Episodes

  • Beyond Offsets: How to Build a Carbon Removal Industry
    May 6 2025

    Carbon offsets aren’t enough. To truly tackle climate change, we need a global industry dedicated to pulling carbon out of the air and at massive scale. Join hosts John and Sonia inside the innovation race to scale carbon removal technologies, featuring insights from leading voices in the field.

    They speak with Dr. David Keith, a pioneering climate scientist and founder of Carbon Engineering, who unpacks the technological, policy, and economic hurdles to direct air capture and other approaches. You’ll also hear from two recent XPRIZE Carbon Removal winners, Mike Kelland of Planetary Technologies and Jim Mann of UNDO about how their startups are using ocean alkalinity and enhanced rock weathering to permanently sequester CO₂, while also delivering benefits to farmers and marine ecosystems.

    Together, they explore whether the world can build a scalable, measurable, and credible carbon removal industry – one capable of drawing down billions of tons of CO₂ annually.

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    32 mins
  • Detect Early, Treat Early: Innovations Shaping the Fight Against Cancer
    Apr 22 2025

    Early detection remains the single most effective strategy for treating cancer, significantly enhancing survival rates and outcomes. Join hosts John Stackhouse and Sonia Sennik as they explore how groundbreaking innovation and technology are reshaping cancer detection, treatment, and prevention.

    Physician and entrepreneur Jesse Salk discusses his pioneering Duplex Sequencing Technology, dramatically improving diagnostic accuracy. Peter Liu, CEO of Oxford Cancer Analytics, explains how advanced machine learning and proteomics are enabling more precise and accessible cancer screening. Andrea Seale, CEO of the Canadian Cancer Society, shares exciting advances like lung cancer breathalyzers and convenient at-home blood tests. Listen in to discover how these innovations, combined with inspiring personal stories, are bringing renewed hope to one of humanity's most pressing health challenges.

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    30 mins
  • How Tech Entrepreneurs Can Capitalize on the Buy Canadian Movement
    Apr 8 2025

    The “Buy Canadian” movement has surged during talks of tariffs, often highlighting consumer goods. How can Canadian tech companies take advantage of this sentiment? Join John Stackhouse and Sonia Sennik in a conversation about Canada's emerging era of supporting local businesses and products. This episode explores how recent geopolitical shifts and consumer trends are prompting Canadians to prioritize local products, businesses, and technology solutions.

    Featuring insights from Dax Dasilva, CEO of Lightspeed, who discusses how technology can empower retailers and hospitality businesses through unpredictable times, and Derek Jouppi, creator of Buy Canada Tech, a platform designed to help Canadians discover homegrown digital alternatives. The discussion touches on the topics of community investment, economic nationalism, and the long-term benefits of fostering a robust Canadian entrepreneurial ecosystem. Discover why supporting local is not just a trend but a crucial step toward economic resilience and national unity.

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    22 mins
  • The Cleantech Edge: Tackling Methane Emissions with Canadian Innovation
    Mar 25 2025

    With global energy demands surging and climate concerns intensifying, Canada finds itself in a rare position: rich in natural resources, top technical talent, and the innovation needed to become a clean energy superpower. But how do we harness that potential without compromising on sustainability?

    John and Sonia take listeners inside Houston’s CERAWeek energy conference to unpack the growing momentum behind methane abatement, and Canada’s opportunity to lead the charge.

    The episode dives deep into methane: why it is 30x more potent than CO₂, where it leaks from — oil fields, landfills, farms etc. – and Canada’s commitment to methane capping.

    Hear from four groundbreaking Canadian cleantech entrepreneurs working on space-based emissions detection, sensor-agnostic software, nitrogen-powered pneumatics, and emissions data modeling to tackle the methane challenge for the country and beyond.

