The Associated Press

IBM promotes its “Watson” artificial brain for consumer apps, robots and other gadgets

Techopia

IBM CEO Virginia Rometty says the future of gadgets is not just connectivity, but the ability to analyze and “think.” While IBM isn’t known for

Get our email newsletters

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

The Latest

New dean of uOttawa’s Faculty of Engineering brings a history of entrepreneurship and innovation

Giving Guide 2025: Navalis Foundation

Giving Guide 2025: Lionhearts Inc.

Giving Guide 2025: Ronald McDonald House Ottawa

Giving Guide 2025: Lanark County Interval House and Community Support

Video

AI is transforming industries and reshaping communities. This episode of Techopia Live takes viewers inside TechTuesday for a closer look at What AI Tinkering Reveals About the Future of Tech Innovation. Hosted by Riaz Sidi, the episode explores how a grassroots movement of builders and experimenters is influencing the trajectory of artificial intelligence in Ottawa and across Canada.

The episode features Hai Nghiem, CEO and Co-founder of AGI Ventures Canada, and highlights the work of AGI Ventures Canada (formerly AI Tinkerers Ottawa), an emerging community of more than 1,550 developers and innovators advancing AI through meetups, hackathons, rapid prototyping, and collaborative experimentation. Their initiatives include monthly AI hackathons, AI solution development for clients ranging from Fortune 50 companies to fast-growing startups, and a six-week AI Accelerator delivered in partnership with Mistral VC that brings founders to San Francisco to connect with YC alumni, investors, and global AI networks.

The discussion examines how small-scale experimentation, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and a practical builder-driven mindset are producing real-world breakthroughs and shaping the next phase of digital transformation.

The session concludes with a fireside chat featuring moderator Veronica Farmer, Hai Nghiem, and Rami Alhamad, Co-Founder and CEO of Alma and an investor in the AGI Ventures Canada AI Accelerator. Their conversation explores how community-powered experimentation, hands-on innovation, and early-stage AI development are influencing the future of the sector.

Additional interviews with TechTuesday attendees, including Andree Paige (The NEXT PaiGE), Suzanne Cyr (The Ottawa Education Group), Matthew Jerabek (Algonquin College), and Linda Kerbs (Nokia), capture the momentum, questions, and opportunities emerging across Ottawa’s AI ecosystem.

This episode illustrates how innovation is increasingly emerging at the edges in community-led spaces, where people come together to tinker, test, connect, and build.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:27 Interviews
02:28 Sponsor Segment (Fidus Systems)
04:01 Interviews (continued)
05:24 Closing

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 @ Tech Tuesday: AI Tinkering and the Future of Tech Innovation | Episode 293

OBJ360

Sponsored

EXPERT BLOGS

View All | Submit an Expert Blog

Sueling Ching, Ottawa Board of Trade

This holiday season, buy local and build up Ottawa

The Associated Press

Mandated returns to in-person work – What if your health prevents it?

The Associated Press

EVENTS

View All | Submit an Event