Events

In partnership with ISED, this session introduced the ExploreIP platform — a government resource designed to help BAIs and their portfolio companies discover, navigate, and leverage intellectual property tools and strategies. The session covered how accelerators and incubators can use ExploreIP to showcase Canadian technologies, protect innovations, and connect startups with IP advisors and funding opportunities.

Greg Shepard — serial entrepreneur with 13 successful startups under his belt — presented his research-backed startup lifecycle framework. Drawing on extensive data about why startups fail, Greg offered BAIs a structured lens for understanding where companies are in their journey and how to support them at each stage. The session explored common failure points and how accelerators can proactively intervene.

A partnership with Carbon Guild exploring how business accelerators and incubators can integrate sustainability into their programming and operations. Topics included decarbonization strategies, circularity models, and ESG-driven growth frameworks that BAIs can embed into the startups they support — helping portfolio companies meet growing investor and regulatory expectations around environmental impact.

HeartVista Performance led a session on mental health and resilience for founders, addressing the unique pressures of the startup journey. The session explored evidence-based strategies for managing stress, preventing burnout, and building the psychological resilience needed to navigate the uncertainty and high stakes of building a company. Designed for both founders and the BAI staff who support them.

DLA Piper explored common deal misalignment between founders and investors — the structural, legal, and expectation gaps that cause fundraising to stall or fall apart. The session covered why deals die, what BAIs can do to help their portfolio companies prepare for investor conversations, and how to align founder expectations with market realities around valuation, terms, and governance.

A deep dive into impact investing models and how BAIs can connect social enterprises with aligned capital. Purppl shared frameworks for aligning financial returns with social and environmental outcomes, exploring how accelerators and incubators can position their portfolio companies to attract impact-focused investors and measure the social return on investment.

Techstars and Muhammed Shibin shared insights on how AI and automation are transforming accelerator and venture capital operations. From deal flow management to portfolio monitoring, the session explored practical applications of artificial intelligence that BAIs can adopt today — including automation tools for screening applications, tracking startup progress, and generating portfolio insights.

Holt Xchange presented approaches to building data-driven operational models using artificial intelligence. The session explored how BAIs can leverage AI to move beyond intuition-based decision making — using data to identify high-potential startups, optimize program design, and predict which portfolio companies are most likely to succeed.

A session on cybersecurity fundamentals for accelerators and incubators — addressing the growing need to secure both organizational data and the sensitive information of portfolio companies. Topics included common threat vectors targeting innovation organizations, practical security frameworks that small teams can implement, and how to build a security-conscious culture across your programs.