Build Canada is quickly emerging as a force in Canada’s innovation ecosystem.
The non-partisan civic movement—founded to connect and amplify high-agency builders—recently hosted its inaugural Vancouver event featuring Build Canada CEO Lucy Hargreaves and Boris Wertz of Version One Ventures.
With a mission to make Canada the most prosperous country on earth, Build Canada leverages AI, open-source tools, and a nationwide network to empower motivated Canadians to take action.
To understand what this means for Vancouver’s tech community, Techcouver spoke with Hunter Scharfe, Build Canada’s newly appointed Vancouver Lead, about the organization’s vision and what’s next.
What excites you most about stepping into the Vancouver Lead role at Build Canada, and how do you see technology shaping your approach?
HS: I’m excited and grateful to step into the position of Vancouver Lead for Build Canada because its mission and values align with the direction I would like to see our country go in. Canada should be the most prosperous country in the world. We have what it takes.
My goal is to connect smart people and push for change that allows for fast, effective and necessary innovation. I want to bring the values of Build Canada to Vancouver and my hope is that we can effect change (in policy and otherwise) that creates a lasting impact.
Technology is changing our world so quickly and to keep up, Canada needs to invest and to innovate to be competitive. This is a non-negotiable.
How does your background help prepare for this role?
HS: I am fortunate to have spent my early career working with and learning from some of Canada’s top innovators and builders. That experience has imparted a great breadth and depth of understanding of how to build audiences and great products. My focus has always been on innovation and technology.
As I spent a good chunk of my career on the East Coast, particularly in Toronto, it’s exciting to be back in my hometown of Vancouver — a city full of opportunity for innovators. I look forward to bringing my cross-country perspective and connections to support the great work happening at Build Canada.
When it comes to innovation in Canada, what are you seeing as some of its strengths? And where is there room for improvement?
HS: The biggest strength Canada has is its talent.
The most impactful trends in technology have their roots in Canada. Researchers in Toronto and Montreal were the first deep learning and AI pioneers. Canadians built the very first commercially available quantum computer. These are globally recognized and very impressive achievements.
With that being said, there’s always room for improvement. Two critical things in my view are living affordability and access to capital. Without affordable housing, it’s hard to build world-class companies in Canada. And we need more risk capital to improve probability of success.
Looking ahead, what’s the biggest trend you think could transform Vancouver? What about Canada?
HS: The area in which I believe we need to see true innovation is in policy. We need to create incentives (tax, employment, grants) that encourage companies to be built in Vancouver and in Canada. We don’t know who is going to build the next “WealthSimple” or “Shopify”. I think the best thing we can do is create an environment where tech and innovation is both possible and even likely!
Anything more you’d like to add?
HS: For those familiar with Build Canada, thank you for your support! For those who are not, I invite you to learn more by checking out www.buildcanada.com and to come out to future events which will be held not only in Vancouver but across the country.
You can follow Build Canada on LinkedIn and X. I invite you to connect with me on Linkedin as well.
Hero image: Harman Bajwa of Altitude Media Co
Leave a Reply