Alex de Bold

Collision Conf is one of the biggest tech+AI events in North America and I am looking forward to learning more in this exploding space. If anyone is heading that way, feel free to ping and we can connect! #AI #generativeAI #digitaltransformation

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These entrepreneurs faced risk in their platform-dependent business. So they opted to sell their Shopify app: Canadian entrepreneurs Derek Morin and Bogdan Radu knew there was a risk to building apps for someone else’s platform. In 2016, they launched Tabarnapp to enable automatic discounting in Shopify. Their metrics by 2022: • Over $1 million in annual revenue • 80% net margin • 60,000 downloads of their flagship app, Automatic Discount • 2,500 recurring clients paying $10 to $1,000 monthly But they recognized the risk. “We realized that at any point, because we were platform-dependent, we could go bankrupt or we could be disrupted by Shopify,” Morin said. Changes to the platform — plus an increased competitive landscape — sparked the idea to sell the company. They sold Tabarnapp to software company Staytuned in November 2022 in a mid-7 figure deal. All the details in our story... https://lnkd.in/eUGEB9K5

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Cohere CEO Aidan Gomez says that #1 blocker for Enterprise GenAI use cases is data privacy and #2 blocker is the cost (implies ROI). He also explained what Canadian AI startup, Cohere does and how they make money. A must watch for anyone who is interested in Enterprise GenAI use cases. He also said that GenAI fear mongering is cheap ways to get attention (I am paraphrasing, he didn’t use the word cheap). Quite a bit commentary on Google Cloud AI developments as well. Other mentions Oracle and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Aidan comes across as a mature tech leader for his young age. He sounds more realistic and less me too, in GenAI hyped era. Aidan was talking to CNBC’s Steve Kovach. https://lnkd.in/g36SFYfn ____________________ Last month, Cohere has raised $450 million in funding from returning investors such as Nvidia and Salesforce Ventures, as well as new investors including Cisco and Canadian pension fund PSP Investments cc David Vellante David Linthicum John Furrier Ron Miller Shelly DeMotte Kramer Robert Hof

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Cool-tech Callout (tm) Wanted to share a bit about Bold Metrics Inc., a company I've been fortunate to advise for the last little while (and which I was lucky to partner with for a few years before that). They're a bada** data science and product team that leverages actual data about you, they don't just ask where else you shop ... Brands love them b/c they drive $$$$$$$ (new sales and retention) - like an average 18% decrease in returns and a 232% increase in conversion. They’ve already partnered with major players like Vuori (my fave), Mizzen Main, and Columbia Sportswear to name a few. #Apparel Tech #AIRevolution They have developed transformative digital twin AI technology that revolutionizes the way we shop for clothes, making it easier and more personalized than ever before. I asked Daina Burnes, ceo of Bold Metrics for an overview and she shared a blurb if anyone interested ... Bold Metrics’ AI body data platform is a digital twin solution that assists apparel shoppers in finding their optimal size and fit, while concurrently aiding retailers and brands in boosting Average Order Value (AOV) and Conversion Rate (CVR), while decreasing returns. From just 4-6 simple shopper inputs, the Bold Metrics generative AI technology accurately determines critical points of measure to create unique digital twins of shoppers with over 50 body data measurements. The technology combines shopper body data with brand-specific garment data, providing tailor-level accurate size recommendations that show how an item will fit across critical points of measure — allowing shoppers to choose their best size based on their personal fit preference #ApparelTech #AIRevolution

