Elevate Festival 2025 delivered a high-energy, future-focused experience that spotlighted bold ideas, breakthrough technologies, and unparalleled networking opportunities. As Canada’s premier homegrown tech and innovation festival, Elevate returned from October 7–9 for its seventh annual event, hosted at Toronto’s iconic Meridian Hall and St. Lawrence Centre. Organized by Elevate, the nonprofit that acquired CIX Summit in 2024, this year’s festival welcomed 10,000+ global tech leaders, featured 250+ top-tier speakers, and spanned eight specialized content tracks.
A Champion for Diversity, Deal Flow, and Disruption
Setting a new benchmark for inclusivity in tech, Elevate 2025 proudly achieved 51% representation of women and non-binary attendees—far surpassing industry norms. This commitment to equity echoes through every aspect of the festival, from programming to partnerships.
In addition to inspiring content, Elevate continues to fuel the Canadian startup ecosystem. Last year’s festival sparked hundreds of thousands of dollars in startup investments, and Elevate 2025 promises to deliver even greater economic impact for the innovation community.
Star Power and Visionary Leadership Take the Stage
Simu Liu, star of Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, kicked off Opening Night with a powerful keynote. As a TIME 100 honoree and founder of Markham Valley Ventures, Liu embodies the intersection of cultural leadership and entrepreneurial ambition.
This year’s speaker lineup was nothing short of legendary, with AI and ethical tech transformation taking center stage. Notable speakers included:
- Clay Bavor, Co-Founder of Sierra – redefining customer engagement through AI, with $285M in funding and clients like SiriusXM and WeightWatchers.
- Chris Urmson, CEO of Aurora – a pioneer in autonomous vehicles and former leader of Google’s self-driving car project.
- Dorothy Kilroy, CCO of OURA Health – ex-Airbnb exec now scaling partnerships with Best Buy, Gucci, and Strava.
- Erika Ayers Badan, CEO of Food52 – grew Barstool Sports from $15M to $450M and now leads Food52’s content-commerce revolution.
- Ida Tin, Co-Founder of Clue – the woman who coined “femtech” and built a platform used by 12M+ globally.
- Althea Wishloff, GP at Raven Capital – leading the first venture fund dedicated to Indigenous and Native American entrepreneurs.
- Harley Finkelstein, President of Shopify – celebrated Canadian business leader and innovation advocate.
- Hussein Fazal, CEO of Super.com – serial entrepreneur and EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year with $1B+ in sales.
“We’re living through one of the most transformative periods in tech history,” said Lisa Zarzeczny, Co-Founder & CEO of Elevate. “It’s an honour to welcome leaders who aren’t just navigating the future—they’re actively shaping it.”
Bigger Stages, Deeper Impact
This year, Elevate scaled up its most popular tracks—AI and Scale Up—to the Main Stage, offering seating for 2,000+ attendees per session. The eight tracks—AI, Moonshots, Fintech, Shop Talk, Future Focus, Scale Up, Investors, and Women+ in Tech—offered curated content tailored to Canada’s most critical innovation sectors.
Elevate 2025 Highlights at a Glance:
Founder Acceleration Hub – Presented by Moneris
A high-impact space connecting startups with investors, mentors, and pitch opportunities—designed to accelerate growth in real-time.
Strategic Investor Dealflow
Purpose-built investor lounges facilitated 300+ curated startup-investor meetings, sparking funding conversations and future collaborations.
Masterclasses That Drive Results
With only 100 seats per session, Elevate’s Masterclasses offered hands-on training in areas like AI deployment, capital raising, and talent strategy.
Women+ in Tech Lounge – Presented by Interac
An inclusive, action-oriented space focused on equity, leadership, and representation—fostering a more balanced tech ecosystem.
Trailblazer Networking Pass
An exclusive VIP experience for senior executives, providing unmatched access to speakers, networking lounges, and high-value introductions.
Can’t-Miss Sessions
Top sessions included “The Modern Company” with Harley Finkelstein (Shopify) and “The Future of Work” with Diana McLachlan (Wealthsimple), tackling topics like AI adoption, Canada’s brain drain, and organizational innovation.
Beyond the Festival: Year-Round Innovation Programs
Elevate isn’t just a once-a-year event. Its eCommerce North Accelerator, powered by Moneris, continues year-round, supporting Canadian startups with programming designed to scale global businesses from right here in Canada.
Join the Movement
Elevate 2025 wouldn’t be possible without the support of its Founding Sponsors – Interac, Moneris, and TD Bank Group – as well as Corporate Sponsors including Google, Capital One, the Government of Ontario, City of Toronto, KPMG, Danone, and more.
Stay connected:
Visit www.ElevateFestival.ca
Follow @ElevateTechCA and tag #ElevateFest2025 for updates and community highlights.
About Elevate
Elevate is a purpose-driven nonprofit committed to accelerating Canada’s innovation economy. Through flagship events like Elevate Festival and CIX Summit, and ongoing initiatives such as the eCommerce North Accelerator, Elevate brings together entrepreneurs, investors, and changemakers to build a brighter future for Canadian tech.
Ready for more in 2026?
Elevate Festival 2025 brought the energy, expertise, and impact. Check back soon for Elevate 2026—Canada’s most essential innovation event.
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