2025 Agenda

Intellectual property remains one of the most strategic — and often least understood — levers for securing growth, attracting investors, and standing out in the market. This inspiring opening session sets the stage for the day: Why is IP more critical than ever? How is the ecosystem evolving? And what should tomorrow’s entrepreneurs be prioritizing now? See More.

Three entrepreneurs from Canada take the stage to openly share what went wrong in their intellectual property strategies. A rare chance to learn from failure — theirs, so they don’t become yours. See More.

Join Startupfest founder Phil Telio and content chair Alistair Croll as they kick off our landmark 15th anniversary edition with a no-nonsense preview of what's actually worth your time over these three days. See More.

The role of intellectual property in investment: an issue or an essential criterion?  See More.

The economics of venture capital depend on the idea of a unicorn—a rare startup so successful it more than repays all of the money investors lost elsewhere. But as the barriers to entry and scale vanish, and small teams can create massive systems, the unicorn is going extinct. Smaller companies can target a microniche, and extract enough profit to fund a sustainable business without ever taking on venture funding. These “lifestyle businesses”, once derided by startup founders, are looking far more appealing in uncertain economic times. Hundreds of thousands of laid-off tech workers no longer believe the myth of profitable stock options. And the cost of experimenting is vanishingly small, so everyone can have a side hustle. See More.

Join us for an authentic fireside chat with Andrew Filev as he shares his entrepreneurial evolution with Startupfest content chair Alistair Croll. Andrew will discuss both his journey growing Wrike from a bootstrapped startup to a $2.25 billion exit and his current venture, Zencoder, which is fundamentally changing how software is created. See More.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the entrepreneurial landscape, raising crucial questions about protecting your intellectual property. Should you fear AI or embrace it as a competitive advantage? See More.

The Startup Showcase is where the art of the pitch takes center stage - literally. With the help of our partners, hand-selected entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to showcase their startup on our main stage. Whether you're an aspiring founder seeking inspiration or an investor scouting for the next big thing, the Startup Showcase is not to be missed! See More.

There are plenty of ways to tell your story, from the briefest of elevator pitches to the long-form conversations of podcasts. And it matters most when it's a placeholder for what you'll deliver. Hone your pitch and find your angle in our pitch office. See More.

What's your plan for capturing marketshare? And if you don't have one—how do you find it? See More.

Learn what makes partnerships work and fail, and why business development is the key to long-term, wide-reaching growth. See More.

We'll discuss the transformations needed to turn an evangelist who promises the future into an operator who delivers it. See More.

You must edit your customers' mental framework in ways that give you an advantage and stall your opponents. Let's learn how. See More.

In this Office Hours session we'll talk about building a network of contacts and keeping it warm, crafting the perfect pitch, and responding to questions in the room while leaving enough promise to earn the next meeting. See More.

This training course is specifically designed for entrepreneurs who want to make intellectual property a central part of their strategy and put it into practice within their teams. It is often the founders who take the first steps towards protection - this session will arm you with the knowledge you need to lead your team to keep your IP strategy front of mind as you grow your company. See More.

HardtechFest 2025 kicks off with a bold invitation: to think bigger, push limits, and reimagine the future of innovation—both on this planet and beyond it. See More.

Georgian and NewtonX surveyed 600+ executives on how AI is actually being adopted in businesses today. Investor Evan Kerr breaks down the latest adoption trends, what’s driving (or blocking) AI rollout, differences in adoption between the US and Canada, and how it all impacts your sales strategy. If you're a B2B founder or building with AI, don't miss this. See More.

How do you find work-life balance in a journey that's often a marathon rather than a sprint? Let's have some frank conversations about founder mental health. See More.

Join this group discussion to figure out complicated problems like team dynamics, recruiting, and motivation. See More.

From finding your first referenceable proof-of-concept users, to scaling an enterprise sales team, B2B sales is a unique beast, so we're devoting an entire Office Hours session to it. See More.

We'll talk about managing your strategic advisors to keep the expedition moving towards its goal. See More.