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🚀 Just had an incredible experience meeting Keily Blair, CEO of OnlyFans in Toronto! Here's a mind-blowing stat: OnlyFans has paid out $15 billion to creators since 2016. Yes, billion with a B. 💸 The company takes 1/5th of the payments generated. With over 3 million content creators on the platform, it was fascinating to discuss the future direction of the business - which really has a ripple effect... OnlyFans has already shifted culture and how we think about creators. But their next big wave goes beyond content and culture—it’s about challenging traditional banking norms. With its massive financial footprint, OnlyFans is pretty well poised to reshape the financial landscape for lawful, profitable businesses often marginalized due to stigma. (👋 Shoutout to Sextech School founders, Women of SexTech, and other businesses that struggle to transact or even open business bank accounts.) Keily’s background as a partner at a law firm specializing in cyber, privacy, and security makes her the fit to take on the big banks. I love learning about how people found their ways into these sorts of spaces - for her, OF was a former client (and a fav client). I learned so much in our meeting. One last nugget that stood out: OFTV (their safe-for-work streamer) just licensed their first reality show to Netflix! At this point, the mainstream influence of OF, whether it's in entertainment or financial sector, is undeniably having a hand in what our future looks like.

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There is a new #searchengine in town going after #Google and #Perplexity out of Canada A new AI-first search engine, Upend, has emerged from stealth, aiming to democratize access to advanced generative AI models. Upend is a Canadian startup that has just launched its AI-powered search platform, offering users a unique and powerful search experience. Access to 100+ Large Language Models (LLMs): Upend provides users with a wide selection of LLMs, including models from #OpenAI , #Claude , #Mistral , and more, allowing for diverse and specialized search capabilities. Upend offers the option to base search results on Wikipedia, providing users with grounded and cited information. Affordable Pricing: Upend aims to democratize access to advanced AI search by offering team plans starting at $20/month, significantly lower than competitors. Upend's mission to make AI search more accessible and affordable is a significant step towards empowering students, professionals, and businesses to harness the power of generative AI. _______ 🤩 Enjoy being the first to get news like this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Ben Silverman for more! Want to stay up to date on all of the latest news and tools and get them directly to your inbox every week? ⛏️ Join our community of 2,000 + subscribers today https://lnkd.in/gMDQ6CDd https://lnkd.in/dneXZDbK https://lnkd.in/gfMvRbyq

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Nobody launches Consumer brands because they're obsessed with building a tech stack. Most of the time, people launch Consumer brands because they have a passion for their space, or a story to tell. And luckily the Shopify ecosystem made it so that any artisan can sell anywhere, and any consumer can buy from any artisan. It's beautiful—and I want to make it even more accessible for shops. They won't have the same ad budgets as legacy brands, but we may be able to give them something else. See, I used to work at Turo. There, we had access to funding, tech, and software in ways I didn't realize were possible beforehand. As a result, we grew—fast. I saw first-hand what being so well-resourced like that did for our business, and now I want to do the same for artisans globally. That starts with data. I want to give the tech all the big players use, to everyone. It will level the playing field—at least with data—and make ecommerce a meritocracy, not a game of budgets. If we make data a commodity, ecommerce as a whole is better off. That's our mission with Polar Analytics, so follow along if that sounds interesting!

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This post from Alexis Grant is clear, concise and to those who have this on their radar, includes valuable nuggets. Bottom line: once you’re on your journey, moving at highway speed, pay attention as traffic, accidents, potholes and better routes etc can appear and approach rapidly, requiring decisions to be made. Huh? Ok, forget all that. Just read her post.

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The ecomm platforms as I see the market (Gartner style) Leaders - Shopify - Salesforce - Adobe - commercetools Challengers - BigCommerce - WooCommerce Visionaries - Centra - Fabric - Spryker - Swell Niche Players - Elastic Path - Commerce Layer

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Yesterday, Shopify announced an exciting new partnership with YouTube, enabling seamless shopping directly within videos and live streams. This collaboration allows brands to tap into YouTube creators' engaged audiences, enhancing authenticity and driving sales with a frictionless shopping experience. They’re calling it "shop while you watch." Shopify is making a smart move here by leaning into a few key trends: 1. Video content is more powerful than ever. 2. Content creators on YouTube (and other social platforms) have an increasingly significant influence on purchasing decisions. While I love that Shopify is directly challenging TikTok Shop head-on, I do see some limitations with shoppable videos from creators: - Creators often don't own the products they promote. When a product is gifted, it’s harder for shoppers to relate, as the endorsement may not feel as genuine as a real customer’s experience. - Partnering with creators can be costly. I always advise brands that their best creators are often their existing customers. They have smartphones capable of producing high-quality content and frequently share polished versions of their experiences on social media. Collecting content from satisfied customers and showcasing it on your website remains one of the most effective ways to build authenticity and trust. Moast is a great tool for achieving that.

