For three days, Montréal once again became the meeting place for founders, investors, operators, and innovation leaders from around the world as Startupfest 2026 returned to the city's iconic waterfront.

As an Official Partner, Startup Ecosystem Canada was proud to be on the ground throughout the festival, capturing conversations, interviewing founders and ecosystem leaders, and documenting the people and moments that continue to shape Canada's growing innovation ecosystem.

Since its launch in 2011, Startupfest has established itself as one of Canada's premier founder-focused conferences. Designed around three core pillars, the Startupfest Village, world-class educational content, and high-stakes pitch competitions, the festival creates an environment where entrepreneurs can connect directly with investors, mentors, partners, and fellow builders. More than just a conference, Startupfest is intentionally designed to help founders build meaningful relationships and unlock new opportunities that extend well beyond the event itself.

One of Startupfest's defining features is its commitment to supporting entrepreneurship through investment. Since its founding, the festival has awarded more than $9 million in investment prizes, and this year's competition once again highlighted the strength of Canada's startup ecosystem. AgroGene Solutions earned the festival's prestigious Best of the Fest Investment Prize ($100,000) for its hive-monitoring software designed to support beekeepers, while LymeAlert, which develops at-home tick tests, received both the Women in Tech Investment Prize ($100,000) and the Audience Choice Award. EN Solutions Hydro was also recognized with the Black Entrepreneur Investment Prize ($100,000) for its AI-powered software that helps optimize hydroelectric power plants.

These awards reflect the breadth of innovation showcased throughout Startupfest, recognizing companies tackling challenges across healthcare, agriculture, clean energy, artificial intelligence, and advanced technologies. Combined with Mentor Office Hours, Braindates, curated Match-Ups, and networking throughout the Startupfest Village, these opportunities continue to make the festival one of the most valuable gatherings for early-stage companies looking to accelerate their growth.

As part of Startupfest week, Startup Ecosystem Canada also proudly launched its City Programs initiative in Montréal by hosting a Cinq à Sept Ecosystem Social in partnership with Futurpreneur Québec. The event marked the official launch of the Montréal chapter, bringing together founders, investors, operators, builders, students, researchers, and ecosystem leaders for an evening of meaningful conversations and new connections.

The evening reflected the collaborative spirit that defines Montréal's startup ecosystem. Attendees had the opportunity to exchange ideas, strengthen relationships, and discuss how Startup Ecosystem Canada's City Programs initiative will help connect local communities through a growing national network of founders, investors, operators, students, researchers, and ecosystem partners.

Throughout the week, the energy across Montréal was unmistakable. Conversations flowed between founders and investors, partnerships began over coffee, and ideas were exchanged in every corner of the Startupfest venue. Whether attending keynote sessions, participating in mentor meetings, or connecting through informal networking opportunities, founders were surrounded by people eager to help them take the next step in their entrepreneurial journey.

As Startup Ecosystem Canada connected with attendees throughout the conference, one theme consistently emerged: Canada's innovation community continues to grow stronger through collaboration. Founders were eager to share what they're building, investors discussed emerging opportunities across sectors, and ecosystem organizations came together to explore new ways to support entrepreneurship across the country.

Events like Startupfest demonstrate why in-person gatherings remain an essential part of Canada's innovation landscape. While funding, talent, and technology continue to evolve, meaningful relationships remain at the heart of every successful startup journey.

Startup Ecosystem Canada extends its thanks to the Startupfest team for bringing together another outstanding festival, as well as Futurpreneur Québec for partnering with us to launch our City Programs initiative in Montréal. We also thank the founders, investors, partners, and community members who shared their time and stories with us throughout the week. We look forward to continuing to highlight the people and organizations driving innovation across Canada and to returning for another exciting edition of Startupfest.