Five Things Founders and Fearless Builders Will Take Away From AccelerateOTT 2025

Posted in AccelerateOTT, Blog
Jun 5, 2025

It’s hard to believe, but going off the publishing date here, we’re about a week away from AccelerateOTT – and the anticipation is legendary.

Taking place on June 12 at Lansdowne Park and anchored as a key pillar of Ottawa Innovation Week, this one-day entrepreneurship summit is more than just a date on the calendar – it’s a catalyst bringing together founders, funders, and fearless builders across the region.

Whether you’re launching your first venture, scaling a startup, or you’re eager to connect with Ottawa’s dynamic ecosystem, AccelerateOTT 2025 delivers more than inspiration – it provides clarity, confidence, and real momentum.

Tickets are selling fast, and at the time of publication are already 90% sold out. But if you haven’t already secured a spot for yourself, here are five things you’ll walk away with from AccelerateOTT as an incentive to help make it happen.

1. Insight You Can Actually Use

Entrepreneurship can feel like information overload. That’s why AccelerateOTT focuses on tactical, founder-first content you can put into action right away. Expect multiple sessions that go so far beyond buzzwords and actually examine and explore topics that drive entrepreneurship, such as growth, product strategy, pricing, and fundraising.

As an example, Founder and Managing Partner of Enjoy the Work, Jonathan Lowenhar – the coach behind some of the most compelling pitches in tech will share a proven framework for putting together a pitch that works.

And through live coaching sessions, Jonathan will help attendees to focus their story in real time in his Storytelling – Sharpen Your Story session.

Sessions like this one are a standout perk to attending, and one of the top reasons to grab your ticket now.

2. Inspiration to Fuel What’s Next

A presenter engages with the crowd at an event.

The journey of building something from scratch is hard. That’s why hearing from those who’ve been through the trenches can reignite your drive.

This year’s speaker lineup features legendary voices such as:

  • Kyle Braatz, CEO of Fullscript, will share lessons from scaling a healthtech success through grit, vision and relentless execution, in a keynote session, From Bootstrapped to Billion-Dollar Boldness.
  • Shahrzad Rafati, Founder & CEO of RHEI, will share insights on leadership and staying mission-aligned while building a media-tech powerhouse reaching over 600 million viewers.
  • Jonathan Lowenhar, Founder and Managing Partner – Enjoy the Work, who, in addition to his interactive storytelling session, will break down the investor mindset to reveal the 28 questions every founder must be ready to answer in his masterclass session: Fundraising is Much More Than A Pitch Deck.

These aren’t sanitized keynote speeches curated to glorify the entrepreneurial life – they’re candid conversations about grit, resilience, and the moments that make or break a founder. That means you’ll hear not just about the wins, but the missteps, redirections, and breakthrough insights that helped shape real-world companies.

And beyond the keynotes? You’ll want to catch these two powerhouse panels:

These are the conversations that go so far beyond storytelling – they offer blueprints for taking bold, decisive action that can turn ideas into reality.

3. Connections That Matter

There’s no doubt AccelerateOTT is packed with great content. But just as important is who you’ll meet in the room.

Between networking breaks, the lunch session, and facilitated meetups, you’ll find a community of founders, investors, mentors, and ecosystem champions who get it. People who’ve been where you are. People who can help you get where you’re going.

Whether you’re actively raising, looking to expand your team, or testing a new idea, this is where meaningful connections happen.

4. A Front-Row Seat to the Next Big Thing

If you’re looking for the epicentre of the AccelerateOTT action, this is it.

Emceed by Megan Maltby (Invest Ottawa) and Lindy Ledohowski (RBCx), the Startup World Cup Ottawa Regional Competition is one of the most electric parts of the day, where Legends in the Making will take the stage with dreams of taking their business to the next level.

With $50,000 in non-dilutive grants on the line, high-potential startups from across Eastern Ontario will pitch live in front of an all-star panel of judges. Finalists span AI, biotech, cleantech, SaaS, and social impact, representing the true cross-section of the innovation happening in our backyard.

It’s a chance to witness big ideas before they hit the headlines. And the judges? The panel includes investors from White Star Capital, Graphite Ventures, MaRS IAF, Panache Ventures, and more. These are the funders helping scale the next generation of Canadian companies.

5. Real Momentum and a Place in Ottawa’s Innovation Story

Sure – we all love a good keynote, but the real power of AccelerateOTT lies in what happens after the dust settles. At an effective event, you leave with more than just notes, you leave with direction. Maybe you’ll come away with a strategy for a new pricing framework. Maybe it’s a warm intro to an investor. Or maybe it’s simply getting the motivation to get back into the game, only this time with a little more clarity and confidence.

But you could also leave with something bigger: a sense of place in Ottawa’s growing innovation story.

Anchored as a key pillar of Ottawa Innovation Week, AccelerateOTT runs deeper than a single event. This is a space where local founders become national leaders. Where big bets start small. And where your story as a builder, leader, or changemaker fits into something larger than yourself.

Still here reading? Go secure your ticket!

Join us on June 12 at Lansdowne Park and be part of a community that’s defining its legacy in real time.

Tickets are almost sold out! Don’t miss out – secure yours at accelerateott.ca.

 

Tags : AccelerateOTT, Blog

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