SEASON 2

Innovation Fuel Podcast - Secrets to Success in Securing Funding In another episode of Innovation Fuel, Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian are joined again by the brilliant CEO of NexOptic, Paul McKenzie. This time, Paul shares the secrets behind successfully securing funding for his startup—an invaluable episode for aspiring entrepreneurs seeking financial backing for their ventures.

Innovation Fuel Podcast – Special Edition: Conversations with AI Avatars In response to UNESCO's call to promote AI competency frameworks for both teachers and students, Dr. Noosha Mehdian from University Canada West has collaborated with AI to produce this podcast. Leveraging the power of Gemini API avatars, Dr. Mehdian explores how UNESCO's AI competency framework can help prepare educators and students to become responsible, creative citizens in the AI era. She discusses the importance of integrating AI competency into curricula and educational policies, and how these frameworks can shape the future of education in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. Thanks to [...]

From Trash to Treasure:  Recyclorobo.ai Revolution Discover how Recyclorobo.ai Revolution is revolutionizing the recycling industry with cutting-edge AI technology. Join Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian our latest episode of Innovation Fuel as They chat with CEO and Co-founder Tanvir Ahsan about their journey and future plans. Don't miss out!

Revolutionizing Car Leasing with Econommi In this episode of Innovation Fuel, we sit down with Arvin Mat, the Chief Operations Officer of Economy, to explore the innovative world of automotive fintech. Arvin takes us through his journey and the unique solutions Economy provides for car leasing, especially for newcomers and those with limited credit history.

B2B Marketing Insights: Volvo's Strategy for Social Media Success In this episode of Innovation Fuel, Our hosts, Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian, explore digital marketing in the automotive industry, focusing on B2B and employer branding. Our guest kris Granger Digital Marketing Manager at Volvo discusses creating diverse content, aligning with brand values, and using social media to build connections. Discover how data analytics and virtual reality shape the future of customer engagement.

Unlocking Financial Success with a Fractional CFO: Insights from Nick French In this episode of Innovation Fuel, Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian chat with Nick French, CPA, about the role of fractional CFOs. Learn how they support small and medium businesses with growth, strategy, and financial challenges, and the benefits of using data and AI in financial management. Don’t miss this insightful discussion on boosting your business’s financial health!

The Future of Teddy Bears Hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian welcome Zoran Kovacevic, CEO of Toy Mint, to Innovation Fuel. They dive into an engaging discussion on transforming the beloved traditional teddy bear into a digital, impactful toy for the future.

Strike Your Bad Financial Habits with Alireza Fadaie In this episode of the Innovation Fuel Podcast with hosts Dr. Gelareh Farhadian and Dave Keighron, we welcome Alireza Fadaie, "the Financial Sensei" and President of WestLife Financial Services.

Artificial Intelligence and Sustainability - Innovation Fuel IGNITE - Winter 2024 Edition In this week's episode of @innovation_fuel, we dive into a riveting conversation about how artificial intelligence can help optimize decarbonization and sustainability. Join Innovation Fuel Podcast hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian and guest speakers Kiran Dhatt from Ceco AI as well as Babak Safadost and Soroush Nikdel, co-founders of ZeroTrek, as they discuss the journey towards net-zero emissions by 2050. Discover how AI and machine learning revolutionize resource management and empower small businesses to make a significant environmental impact. Tune in to this episode to ignite your [...]

Passing a Legacy of Trade and Dreams with Awl Together Leather In this week's episode of Innovation Fuel, Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian chat with Ariss Grutter and Tess Gobeil, co-founders of Awl Together Leather in Vancouver, about their passion for sustainability and inclusion in leatherwork and shoe repair.

Overcoming Remote Work Challenges with Sarah Planckaert of Essential Impact In this week's episode of Innovation Fuel, Sarah Planckaert, certified executive coach, joins hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian for a discussion on how to build trust, communicate, make decisions and set boundaries in a remote work world.

AI Revolution: How Artificial Intelligence is Reshaping Society In this episode of Innovation Fuel, hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian, CEO, talk to  Paul McKenzie, CEO of NexOptic and discuss how his startup experience led him to develop AI that reduces video file sizes. He talks about obstacles to partnering with big streamers and his goal of a major alliance to catalyze industry change.

