There's Another Way to Go Public — Most Founders Don't Know It Exists

*Recorded at StartWell in downtown Toronto: https://startwell.co

Naseem Saloojee, co-founder of Suma Capital, breaks down one of the most misunderstood opportunities in today’s market: SPACs - and why they may be making a comeback.

In this conversation, we explore how founders, investors, and operators can navigate a market where traditional venture funding has slowed, IPO timelines have stretched, and liquidity has become harder to access.

Naseem shares how his team is identifying overlooked companies - profitable, growing businesses that no longer fit the venture hype cycle - and helping them access public markets in a different way.

We also unpack:

- What an “independent sponsor” actually does - Why mid-market companies are stuck in today’s funding environment - How public markets differ from private capital - What makes a company a strong SPAC candidate - The future of Canadian companies accessing U.S. capital markets

Chapters: 00:00 - The Problem With Today’s Capital Markets 02:10 - What an Independent Sponsor Actually Does 05:05 - SPACs Explained (Simple Breakdown) 09:20 - Why Great Companies Are “Stuck” Right Now 14:45 - The $200M ARR Dead Zone in Venture 20:30 - Why IPOs Don’t Work for Mid-Sized Companies 27:10 - SPAC vs Traditional Exit Paths 34:40 - What Makes a Company a Good Target 43:15 - Public vs Private Market Mindsets 52:30 - The Future for Canadian Companies in U.S. Markets