How Startup TNT Is Getting Regular Canadians to Invest in Early-Stage Companies | Jesse Wiebe

What if you could invest in promising Canadian startups for as little as $5,000 — and help a food or CPG brand scale to retail shelves at the same time?

 

In this episode of This Commerce Life, Phil and Kenny sit down with Jesse Wiebe, Community Development Manager and key figure at Startup TNT — an Edmonton-based angel investing syndicate that's democratizing early-stage investment across Canada.

 

Jesse shares his unconventional path: from growing up on a Saskatchewan farm to working in Gordon Ramsay's kitchen, bartending through an economics degree at York University, and eventually returning home after COVID wiped out his job, his apartment (fire above his unit), and his relationship — all at once. Out of that reset came a mission to activate Canadian capital and build a real startup ecosystem outside of Toronto.

 

In this episode:

✅ What Startup TNT is and how their stage-gate investment model works

✅ Why Canada is losing its best founders to the U.S. — and what to do about it

✅ How CPG industry veterans can put their retail skills to work as angel investors

✅ The difference between VC, angel investing, and family offices (explained simply)

✅ How early-stage food and beverage brands can apply for funding

✅ Why "playing Moneyball" is the right strategy for Canadian startups

✅ Portfolio companies to watch: Vegain, Seven Summit Snacks, Toothpod, Scription, and more

 

If you work in Canadian CPG, retail buying, or food and beverage — this episode is your introduction to a funding model that could change how brands you love get built.

 

🎙️ Guest: Jesse Wiebe | Startup TNT | Saskatoon, SK

🎙️ Hosts: Phil Chang & Kenny Vannucci | This Commerce Life

 

📩 Interested in investing or applying for funding?

Connect with Jesse on LinkedIn or visit startuptnt.com

 

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