Breaking Boundaries in Bioprinting: The Extraordinary Work of VoxCell BioInnovation In this week's episode of Innovation Fuel, Kevin Vos, PhD, the Director of Business Development and Strategic Alliances at VoxCell BioInnovation, joins hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian for a delve into the cutting-edge world of biotechnology.

WHERE ART MEETS BUSINESS IN THE WORLD OF UNIQUE FOOTWEAR In this episode of Innovation Fuel, Stephen Bailey, Chief Marketing Officer of John Fluevog Shoes, joins hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian for a discussion on learning how they've built a community around artistic vision and self-expression.

LIFELONG LEARNING FOR CAREER SUCCESS In this episode of Innovation Fuel, Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian talk with Daniel Yahel, Vice President of Development at Jolt.io, an online business school that transforms people's careers and helps them further their career passion.

UPGRADING DATA MAINTENANCE WITH THE POWER OF AI On this week's episode of Innovation Fuel, hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian welcome Hamid J. Fard and Fabio Alexandre Vieira from Fard Solutions Corporation. The discussion centers around their tool Ai-DBA and how it helps maintain the organization's database server. They also discuss other uses for artificial intelligence before tech phenomena like ChatGPT came into play.

BREAKING FREE FROM FAMILIARITY On this week's episode of Innovation Fuel, hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian talk to Juliana Lopes, CEO and Founder of the FEM Group. The discussion centers around encouraging listeners to step out of their comfort zone, break free from their friendly community and embark on a journey of creating a brand new network.

HOW TO OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES OF HOUSING & INFLATION In this episode of Innovation Fuel, Toby Chu, Chairman & CEO of CIBT Education Group Inc., joins host Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian to talk about how to set up international students for success when they come to Canada to study. The discussion centers around how challenging it is for international students to find homes amid a housing crisis in this ever-changing world with high living costs and rising inflation.

AN HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT MOTHERHOOD On this week's episode of Innovation Fuel, Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian dive into deeply personal motherhood journeys with their guests Jamie Samhan, Founder and CEO of Hop, and Paige Mowbray, counsellor and registered social worker.

BLOSSOM SOCIAL: THE FUTURE OF INVESTING On this week's episode of Innovation Fuel, Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian explore the story of Blossom Social. They talk to Maxwell Nicholson and Kartik Bhutani, two out of the three co-founders, about how their app offers a unique approach to social investing.

PREPARING BRANDS FOR THE FUTURE AS A CONSULTANT In this episode of Innovation Fuel, UCW alumnus Massimo Bellini, CEO and Founder of Bellini Consulting, joins hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian to discuss global events like COVID-19 and breakthroughs in technology that affect a business’ brand.

LEADERSHIP AND INCLUSION AS THE DNA FOR SUCCESS In this episode of Innovation Fuel, Kerry Brock, President of GuardRFID Solutions Inc., joins host Dave Keighron for a discussion about the ups and downs of changing the business to a work-at-home model at the start of the pandemic and how working from home has evolved in the company three years later.

TURNING A FAMILY RECIPE INTO A FULL FLEDGED BUSINESS On this week's episode of Innovation Fuel, Ekaose Mon-John Nwadiani, CEO of HybisBrands, joins hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian to discuss how he found a hidden opportunity re-creating his favourite childhood beverage—turning it into a popular vegan-friendly drink with high nutritional value. Not only is John an inspiring entrepreneur, but he was also a student at UCW many years ago.

WHAT FULL TIME MEANS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS NOW On this week's episode of Innovation Fuel, Pat Chaisang, Founder & CEO of Isempower, joins hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian for part two of the discussion around breaking down the door for international students. They talk about the recent announcement allowing international students to work more than 20 hours per week and break down if this helps students tackle the challenge of finding a job in Canada.

