A publication about the future of commerce, featuring expert analysis and musings from tech investor Qasim Mohammad.

There’s a lot of hype around cryptocurrencies (or “crypto”) right now. It feels like 2017 all over again, but more intense because of the growing number of big businesses (i.e. Tesla) coming out in support of accepting Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as a form of payment. There’s also the Coinbase IPO mania, with industry and […]

I’ve been spending the past few months learning about the synthetic biology industry and how it’s poised to disrupt the consumer economy. What is synthetic biology, you ask? Here’s an excellent definition from the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI): Synthetic biology is a field of science that involves redesigning organisms for useful purposes by […]

I’m really happy to be shaking things up this week. You’re used to reading my interviews with other inspiring people, but this week my friend Brett Chang, Co-Founder of The Peak, gave me the honour of being one of the first few guests for a new podcast he’s been working on. If you haven’t already […]

I’m very excited that Foxtrot Market is announcing a big new round of funding today that will allow the company to continue with its rapid expansion plans. Wittington Ventures co-led the previous round with New York-based Imaginary Ventures back in February of 2020. It’s been remarkable to witness Foxtrot’s omni-channel approach to convenience retail being validated […]

I have a confession. Given my interests and background in all things digital commerce, you’d think that I’m an online shopping veteran. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I’ve always enjoyed visiting stores and picking up items in-person. Probably because I welcome any excuse to get out of the house and be active. But […]

With over 1 million subscribers on YouTube, and a fast-growing beauty brand under her belt, Liah Yoo is the standard for beauty influencers the world over. I’m grateful to have been introduced to her by one of Fire Ant’s valued subscribers (👋 Hannah Bae). When I had the opportunity to learn about Liah’s story and […]

The tech IPO window is apparently still wide open, and the latest name trying to push through it is Poshmark (click here to see the company’s S-1 filing with the SEC). Poshmark is a large social marketplace for fashion where anyone can buy, sell, and share their style with others. It makes money by taking […]

When I first started Fire Ant, it seemed like a good idea to do “Weekly Edits” that served as a summary of commerce related news and analysis from around the world — curated by yours truly. These edits have been very well received by the community and I’m excited to continue producing them. However I’m […]

It’s great to be back from a mini break — wishing you all a very Happy New Year! I spent some time during the holidays thinking about what 2021 will bring to the world of commerce. There are a few technological and business model innovations that I’ve been tracking for a while now, which I […]

This wild year has given me a newfound appreciation for all of the people in my life that are always in service to others. As I wrap up 2020, I want to take the opportunity to share the story of my friend Elizabeth Peyton-Jones. Elizabeth has spent two decades confronting the two largest industries — […]

PayBright — a Toronto-based point-of-sale (PoS) lending company — is set to be acquired by its U.S.-based counterpart Affirm for $340 million, according to a press release issued by the company last week. PayBright was the first business in Canada to launch instant consumer financing for e-commerce purchases. As Affirm plans to go public before […]

If you were paying attention to the North American Black Friday sales figures this weekend, you’ll know that the total volume of e-commerce orders literally exploded on a YoY basis. And these reported figures don’t even include the sales that will be generated today for Cyber Monday.  It’s hard to predict the permanency of the new […]

This week we’re talking to Toronto-based founder Bram Warshafsky, the man behind Shelfgram. Bram previously co-founded 5Crowd with his business partner Rachel Zimmer, both of whom I had the chance to meet at an industry event a few years ago. I had heard of Bram and Rachel years before formally meeting them — they won the […]

In a world where brands are increasingly going direct-to-consumer, retailers are being forced to ask themselves how they can differentiate. I believe a big chunk of the answer lies in pursuing a private label strategy, and it’s no surprise that a growing number of retailers are considering launching an in-house brand, or expanding the scope […]

Sustainability is a big theme in the world of retail these days. There’s a lot being written about the impact that some merchants and brands are having on the environment, and how we as consumers have become trained to purchase goods at an insatiable pace. In a capitalist economy that worships growth at all costs, it can […]

I’m very excited to share my recent conversation with Braden Parker, who is the co-founder and CEO of Casca Footwear — a footwear company addressing over-consumption and enabling professionals to live more fluidly by combining durability, quality, and comfort in an everyday shoe. Braden is the consummate entrepreneur. I’ve enjoyed getting to know him over the […]