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🤖 Meet AdQuick's AI Media Strategy Copilot for Out-of-Home Advertising!🤖 Last week at the COMMB/DailyDOOH Ad AI Conference in Toronto, we gave the advertising world a peek at something truly transformative: AdQuick's AI Media Strategy Copilot—and it blew everyone away! 🎉 This powerful AI-driven tool takes the complexity out of OOH advertising planning, helping brands and agencies craft smarter, more strategic campaigns faster than ever before. Whether you're looking to reach niche audiences or go big with national exposure, our AI Copilot has you covered. Here’s what makes it a game-changer: 🔍 Smarter Planning: Instant recommendations for optimal locations, formats, and timing based on your goals. ⚡ Real-Time Insights: Leverage market data and real media strategy to make informed decisions on the fly. 💡 AI-Powered Strategy: Say goodbye to guesswork—get customized, high-impact OOH ideas in minutes! At the live demo, the room was buzzing with excitement as Arsalan Nasir showcased how easy and intuitive it is to design an entire campaign plan with AI as your co-pilot. If you couldn't join us, don't worry— we dropped the video below. It's also available for free on the AdQuick website. Just click the chatbot in the lower righthand corner and ask it to design a specific media plan for (product/service type) in (city name). 🎥 Special thanks to Jason Kunkel-de Cesero and Chris Cowlbeck for getting the recordings of the presentation! #AdTech #OOH #MediaPlanning #AI #AdQuick #AdvertisingInnovation #OutOfHome #CampaignStrategy #AdAIGenerator #OOHadvertising #oohmedia #adai2024 #adaiconference #outofhomeadvertising

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It's been a while since I've posted here, so obviously this is important (slight tone of sarcasm - but really). At Ecom North this past weekend, Canada's first and biggest (1000+ attendees), I met a lot of amazing entrepreneurs, brand owners, and agency owners. A couple common mistakes really stood out to me with the younger/newer entrepreneurs that tend to shoot themselves in the foot: 1. Needing to fulfil every requirement under the sun before getting started. Real example: A very nice lady I was speaking to was getting into the CPG supplements space, she's been working on it for months, still doesn't have a product, already wants to rework her logo, and is way too concerned about all the liabilities and insurances she should have. All before validating her business and just putting an offer online, in front of a prospective market. When building a new business there are thousands of little invisible requirements that are frankly, just that. Invisible. All you really need to focus on first, is what you're selling, and who you're selling it to. You only run into all these little invisible "requirement roadblocks" when you go looking for them. 2. Not knowing, and not being able to admit it. I get my best advice from people who are the best in the world at what they do by simply presenting my constraints, what I've tried, and then admitting I need help or I don't know something or how to do something. A young entrepreneur who was also trying to build a supplement brand was speaking to me and aside from saying his supplements were organic and natural couldn't answer my questions of "who's your customer avatar? (who are you selling to", "What's your angle? (what story do you tell them)", and "What's your specific unique selling proposition (Why should they choose you?" His answers were a slurry of "healthier option" and "organic" and "natural ingredients" and many, many, "you know???"s. No man, I don't know. That's why I'm asking you. Please tell me, and if you don't know, let's find out together, but I can't help you if you don't ask for it. Lastly, in case you haven't heard yet, yep, I've built a supplement brand. I am my customer avatar, and I'm sure there are more high performers who need a healthy dose of mental enhancement and recovery so they can move the needle with their best work. The substances we've launched are the results of my 10+ years of testing every (healthy) substance known to man in attempts to overcome my ADHD distractibility and maintain high productivity without burning out. We worked with leading FDA compliment labs in the USA to create these. The only downside is that they're kinda pricey, and the capsules are a bit big, but boy do they work, and that's what I'm excited about, functional substances that actually work.