Finding product-market fit is an iteration, a dance between what you build and who it's for. It's exhausting, often humiliating, and absolutely necessary. See More.

In this Office Hours session we'll talk about building a network of contacts and keeping it warm, crafting the perfect pitch, and responding to questions in the room while leaving enough promise to earn the next meeting. See More.

In the vast noise of today's tech landscape, hardtech ventures shouldn't just detect weak signals—they should become them. See More.

Join us for the raw, unvarnished truth as founders ditch the glossy pitch decks and share what building a startup actually looks like—complete with midnight meltdowns, spectacular faceplants, and awkward pivots that never made their press releases. While other events showcase airbrushed success stories, our panel serves up the startup confessions usually reserved for therapy sessions and late-night drinking. Bring your burning questions for our battle-tested entrepreneurs who promise no rehearsed narratives or humble-bragging—just honest conversation about what it really takes to build something from nothing. Because if they survived their worst moments (and they'll tell you exactly what those were), maybe you can too. See More.

In this unfiltered AMA, startup founders share real lessons from launching bold ventures—navigating funding deserts, tech complexity, and the unknowns of frontier building. See More.

In this no-fluff conversation, Emily Walsh (Lead Investor, Georgian) joins Isaac Souweine (Partner, Pender Ventures) and Elizabeth Yin (General Partner & Co-Founder, Hustle Fund) to unpack the patterns, red flags, and breakout signals they’ve spotted while backing AI startups. From early traction to technical moats, learn what makes an AI company stand out to potential investors. Moderated by David Tingle, Head of Platform Operations at Georgian. See More.

In this talk, product strategy expert Tam Danier presents a comprehensive framework for evaluating and developing successful product ideas. See More.

What does it actually take to bring an agentic AI product to life? Asna Shafiq, ML Engineer at Georgian’s AI Lab, shares a behind-the-scenes look at building and deploying a real-world agentic product for a Georgian portfolio company. From architecture decisions to unexpected hurdles, you'll get practical insights, lessons learned, and a closer look at what it means to go from idea to implementation. See More.

Deeptech requires more than capital—it demands vision, patience, and a risk-tolerant mindset. See More.

What do quantum computing and direct air capture have in common? Radical breakthroughs in energy efficiency. See More.

Join Peter Walker, Head of Insights at Carta, as he digs into data from over 45,000 startups from Canada and the US to see how founders are diluted as they raise venture capital. He'll touch on co-founder equity splits, advisor equity, early employee equity, and how valuations in early stage rounds affect the founding team. See More.

By any standard, Roblox is a tech juggernaut. The gaming platform has 380 million monthly active users, and 85 million people use it every day. It has over 40 million games created by 2.5 million developers, and brought in $3.6 billion in revenue in 2024. It's currently valued at more than US$40B. And yet it employs only 3,000 people. See More.

We can no longer afford innovation without intention. This keynote unpacks how hardtech solutions—from resilient infrastructure to green industrial processes—are shaping a more sustainable future, and why the next generation of deeptech founders must build with the planet in mind. See More.

Designing for the harshest conditions—on Earth or in orbit—requires the same bold thinking. See More.

Venture capitalists bet on power laws—but should founders? Investors court founders but answer to LPs. Founders court investors but answer to their own vision. This talk unpacks how VCs view founders, how founders view VCs, and why the gap between them is risky. A little more empathy on both sides could lead to far better outcomes (and far less conflict) for everyone involved. See More.

What are the implications of AI on how much startups raise, what competitive moats they build, and the return on investment they deliver? See More.

B2C marketing is weird, and constantly evolving every time a new trend or platform hits. Let's talk about customer acquisition and consumer marketing in the modern age. See More.

Build a community that trusts you to understand it, support its values, and satisfy its needs, and you've got an army of advocates by your side. Let's talk about how to create and nurture your community. See More.

Join us to understand when to enter new markets, and how to expand without putting your existing markets at risk. See More.

Whether you're assembling the pieces of a greater solution, rolling up competitors, or getting acquired, most startups are part of a merger or acquisition. It's a process that's as intimidating as it is inevitable, and you can prepare for it. Learn more about M&A here! See More.