I’m glad to be back after a bit of a break from writing. It’s important to take care of ourselves during these unprecedented times. On the topic of self care, lately I’ve been reading up on how to work towards my goals (both personal and professional) in a sustainable way. If this is a question […]

As I’ve stated before, I believe that the next generation of culture defining brands will be founded by influencers. We’re already seeing this trend play out through success stories such as Fenty Beauty, Goop, and Yeezy. My conviction around this belief stems from the observation that commerce is increasingly being informed at the intersection of original […]

With changing consumer demographics and the rise of omni-channel retail, pop-up stores have become a mainstay. Brands across several categories are finally experimenting with IRL retail activations (at scale) that are not only meant to excite customers through a unique experience, but also provide added convenience to the shopper’s buying journey. Now is a good […]

There has been a lot of talk lately about the momentum behind DTC brands as a result of the pandemic. Simultaneously, we’re also starting to hear more discussions around where the fault lines are starting to emerge in the DTC model overall. The discourse in retail media and DTC communities in general would suggest that […]

I’m extremely bullish on consumer brands that are backed by mega influencers. From Rihanna’s Fenty to Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Cosmetics, we are witnessing a golden era for brands that are founded by celebrities who are rewriting the rules of popular culture. What’s there not to love about the economics? Mega influencers have an insane number […]

Before the pandemic struck, I had been spending a lot of time thinking about the future of retail as a form of media. In other words, is retail space — be it online or in-store — becoming an “ad unit” that a merchant pays for to garner impressions among potential customers? A big implication of […]

I’m really pleased by the response to the 2020 ecosystem map that I prepared for Canada’s digital commerce sector. As always, I missed a few names and logos. Hard not to when you’re dealing with hundreds of companies! Thanks to everyone who took a look and provided valuable feedback. I really appreciate it. In other […]

One of my favourite rituals is mapping out the Canadian digital commerce ecosystem. I’m very happy to finally share the 2020 infographic, which features nearly 400 companies (active and acquired). Shimmy over to the Commerce Maps section of Fire Ant, or find the infographic and full commentary right here. I look forward to your feedback. Feel […]

One of the things I’m most excited about doing through Fire Ant is interviewing dynamic business leaders who are reshaping commerce. I’m very excited to kick things off with Jen Lee Koss, a woman extraordinaire who inspires me with everything she does.  Jen is an active investor, advisor, and board member in the consumer space and […]

There was a lot of chatter this week around Amazon reportedly considering malls as potential fulfillment centres. As retail foot traffic in malls has declined over the past few years (largely due to the rise of e-commerce), mall owners have been actively thinking about how to repurpose free space for other commercial uses. Facilitating e-commerce […]

It was an exciting week for investors with the IPO of BigCommerce, and more public SaaS/cloud earnings rolling in. Shopify’s blowout second quarter results likely contributed to the winds behind $BIGC’s sails on its first day of trading, which saw the stock price surge well over 200% relative to the IPO pricing at one point. […]

I’m very fortunate in that I’ve had the opportunity to experience what I like to call the holy trinity of “startupland”: operating, founding, and investing. Studying the commonly held perceptions around founding startups vs. investing in them has always been interesting to me. I began to actively think about these perceptions when I left a venture […]

Some of my friends are in the process of launching DTC businesses. And every single one of them would endorse adopting some kind of “pre-sale” strategy to inform a broader product rollout, especially during these uncertain times when demand and supply equations aren’t always clear. Came across an interesting take on the importance of this […]

Not surprised to learn this week that delivery services startups are going to start moving non-food inventory. The pandemic continues to catalyze years of advancements in e-commerce supply chains in a very short window of time — now is the time to branch out. Also enjoyed reading two other interesting articles on Shopify and Starbucks. […]

Welcome to the first weekly edit. Each week I will provide a summary of the latest developments in the digital commerce space — from noteworthy news to startup funding announcements. Let’s get started. 🗞️ News Vogue Business — Why VCs are backing gender-neutral fashion [Jul 14, 2020 | Maghan McDowell] There has been a lot of talk […]

Hi, I’m Qasim Mohammad and this is Fire Ant, an in-depth publication that focuses on how commerce is evolving in the digital age. As a tech investor at Wittington Ventures and bona fide commerce nut, I’m excited to use this platform to share new ideas around how technology is transforming the way people buy and […]