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PODCAST

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures

Ripple Ventures

Join your host, Matt Cohen, Founder & Managing Partner at Ripple Ventures for weekly conversations with leaders in the startup ecosystem discussing the truth about investing, building and running startups. tanktalks.substack.com

business entrepreneurship

All Episodes

24:07

The Rundown 1/23/25: Truth Bombs at Davos, Chaos in...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2026/01/23

In this episode of Tank Talks, Matt Cohen and John Ruffolo unpack Prime Minister Mark Carney’s China agreement and his Davos speech, calling out the collapse of the rules-based international order and pushing “middle powers” to coordinate against coercion. John and Matt agree the speech was sharp, but they hammer the real issue: Canada has to build leverage at home (resources, infrastructure, internal trade, and actual execution) or “diversifying” becomes a vibes-only strategy.The conversation then

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64:42

Building a Solo GP Fund with Timothy Chen of Essence VC

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2026/01/22

In this episode of Tank Talks, Matt Cohen sits down with Timothy Chen, the sole General Partner at Essence VC. Tim shares his remarkable journey from being a “nerdy, geeky kid” who hacked open-source projects to becoming one of the most respected early-stage infrastructure investors, backing breakout companies like Tabular (acquired by Databricks for $2.2 billion). A former engineer at Microsoft and VMware, co-founder of Hyperpilot (acquired by Cloudera), and now a solo GP who quietly raised over

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21:58

The Rundown 1/15/26: Kepler’s Space Lasers, RBCx...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2026/01/15

In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen and recurring guest John Ruffolo kick off the new year with a true “only in 2026” combo: a front-row seat to a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch carrying Kepler Communications’ satellites, followed by a hard reality check on Canada’s venture capital slowdown. John breaks down what it felt like watching the rocket, the first-stage landing, and why Kepler’s mission is bigger than a cool space flex: it’s the early shape of space-based data centers and laser-linked

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42:19

The Art of the Roll-Up: How Carma Corp. Quintupled in...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2026/01/13

In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen sits down with Michael Platt, CEO of Carma Corp., and lifelong friend, to explore his incredible journey from corporate lawyer to building and selling one of Canada’s leading sub-metering companies.Michael shares how he transitioned from practicing law to launching a self-funded search fund, ultimately acquiring Carma Corp., a family-run business he scaled from 40,000 to over 135,000 customers nationwide. He opens up about the challenges of cold-calling

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49:33

How Stablecoins Are Shaping the Future of Global...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2026/01/08

In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen is joined by Avinash Chidambaram, the CEO of Cybrid, to dive into the evolving role of stablecoins in global trade. Avinash, a pioneer in the world of FinTech, shares his journey from working with Blackberry and Interac to leading Cybrid’s mission to bridge stablecoins with traditional banking infrastructure. He discusses the growing importance of stablecoins as a fast, secure, and efficient method of cross-border payments, especially in an era marked

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20:51

The Rundown 12/24/25: The AI Shakeout, Canada’s...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2025/12/24

In the final episode of 2025, Matt Cohen and John Ruffolo reflect on a turbulent year for technology, capital markets, and Canadian innovation, while looking ahead to the forces that will shape 2026. The conversation opens with Canada’s largest private startup round of the year, a $1.76B raise by Toronto based HydroStar Energy Storage, and uses it as a springboard to examine the AI shakeout now underway. John describes the sector as entering a “forest fire” phase, where overfunded and

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22:15

The Rundown 12/17/25: Microsoft’s Canadian AI Gamble,...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2025/12/17

In this episode of Tank Talks, Matt Cohen and John Ruffolo break down a pivotal week for Canada’s innovation economy. Microsoft’s $7.5 billion investment in Canadian AI and cloud infrastructure sets the stage for a deeper discussion about whether foreign hyperscalers can genuinely support Canadian data and AI sovereignty under U.S. laws like the Cloud Act.John challenges the assumption that scale equals sovereignty, arguing for a more intentional strategy built through government procurement,

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47:22

Why Proven Models Beat New Ideas Every Time with Alex...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2025/12/11

In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen sits down with global venture capitalist Alex Lazarow, founder of Fluent Ventures, to unpack the future of early-stage investing as AI, globalization, and shifting economic forces reshape the startup landscape. Alex brings a rare perspective shaped by 20+ markets across Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Asia, plus experience backing seven unicorns, from Chime to breakout fintechs worldwide.Alex shares insights from his unconventional path from

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53:09

The $30 Trillion Shift: Why Private Markets Are...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2025/12/01

In this episode of Tank Talks, Matt Cohen is joined by Samir Kaji, CEO and Co-Founder of Allocate, to break down the explosive growth of private market investing and why trillions in new capital are about to reshape the entire wealth ecosystem. Fresh off a $30.5M Series B, Samir unpacks how Allocate is building the missing infrastructure connecting fund managers, RIAs, and the next generation of investors, solving the painful workflows, broken data pipes, and manual processes still holding the

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45:38

The Founder's Guide to Life After The Liquidity Event...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2025/11/21

In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen sits down with Chris Canavan, founder and general manager of Canavan Private Wealth, to unpack one of the most confusing and emotionally charged chapters in a founder’s journey: life after the liquidity event.Chris brings thirty years of global institutional and private office experience to the table, but his superpower is not managing money. It is designing and running the system around a founder’s wealth. After watching countless entrepreneurs exit

