Founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders gathered in Ottawa to explore what it means to build in the age of AI. Here are the lessons, insights, and winners that emerged from the day.

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By 8:30 a.m., the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne Park was already buzzing with entrepreneurial energy.

Founders comparing notes over coffee, investors reconnecting with entrepreneurs from the ecosystem, people introducing themselves and their ideas over early snacks and treats, and for the day, the building once again became the very centre of Ottawa’s innovation ecosystem.

AccelerateOTT is an annual event where ideas meet opportunity. A place where founders come to learn, challenge assumptions, make connections, and gain momentum for what comes next.

This year’s theme, Built for the Age of AI, explored how the next generation of companies is being designed, funded, and scaled in a rapidly evolving economy. Throughout the day, entrepreneurs, investors, operators, and ecosystem leaders came together to share lessons, debate ideas, and explore what building in this new era actually looks like.

Guided by co-hosts Erin Blaskie, Founder and CEO of Willow Grey Agency and Patrick White, Director of Corporate Programs at Solink, the day opened with remarks from Sonya Shorey, President and CEO of Invest Ottawa, and Nick Quain, Vice President, Venture Development at Invest Ottawa.

Together, they reflected on the pace of change reshaping entrepreneurship and the role founders play in driving innovation forward.

While the tools, technologies, and startup playbooks continue to evolve, their message was clear: founders who remain resilient, customer-focused, and willing to embrace change will be the ones who create new markets, transform industries, and shape the future.

Those themes would echo throughout the day. Beyond the main stage, attendees also had the opportunity to continue conversations throughout the day in the Breakthrough Booth area, where speakers, founders, and investors made themselves available for one-on-one discussions, mentoring conversations, and practical advice.

For many attendees, some of the most valuable moments happened between sessions, when ideas from the stage turned into real conversations.

It was a reminder that one of AccelerateOTT’s greatest strengths is not just the content, but the access.

A Time of Uncertainty. A Time of Opportunity.

Before introducing the day’s first panel discussion, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe reflected on the moment facing entrepreneurs today.

“There is a lot of fear and anxiety and tension right now. But this is also a time of great opportunity. It will be looked back on as a time of great innovation and great change.”

While acknowledging the uncertainty many founders face, he pointed to the remarkable growth taking place across Ottawa’s innovation ecosystem.

“There’s so much growth and innovation happening in our city right now. There are so many great ideas being developed by local entrepreneurs who are willing to take a risk, willing to do something innovative, and willing to try to change the world.”

His remarks set the stage for a day focused not on waiting for change, but on building through it.

The Future of Tech and AI

AccelerateOTT’s opening keynote challenged attendees to rethink one of the most fundamental assumptions of the startup ecosystem.

For decades, technology itself was the advantage. Today, software is becoming abundant.

Drawing on examples from across the history of computing, entrepreneur, bestselling author, and Fwd50 founder Alistair Croll argued that every major shift in technology changes how companies are built, funded, and scaled. AI, he suggested, represents the next major transition.

Throughout his keynote, Croll challenged attendees to reconsider assumptions that have become so familiar they often go unquestioned. At one point, he asked the audience how many people spend their days working in front of a computer.

Nearly every hand in the room went up. He then invited attendees to imagine how strange that reality might appear to an extraterrestrial visitor observing humanity.

Just a few decades ago, the idea that entire industries would spend most of their time sitting in front of screens would have seemed absurd. Yet today it feels completely normal.

His point was simple: technological shifts that seem unimaginable eventually become ordinary. AI may prove to be one of those moments. As software becomes increasingly abundant, founders will need to look beyond technology itself and focus on what remains scarce: trust, insight, execution, and the ability to create meaningful value for customers.

Throughout the day, founders, investors, operators, and ecosystem leaders explored what it means to build in a world changing faster than ever before. While every speaker brought a different perspective to the stage, many arrived at the same conclusion: the rules of company building are changing.

Here are some of the biggest takeaways from AccelerateOTT 2026.

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Takeaway #1: The Startup Playbook Is Changing

The first panel of the day moved quickly from theory to practice.

Moderated by Mike Potter, Co-Founder and CEO of Rewind, the discussion brought together Aydin Mirzaee (Fellow), Dr. Ellen Campana (Compose Health), Rob Imbeault (Backboard.io), and Vanessa Galarneau (Pluvo) to explore what it actually means to build an AI-native company.

The conversation highlighted how dramatically the startup playbook has changed over the past few years. Founders described building products faster, validating ideas earlier, and operating with smaller teams capable of achieving what once required significantly more resources.

One theme emerged repeatedly: AI is not simply becoming another software tool. It is changing how companies are formed, how teams work, and how products reach market.

Yet despite the technological shift, panelists emphasized that judgment, customer understanding, and execution remain critical. The tools may be evolving, but building a successful company still requires solving meaningful problems for real people.

Takeaway #2: There Is No Eureka Moment

In a candid conversation with Globe and Mail technology reporter Sean Silcoff, Solink Co-Founder and CEO Mike Matta shared the realities of building and scaling one of Canada’s leading AI-powered companies.

What emerged wasn’t a story about overnight success. It was a story about persistence.

“There was no eureka moment,” said Matta. “We went in and out of a lot of rabbit holes.”

At one point, Solink’s team shrank from 13 people to just three after a major revenue stream disappeared. Rather than walk away, the founders reinvested, adapted, and rebuilt around a new opportunity.

The lesson was clear: successful companies are rarely built in a straight line.

