Canada has world-class talent, capital, and infrastructure—so why are we producing fewer entrepreneurs than we did 20 years ago?

In this episode of Mission Critical, Lance sits down with Rachel Zimmer, co-founder and CEO of Simple Ventures, to unpack the paradox at the heart of Canada’s innovation economy. From declining entrepreneurship rates to the realities of “brain drain,” Zimmer offers a candid, systems-level look at what’s broken—and what it will take to fix it.

Drawing from her experience as a founder, investor, and venture builder, Zimmer challenges the way we define innovation today, arguing that it’s not just about technology but about creating real value, jobs, and durable businesses. She also breaks down why the traditional venture capital model doesn’t work for most founders, and how Simple Ventures is rethinkin ...