XConnect Show 9: Canadian Startups, Get Aggressive With Your Pitches, Says Shiny Ads
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Host: Karim Kanji
Producer: Sean Power
Technical Director: Sean Ward
Community Managers: Jon Bunning and Rachel McConnellOn today’s show, Karim sits down with Roy Pereira and Zunaid Khan, two of the folks behind Shiny Ads, the self-serve ad platform. Shiny Ads targets publishers, digital media companies, and ad networks with ad orders under $5,000, giving publishers more control over price point and model and small advertisers more control over places that ads appear.
Give the episode a view below.
XConnect Show 9: Canadian Startups, Get Aggressive With Your Pitches, Says Shiny Ads from XConnect on Vimeo.
Roy also offered insights about being a Canadian startup targeting big American brands. “It’s the best of both worlds,” says Roy. “Canada has a great tax system and credit system for innovative companies.” The Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Incentive Program called SR&ED, for example, is a necessity for tech companies in Canada. “If the project that you’re working on doesn’t meet their criteria, then what you’re working on sucks because it’s not innovative.” It’s a huge advantage over American competitors.
Zunaid talked a little bit about the tech scene in Toronto. “There used to be a perception issue when I used to go to the States and I was working for a Toronto-based company that you would be talking to someone and they would ask you where you’re from and you would say, ‘Toronto,’ and you almost had to give an explanation. That doesn’t exist.” Toronto itself is getting a reputation, as well as Montreal, for being a great place for startups because of acquisitions by American tech countries (BackType is a great example).
In the episode, the Shiny Ads team also talk about jumping the border into the States, being aggressive, and the talent “brain drain” to America.
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[...] This week was a big week for our Founder/CEO, Roy Pereira, and VP of Business Development + Sales, Zunaid Khan. They were both asked to join the XConnect crew in the studio to discuss being a Canadian entrepreneur. In case you missed it the video is below and you can find the blog post at xconnectto.com. [...]