Most founders think about exit at some point. What often gets overlooked is how much of that outcome is shaped long before any process begins. In a recent TechExit.io conversation, Michael Garrity, Executive Chair of Financeit, shared a perspective that reframes how founders should approach building and selling a company.“ Building a company just to sell it doesn’t make any sense,” he said. “It’s like getting into a marriage with the goal of getting a divorce.”

Optionality doesn’t show up when a buyer calls. It’s built much earlier through how a company is financed, how it grows and the decisions made long before any transaction is on the table. TechExit.io recently sat down with JD Saint-Martin, founder of Chronogolf (acquired by Lightspeed) former President of Lightspeed and now Managing Partner at Boreal Ventures, to unpack what it takes to build that kind of leverage. Having built, sold, and then helped scale the business within Lightspeed, JD has seen the full lifecycle and one idea stood out: the best outcomes are designed, not timed.

If you're building toward an exit, it’s easy to focus on growth, revenue, and headline numbers. But when buyers step in, they’re not just evaluating what you’ve built, they’re evaluating risk, durability and what could go wrong after they take over. At TechExit.io Vancouver, moderator Paige Addesi (Explora Partners) sat down with Randeep Janjua (BDC Capital), David Thomas (Terra Dygital), and Maryam Zargar (Miller Thomson LLP) to unpack what’s really driving deal outcomes today.

There’s a point in every company’s growth where the job fundamentally changes. At TechExit.io, moderator Mark Longo (Osler) sat down with Jack Newton (Clio) and Jeff Shiner (1Password) to talk about what it really looks like to lead through that transition, from early traction to global scale. Both have built category-defining companies from Canada. Both have navigated acquisitions, global expansion and the pressure that comes with operating at a completely different level.

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.