Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 6 days ago
Alex Norman, General Partner at N49P and 20-year veteran of the Canadian tech ecosystem, opens the Boast Funding Stage at Toronto Tech Week 2026 with a practical breakdown of how the Canadian venture capital market actually works right now - and what founders need to understand before they raise.
Alex covers why VC isn't the only path and when you should seriously consider not taking it, what pre-seed, seed, Series A, and growth rounds actually look like in Canada in 2026, why the number of active VCs has dropped 25% since 2022 and what that means for founders raising today, why 75% of capital is now flowing to just 30 funds, and what you actually need to have before you earn the right to raise each round.
He also answers live questions from founders in the room - including whether having no domain expertise kills your pitch, how to position a consumer play when distribution is the problem, and when an advisor on your cap table helps versus hurts.
The most practical 20-minute overview of the Canadian funding landscape you'll find.
Essential viewing for founders at pre-seed and seed stage, operators preparing their first institutional raise, and anyone who wants to understand what Canadian VCs are actually looking for in 2026.
🔔 Subscribe for more real founder stories from TechTO
📅 Explore upcoming TechTO events: techto.org/events Watch more talks: youtube.com/c/TechTorontoOrg
Upcoming events: techto.org/events
Events calendar: luma.com/TechTO-Events
Newsletter — The read on Canadian tech: blog.techto.org
Membership: techto.org/memberships
Alex Norman, General Partner at N49P and 20-year veteran of the Canadian tech ecosystem, opens the Boast Funding Stage at Toronto Tech Week 2026 with a practical breakdown of how the Canadian venture capital market actually works right now - and what founders need to understand before they raise.
Alex covers why VC isn't the only path and when you should seriously consider not taking it, what pre-seed, seed, Series A, and growth rounds actually look like in Canada in 2026, why the number of active VCs has dropped 25% since 2022 and what that means for founders raising today, why 75% of capital is now flowing to just 30 funds, and what you actually need to have before you earn the right to raise each round.
He also answers live questions from founders in the room - including whether having no domain expertise kills your pitch, how to position a consumer play when distribution is the problem, and when an advisor on your cap table helps versus hurts.
The most practical 20-minute overview of the Canadian funding landscape you'll find.
Essential viewing for founders at pre-seed and seed stage, operators preparing their first institutional raise, and anyone who wants to understand what Canadian VCs are actually looking for in 2026.
🔔 Subscribe for more real founder stories from TechTO
📅 Explore upcoming TechTO events: techto.org/events Watch more talks: youtube.com/c/TechTorontoOrg
Upcoming events: techto.org/events
Events calendar: luma.com/TechTO-Events
Newsletter — The read on Canadian tech: blog.techto.org
Membership: techto.org/memberships
