Are you down with O.P.M. (other people's money)?

One of Communitech founder members' top questions is how to get in front of VCs. But the answer is often a question—are you sure you’re ready to raise money?

This week on the Tech About Town podcast, Vartika Manasvi and Mike Kirkup are in the studio to discuss all things fundraising. Vartika is a Senior Advisor at MaRS Discovery District and a Growth Coach at Communitech. Mike is CTO of EnPowered and Arlo and was previously the Director of UW’s Velocity incubator from 2011 to 2016.

From figuring out if you’re ready to understanding when a VC is just not into you, our Growth Coach experts share what they’ve learned as startup founders and advisors at MaRS, Communitech, and the University of Waterloo Velocity incubator.

When O.P.M. comes, damn, skippy, I'm with it.

3:30 - What are some things founders need to know about pitching to VCs

5:18 - What's happening in the Canadian and US funding environments?

6:41 - Impact of AI on the funding landscape

8:15 - Different approaches to funding for SaaS versus AI startups

12:27 - Data residency and international regulations in for AI startup founders

13:35 - Comparison between Canadian and US venture capital practices

15:06 - Canadian vs. US venture capital: risk-taking differences

17:08 - Strategies for Canadian founders to compete internationally

19:00 - What's behind the increasing trend of Canadian founders setting up Delaware Corporations

23:15 - How do you know when you're ready to go after funding?

45:01 - Overview of Communitech's programs and membership benefits