Ted Violini is the co-founder and COO of Theory+Practice, a Vancouver AI SaaS company building data-driven solutions for industries from retail to healthcare. But even with a cutting-edge product, Violini says Canadian startups face high hurdles.

"Talent is expensive, housing is worse. It drives people away from cities where innovation should thrive."

He praises Canada's government-backed firms like BDC and EDC for their skilled teams and valuable services, but notes their terms often mirror private-sector risk aversion. "We need direct investment tools that take real risks on early-stage ventures."

Navigating funding, especially for founders without prior experience, is another challenge. Violini argues for mentorship and streamlined access to tools like Scale AI and IRAP.

He also advocates for affordable urban development as a cornerstone of innovation.

"You can't build tech clusters if your engineers can't afford to live there."