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After almost 1 year of Meta blocking news in Canada, News content is still being OPENLY shared on Instagram and Facebook… We now have over 2,300 examples of News posts / screenshots live on their platforms, being shared, engaged with and viewed by millions of Canadians. Except these aren’t shared from actual news organizations… No, they are shared by various accounts or brands that somehow bypass Meta’s filters or don’t meet their arbitrary definition of a News business. To be fair, this is not only Meta’s fault. The wording and clauses of inclusion in the Online News Act are flawed ❌ According to the law, Platforms (Meta and Google) are only forced to compensate news publishers if they are caught carrying news content from actual News Organizations, not carrying news content from non-News organizations. Do you see how f*cked this is? So, accounts from organizations or individuals that are not defined as news organizations can take content from Canadian news organizations, repost it on Instagram and Facebook, and use that content to grow their followings and brands without being blocked. This is all happening and being profited from on the backs of legitimate news publishers and journalists, who bear all the production costs but have no access to the distribution benefits. We can’t even f*cking opt-out. Our Government can either: A. Reword the legislation to include an official approved list of News Organizations (and these companies should have the option to opt-in or out of Bill C-18) B. Reword the legislation to include ALL news content, not just news content coming from news organizations C. Kill the bill, apologize and leave our distribution alone I prefer C. Let’s do C.

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The Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax incentive is one of Canada's most powerful tools for fostering tech innovation - enabling businesses to recoup up to 65% of their R&D salary costs. Here's the troubling reality though: While this program distributes ~$4B annually to 20,000 businesses, an unnecessary "SR&ED consulting industry" has emerged that extracts $400M-800M from these funds. Why? These consultants capitalize on companies' fears about complex paperwork, despite the fact that 94% of SR&ED applications are approved. They charge 10-20% of the tax credit simply to complete forms. Let that sink in: Nearly a billion dollars meant for Canadian innovation is instead diverted to middlemen who add minimal value. At Publicus, we're passionate about streamlining government processes through automation. While SR&ED reform isn't our current focus, we believe in raising awareness about the systemic, government-related inefficiencies that hold back Canadian tech companies. #CanadaTech #GovTech #Grants #Innovation

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Should I or shouldn’t I? Did I really want to admit my age to the whole LinkedIn world? But when one of Canada’s top broadcasters for the CBC – who now runs a Podcast called “The Art 2 Aging” – invites you to be interviewed, I had to say yes. So, aside from letting a few million people know that I am 69 years old, being interviewed by Chris Henry (who is a skilled and award-winning broadcaster) was an incredible gift. In this 30-minute Podcast session, we covered everything from: • how I overcame my fear of starting my own business and manifesting what I wanted • why spirituality is an important cornerstone of my life • how hiring for diversity across gender, age, experiences and skillset has made us a better agency • how to harness the power of GenAI for “good” • how Gina Livy changed my attitude toward food and my body and set me off on a path of wellness that I am happily following today I usually don’t like listening to myself being interviewed but, Chris, damn you’re good. Thank you for this experience. For those of you who listen to the podcast, let me know if anything stood out for you and what was YOUR greatest teacher in your career and life so far. The link to the Podcast is in the first comment. https://ow.ly/3MIP50TE5Ve #BusinessSuccess #Entrepreneurship #Resilience

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Just opened a package from Harley Finkelstein and the Shopify team and was surprised at how heavy it was. Shopify, the platform that powers our website sent us this Milestone for processing our 1,000,000-th order. It’s an arbitrary number that carries some heft, and to those who are thinking about starting out on their own it might sound impossible. The advice I’d share from my personal 3+ year grind to our millionth order is don’t spend a second thinking about those as goals. Instead focus on blowing away your first customer, then your 10th and then your 100th and before you know it you’ll be further along than you even expected. It’s like building a brick wall, if you focus on how many bricks it’s going to take to build it, it might seem so daunting that you never start. Lay the first brick perfectly, then the first row, then move up, and before you know it the wall is built, brick by brick. Thank you to Shopify for enabling us to ship a million orders to the construction workers and tradespeople all across the US who literally build our country. Brick by brick, LFG.

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