Throughout the conversation, Matta returned to a theme that resonated with many founders in the room. The best entrepreneurs remain curious enough to embrace change while maintaining the conviction needed to pursue a vision others may not yet see.

“There is a happy middle,” he said. “Being curious and learning, while also being convicted on what is right and what is wrong.”

That balance has become even more important in the age of AI.

“If you see AI as a headwind, you need to look deeper,” Matta told attendees. “It’s definitely a tailwind.”

Takeaway #3: In the Age of AI, Trust Matters More Than Ever

Following lunch and networking opportunities throughout the venue, attendees returned for a keynote that offered an important counterbalance to many of the day’s technology discussions.

While conversations throughout the day focused on speed, scale, and automation, Ashley Faus, Head of Lifecycle Marketing at Atlassian, reminded attendees that one of the most important competitive advantages remains fundamentally human: trust.

Drawing on practical examples and marketing frameworks, Faus explored how founders can build credibility in a world increasingly saturated with AI-generated content.

Her message was simple but powerful. Audiences do not want more content. They want content that understands their needs.

As AI changes how content is created and distributed, trust, authenticity, empathy, and expertise become even more valuable. In a world where anyone can generate content, the founders and companies that build genuine connections will stand out.

As Faus put it, the real advantage is still human.

Takeaway #4 – There Has Never Been a Better Time to Build

The day’s final panel before the Startup World Cup Ottawa Regional Competition focused on a question many founders are asking: how is capital changing as AI lowers the cost of building and more companies reach market faster?

While panellists acknowledged ongoing challenges in the funding environment, the discussion remained optimistic.

“There has never been a better time to build a company,” noted Matt Roberts of RBCx.

The conversation explored shifting investor expectations, fundraising realities, and the importance of maintaining a global perspective. Dr. Albert Chen of Two Small Fish Ventures challenged founders to think beyond their immediate surroundings.

“Get out of your comfort zone,” he urged. “Get out there and see who you’re competing with.”

The message resonated throughout the room. Building globally requires more than great technology. It requires ambition, resilience, and a willingness to continually raise the bar.

Takeaway #5 – Some of the Biggest Opportunities Start with a Conversation

Throughout the day, founders also put their storytelling skills to the test through PitchPal‘s elevator pitch challenge.

With just 60 seconds to capture attention, participants stepped into a transformed elevator experience where every second counted. Pitches were scored live, leaderboard rankings shifted throughout the day, and founders competed for prizes while refining one of the most important entrepreneurial skills: communicating why their idea matters.

The challenge served as a reminder that some of the biggest opportunities in entrepreneurship can begin with a single conversation.

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Startup World Cup Ottawa Regional Competition: Ten Founders, One Stage

After a full day of conversations about how companies are being built, funded, and scaled in the age of AI, ten founders stepped onto the stage to put those ideas into practice in the Startup World Cup Ottawa Regional Competition.

Selected from more than 90 applications, the finalists represented some of the most promising early-stage companies emerging from Ottawa and Eastern Ontario.

Competing for a share of $50,000 in non-dilutive grant funding and the opportunity to advance to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco, founders pitched in front of an accomplished panel of judges drawn from Canada’s startup and venture capital ecosystem.

Judging the competition were Keira Frosst, Co-Founder and CSO of mDETECT and Startup World Cup Canada finalist; Pierre Steiner, Associate at Innovobot Resonance Ventures; Lance Laking, Managing Director and General Partner at Graphite Ventures; Katie LeClair, Executive Director of SheBoot; and Jesse Weibe, Founder and Executive Director of the Canadian Startup Capital Association.

The competition showcased innovation across health technology, artificial intelligence, enterprise software, advanced computing, aerospace, fintech, and biotechnology, highlighting both the diversity and ambition of the region’s startup community.

The 2026 finalists included:

• BioThera Solutions
• CanVeer Biopharma
• CardiAxis Medical
• Celestra Health Systems
• Constant Health
• Kavodax
• Peepal Research
• SamSearch
• Stratotegic
• Taskd

When the judges completed their deliberations, three companies emerged as winners:

• First Place ($25,000): Kavodax
• Second Place ($15,000): Celestra Health Systems
• Third Place ($10,000): CardiAxis Medical

Led by Founder and CEO Gharsa Amin, Kavodax will now represent Ottawa and Eastern Ontario at the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco, joining founders from more than 60 countries competing for a $1 million USD investment prize.

Building in Ottawa – Competing Globally.

From the opening remarks to the final pitch, a common thread ran throughout AccelerateOTT 2026. The future belongs to builders.

Builders willing to challenge assumptions. Builders willing to embrace change. Builders willing to compete globally while building right here in Ottawa.

As Mayor Sutcliffe reminded attendees: “Thank you for taking the risk of doing something different, of taking on a challenge, and of trying to change the world.”

AccelerateOTT has always been about more than a single day. It is about bringing people together, sharing ideas, creating opportunities, and helping founders move forward with clarity and momentum.

A sincere thank you to everyone who joined us, spoke from our stage, shared their expertise, exhibited, pitched, volunteered, and helped make AccelerateOTT 2026 such a success.

Thank you as well to our sponsors and partners whose support helped bring this year’s event to life: RBCx, Ottawa Business Journal, Logan Katz LLP, Global Impact Entertainment Canada, Germain Hotels, and Ottawa Tourism.

The conversations may be over, but the work continues. We’ll see you at AccelerateOTT 2027.

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