Raising money takes the right story and the right audience. In this Office Hours session we'll talk about building a network of contacts and keeping it warm, crafting the perfect pitch, and responding to questions in the room while leaving enough promise to earn the next meeting. See More.

For its ninth edition, Cooperathon and its program leaders are celebrating the teams that have distinguished themselves during the 2025 journey. The winning teams will take the stage to pitch their projects. A unique opportunity to showcase the next generation of leading startups transforming the future of Quebec and Canada with innovative solutions that tackle challenges in sectors such as health, agriculture, manufacturing, urban living, and more. Powered by Desjardins, Cooperathon is the platform for the creation of impact entrepreneurs, driven by science, technology and data, and the competition with the greatest potential for societal impact in Canada. The Cooperathon has helped create more than 750 startups and brought together 8,000 participants since its inception. See More.

Deeptech requires more than capital—it demands vision, patience, and a risk-tolerant mindset. This panel dives into how investors back what most see as impossible. See More.

The TechTO Rocketships Tour highlights Canadian tech companies with serious momentum- whether they’re scaling fast, solving big problems, or gaining traction. See More.

Is space exploration a distraction from the climate crisis—or a path to solving it? This Oxford-style debate tackles the tension head-on. See More.

A final reflection on the day’s themes, and a reminder that the future is still ours to build—on Earth and beyond. See More.

Cocktails offered thanks to National Bank of Canada. See More.

Climate action and the growth of the sustainable ocean economy are deeply interconnected. This session will explore how cutting-edge technologies and innovative approaches are driving progress at the intersection of these two critical fields. From carbon capture, utilization and storage to renewable energy and beyond, learn how ocean tech can address climate challenges while unlocking new opportunities for sustainable growth. Join us to discover how innovation is shaping a future where the health of our oceans and sustainable economic growth go hand in hand. See More.

Join us as we kick off day 2 and make sure you're up to date on what's going on on site today! See More.

It's all about the revenue - from storytelling to founder selling to building a repeatable machine. Two hours. Zero fluff. Join the partners of Enjoy The Work for a tactical deep dive into what it really takes to go to market. You'll learn how to tell a story that moves people, how to sell as a founder (and why no one else should do it first), and how to build systems that turn early traction into repeatable growth. These are the same lessons time tested across the nearly 200 venture-backed startups we've supported over the last decade. See More.

Oceans and space represent two of humanity’s most exciting and challenging frontiers. But which holds the greatest potential for innovation, investment, and impact? In this session, we’ll pit space against oceans in a lively debate, exploring the biggest opportunities, challenges, and synergies between these sectors. From satellite monitoring of ocean health to deep-sea robotics inspired by space exploration, discover how cutting-edge technologies are bridging these two worlds. Join us to hear from leading experts, uncover cross-sector collaborations, and decide which frontier will shape the future of our planet and beyond. See More.

Join us for an unfiltered conversation about the harsh realities of today's venture landscape—from Canada's notorious capital conservatism to the painful correction happening across tech. Our investors will spill the tea on what's really happening behind closed partner meetings, which metrics actually matter in 2025, and why that warm intro you worked so hard for probably won't save you. Come armed with your toughest questions because unlike your last pitch meeting, these VCs won't dodge them with vague feedback about "needing more traction." See More.

We'll talk about managing your strategic advisors to keep the expedition moving towards its goal. See More.

Finding product-market fit is an iteration, a dance between what you build and who it's for. It's exhausting, often humiliating, and absolutely necessary. See More.

How do you compete with deep-pocketed rivals when your runway is measured in months, not years? When do you say no to growth opportunities you can't afford? See More.

Join this group discussion to figure out complicated problems like team dynamics, recruiting, and motivation. See More.

You must edit your customers' mental framework in ways that give you an advantage and stall your opponents. Let's learn how. See More.

You can't ignore the realities of contracts, Nondisclosure agreements, intellectual property, and the framework of agreements on which a new venture is built—so let's talk about secrets and handshakes. See More.