DO YOU FOLLOW YOUR HEART OR USE YOUR HEAD IN BUSINESS? On this week's episode of Innovation Fuel, Paolo Lobo, President of Proteic Bioscience, joins hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian to discuss the challenges entrepreneurs have when making big decisions to move their businesses forward. They talk about why entrepreneurs have the inner battle of deciding to use their heads or follow their hearts when choosing the right path to take to grow their idea.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR BUSINESS CHAOS? On this week's episode of Innovation Fuel, John Kay, CEO of Realize Strategies, joins hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian to discuss entrepreneurial challenges and how he and his team can help avoid significant issues by putting the correct practices in place. They talk about why entrepreneurs turn to consultants when chaos ensues and when the best time is to get help before something catastrophic happens in your business.

BREAKING DOWN THE DOOR FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS On this week's episode of Innovation Fuel, Pat Chaisang, Founder & CEO of Isempower, Canada's first job search platform for international students, joins hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian for a discussion on breaking down the door for international students. They talk about the recent announcement allowing international students to work more than 20 hours per week, the challenges students face in finding jobs in Canada and some misconceptions employers may have about hiring international students.

HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A SELLABLE PRODUCT? On this week's episode of Innovation Fuel, Awane Jones, CEO of Phenomena Virtual eSport Arena, joins hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh for a discussion on what makes a product sellable. They talk about how a sellable product involves improving the current product until it's reached its peak. This strategy sparks a great product that focuses on user experience, leading to higher sales.

WHAT SKILLS ARE YOU MISSING AS AN ENTREPRENEUR? On this week's episode of Innovation Fuel, Scott Stirrett, Founder and CEO of Venture for Canada, joins hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian for a discussion on the key skills that many entrepreneurs lack. They talk about the importance of growing the skills of young entrepreneurs through work experience and providing them with essential entrepreneurial skills for a changing economy.

AUGMENTED REALITY TRANSFORMING BUSINESS On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, Dan Pronovost, Chief Operating Officer and Founder of Driftscape, joins hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian to discuss using augmented reality for businesses. What does the future hold regarding these groundbreaking tools to advance how people experience tourism and interact with a business? The options for using this game-changing technology in every aspect of our lives are endless and full of possibilities.

HOW IS AUGMENTED REALITY USED IN TOURISM? On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, Dan Pronovost, COO and Founder of Driftscape, joins hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian to discuss augmented reality in Tourism. People use this technology to hear and experience collective stories through experts in an environment without advertisements. Augmented reality allows tourism to grow into a culturally richer and create meaningful connections with its visitors.

CREATING A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE VIRTUAL COMMUNITY On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian welcome Ruth Diaz, VR Community Design Developer and Metaverse Coach, at VR Create Connect. Ruth discusses the importance of DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) in the virtual reality community and creating spaces for everyone to enjoy the technology in a safe, inclusive manner.

DISCOVERING THE TRUTH ABOUT DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, Elena Pomazanova, President and Founder of Cyper, joins hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian for a discussion on the misconceptions of digital transformation. They talk about how digital transformation is more than just the word “technology” and explore how it will add more value to a business and its company culture.

FROM JOURNALISM TO COMMUNITY On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian welcome William Johnson, Founder of the Vancouver Tech Journal, for a discussion on how his digital journal is creating other ways to expose the tech industry. Over the last 10 years, the world has witnessed rapid changes in the journalism and media industries. There are now more platforms than ever to connect with and reach new audiences. Listen now and discover how William’s digital journal built community growth through a non-traditional targeted media approach.

TURNING REBATES INTO A LIFESTYLE BUSINESS On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, hosts Dave Keighron and Dr. Gelareh Farhadian welcome Alex Honadel, Owner of Green Solutions Pool Service. Alex is a lifestyle entrepreneur who started her business while in college. Years later, her company continues to thrive, allowing her to travel and continue her passion for the environment while saving people money. Listen now and discover how she took the simple idea of filling out rebate applications and turned it into a lifestyle business.

MINING AND PROTECTING THAT DATA GOLD On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, Dave and Gelareh welcome back Boris Zhukov, CEO of LetYouKnow, Inc., who has a background in economics. They explore how data is advantageous to a business, like how it can be used to target specific customers. Boris also discusses how a company can be responsible when mining and using data; they cover regulatory bodies which includes GDPR and California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA). You can learn everything you need about data in this next episode.

