Hi everyone,
If you were expecting a sleepy August in Canadian tech, think again. This week delivered a gut-punch to the country’s tech-education sector, with Uvaro and Lighthouse Labs filing for bankruptcy just seven months after their much-hyped merger. But it wasn’t all doom and gloom—there were big wins and bold moves, too. Thinkific is chasing larger customers after a strong quarter. Genome BC is funding vital research into the health impacts of wildfire smoke. Mogo is doubling down on Bitcoin ahead of a major Robinhood deal.
We also saw fresh funding for Victoria-based Ceedar, leadership moves from industry veterans like Lynsey Thornton and Jeanette Jackson, and a national spotlight on Canada’s growing tech workforce. Plus, Sue Paish is challenging the country to turn its innovation into real economic power. From seismic shake-ups to strategic plays, here’s everything you need to know this week.
From The Journal
In a move that has stunned Canada’s tech-education sector, Uvaro Inc. and Lighthouse Labs Inc. filed for bankruptcy on August 1, 2025—just seven months after Uvaro acquired the Vancouver-founded coding bootcamp.
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Funding, Deals & More
Thinkific eyes bigger customers: Thinkific reported strong Q2 growth as it shifts focus to larger customers.
Read more →Genome BC funds wildfire smoke health research: Genome BC is backing a new UBC and SFU-led study on the health impacts of wildfire smoke, aiming to inform policy and health interventions as smoke events become more frequent.
Read more →Mogo sells WonderFi stake to buy Bitcoin: Mogo has sold $13.8M of its WonderFi stake to purchase Bitcoin ahead of WonderFi’s planned acquisition by Robinhood, deepening its strategic investment in crypto.
Read more →Ceedar raises $200K to streamline bookkeeping: Victoria-based Ceedar has raised $200K to expand its AI-powered bookkeeping platform for digital companies, aiming to reduce time spent on accounting tasks.
Read more →
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In Other News
Lynsey Thornton joins Jobber as VP of Design: Former Shopify VP Lynsey Thornton is joining Jobber as its first VP of Design, drawn by the company’s market opportunity, customer challenges, and Canadian tech roots.
Read more →CompTIA report spotlights Canada’s growing tech workforce: A new CompTIA report highlights Canada’s expanding tech industry, pointing to steady job growth and strong demand for talent across the country.
Read more →Turning Canadian ingenuity into economic sovereignty: DIGITAL CEO Sue Paish shares her perspective on how Canada can translate innovation into lasting economic strength through strategic investment and scaling of homegrown companies.
Read more →Jeanette Jackson joins RBCx: Former Foresight CEO Jeanette Jackson has joined RBCx as National Director, Cleantech, where she’ll continue advancing Canada’s clean innovation economy from a national platform.
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