Nathan Drescher

Raphael Wakin, owner and operator of Café Raphael. Photo by Nathan Drescher.

Old-world charm and secret-recipe cannoli, Raphael Wakin’s café is a dream come true

Top Stories, Ottawa, Retail

When Raphael Wakin first stepped into a vacant retail unit in Ottawa’s Little Italy, he didn’t hesitate. “I’ll take it,” he told the agent. The

Dominic Shadbolt is cycling across Canada to raise $1million for MS research with the support of many donors, including Celestra Health. Photo by Nathan Drescher.

Ottawa’s Celestra Health helps MS patient bike across Canada to raise $1M

Techopia, Insider Only Top Stories

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Could the defence sector become the next big player in Ottawa’s industrial market?

Iconic spaces, lasting impressions

Business leaders support feds’ RTO update, but question if transit will be adequate

Local unemployment rate drops to 7% in January

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.

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

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OBJ launches the 2026 Executive Report on Cornwall

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP and partners lead with generosity

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

SnowBall 2026: A premier networking event with purpose returns to 50 Sussex Dr.

EXPERT BLOGS

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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

Nathan Drescher

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

Nathan Drescher

Sueling Ching, Ottawa Board of Trade

2026 Marks a new chapter for Ottawa

Nathan Drescher

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