Every startup is a disagreement with the status quo. In the hands of a founder, that disagreement becomes ambition: A desire to conquer a market. But just as seeing a mountaintop isn't enough to scale its heights, it takes more than ambition to challenge norms and unseat incumbents. Our 2025 theme, "Ambition+" positions Startupfest as a quartermaster, outfitting ambitious founders with the tools, expertise, network and resources they need to turn ambitions into outcomes.
Every startup is a disagreement
Innovation begins with a belief that the way things are is not as they should be. Each founder arrives at this conclusion in their own way: Maybe they’re frustrated with complexity and outdated systems; perhaps they see a looming threat to mitigate, or a way to address unmet human needs. Whatever the motivation, thanks to a change in technology, a previously insurmountable challenge might now be overcome. Every founder has a clear-eyed conviction that something can be better.
Stripe’s founders saw beyond clunky, cumbersome payment systems, realizing that financial infrastructure could be programmable. Gutenberg saw that by marrying his metallurgical skills with a wine press, he could change how information was shared. Whitney Wolfe Herd recognized that the toxic dynamics of dating sites could be fixed, leading to Bumble’s fundamental change that made her a Billionaire.
Ambition begins when we can imagine something better—the world as we think it should be, rather than it is. But this is merely seeing the mountain.
Seeing the Path
What distinguishes ambition from mere criticism is having an idea for how to fix it. It’s easy to be dissatisfied with the world, but precious few marry that dissatisfaction to a solution. Founders see a way through the system, breaking a challenge into manageable steps. They don’t just hate where they are today—they pick a destination, and map out a path towards it.
That path often seems absurd to others. AirBnB’s founders were laughed out of VC offices for suggesting people would share their houses with strangers. After all, if the path were obvious, many would have tried it; and if the path weren’t risky, it would already be well trod. The best startups use this skepticism to refine their path, incorporating concerns and warnings into their plans. They know that consensus is the enemy of breakthroughs.
From Decision to Action
While that path might be clear to a founder, most ambitions die before the first step. It’s one thing to dream of changing the world; it’s another to devote your life to it. Everyone dreams of being famous, successful, and healthy—but few are willing to put in the hours it takes to make that happen. And ambition without action is simply dreaming.
This is where many would-be founders flinch. They don’t think they can make the climb, or don’t think the summit is worth the effort. They may even care too much what others think to undertake the journey, unwilling to separate themselves from the herd or toil in obscurity.
And with good reason: Turning vision into venture happens in a series of irreversible decisions. You quit your job. You cancel the vacation. You incorporate. You hire key employees. Each decision turns away from easier routes even as it moves the founder towards their goal. Every founder knows the weight of making payroll, paying hosting fees, buying inventory, and tackling red tape. It’s exhausting, and comes at real personal cost: Leaving a secure career, burning through savings, and straining friendships.
These moments of commitment also bring the path into sharper focus. Shopify’s founding team shifted from building snowboard websites to creating an e-commerce platform, and created one of the most valuable tech companies in the world. Moderna retooled its entire mRNA platform to make COVID-19 vaccines almost overnight. The balance of unwavering commitment to the destination with flexibility about the path taken is a defining characteristic of founders, and it’s what turns audacious goals into achievable outcomes.
The Essential “Plus”
But it takes more than a map to scale a summit. That’s why this year’s theme is “Ambition+ ” It’s a recognition that it takes more than a plan to deliver an outcome.
What is that plus? Is it grit and tenacity? Is it the disagreeability and strong-headedness to try what others won’t? Is it trusted advisors willing to separate the wheat of good ideas from the chaff of market noise? Is it access to a team, resources, or lived experience? Is it a connection to the right customers, or good timing, or simply luck and opportunity? The reality is every startup needs a unique combination of these things to succeed, and finding the plus is the biggest obstacle to success.
Successful founders cultivate these elements deliberately. They build advisory networks that provide specialized expertise and timely introductions. They develop the pattern recognition needed to distinguish genuine market signals from noise. Most importantly, they create cultures and teams that can execute consistently while remaining nimble enough to seize unexpected opportunities—because, as navigators of the unknown, startups must execute reliably while remaining open to serendipity.
The Startupfest Catalyst
Every expedition needs gear, and Startupfest is a quartermaster for startups that want to scale their mountainous ambitions. Through carefully curated programming, unparalleled networking, custom activations, and a unique festival vibe, we deliver:
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Unmatched opportunities to make new contacts and reconnect with fellow adventurers.
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Access to curious investors in search of the next disruption.
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Profound insights into the technical and cultural shifts that make new tactics possible.
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Direct access to dozens of founders who’ve climbed their own summits—and have the scars to prove it.
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Programming that includes not just success stories, but honest accounts of challenges overcome.
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Practical, hands-on workshops that attendees can apply to their business immediately.
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The chance encounters and informal setting so essential to those breaking new ground.
That’s why, for 15 years now, we’ve been a cornerstone of the tech ecosystem in Canada and beyond, pioneering new formats online and off as a trusted companion to thousands of new ventures. Startupfest is a unique, three-day celebration of challenging the status quo, treading the path less taken, and learning what it takes to turn ambition into achievement.
Join us in July
Join us this summer at Startupfest, where we go beyond ambition. Whether you’re taking that first step, scaling the path, or approaching the summit, Startupfest is how founders turn ambitions into outcomes. We deliver inspiring talks, practical workshops, activations engineered to connect you with others, thrilling live pitches, and seasoned mentors who’ve been there. The result is an unmissable week in Montreal.
You know you’re going to be there—so why not grab your ticket now, and get access to other events we’re planning in the coming months?
Want to partner with us? Whether you want to connect with thousands of startup ecosystem players from around the world, bring a delegation from your accelerator or region to Montreal, or simply show your support for ambitious thinking, we want to hear from you. Unlike many events whose cookie-cutter approach to partnership dulls your message, we create tailored experiences that match your goals to the community. Let’s talk!