Ottawa’s speed-networking night for visionaries with an idea and technical talent ready to build it.

You’ve got the idea. Someone in this room has the skills. Or the other way around.

Co-Founder Match-up is a curated speed-networking night for people in Ottawa/Gatineau who are serious about starting a tech company and know they can’t do it alone.

Half the room is building something and needs a co-founder. The other half has the technical, product, design, or go-to-market skills and wants to join something early.

Over the course of the evening, you’ll meet a wide range of people through short, structured conversations, then have open time at the end to go deeper with the people you’d like to follow up with.

Who this event is for

• A tech founder with an idea: you’re building or about to build, and you want a co-founder to own a real piece of it with you. Any stage, from napkin sketch to early revenue.
• A builder with skills: you bring real technical, product, or commercial strength, and you want to join an early-stage company as a co-founder rather than as employee number one.
• Somewhere in between: you have an idea but you’re not married to it, or you care about a problem without having a specific company yet. You’re genuinely welcome. Tell us on the registration form and we’ll seat you where you’ll get the most out of the night.

A quick note on fit

This is a night for finding potential co-founders and having thoughtful conversations.

• Looking for a salaried role? This probably isn’t the right event. We’re focused on people looking to build together as co-founders.
• Looking to sell services? If you’re an agency, consultant, or recruiter hoping to find clients, this won’t be the right room.
• Looking to pitch? There won’t be investors, product demos, or stage time. The focus is on meeting people and exploring whether there’s a strong fit to build something together.

What we’ll set you up with

• A colour-coded lanyard: red for idea, blue for skills, so you know who’s who from across the room.
• A badge you fill in: your name, industry, and what you’re looking for.
• A ten-second opener: printed on the back of your badge, so no conversation starts cold: “I’m building in [industry], I bring [skill], I’m looking for [need].”
• Pizza and drinks