Archives

About the workshop:

Have you developed cutting-edge technology or improved an existing product or process?
This entrepreneur-focused workshop breaks down what you can patent, how to leverage design elements to prevent competitors from making, using, or selling your innovations, and the smart strategies founders use to transform intellectual property into valuable business assets.

Whether you’re building a startup, preparing for investment, or scaling a product line, you’ll learn how to protect your competitive edge and position your innovation for long-term growth and monetization.

Ideal for: Small business founders, product creators, tech innovators, and anyone turning ideas into real-world solutions.

About CIPO:

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) is a special operating agency of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. We deliver intellectual property (IP) services in Canada and educate Canadians on how to use IP more effectively.

*Please note that you will receive an email with the link to join this webinar upon registering and before the session. If you do not receive it, please check your junk mailbox.

Built for Orbit: Mission-Ready Innovation | Ottawa Innovation Week 2026
June 4, 2026 | 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Bayview Yards – The Foundry

Join us as we kick off Ottawa Innovation Week 2026 with an evening designed to celebrate the bold ideas, breakthrough technologies, and cross-sector collaboration shaping the future of innovation in Canada’s capital.

Built for Orbit: Mission-Ready Innovation brings together founders, investors, government leaders, researchers, industry partners, and ecosystem builders for a high-energy opening event exploring how Ottawa is driving mission-critical innovation on a global stage.

From defence technologies and semiconductors to AI, autonomous systems, space exploration, and satellite communications, Ottawa’s companies are building solutions with real-world impact—and scaling them through collaboration across industry, government, and capital.

Anchored by Bayview Yards and Area X.O, this event highlights the environments, partnerships, and infrastructure helping bold ideas move from concept to commercialization.

Expect an evening of demonstrations, strategic networking, visionary conversations, and an all-star speaking panel that showcases why Ottawa continues to lead as Canada’s innovation capital.

Light refreshments and beverages will be provided.

Who Should Attend

This event is designed for:

• Founders and scaleups
• Investors and commercialization partners
• Government and public sector leaders
• Industry and corporate partners
• Researchers and innovation ecosystem leaders
• Media and community leaders

What to Expect

• An all-star speaking panel
• Live demonstrations showcasing mission-ready technologies
• Conversations exploring the future of defence, AI, semiconductors, space, and autonomous systems
• Networking designed to spark cross-sector collaboration
• A dynamic opening celebration setting the tone for Ottawa Innovation Week 2026

Spots are limited to ensure an optimal experience – secure your tickets now!

A heatwave builds until something shifts.
This is that moment.

Join us for IO Ignition’s 31st Pitch Finale: Heat Wave—a high-energy summer showcase where Ottawa’s next wave of startups steps forward with real traction, clear direction, and the potential to scale.

After 10 weeks participating in the IO Ignition Program, founders move from idea to validation—testing assumptions, refining their models, and building momentum.

Now, they take the stage to share what they’ve built and what comes next.

What You’ll Experience:

• Live pitches from IO Ignition founders

• Ventures with real traction and validated ideas

• A room full of founders, builders, investors, and community members
• A summer evening that’s open, welcoming, and full of possibility

Why Attend:

• See how ideas turn into real ventures—in just 10 weeks

• Discover emerging startups before they scale

• Connect with Ottawa’s startup and innovation community

• Explore IO Ignition as your starting point for building a tech venture

This event is proudly supported by Navio, Logan Katz, and RBCx.

About the IO Ignition Program:
IO Ignition is Invest Ottawa’s early-stage startup program designed to help founders move from idea to traction—fast. Through expert guidance, structured validation, and a strong peer community, founders build ventures with real potential.

Interested? Apply for the next cohort.

This hands-on, 2-hour workshop is part of Invest Ottawa’s Startup Fundamentals series, designed to help early-stage founders move from idea to evidence.

If you’ve completed Build Your Lean Canvas and Customer Discovery, this session is your next step: learning how to use AI to quickly test your assumptions and bring your idea to life.

Who This Is For

Idea-stage founders (especially first-time or non-technical)

Founders who have completed:

• Build Your Lean Canvas
• Customer Discovery

What You’ll Learn

This session focuses on thinking, not tools. You’ll learn how to use AI as a partner to:

Make Sense of What You’ve Learned Through Customer Discovery

• Synthesize customer interview insights into clear patterns
• Pressure-test your assumptions
• Identify the riskiest thing you still need to prove

Design the Right Experiment

• Define the cheapest, fastest test of your idea
• Explore multiple ways to validate before committing
• Focus on learning — not building a perfect product

Build a Lightweight Prototype with AI

• Turn insights into a simple test (landing page, mockup, flow, or MVP concept)
• Use AI tools to rapidly create and iterate
• Understand what to measure and how to interpret results

Event Details

• Duration: 2 hours
• Format: Interactive, in-person workshop at Bayview Yards, 7 Bayview Station Rd.
• Capacity: Limited to 25 participants

Unlock Global Tech Talent for Your Ottawa Team

Join Invest Ottawa’s Global Talent Team for an exclusive webinar for Ottawa-based tech employers looking to attract talent for their hard-to-fill roles.

In this session, you’ll discover how the Work in Ottawa program can help you:

• Find top talent for hard-to-fill roles
• Strengthen your employer brand locally and internationally
• Tap into a pipeline of 8,000+ net-new global tech candidates each year.
• Gain valuable market insights on salaries, skills, and global mobility trends

• Leverage our program for representation at recruitment events, job boards, and in Ottawa’s community partners ecosystem.

Ottawa is home to one of North America’s highest concentrations of tech talent and a fast-growing tech sector. Through Invest Ottawa’s no-cost talent services, your company can connect with highly skilled professionals from across Canada and around the world.

Register today to secure your spot and access the webinar via Zoom. Can’t attend live? Register anyways and we will send you a recording.

What you’ll learn

In just 45 minutes, you’ll gain practical insights on how Invest Ottawa’s Global Talent Attraction Program can support your hiring goals. Discover how we help address skill gaps, elevate Ottawa’s global profile, and connect your business with top-tier tech talent.

Program Overview: Explore available tools, services, and resource

Interactive Q&A: Get your questions answered live by our team