Event category: Plenary

No buzzwords. No fluff. Just real, unfiltered M&A war stories from the people who lived them. This no-holds-barred buyer panel brings together senior acquisition leaders to debate the unpredictable psychology behind tech exits. From walking away from Google to choosing a smaller deal over a higher offer (on purpose!), these insiders reveal how pricing, optionality, and timing shape the fate of a deal. Expect disagreements, founder drama, and a healthy dose of “what the hell just happened?”

What You Will Learn:

• Real-world decision-making in big tech M&A
• How buyer psychology impacts outcomes
• Stories of near-misses and “walk away” moments
• Red flags buyers watch for that founders miss

It was the best of times and the worst of times. In this honest and no-BS conversation, two founders open up about their exit stories- the good, the gritty, and the stuff no one tells you about. They’ll share what those moments taught them not just as entrepreneurs, but as people. We’ll get into what it feels like to let go, and how the experience is shaping what they build next. This is the kind of founder-to-founder take home wisdom you will want in your back pocket.

What You Will Learn:

• • Personal insights from two contrasting exits

• • Emotional and operational challenges in selling

• • How exits change founders’ futures

• • What they’d do differently (and why)

Some founders wait for buyers to knock. Jeremy Shaki went out and pitched. After two failed M&A attempts, the founder of Lighthouse Labs took matters into his own hands—crafting the pitch, finding the buyers, and ultimately driving the deal himself. In this candid fireside chat, Jeremy shares the unfiltered journey of engineering his own exit: the grit, the hustle, and the lessons learned along the way – including the subsequent bankruptcy of the acquiring / parent company after the sale.

From near-misses to momentum, this session pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to make a deal happen when the market isn’t handing you one on a silver platter.

Products can be copied… brands can’t. In this pulse-check on marketing 2025 and beyond, we unpack how AI-driven content streams, trust signals, and dark social loops are rewriting valuation math… and reveal practical plays founders can use right now to make brand equity their biggest leverage.  

What You Will Learn:

• Why strong branding can boost your valuation
• How to build trust in an AI-driven marketing world
• Leveraging “dark social” and content ecosystems
• Metrics that matter most to buyers and investor

What if the best way to get acquired is to stop trying so hard? In this provocative session, one of Canada’s legendary entrepreneurs shares why chasing an exit can be counterproductive-and how building a company with purpose, staying focused on long-term value, and ignoring acquisition hype can actually lead to the best outcomes, including acquisition. Drawing from his experience leading one of Canada’s largest tech exits, this ecosystem giant offers founders a refreshingly contrarian take on what really matters when it comes to building for the long run.

What You Will Learn:

• Why building for value beats building for exit
• How mission-driven growth attracts better buyers
• Real examples of organic exits done right
• Tips for resisting exit hype and staying focused

Founders today know one thing for sure: the “one-size-fits-all” exit doesn’t exist anymore. The smartest leaders are building their companies with optionality in mind, keeping the doors open to strategic sales- without getting boxed into one path too soon.

In this candid conversation, hear from legal and M&A experts and an exited founder where they’ll unpack the tactical decisions that can help preserve your exit options – from the way you structure your cap table and shareholder agreements to how you position for global buyers or the public markets.

Whether you’re aiming for a high-value acquisition, or just want to keep your options wide open, this session gives you the insider playbook to stay in control.

What You Will Learn:

• • Tactics for keeping multiple exit paths open

• • How to structure your company with flexibility

• • Pitfalls that lock you into one exit route

• • Strategic decisions that boost global appeal and IPO readiness