Tim Ketchum walks Marc Aflalo through the origin story of Composer: a startup born from frustration with composting and a recognition that garbage disposals, despite being in 60% of American homes, handle only 15% of food waste. The engineering challenge wasn't grinding — every disposal does that — it was rethinking every other aspect of the experience.

The centerpiece of Composer's design is a patented drain iris: a one-touch lever mechanism that opens and closes the drain opening with one hand, eliminating loose covers and reducing the risk of drops or accidental contact. The iris also deadens sound significantly — something Ketchum notes has more to do with directing noise away from the grinding chamber than with insulation panels.

The second major differentiator is an enzyme system inspired by dishwasher detergent. Twice daily, Composer automatically injects enzymes into the chamber to break down food residue, prevent odors, and reduce the risk of pipe buildup — while a built-in water injection system ensures proper flushing without needing a running tap.

Marc highlights the accessibility angle directly: the iris design removes the fine motor challenges of traditional twist-lock covers and reduces safety anxiety for users with children or limited hand strength.

Composer is available to reserve at composer.me, with early-bird enzyme subscriptions at $4.99/month. First shipments are targeted for October (subject to production timelines — verify current status directly with the company).

Relevant Links

Composer (reserve yours): https://composer.me

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J.D. Power surveyed over 5,000 Canadian digital bank users to evaluate mobile app and website experiences across four pillars: digital design and usability, system performance, security, and support. The findings show that the banks leading in satisfaction aren't winning on features — they're winning on fundamentals. Fast load times, clear account information, intuitive navigation, and reliable money movement are the real differentiators.

AI-powered virtual assistants are gaining ground, but unevenly. When users see their bank's assistant as truly capable and comprehensive, satisfaction scores jump by 160 points. The catch: that sense of capability falls apart fast when tasks get complex. Reporting fraud, resolving disputes, or navigating anything high-stakes often leaves users trapped in loops or met with generic responses — the opposite of reassuring.

White argues the next frontier isn't more automation. It's better handoffs — clear, prescriptive guidance that moves a customer to the right human at the right moment. According to the research, that's actually one of the top four things Canadians want AI to do for them.

TD ranked highest among banking apps. CIBC led for website experience. Tangerine topped the credit card mobile app category with a score of 737, compared to American Express at 717 in second place.

Relevant Links
J.D. Power Canada Banking Study: https://www.jdpower.com

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Cyber threats targeting Canadians have escalated sharply, and the numbers back it up. Fortinet's FortiGuard Labs recorded a 379% increase in worldwide ransomware activity, with over 370 Canadian organizations hit by extortion attacks in a recent reporting period. Derek Manky explains this isn't random noise — attackers are increasingly focused, targeted, and efficient, operating on a "work smarter, not harder" model powered by AI.

At the core of the problem is the rise of Crime-as-a-Service (CaaS). Dark web platforms now offer turnkey AI-powered attack tools — including weaponized GPT models — for as little as $1,000 per year. These tools scrape social media profiles, craft hyper-personalized phishing emails in French or English, and can automate the entire attack cycle, including selling compromised network access through what Fortinet calls "shadow agents." The attack window has shrunk from weeks to 24–48 hours — and is expected to drop below 24 hours within the year.

On the defence side, 47% of Canadian organizations cite a cybersecurity skills shortage as a top challenge, and nearly half report difficulty finding staff with AI-specific expertise. Manky argues that throwing headcount at the problem isn't the answer — organizations need AI-powered Security Operations Centers (SOCs), and the talent trained to work inside them. Fortinet has partnered with 37 Canadian academic institutions, including BCIT and Simon Fraser University, to build that pipeline.

Looking ahead, Manky flags deepfake-based identity attacks, AI agent exploitation, and insider threats — including "laptop farmers" infiltrating organizations remotely — as emerging risks. On the countermeasures side, Fortinet recently launched a cybercrime bounty program in partnership with Crime Stoppers International, enabling organizations and individuals to submit tips and contribute to law enforcement action.

Relevant Links
Fortinet Security Blog: https://www.fortinet.com/blog
Fortinet Training Institute / NSE Certification: https://training.fortinet.com

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