On this episode of The Unlimited Podcast, Brian speaks with Michael Hyatt, one of Canada’s most successful tech entrepreneurs and now a leading investor and family office principal.
You may know Michael as the co-founder of BlueCat Networks, a global network infrastructure firm that was acquired by private equity in one of Canada’s most notable tech exits, a commentator on the CBC News, or as a former guest Dragon on CBC’s Dragon’s Den. Before BlueCat, Michael co-founded and sold Dyadem, an engineering software company. He is currently Executive Chairman of cybersecurity business Datastealth and also chairs the Hyatt Family Foundation, where they focus on supporting many causes around girls' and women's health, education, and underprivileged communities. But as you’ll hear in this conversation, Michael’s story extends far beyond his startup wins.
Brian and Michael dive deep into entrepreneurial resilience, how to scale and exit a company, and the evolution from founder to investor. Michael shares hard-won insights from building not one but two highly successful tech companies, his philosophy on hiring, and why letting go as a founder is often the smartest move you can make. They also explore how he built the Hyatt Family Office, the disciplines behind capital deployment, and his role as Senior Advisor at Northleaf Capital Partners.
The discussion takes a sharp and candid turn into Canadian policy and innovation, where Michael pulls no punches on what’s holding the country back—and what leaders like Mark Carney must do to turn it around. Plus: as the first episode in a series focused on AI, Michael provides his thoughts on the future of AI, what he’s seeing as a Fellow at the Creative Destruction Lab, and how he's using AI tools today to vet investments and manage complexity at scale.
Michael Hyatt is a tech entrepreneur, investor, and advisor. He co-founded BlueCat Networks (acquired by Madison Dearborn Partners) and Dyadem (acquired by IHS, now part of S&P Global). He is currently Executive Chairman of cybersecurity business Datastealth, leads the Hyatt Family Office, serves as Senior Advisor to Northleaf Capital, and mentors science-based startups through the Creative Destruction Lab. Michael has been named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40, has appeared on Dragon’s Den and The Pitch, and is widely regarded as a leading voice on business growth, innovation, and capital allocation in Canada.
Timestamps:
0:00 Disclaimer & Intro
5:32 Michael's entrepreneurial beginnings
11:57 Bringing in new leadership & building tech companies
21:25 Working with family
25:00 Michael's views on investing
30:45 How does bitcoin fit into Michael's portfolio?
35:02 Canada as a business environment
42:27 The creative destruction lab & AI
51:51 Michael's time on Dragon's Den
53:43 How is Michael using AI?
56:46 Outro