Innovation Factory

Last week, we attended the TiEQuest Summit 2026 at U of T Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus. This was a room packed with founders, operators, and investors all focused on one massive goal: building in Canada for the global stage.

It was incredible to hear from tech experts and business leaders like Janet Bannister (Staircase Ventures), Kirk Simpson (Courtyard), Willson Cross (Borderless AI), Eva Lau (Two Small Fish Ventures), Mike McCauley (Garage Capital), Nipun Sharma (Appetronix), and Liza Akhvledziani Carew (CHEXY). They shared great advice on how to take local ideas and turn them into global successes.

A huge shoutout to these amazing who took the stage to pitch their ventures. It was inspiring to watch them present and win $5,000!

➡️ Allowide Health Inc
➡️ Take care
➡️ Trusti

A special thank you to Nisarg Lakhmani for inviting us to this amazing event, Kiwi Charge for sponsoring it, and TechTO and TiE Toronto (Upasana Sharma) for putting it together.

Swipe to see some highlights! 👀

👉 Are you a strategic leader who loves bringing big ideas to life? If yes, we'd love to have you on board!

We're for two exciting leadership roles to join our team.

Marketing Manager
✔️ Own the annual marketing plan and KPIs across all Innovation Factory brands
✔️ Lead campaigns end-to-end (SEO, paid/organic social, email, web)
✔️ Manage the marketing budget and lead a lean, high-performing team
✔️ Elevate our reputation as Canada’s thought leader in our sectors of focus

Events Manager
✔️ Set the annual event strategy for pitch competitions, conferences, and workshops
✔️ Manage full event logistics, venues, vendors, and on-site experience
✔️ Lead an amazing small events team
✔️ Coordinate high-profile government and funder visits

📍 Both roles are permanent, full-time mid-to-senior level positions based out of our Hamilton and Burlington offices.

💡 Ready to apply? View the full job descriptions and send us your resume: https://loom.ly/d73YfLU

📲 Know someone who might be a good fit? Tag them in the comments to share these opportunities!

A week ago, over 250 innovators gathered at our 16th annual Big DiF open house, and the energy was unmatched!

It was an incredible evening celebrating the founders, industry leaders, and partners who make the Hamilton and Halton regions a hub for innovation.

We were thrilled to present the prestigious Mark Chamberlain DiFizen of the Year Award to Rob McCann, recognizing his leadership as a telecom innovator, and champion of our innovation ecosystem. 💡https://loom.ly/4pSOCNk

The evening also marked a massive milestone for our smart mobility community. We officially announced that the Centre for Integrated Transportation and Mobility (CITM) has been renewed as an Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) Regional Technology Development Site!

With this renewal, CITM will continue providing Ontario's startups and scale-ups with the specialized technical resources, business support, and testing infrastructure needed to develop the future of smart, sustainable, and multi-modal transportation. 💡https://loom.ly/vgAbwXc

Thank you to everyone who exhibited, attended, and continues to build this community with us.

Missed the celebration? Catch the highlights below👇