Event category: Plenary

Events

Thursday, October 1 , 2026

09:05 AM – 09:45 AM
Oct 1 40 Minutes Main Room (Palomino A-D)

The CoolIT Story: Building More Than an Exit 

A founder-investor conversation examining one of Alberta’s strongest technology success stories. Rather than focusing on the transaction itself, this discussion explores the decade of decisions that preceded the outcome, including product strategy, customer acquisition, capital discipline, team building, and the…

A founder-investor conversation examining one of Alberta’s strongest technology success stories. Rather than focusing on the transaction itself, this discussion explores the decade of decisions that preceded the outcome, including product strategy, customer acquisition, capital discipline, team building, and the…

08:25 AM – 09:05 AM
Oct 1 40 Minutes Main Room (Palomino A-D)

What Capital Actually Rewards: Building for Strategic and Financial Buyers in 2026 

Today’s founders face a dramatically different funding and transaction environment than they did just a few years ago. Strategic buyers, private equity firms, venture investors, and lenders are evaluating opportunities through different lenses, often rewarding different characteristics within a business. This…

Today’s founders face a dramatically different funding and transaction environment than they did just a few years ago. Strategic buyers, private equity firms, venture investors, and lenders are evaluating opportunities through different lenses, often rewarding different characteristics within a business. This…

08:15 AM – 08:25 AM
Oct 1 10 Minutes Main Room (Palomino A-D)

Opening Remarks

Kick off the day with opening insights from our Conference Chair.

Kick off the day with opening insights from our Conference Chair.

Thursday, February 19 , 2026

03:55 PM – 04:35 PM
Feb 19 40 Minutes Main Room (211-214)

Leading at Scale: How Great Tech CEOs Navigate Growth, Pressure, and Global Competition 

In this standout leadership session, top Canadian CEOs share real principles, and mindset shifts behind building and guiding billion-dollar companies. You’ll hear how great leaders make decisions in moments of uncertainty, adapt strategies under competitive pressure, and stay grounded while steering teams through…

In this standout leadership session, top Canadian CEOs share real principles, and mindset shifts behind building and guiding billion-dollar companies. You’ll hear how great leaders make decisions in moments of uncertainty, adapt strategies under competitive pressure, and stay grounded while steering teams through…

Moderator
Mark Longo

Mark Longo

Vancouver Managing Partner
Osler
Panelists
Jack Newton

Jack Newton

CEO & Founder
Clio (Acquired vLex & ShareDo)
Jeff Shiner

Jeff Shiner

Executive Chair of the Board of Directors
1Password
03:15 PM – 03:55 PM
Feb 19 40 Minutes Main Room (211-214)

Growth Through Acquisition: How Canadian Tech Is Building Its Own Future

Canadian tech companies aren’t just waiting for foreign buyers—they’re becoming the buyers, scaling through acquisitions both within Canada and internationally. A new wave of homegrown strategics is using M&A to expand products, enter new markets, and keep long-term growth anchored here. This session brings…

Canadian tech companies aren’t just waiting for foreign buyers—they’re becoming the buyers, scaling through acquisitions both within Canada and internationally. A new wave of homegrown strategics is using M&A to expand products, enter new markets, and keep long-term growth anchored here. This session brings…

Moderator
Sean Silcoff

Sean Silcoff

Business Writer & Technology Reporter
The Globe and Mail
01:05 PM – 01:45 PM
Feb 19 40 Minutes Main Room (211-214)

Buyside Breakdown: The Deal Mechanics That Mattered to Pocketed

Go inside a real founder-led SaaS acquisition and see how deal structure, valuation strategy, and integration planning shape outcomes when a high-growth startup is acquired by a major global player. This session unpacks what made Pocketed attractive to Deloitte, how negotiations unfolded, and what details founders and…

Go inside a real founder-led SaaS acquisition and see how deal structure, valuation strategy, and integration planning shape outcomes when a high-growth startup is acquired by a major global player. This session unpacks what made Pocketed attractive to Deloitte, how negotiations unfolded, and what details founders and…

Moderator
Brent Holliday

Brent Holliday

Founder & CEO
Garibaldi Capital Advisors
Panelists
Brianna Blaney

Brianna Blaney

CEO & Co-Founder
Pocketed (Acquired by Deloitte Canada)
Aria Hahn

Aria Hahn

Co-Founder & CTO
Pocketed (Acquired by Deloitte Canada)