BALANCING SUPPLY AND DEMAND THROUGH AI On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, Boris Zhukov, CEO of LetYouKnow, Inc, joins co-host Dave Keighron for a discussion on balancing supply and demand through AI. Dave and Boris sit down to examine what is happening with the supply and demand changes post-COVID-19. With a surplus of supply, is there a better way to achieve balance for businesses when consumers demand lower prices? Boris revolutionizes this issue by creating a highly innovative marketplace that benefits both consumers and businesses.

BREAKING DOWN DIVERSITY BARRIERS On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, we welcome Anna Kostecka, a Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategist at What Works. Anna joins hosts Dave and Gelareh to discuss the key to making classrooms and curriculum development more inclusive and encouraging companies or schools to create a place of understanding among a diverse team of people. Listen now to this meaningful discussion that inspires organizations to create workplaces that work for everyone.

DISRUPTING THE VENDING MACHINE CULTURE On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, we welcome Drew Munro, Co-Founder and CEO of UpMeals, a convenient and healthy meal delivery service based in Vancouver. Drew joins hosts Dave and Gelareh to talk about how UpMeals is revolutionizing the fast-food industry with vending machines that house healthy chef-curated meals at an affordable price.

SOLVING THE TALENT GAP On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, we welcome back none other than University Canada West’s President, Sheldon Levy! Sheldon joins hosts Dave and Gelareh to discuss how we solve the talent gap here in Canada that has been going on for over 20 years. Sheldon digs deeper into this issue and how we can find realistic solutions that educational institutions can implement to help our society move past this obstacle, thus growing businesses and creating a better future for all Canadians.

BREAKING THE INTERNSHIP MOULD On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, we welcome back Robert Arthurs, Serial Entrepreneur and Certified Biz Coach/Consultant! Robert discusses the importance of an internship with hosts Dave and Gelareh. Robert dives deep into how internships give students a snapshot of what it is like working for the business or in that field. He explains how as a business owner, it’s essential to see your business through a student’s eyes and learn from the interns. Robert also stresses that when you work with interns, you shouldn’t stick them in a box; give them a blank canvas and [...]

NETWORKING ESSENTIALS IN VANCOUVER On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, we welcome Robert Arthurs, a Serial Entrepreneur and Certified Biz Coach/Consultant. Robert discusses with hosts Dave and Gelareh why networking skills are essential to growing your business. Robert also talks about how having a good network can impact your business and life — especially in Vancouver, where there is a heavy LinkedIn presence.

FINDING THE RIGHT COACH On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, we welcome Taylor Del Giudice, Co-Founder of Treno, to discuss how challenging finding the right coach or trainer is. Taylor discusses with hosts Dave and Gelareh how to access good trainers, support and resources and leverage the technology around you to make trainers more accessible. Taylor also discusses how he helped create Treno, which connects professional sports stars with young athletes with the hope that young kids who want to play sports professionally can learn from top experts in their desired industry.

INDIGENOUS ENTREPRENEUR CHALLENGES, PART 3 On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, we continue our conversation with Jack Smith, Indigenous Business Developer and Director on the Board of Economic Development Cooperation. Jack joins hosts Dave and Gelareh for Part 3 of their discussion on the challenges that Indigenous entrepreneurs face. In Part 3, we discuss how to connect Indigenous people with the right talent and skills. Jack explains that there is a lot of incentive for corporations to hire Indigenous people, but they struggle to find precisely the right fit. He also mentions the challenges of staying in home communities and [...]

THE EXIT STRATEGY On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, hosts Dave and Gelareh welcome back guest Jake McEwan! Jake is the Managing Director of Gracorp and Co-Founder of LiveShare CoLiving. After discussing the challenges facing entrepreneurs in British Columbia when bringing innovation, ideas and creativity to the market during their last conversation, they’ll now talk “Exit Strategy,” from the planning stage to the building and execution stages.