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19:43

The Rundown 11/11/25: Musk’s Trillion-Dollar Deal,...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2025/11/11

In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen is joined by John Ruffolo for an in-depth discussion on the latest business innovation news, cutting-edge tech developments, and disruptive market shifts that are shaping the global innovation economy. From game-changing legal tech acquisitions to the next big wave in quantum computing, the two break down the trends transforming Canadian fintech and the rise of stablecoin regulation. They also dive deep into AI advancements, big tech strategies, and the

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28:12

The Rundown 11/7/25: Can $1 Trillion Truly Build a...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2025/11/07

In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen is joined by John Ruffolo and special guest Mark McQueen, Founder of Wellington Growth Partners and one of Canada’s leading voices on capital markets and policy, as they dive into Canada’s 2025 Federal Budget. Together, they unpack the implications of Ottawa’s newly tabled “Building a Stronger Canada” budget, one that promises $1 trillion in investment over five years, with a heavy focus on productivity, infrastructure, defense, and innovation.The three

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48:50

Building a Billion-Dollar Biotech Legacy with Roberto...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2025/11/05

In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen sits down with Roberto Bellini, Co-Founder of BSQUARED Capital and former CEO of Bellus Health, for a powerful conversation about family, legacy, and resilience in the world of biotech.Originally recorded just two weeks before the passing of his father, Dr. Francesco Bellini, one of the founding giants of Canadian biotech, this re-recorded episode serves as a moving tribute to the man known as “Mr. Biotech Canada.” Roberto opens up about what it was

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27:10

The Rundown 10/31/25: Bank of Canada’s Big Move,...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2025/10/31

In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen is joined by John Ruffolo to break down the week’s biggest stories shaping the innovation economy. From the Bank of Canada’s surprise rate cut to Meta’s $200B market crash, and the rise of Canada’s fintech and stablecoin revolution. They kick off with a spotlight on Waterloo’s AI-powered baseball tech that’s changing Major League play, before unpacking the renewed U.S.-Canada tariff tensions and what the Bank’s fourth rate cut signals for inflation,

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43:55

Why Preventive Medicine is the Next Tech Revolution...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2025/10/29

In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen sits down with Sameer Dhar, Co-Founder and CEO of NiaHealth, to explore how proactive healthcare is reshaping the future of medicine.Sameer shares his remarkable journey from living in nursing homes for a year while building his first startup (Sensassure) to launching NiaHealth, a Canadian health-tech company empowering people to take ownership of their longevity through AI-driven diagnostics and personalized insights.With over $8 million in funding and

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24:31

The Rundown 10/24/25: AI Lawsuits, Open Banking, and...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2025/10/24

In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen and John Ruffolo break down the most important stories shaping Canada’s innovation economy, from the upcoming federal budget and its impact on founders and investors, to Canada’s fintech shake-up as open banking finally gains momentum.The duo dives into AI’s growing legal minefield, including the mounting lawsuits against Perplexity and Sora, and discusses what this means for startups training models on licensed versus unlicensed data. They also unpack

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47:22

Why 95% of AI Projects Fail (And How to Be in the 5%...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2025/10/16

In this episode of Tank Talks, Matt Cohen is joined by James Baskin, Founder and CEO of ZeroStone AI, to explore how businesses can transition from AI experimentation to real-world impact. James, a three-time founder with multiple successful exits, shares his journey from engineering at the University of Toronto to building and selling telecom ventures alongside Globalive’s Anthony Lacavera. He offers valuable insights into leadership, resilience, and overcoming imposter syndrome.Drawing from over

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27:47

The Rundown 10/8/25: The Rise of Data Centers: How...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2025/10/08

In this episode of Tank Talks, Matt Cohen and John Ruffolo break down the latest developments in U.S.-Canada trade negotiations, particularly around tariffs and energy, with insights into how these pressures could shape future relationships.The conversation shifts to the growing energy demands of AI, as Matt and John explore how both the U.S. and China are navigating energy needs, and whether Canada could play a more significant role. They also analyze NVIDIA’s $110 billion vendor financing

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24:16

The Rundown 10/2/25: Tokenizing the Future: How...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2025/10/02

In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen is joined by John Ruffolo to dive deep into the rapidly evolving AI landscape, its economic ramifications, and Canada’s growing potential as a global tech leader. They discuss pivotal topics, such as energy challenges in AI infrastructure, the rise of AI tokenization, and the impact of government policies on the sector. With a focus on the future of tech, investments, and the role of Canada, this episode offers an insightful look at where the industry

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30:47

The Rundown 9/26/25: Canada’s Immigration Advantage:...

Tank Talks By Ripple Ventures ·

2025/09/26

In this episode of Tank Talks, host Matt Cohen is joined by John Ruffolo to discuss pivotal developments shaping Canada’s economy and tech industry. They cover a range of topics, from Canada’s immigration policies in light of changes to the U.S. H1-B visa program to the evolving AI landscape and its economic implications. John provides insights on how Canada could leverage these immigration shifts to attract global talent, while exploring the risks of inflated AI valuations and the potential for an

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305 results

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