News Summary

The Canadian tech and startup scene has been vibrant with significant developments. Notably, Hamed Abbasi, co-founder and former CEO of Toronto-based Plooto, faces charges of sexual assault. Meanwhile, Tailscale, a Toronto-based VPN startup, has doubled its corporate client base to 10,000 within ten months, highlighting its growth in the business sector. In Montreal, Eli Health and Haply Robotics received Best of Innovation awards at CES for their remarkable products. Additionally, a group of tech entrepreneurs, including Canadians Mark Surman and Philippe Beaudoin, launched the Free Our Feeds initiative to protect the technology of decentralized social networking platforms from billionaire capture. The Canadian presence in the 2025 Global Cleantech 100 list saw nine companies featured, albeit a decrease from previous years. Furthermore, venture-capital firms from Montreal and Vancouver are expanding into Alberta, indicating increasing capital for early-stage companies in the region. In Toronto, Intuit is recruiting talent to work on major tech projects, emphasizing its role in global tech innovation. Finally, Toronto’s Ritual co-founders are transitioning to Shopify, marking a significant shift in leadership for the company.