    Guest Information

    • Jacqueline Peterson, PhD, Chief Climate Officer at Kathairos Solutions Inc.
    • Stephane Germaine , President of GHGSat
    • Liz O’Connell, CEO and Co-founder of Arolytics
    • Jessica Shumlich, Co-founder and CEO of Highwood Emissions Management
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    26 mins
  • Scammers, Fraud, and Deepfakes: The AI Arms Race
    Mar 11 2025

    With cybercriminals leveraging AI to fuel scams and misinformation, how do we verify what's real? Joined by cybersecurity experts Shuman Ghosemajumder (former Global Head of Product Trust at Google and Co-founder of Reken), and Ken Nickerson (Inventor and Entrepreneur, iBinary, ex-Microsoft, ex-Rogers, ex-Kobo, ex-OMERS, and behind Sealed, a tool designed to verify digital content), John Stackhouse and Sonia Sennik confront a startling new reality where AI-generated deepfakes can mimic voices, images, and even entire identities with frightening accuracy.

    Together, they unpack the rapidly shifting landscape of AI-driven fraud, explore the concept of "zero trust," and highlight innovative solutions that could help us navigate an era where digital deception is the norm.

    They explore how to protect democracy, businesses, and personal identities in a world where proof of authenticity is harder than ever.

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    32 mins
  • Entrepreneurs seek to boost Canada’s prosperity and productivity
    Feb 25 2025

    How can Canadians unleash their competitive spirit and rediscover the drive to build bigger, faster, and smarter? Serial entrepreneur and tech investor Daniel Debow joins John and Sonia to tackle that question. They explore how decades of slow productivity growth have eroded Canada’s economic position, and why there’s new urgency to rewrite the country’s playbook.

    Daniel explains how his passion for building ventures, from software startups acquired by Salesforce and Shopify, to the collaborative “Build Canada” initiative, reflects a broader need for bold experimentation in Canadian policy and business culture. He highlights how stronger digital frameworks, better data sharing in healthcare, and a more ambitious national narrative can help Canada punch above its weight in a rapidly changing global environment. John and Sonia underscore the power of collaboration and the importance of making tough policy choices to reimagine Canada’s future. If you’re ready to think bigger and help propel this country forward, don’t miss this conversation on reclaiming the builder’s spirit.

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    31 mins
  • AgriFood and Food Security: Can Canada Feed the World?
    Feb 11 2025

    With a growing global population and climate challenges reshaping food production, Canada has a golden opportunity to lead the ag-tech revolution. But are we ready? In this episode of Disruptors x CDL, John Stackhouse and Sonia Sennik take a deep dive into the future of farming with industry experts Evan Fraser (Director, Arrell Food Institute) and Alison Sunstrum (CEO, CNSRV-X Inc.), exploring the innovations that could transform agriculture as we know it.

    They discuss how AI, robotics, and precision farming are reshaping the food system—from predictive agriculture to climate-resilient crops. With Canada slipping in global agri-food rankings, what must we do to stay competitive? And how can we bridge the gap between innovation and adoption?

    From farm fields to lab-grown solutions, this episode uncovers the technologies and policies that will define the next era of food production. Whether you’re in tech, policy, or just interested in the future of your next meal, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

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    29 mins
  • Inside the WEF: AI, Geopolitics, and Canada's Place in the Future Economy
    Jan 30 2025

    What happens in Davos doesn’t stay in Davos, it shapes the future of business, technology, and global markets. In this episode of Disruptors x CDL: The Innovation Era, John Stackhouse joins co-host Sonia Sennik from Davos to break down the biggest conversations at the World Economic Forum. From Donald Trump's controversial speech and its implications for Canada to the surging confidence in AI, energy, and innovation, this episode unpacks the global trends shaping the economy.

    John shares insights on the U.S.’s bullish outlook, the future of AI in business and defense, the growing space economy, and why Canada needs to step up its game on the global stage. With conversations about regulatory shifts, geopolitical tensions, and the role of emerging technologies in shaping the future, this episode is packed with critical takeaways for entrepreneurs, policymakers, and industry leaders.

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    30 mins
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