VIDEO–Michael Kousaie of TMX Group, 2017 Was “One of the Best Years Ever” for Canadian Tech Companies

At this year’s CanTech Investment Conference in Toronto held on January 31, it was made clear that interest in the Canadian tech sector is alive more than ever–and companies in the industry are reaping the benefits.

Case in point, the Investing News Network (INN) had the opportunity to speak with Michael Kousaie, head of business development and technology at TMX Group about the Canadian tech industry, who had previously said that 2017 was a “great year for tech stocks” in the country.

“It wasn’t the best [year] ever, but it was one of the best,” he said, stating that 35 companies went public on the TSX and TSXV in 2017. “What [TMX Group] really loves is the diversity of those companies.”

Kousaie continued, stating that the areas where those 35 companies went public include traditional ones like life science, clean tech, tech, biotech, and even newer industries like artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrencies.

“A lot of upcoming sectors are using the Canadian public markets as a means of growing their businesses,” he said.

In terms of the process as to how companies go public, Kousaie said the process is certainly one that every company needs to understand, but that in some cases the education process “can take days, weeks, months or in many cases, even years,” adding that with the two primary stock exchanges in Canada, the TSX Venture Exchange allows early stage companies to go public, should they choose to do so.

“What that means in terms of the education is we have to spend different times with different companies because they all have slightly different needs,” he said. “In call cases, a big role that we’ve got to play is making sure those companies are prepared–whether they’re going public as smaller companies, medium companies, or larger companies.”

Continue watching the video above for more on what Kousaie had to say on what he has to say about newer industries in the Canadian market, like blockchain, what to watch for in 2018, and his thoughts on the growing interest in the Canadian tech sector this year.

Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Technology for real-time news updates!

Securities Disclosure: I, Jocelyn Aspa, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.