In this session, Elizabeth will provide insights on identifying and connecting with the right investors, effectively navigating the entire fundraising process step by step, building relationships with potential backers from cold, addressing common challenges (such as ghosting) along the way, and ultimately closing the round successfully. See More.

The Ocean Startup Showcase is an opportunity to connect with industry leaders, investors, government funders, and entrepreneurs as we shine a spotlight on some of the most innovative ocean technology startups in Canada. We will feature rapid-fire pitches from emerging ocean companies, sparking meaningful conversations and networking opportunities among attendees. See More.

I spent years building a company that was, in many ways, both wildly successful and personally unsustainable. This time, I’m doing it differently. In this fireside chat, I’ll share the lessons I wish someone had handed me before I started — about power, pace, people, and self-preservation. This isn’t a teardown or a walk down memory lane. It’s a gift — from one founder to another — a blueprint most people don’t realize they need until it’s too late, and the foundation I’m building my next venture on. If you’ve ever asked yourself “How much should I get paid?”, or signed a document thinking “It’s fine, that probably won’t happen”, or been told “Don’t worry, it’s standard” — this talk is for you. See More.

As OceanFest draws to a close, join us for an inspiring keynote highlighting the power of leadership and innovation in shaping a sustainable ocean economy. Learn insights into how bold vision, collaboration, and cutting-edge solutions are driving transformative change in ocean industries. From tackling global challenges to unlocking new economic opportunities, this session will leave you energized and ready to take action. See More.

Join your host Isaac Souweine as he kicks off FundFest 2025! See More.

This session will be delivered exclusively in french. Quels sont les véritables moteurs de l’innovation au Québec? Quelle place occupe notre écosystème tech à l’échelle nationale… et mondiale? Dans ce segment d’ouverture, Québec Tech et Dealroom vous dévoilent les grandes tendances, les données clés et les entreprises qui façonnent la tech québécoise. Un tour d’horizon vivant et éclairant, qui allie chiffres percutants et perspectives d’avenir — pour mieux comprendre où nous en sommes, et surtout, où nous allons. See More.

The Startup Showcase is where the art of the pitch takes center stage - literally. With the help of our partners, hand-selected entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to showcase their startup on our main stage. Whether you're an aspiring founder seeking inspiration or an investor scouting for the next big thing, the Startup Showcase is not to be missed! See More.

Pricing isn't just picking a number that feels right—it's psychology, economics, and strategy wrapped into one decision that can make or break your business. How do you price something that's never existed before? When do you compete on price versus value? See More.

Learn what makes partnerships work and fail, and why business development is the key to long-term, wide-reaching growth. See More.

How do you find work-life balance in a journey that's often a marathon rather than a sprint? Let's have some frank conversations about founder mental health. See More.

What are the implications of AI on how much startups raise, what competitive moats they build, and the return on investment they deliver? See More.

What's your plan for capturing marketshare? And if you don't have one—how do you find it? See More.

Peter Walker is one of the leading authorities on North American venture capital trends. John Rikhtegar is carving out a similar place in the Canadian market. Returning to the FundFest stage, Peter and John will each present original data on fundraising and investment returns, followed by a facilitated discussion See More.

This session will be delivered exclusively in french Et si la clé de la performance durable résidait dans l’équilibre ? Ce dialogue entre deux univers, l’athlétisme et l’entrepreneuriat, explore les parallèles entre la quête de performance et la préservation de la santé mentale et physique. Une conversation riche en réflexions sur l’endurance, l’écoute de soi, et les stratégies pour aller loin… sans s’épuiser. See More.

As global economic and political uncertainty reshapes innovation priorities, this panel will explore the evolving role of Canadian corporates in driving national innovation. Panelists will share their perspectives on fund investing, corporate venture strategies and how collaboration with the VC ecosystem can unlock long-term competitiveness for Canada. See More.

Informed by 30 years of investing in technology and venture capital, Brice Scheschuk explores themes about fundraising including the limited scenarios where venture capital makes sense, the concepts of outlier founders and venture scale growth, and numerous alternative capital paths that are applicable to most founders. See More.

