Toronto Tech Week Kicks Off with Exclusive VIP Founder Social for Canada's Next Generation of Tech Leaders

Toronto Tech Week 2026 began with an inspiring gathering of founders, investors, operators, and emerging leaders at the Toronto Tech Week VIP Founder Social, co-hosted by League of Innovators (LOI), Microsoft, Osler, and North House, with Startup Ecosystem Canada proudly serving as a media partner.

Designed as an exclusive event for young tech founders and leaders across Canada, the VIP social brought together some of the brightest minds in the country's innovation ecosystem for an afternoon of meaningful conversations, networking, and insights ahead of a week dedicated to celebrating Canadian technology and entrepreneurship.

The event featured an impressive lineup of speakers representing some of Canada's most influential technology companies and organizations. Attendees heard from:

• Diederik van Liere, Chief Technology Officer at Wealthsimple
• Jonathan Watson, Chief Technology Officer at Clio
• Ross Kennedy, Vice President of Scaling AI at Microsoft
• Janet Bannister, Founder of Staircase Ventures
• Vishar Yaghoubian, Founder of Toothpod
• Jennah Dohms, Chief Operating Officer of TKS

Together, the speakers shared perspectives on innovation, leadership, artificial intelligence, venture creation, and the evolving opportunities available to Canadian founders. Their experiences offered attendees a firsthand look at what it takes to build and scale impactful companies in today's rapidly changing technology landscape.

The event also served as a powerful reminder of the strength of Canada's startup ecosystem. As AI continues to transform industries across the globe, discussions throughout the event highlighted the importance of equipping the next generation of entrepreneurs with the skills, networks, and resources needed to succeed. Speakers emphasized the value of curiosity, adaptability, and community while encouraging founders to think boldly about the problems they want to solve.

Toronto Tech Week itself has quickly become one of Canada's most anticipated innovation celebrations. Taking place from May 25 to 29, the citywide initiative features hundreds of community-led events that connect founders, investors, builders, and innovators from across the country. The week showcases Toronto's growing influence as a global technology hub while highlighting the people and companies shaping the future of Canadian innovation.

For Startup Ecosystem Canada, participation in the event aligned closely with its mission to support and elevate the next generation of world-changing companies. The organization's role as a media partner helped amplify conversations around entrepreneurship, innovation, and the importance of fostering strong founder communities across Canada.

As Toronto Tech Week officially got underway, the VIP Social set the tone for a week focused on collaboration, innovation, and opportunity. More than just a networking event, it brought together a community of builders committed to shaping Canada's future and demonstrated the collective momentum driving the country's technology ecosystem forward.