Chris George Zuger

Letter to the Editor: The ‘white-bread’ workforce and why it’s a recipe for corporate failure

Human Resources, Top Stories

Re: Op-ed: DEI has to go, our businesses and future depend on it Ah, the dream of a workplace where everyone thinks alike, acts alike

Get our email newsletters

Get up-to-date news about the companies, people and issues that impact businesses in Ottawa and beyond.

The Latest

What public-sector skills will be most in demand in the private sector? We ask HR experts

City’s heritage committee OK’s expansion of Andaz Hotel in ByWard Market

New head of ByWard Market District Authority wants to ‘make a splash’ with impactful events

Calian-led $100M investment aims to help defence-tech SMEs avoid the ‘supply chain trap’

Welcome to the latest evolution in OBJ’s coverage of local business news

Video

Ottawa’s AI scene is evolving. Early momentum was created by companies such as Solink, founded by Mike Matta, which applied computer vision to retail analytics, and Ranovus, led by Hany Mussad, which develops the optical hardware necessary for high-capacity AI data centres. Subsequent growth was driven by firms such as MindBridge, co-founded by Solon Angel and Eli Fathi, and BluWave-ai, led by Devashish Paul, which targeted specific industrial applications in financial auditing and energy grid management.

A new AI player is garnering international attention. Backboard.io is developing a memory-native API designed to manage long-term context in large language models. In January 2026, the company closed a pre-seed funding round led by Mistral Venture Partners, with participation from N49P, Garage Capital, and Developer Capital.

In this episode of Techopia Live, OBJ publisher Michael Curran speaks to Rob Imbeault, the founder and CEO of Backboard.io. Having already co-founded tech unicorn Assent, Imbeault is now in the CEO seat and predicting big things to come.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
02:56 Introducing Rob Imbeault
14:00 Sponsor Segment
22:27 Building a Better Working World
24:03 Techopia Sponsors
24:43 Closing and What’s Ahead at OBJ

For more on Ottawa’s tech and innovation scene, visit https://obj.ca/techopia.

Subscribe to Techopia’s weekly newsletter here: https://obj121.activehosted.com/f/5

Techopia Live: Imbeault is back with Backboard.io | Eposide 295

OBJ360

Sponsored

OBJ launches the 2026 Executive Report on Cornwall

Powered by passion, backed by Ontario Made: Turning bold ideas into entrepreneurial success

Iconic spaces, lasting impressions

The story behind Glenview Homes’ 2025 GOHBA award-winning Reveli floor plan

EXPERT BLOGS

View All | Submit an Expert Blog

Moe Tabesh writes about communicating with the CRA

Don’t let tax season steal your thunder: A smarter way for Ottawa businesses to close the books

Chris George Zuger

In the age of AI, trust and authenticity matter more than ever

Chris George Zuger

Sueling Ching, Ottawa Board of Trade

2026 Marks a new chapter for Ottawa

Chris George Zuger

EVENTS

View All | Submit an Event