Rachel Zimmer talks about the power of geographic arbitrage and current obstacles to Canadian entrepreneurship.
We are currently in a strange time for entrepreneurship in Canada. As you know from this podcast, BDC reports that there are now 100,000 fewer entrepreneurs in Canada compared to 2000.
“When you think about the American ethos of playing to win, but also the Canadian kindness, I think there’s a really big opportunity there for Canada and Canadians.”
rachel zimmer
Simple Ventures CEO
In Canada, there are many things that you can’t get even if you want them. Things that are available in other parts of the world but not here for various reasons.
So some Canadian technology leaders are rushing to fill that gap with a new venture studio, Simple Ventures. Co-founded by Rachel Zimmer, formerly of 5Crowd, and Michael Katchen, now of Wealthsimple, it’s backed by a number of names you’ll recognize, including Shopify President Harley Finkelstein, Knix CEO and Founder Joanna Griffiths, and Ada CEO Mike Murchison. Masu. . Today we talk to Zimmer about the driving force behind Simple Ventures and how its operating model differs from her other venture studios in Canada.
In this interview, you’ll notice that Mr. Zimmer tries to walk the line between being candid and not revealing the exact calculations behind Simple Ventures, but most people listening I think you understand what she means when she says “founder level equity share.”
Overall, this is an interesting conversation about the creation of net new companies, the power of geographic arbitrage, and the structural, cultural, and economic impediments to Canadian entrepreneurship.
How does Simple Ventures work? Let’s dig deeper.
The offer is
BetaKit Podcast is brought to you by Osler, Hoskin, Harcourt LLP.
Osler, Canada’s leading law firm serving startups, high-growth companies and investors, releases its third annual survey of 486 anonymized Canadian venture capital and growth equity finance companies. did.
Read the Deal Point Report: Venture Capital Funding.
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The BetaKit Podcast is hosted by Douglas Soltys and Rob Kenedi. Produced and edited by Katti Ra.
