Information is a
public good.
We build free, open-source tools that turn publicly available data into clear, bilingual briefings anyone can use. No paywall, no agenda, no jargon.
Why we exist
Useful information about the world shouldn't be locked behind expensive subscriptions or buried in government PDFs. Whether you're a student, a business traveller, a journalist, or just someone trying to understand what's happening, you deserve clear, sourced, up-to-date briefings.
We believe that when everyone has access to the same quality of information that institutions do, they make better decisions and democracies work better.
Our approach is straightforward: collect data from trusted public sources, organize it by topic, present it in plain language, and make everything available for free, in multiple languages.
How we work
- Always free. No paywalls, no premium tiers, no gated content. Ever.
- Non-partisan. We present information from multiple perspectives without editorial spin.
- Source transparent. Every claim links back to its original source so you can verify it yourself.
- Open source. Our tools and methodology are public. If we make a mistake, anyone can find it.
What we build
Each project tackles a different question, but they all share the same principles: free access, transparent sources, and clear language.
China Compass
One of the most consequential bilateral relationships in the world, covered daily across parliamentary records, trade data, diplomatic signals, and Chinese state media, yet no single source brings it all together for ordinary people. China Compass does. A free automated briefing published equally in English and Simplified Chinese, with a live Tension Index tracking six dimensions of the relationship so you can see the trend line, not just the headlines.
chinacompass.caHotsheet
In every newsroom there used to be a single sheet of paper that told editors what actually mattered that day. We thought Canadians deserved one too. Hotsheet reads 58 English and French sources every morning, scores each article on breadth, depth, and permanence of real-world impact, and strips out the outrage bait, horse-race polls, and clickbait that clutter most feeds. What remains are the stories you will still care about next week.
HotsheetMosaic Matters
Canada chose the mosaic over the melting pot, building a national identity on the idea that newcomers enrich the whole without erasing who they are. Yet immigration has become one of the most politically charged topics in the country, and the loudest voices rarely cite their sources. Mosaic Matters lets the data speak. Permanent residency, work and study permits, asylum claims, processing times, all drawn from IRCC and Statistics Canada, every figure linked to its official source.
Mosaic MattersCodeSafe
When a new technology can write, debug, and ship code, the question isn't whether it will change things. It's who gets to participate. CodeSafe curates daily AI news, trending developer tools, and step-by-step tips so that building with AI isn't reserved for Silicon Valley engineers. The goal is a population that grows more capable with AI, not more dependent on those who control it.
codesafe.caMore projects are in progress and will be added here as they launch.
Who we are
Know What Matters is a not-for-profit initiative headquartered in Stayner, Ontario and operated by Aerial Capital Inc. We're a small team that believes technology should make information more accessible, not less.
Irfan Ali
A banker by profession, Irfan saw firsthand how access to quality information shapes decisions and how uneven that access is. He co-founded Know What Matters to help close that gap, building tools that give everyone the same starting point.
Nadia Zaman
An employment lawyer by profession, Nadia brings a deep commitment to fairness and access. She co-founded Know What Matters because she believes informed communities are stronger communities and that starts with making information available to everyone.
Get in touch
Have a question, want to collaborate, or found something we got wrong? We'd like to hear from you.