Canadian tech used to be known for getting acquired. At TechExit.io Vancouver, Globe and Mail reporter Sean Silcoff pointed out how quickly that narrative has shifted. Fourteen years ago, limited capital and lower valuations left many startups vulnerable to foreign buyers. Today, a growing number of Canadian companies are reaching scale and using acquisitions to expand products, enter new markets and build stronger businesses. Joining Sean were Shelly Badhesha (RBCx), Jeff Duke (Vibanc) and Andrew McLeod (Certn) leaders who have helped drive this shift from targets to acquirers.

In March 2026, founders are thinking carefully about liquidity. Strategic buyers remain active, IPO windows are selective and deal structures require patience. Exit conversations are happening earlier and more often inside boardrooms. At TechExit.io Toronto, Allen Lau offered a perspective that feels increasingly relevant. Drawing from his experience building Wattpad and guiding it through a $754M CAD acquisition by Naver Corp., he spoke about exits from a position of long-term discipline rather than short-term ambition.

When founders think about valuation, they often picture a number tied to revenue or market comps but the number on the term sheet is only the surface. What actually influences valuation runs deeper and often starts long before a company enters a formal process. At TechExit.io Toronto, moderator Narbe Alexandrian (Define Capital) led a practical and clear-eyed conversation with Talia Abramowitz (Deloitte Ventures), Mitch Robinson (Sampford Advisors) and Frazer House (BLG). Together, they peeled back the layers on what shapes valuation in today’s deal environment, especially in a market full of economic noise, AI hype and increasingly cautious buyers.

Every founder wants optionality, whether it's more paths, more leverage or better outcomes. But here’s the reality: most companies don’t get options. They get boxed in by early decisions, rushed fundraising or market myopia. At TechExit.io Toronto, moderator Julia Kassam led a panel of seasoned insiders including Petar Zelic (Stifel), Rhiannon Davies (Sandpiper Ventures), and Shamil Hargovan (STS Capital Partners) who broke down exactly how exits really happen in today’s environment, and why founders need to stop treating M&A as a future event and start treating it like a long-range strategy.

When Kazi Ahmed sold Carbon6 for $305M CAD and Kevin Kliman sold Humi for more than $100M CAD, the headlines suggested clean, decisive wins. At TechExit.io Toronto, moderated by Jeffrey Bennett (National Bank), the two founders offered something far more valuable. They shared the choices they struggled with, the cracks that emerged inside their teams, the surprises in diligence and how the experience shaped their identities as leaders.

At TechExit.io Toronto, the “Brains & Bots” session brought together three people who sit at the centre of the capital stack; David Rozin (Scotiabank/Roynat Capital), Hugues Lalancette (Inovia Capital) and Thomas Terrats (Vessel), moderated by Michelle McBane (StandUp Ventures). What unfolded wasn’t a conversation focused on AI predictions. It was a candid look at how AI is rewriting the economics of building a company, the expectations investors now have and what founders must do to stay competitive in a market that is moving faster than most companies can adapt.