-based pharmacogenomics (PGx) solutions that help patients, providers, labs, and hospitals turn complex genetic data into clear, actionable clinical insights.

We explore:

• The promise and challenges of precision medicine
• Building trust in data-driven healthcare innovation
• How BVZ supported her journey through mentorship, community, and founder connection

This episode is a special collaboration with UpNext Global and the Brampton Venture Zone by Toronto Metropolitan University, produced in celebration of BVZ’s fifth anniversary and the founders shaping the Brampton innovation ecosystem.

🎥 Watch the full video interview on YouTube:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHLxqlIPpwE

Guest:
Neelam Bance
CEO & Co-Founder, MedGeneius
BVZ Launch Program Alum (2025)

In this episode of the Business Leadership Podcast, host Edwin Frondozo interviews Tamara Steffens, managing director of Thomson Reuters Ventures, live from Web Summit Vancouver 2025. Steffens discusses her role in leading a $100 million strategic fund investing in early-stage companies, her extensive experience with successful tech startups, and her approach to venture investing. 

The conversation highlights Thomson Reuters' investment strategies, her personal insights on startup success, and advice for founders on simplifying their message to attract investors. Steffens also touches on the ever-evolving landscape of enterprise tech and the importance of clear storytelling in driving innovation.

00:00 Introduction to the Business Leadership Podcast
00:38 Meet Tamara Steffens: A Powerhouse in Venture Capital
03:32 Tamara's Journey and Insights on Startups
05:56 The Art of Investing and Decision Making
14:13 Advice for Founders and Business Leaders
15:56 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of the Business Leadership Podcast with Edwin, renowned digital marketing expert Neil Patel shares insights on how businesses can thrive in an era where attention is divided across multiple online platforms. 

Recorded live at Web Summit Vancouver, the episode delves into the challenges and opportunities presented by new technologies like AI and the importance of being found in various search engines. 

Neil discusses the exponential growth in searches across platforms like Google, Instagram, Snapchat, and even the Apple App Store, emphasizing the need for businesses to adapt their strategies to remain visible and relevant. 

Note: This is a partial interview due to technical issues.

00:00 Introduction to the Business Leadership Podcast
00:11 Controversy and Branding in Qatar
00:40 Travel Preferences and Conference Attendance
01:39 Introduction to Neil Patel
02:49 Challenges in Digital Marketing