This session will be delivered exclusively in french. De jeune ingénieure à CEO d’une startup medtech à succès, Jade nous plonge dans les coulisses de Puzzle Medical Devices. À travers des anecdotes percutantes, elle déconstruit le mythe de la légitimité, brise les barrières mentales qui freinent trop souvent l’ambition, et rappelle qu’on ne construit rien de grand sans bien s’entourer. Un échange inspirant pour celles et ceux qui rêvent d’innover… sans s’excuser d’oser. See More.

In a world where everything from infrastructure to coding to distribution can be bootstrapped from scratch, and where AI is draining every competitive moat, go-to-market strategy and differentiation are how you stand out. We've summoned marketing experts for lightning-round answers to your most pressing questions. Come armed with a problem, and expect some unconventional, media-savvy, and slightly subversive answers! See More.

Many early-stage founders fall into the trap of overbuilding their MVPs, leading to wasted resources, slow validation, and missed funding opportunities. In this talk, I'll introduce a fresh approach to building Minimum Viable Products by shifting the focus from feature development to market validation. Instead of building a "mini version" of a full product, founders will learn how to create a lean, strategic Proof of Concept that speaks directly to both user needs and investor expectations. The goal is simple: build just enough to prove your concept, demonstrate traction, and secure that crucial first cheque. See More.

How can I attract top talent on a shoestring budget? How can I avoid bad apples and find diamonds in the rough when interviewing? What AI tools and techniques can I use to save time and money on talent acquisition? Join Brett Martin, cofounder of Fonzi.ai, and Charge Ventures, NYC’s premier pre/seed VC, as he shares battle-tested strategies for hiring scrappy, relentless people on the cheap. From “pair recruiting” to “Always Be Selling (ABS)” to the latest AI recruiting stack, Brett offers practical guidance on identifying, seducing, and supporting the talent you need to drive your business forward. See More.

Back by popular demand, our emerging manager showcase will feature five up and coming managers who are building the next generation of Canadian venture capital platforms. See More.

Georgian's AI Lab works with Georgian's portfolio of software scaleups to develop and deploy AI solutions across a variety of verticals and use cases. David's talk will cover some of the most important lessons learned across this work, covering trends we've seen, design & development patterns, and some key factors that impact the overall success or failure of an AI initiative. See More.

We'll discuss the transformations needed to turn an evangelist who promises the future into an operator who delivers it. See More.

There's no such thing as a stupid question—but there are plenty of questions nobody asks, because they're taboo. We're creating round table conversations for the questions everybody ponders but nobody says out loud. See More.

There are plenty of ways to tell your story, from the briefest of elevator pitches to the long-form conversations of podcasts. And it matters most when it's a placeholder for what you'll deliver. Hone your pitch and find your angle in our pitch office. See More.

Whether you're assembling the pieces of a greater solution, rolling up competitors, or getting acquired, most startups are part of a merger or acquisition. It's a process that's as intimidating as it is inevitable, and you can prepare for it. Learn more about M&A here! See More.

You might not be able to avoid catastrophe—but you can plan your response. Learn how to anticipate and mitigate disasters so calamity doesn't destroy what you've built—and how to keep your cool. See More.

You can't ignore the realities of contracts, Nondisclosure agreements, intellectual property, and the framework of agreements on which a new venture is built—so let's talk about secrets and handshakes. See More.

This session will be delivered exclusively in French. Entrepreneure engagée et fondatrice de Braindate, Christine Renaud partage sans filtre les moments clés qui ont façonné son parcours : aligner ses valeurs à son entreprise, faire rimer impact et ambition, et bâtir un projet porteur de sens. Une discussion authentique avec une femme qui redéfinit le succès à sa manière. See More.

Startups can’t control markets, money, or timing—but they can control how fast they learn. In 30 minutes, this talk arms founders with a battle‑tested experimentation playbook that turns chaos into compound growth: spot the highest‑leverage question, test it fast, read the data, and hard‑wire the habit across the team. See More.

