John Ruffolo has spent decades helping shape Canada’s technology and venture capital ecosystem. From building Deloitte’s technology practice to launching OMERS Ventures and now founding Maverix Private Equity, John has been at the center of many of the country’s most important moments in innovation, investment and economic policy.

Over his career, he has helped build and back some of Canada’s most important technology companies while advising governments and institutions on the future of the digital economy.

In this conversation, we unpack the forces shaping Canada’s digital economy, the hard lessons that come with building industries from scratch and why this moment may be one of the most consequential for the country’s future.

He discusses:

The unlikely path from Deloitte partner to building OMERS Ventures and why many thought the idea would fail
Why digital sovereignty is becoming critical to Canada’s economic future
What we need to see more of from Canadian venture capital to build the next generation of tech champions
The policy and talent shifts needed for Canada to compete in a digital economy
The cycling accident that left him paralyzed and and how it reshaped his perspective on resilience and purpose
His mission to make Toronto a global center for spinal cord and neurological research

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Chapters

00:00:00 Growing Up Italian: From Jane and Finch to Bay Street
00:09:56 Arthur Andersen and Early Career
00:16:11 The Enron Collapse: Losing Everything and Finding Hope
00:25:40 Building the Tech Practice and Creating Omers Ventures
00:39:17 The Renaissance of Canadian Tech and Digital Sovereignty
00:48:40 Launching Mavericks
01:03:09 Investing in the Digital Economy: Why Entry Points and IP Rights Matter
01:12:14 The Cycling Accident
01:26:05 Recovery, Resilience and Walking Again
01:36:17 The Two Doors: Hope, Purpose and Never Wasting Time
01:42:08 Rapid Fire and Closing