Tank Talks

Recessions are red flags. Most people hide. Winners make moves. When the economy slows, many freeze, waiting for the dust to settle. But guess what? That pit stop costs you. Small, smart moves now keep you in the race. When the green flag waves again, where will you be? John Ruffolo and I discuss this and more on this weeks News Rundown on Tank Talks! Episode Link Below:

US tax hikes for Canadians? BoC Rate Pause - Most investors are missing the real risk. Welcome back to Tank Talks! In this episode, host Matt Cohen is joined by John Ruffolo for another high-voltage rundown of the most urgent headlines at the intersection of business, politics, and innovation. As Canada stares down the barrel of a snap federal election and the U.S. economy teeters on a razor’s edge, this episode is all about decoding the chaos. Can Canada avoid a recession as political gridlock looms? Will U.S. economic volatility derail global investment? What happens when tech titans like Musk and Dorsey call for the end of intellectual property law? From capital gains clashes and cross-border tax traps to TikTok-fueled counterfeits and China's IP free-for-all, this conversation goes deep into the geopolitical and economic fault lines shaping our future. Full episode in comments!

Canada's recession alarms ring louder. What happens if innovation stalls? 150 Canadian CEOs are demanding action. Their message? Support domestic innovation or risk falling behind. Trump’s tariffs, AI mandates, and election stakes are reshaping our path forward. Full breakdown on Tank Talks with Matt Cohen & John Ruffolo. Don’t miss out - episode below!

Could AI tools save small businesses *70%* of their time? On this week's episode of Tank Talks, we sit down with Adam Coccari of HubSpot Ventures to discuss the impacts of AI Agents on repetitive tasks. Time wasted on repetitive tasks becomes time invested elsewhere: scaling, strategy, growth. 70% less grind. 100% more opportunity. 🎧 Don’t miss this inspiring conversation with Adam. Link to Podcast in Comments Below 👇

Did you know there are over 450 corporate venture capital funds as of April 2025? Yet so many people are still unaware of what Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) actually is and how they operate. On this weeks episode of Tank Talks we welcome Adam Coccari, MD at HubSpot Ventures to share his journey from teaching grade 4 students to launching one of the first educational apps and his time at M12, Microsoft's Venture Fund. Make sure to subscribe to get notified when the episode drops.

Behind every impactful policy memo from Build Canada is collaboration between tech minds and policy experts. On this week's episode of Tank Talks, we get Daniel Debow to share more about the behind-the-scenes process and what inspired him to join this initiative, which started in a small group chat. John Ruffolo and I ask Dan why he even does this in the first place? His answer? Not for profit. Not for fame. For patriotism. For Canada. For creating opportunities that we once had. These memos? They’re blueprints for progress. (links in comments)

You can’t run Canada like you run your startup. But startups definitely have lessons Canada urgently needs right now. On our next episode of Tank Talks, we chat with Daniel Debow from Build Canada about how his experience building and scaling startups taught him about agility, adaptability, and prioritizing outcomes over bureaucracy. We discuss how Canada needs this kind of mindset, where we balance economic growth with humanitarian goals to keep patriotism alive among Canadian entrepreneurs. Make sure to subscribe to get notified when the episode drops!

What’s Canada’s next big innovation leap? Daniel Debow shares how Build Canada is rewriting our future on this weeks episode of Tank Talks! From scaling startups like Rypp­le and Helpful, all acquired by tech giants, Dan’s journey has shaped his vision for Canada’s innovation landscape. Now, with Build Canada, he’s shifting gears—moving from building products at Shopify, straight toward reshaping policy. Want insights on scaling, policy pivots, and Canada’s bold next steps? Tune-in and subscribe to get notified when the epside drops 🎙 #TankTalks #BuildCanada #Innovation

What’s wrong with venture capital? Villi Iltchev says legacy firms missed something big—and he’s fixing that. On this weeks episode of Tank Talks, Villi dives deep into:  → Why trust and transparency build lasting founder-investor bonds  → How AI reshaping startups is more hype than reality  → Tactical tips for pricing and category creation Catch his blueprint for rethinking VC now. https://lnkd.in/gxDPNGxN

Did you know GitLab lost customer data—and livestreamed their recovery on YouTube?!? Instead of hiding their mistake, they showed everything. Their transparency built MORE trust with customers. On our next episode of Tank Talks, we welcome back Villi Iltchev, Founder and Managing Partner of his new firm, Category Ventures. On this episode, Villi shares his journey being at the forefront of venture investing for decades—spending time at Salesforce in its earliest days of corporate VC, working closely with GitLab in their early stage, and cutting his teeth at August Capital and Two Sigma before striking out to launch Category VC. He’s seen firsthand how trust can make or break deals, and how founders and VCs can foster genuine, long-term partnerships. Subscribe to get notified when the episode drops: tanktalks.substack.com