Competition at the growth stage is intense. Domestic investors rely on deep local networks and government backing, while international players bring substantial capital reserves and risk appetite. In this panel, three leading Canadian late-stage investors discuss how they navigate and succeed in this landscape—where the stakes go beyond financial returns to include the future shape of the national economy. See More.

These pitches will be delivered exclusively in french. La vitrine des startups est l'endroit où l'art du pitch prend le devant de la scène - littéralement. Avec l'aide de nos partenaires, des entrepreneurs triés sur le volet auront l'occasion de présenter leur startup à un public captivé. Que vous soyez un fondateur en herbe à la recherche d'inspiration ou un investisseur à l'affût de la prochaine grande opportunité, la vitrine des startups est à ne pas manquer ! See More.

Join us for the 3rd yearly edition of the impact investor's breakfast See More.

Host and Content chair, Hilary Kilgour, welcomes you to ImpactFest Second edition! See More.

With an impressive track record in impact investing, Lise shares her insights on the current state of the field through the lens of BKR Capital. She highlights the opportunities, challenges, and lessons learned in recent years. While progress has been made, there is still significant work ahead to drive meaningful and lasting change. See More.

Announcement of the top 3 Ventures finalist selected for the $100K ImpactFest Investment Prize. See More.

How can Canada lead the way in investing in opportunities that yield positive outcomes for People and the Planet amidst global political and macroeconomic instability? See More.

Monumental art transcends words and becomes a driving force for raising awareness about environmental crises, inspiring communities to engage and take action. Discover the unique journey of Benjamin Von Wong, a visionary artist whose creations raise awareness and inspire change. See More.

Meet promising founders in the heart of innovation, startups that serve as powerful engines for social, environmental, and economic transformation. By embracing bold ideas and disruptive solutions, these entrepreneurs create businesses that not only generate financial returns but, more importantly, extra financial benefits. See More.

Tired of the hype around early funding? This workshop, inspired by the practical and insightful real world experience and approach of excited SaaS founders (and brothers) David and Chris Sinkinson, will challenge the myth that you need early funding and that your startup needs to "get big fast". The Sinkinsons will equip you with the strategies to build a sustainable and profitable business from the ground up, without relying on external investment. See More.

A conversation between Sévrine Labelle, BDC Thrive Lab, and Kathryn Worstman, Amplify Capital, offering a unique perspective on the journey of the Amplify Capital fund, from its early days at MaRS to the recent announcement of its third fund. Through the lens of one of Canada’s pioneering impact investment funds, this discussion will explore the evolution of the country’s impact investing ecosystem, highlighting key milestones, lessons learned, and unplanned discoveries that have shaped its early growth phase. See More.

Achieving impact requires a shared vision and practical strategies that foster collaboration and measurable results. By finding common ground, Startups and investors can align their strategies for greater social, environmental, and economic returns. See More.

Come and cheer on the finalists vying for the $100K Women in Tech Investment Prize. They'll be facing the investor judges in a live Q&A before they make their final decision on who will take away the prize! See More.

Come and cheer on the finalists vying for the $100K Black Entrepreneur Investment Prize. They'll be facing the investor judges in a live Q&A before they make their final decision on who will take away the prize! See More.

Come and cheer on the finalists vying for the $100K Best of the Fest Investment Prize. They'll be facing the investor judges in a live Q&A before they make their final decision on who will take away the prize! See More.

Come and cheer on the finalists vying for the $100K LGBTQIA+ Investment Prize. They'll be facing the investor judges in a live Q&A before they make their final decision on who will take away the prize! See More.

Come and cheer on the finalists vying for the $100k Student Entrepreneur Investment Prize. They'll be facing the investor judges in a live Q&A before they make their final decision on who will take away the prize! See More.

Come and cheer on the finalists vying for the $100K Impact Investment Prize. They'll be facing the investor judges in a live Q&A before they make their final decision on who will take away the prize! See More.

Startups have been pitching for all of our amazing prizes over the last three days. Come and find out who's taking home the trophies and get your vote in for our Audience Choice Award! See More.