SCALE-UP ROADBLOCKS IN CANADA On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, we welcome none other than our very own Sheldon Levy, President of University Canada West! Sheldon joins hosts Dave and Gelareh to discuss challenges when trying to scale your business in Canada. Citing UCW’s latest white paper, Fuelling B.C.’s Tech Talent Pipeline, Sheldon also digs deeper into his findings on why startups don’t stay in Canada to continue to grow, plus much more!

OVERCOMING LIFE’S HARDSHIPS On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, we welcome Stephane Grenier, Founder and Lead Innovator of Mental Health Innovations Consulting, as he joins hosts Dave and Gelareh to discuss stopping life’s hardships from affecting your mental health. Stephane digs a little deeper as he also discusses not letting your past affect how you live your life and being mindful of others’ mental health in the workplace.

VANCOUVER BASED STARTUP CHALLENGES On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, we welcome guest Manuj Aggarwal, CEO of TetraNoodle Technologies! Manuj is also a leading AI expert, innovation evangelist, business strategist and coach. Joining hosts Dave and Gelareh, Manuj will unpack the question of why Vancouver is a good startup location, but not a good scale-up location. With factors like lack of talent, finance and technology playing a big part, we need to talk to the experts and address these issues to understand them better and work out solutions.

INDIGENOUS ENTREPRENEUR CHALLENGES PART 2 On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, we continue our conversation with Jack Smith, Indigenous Business Developer and Director on the Board of Economic Development Cooperation. Jack joins hosts Dave and Gelareh to discuss the services available (and unavailable) to Indigenous entrepreneurs that allow them to even the playing field with other entrepreneurs, no matter the type of business. What are the challenges faced and what solutions are available? These are some of the questions discussed and answered during this episode.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP HURDLES On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, Dave and Gelareh welcome guest Jake McEwan, Managing Director at Gracorp and Co-Founder at LiveShare CoLiving, to discuss the challenges facing entrepreneurs in British Columbia when bringing innovation, ideas and creativity to the market! Whether it’s over or under regulation, existing policies or just bureaucratic red tape, there needs to be a balance between culture, ideas and regulations.

CHALLENGES OF AN INDIGENOUS ENTREPRENEUR On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, we welcome Jack Smith, Indigenous Business Developer and Director on the Board of Economic Development Cooperation! Jack joins hosts Dave and Dr. Gelareh to discuss how Indigenous entrepreneurs can compete with other entrepreneurs on every business level. They also question how we can tackle the challenges of connecting Indigenous people with access to the tools, support and resources to create business opportunities in rural communities.

DATA AND ITS ROLE IN MARKETING On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, we welcome Graeme Csath, CMO of Lift Metrics! Graeme joins Dave and Dr. Gelareh for an exciting and informative discussion on the power of data and growth hacking in marketing. They also discuss learning to anticipate your customers’ journey through data and how to create a more effective marketing strategy for your business.

THE PATH OF AN ENTREPRENEUR On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, we welcome Peyman Chalabi, CEO of Drucker Pro International and a UCW alumnus. International students interested in opening a business may encounter unique risks and unknowns in their journey to becoming an entrepreneur. Peymen delves into every aspect of this, from visas and legal obligations to finances, culture and marketing. Peyman also shares his experience as an international student who has established his own business. Listen to the episode to see how he overcame challenges in his business and how he guides young entrepreneurs.

A WALK DOWN AN ACADEMIC PATH On this week’s episode of Innovation Fuel, we welcome Kristen Morgan, Founder of Morgan Academic Consulting! Kristen joins Dave and Gelareh to discuss how she helps guide parents through the process of journey mapping and identifying steps for them to take during their child’s academic journey. Kristen also talks about academic consulting, building the confidence of children in their capacity and why it’s important to keep academic doors open when planning a path during what can be an expensive process for parents.

COPING WITH CHANGE University Canada West’s Innovation Fuel Podcast has returned with its first episode of season 2! Dave and Gelareh have invited back Christina Furtado, a Mental Health and Wellness Specialist at Guard.me, to discuss the life changes and stressors of an international student while adapting to life abroad. Christina also speaks about what it means to be an international student, an expat or an immigrant and how reprioritizing your worries is a helpful tool to navigate the change.