Tech

Zain leads the Developer Platform & Productivity and Enterprise AI groups at Instacart.

Lisa Lambert is on a mission to shape a more innovative and prosperous future for Canada. In her current role as the inaugural CEO of Quantum Industry Canada (QIC), Lisa stands at the forefront of the country's quantum leap. Her force-multiplying leadership is guiding the consortium’s collective efforts to unlock the potential of this critical technology sector projected to contribute up to 3% of Canada’s GDP and generate over 200,000 jobs by 2045. Globally, Lisa's deep commitment to advancing quantum innovation has earned her a spot on the International Advisory Board for Japan’s new Global Research and Development Center for Business by Quantum-AI Technology. Closer to home, she’s dedicated to nurturing the next generation of Canadian innovators and entrepreneurs as a mentor with YELL Canada. Before her tenure at QIC, Lisa's career was marked by her leadership in forward-thinking initiatives at the intersection of science, technology, and society. She’s spearheaded numerous trailblazing global projects, working in collaboration with some of the brightest minds and top organizations worldwide. Lisa also made her mark as the co-author of "The Future Is Trust," a book that has resonated globally, becoming an Amazon bestseller and #1 Hot New Release across several markets. Her practical insights into trust-centered leadership have influenced how leaders across the world think and act. Lisa's mantra? The future's bright, and it's ours to shape. She's committed to making sure we all get there together, unlocking new possibilities along the way. 

Helen Ahrens (she/her) is a global Customer Success Leader, passionate about DEI; championing LGBTQ+ & Women’s communities. She is a Senior Merchant Success Manager of Key Accounts at Shopify,  driving success for her $1.5 billion portfolio of the world's biggest brands with 235% attainment of her performance goals. Helen is deeply passionate about fostering diverse and inclusive workplaces, currently serving as the Global Chair of OUT ERG at Shopify, an Ambassador for Google's Women Techmakers, and on the Advisory Board for Lesbians Who Tech. She is also an avid world traveler, water crafter, and art gallery wanderer.

Seamus is currently the Head of Product at Helcim, a Calgary based Fintech company that promotes radical transparency within the payments industry to help save on processing costs for small businesses across Canada & the USA. Committed to continuous growth, Seamus holds an Executive MBA from Haskayne School of Business, and a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering from Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Beyond his corporate achievements, his passion for community impact shines through his role on the board of All Skin Health, a dermatology startup focused on delivering remote personalized dermatology advice and reducing barriers to access with Artificial Intelligence.

In his altruistic pursuits, he dedicates free time to volunteer with the Calgary Food Bank, demonstrating a commitment to social responsibility. At Haskayne School of Business, Seamus mentors aspiring entrepreneurs, offering valuable insights to refine their business pitches. Additionally, he coaches professionals transitioning into technology roles in Calgary, leveraging his extensive experience gained from years in the technology sector in the USA. Seamus emerges as a multifaceted leader, combining technical expertise with a commitment to community and mentorship while helping to build a more robust technology ecosystem within Calgary.

As the Managing Partner at Punchcard Systems, I lead digital transformation studio that impacts people, workplaces, and communities through technology. With over 25 years of experience in the digital industry, I have a passion for creating positive and transformative impact through technology. I have co-founded and led several software startups, including Standard Field Systems, a software toolset for law enforcement, Wellnext, a workplace wellness platform, and Startup Edmonton, an innovation hub for entrepreneurs.

I also apply my expertise in innovation, digital, and governance to various organizations and causes. I currently serve as the Chair of the Winspear Centre for Music, where I am leading the facility's 40,000 square foot expansion project, and as a Corporate Director at Impirica and the LGAA. I am a graduate of the University of Alberta and the Institute of Corporate Directors' Designation program (ICD.D). I have been recognized as one of Edmonton's Top 40 Under 40, a University of Alberta Horizon Award recipient, and as an award-winning leader in business, philanthropy, and community development. I am driven by a vision of building a better future for everyone through technology, creativity, and collaboration.

I'm the Director, CS & Digital Engagement at Loopio and have spent the last 7 years in CS & Sales roles. The highlight of the last year at Loopio for me has been creating our CS @ Scale department and launching our Digital Customer Journey! I'm passionate about extending CS @ Scale to ALL customers with a strategic lens, and supporting the growth of my team members. 

Sam is an entrepreneurial product builder and strategy leader with a track record of launching venture-backed cleantech products from 0 to 1. From a category defining Home Energy Station enabling households to generate, store and sell their clean power to a B2B energy marketplace allowing energy providers and consumers to collaborate in grid decarbonization, Sam has spent more than a decade solving hard engineering problems and leveraging design to make them into products that consumers love. 

In 2022, she had the honor of being named one of the 35 most promising EV industry professionals under 35 by Business Insider. Prior to starting her career at dcbel as founding team member, she spent several years designing and launching turnkey connectivity products available to 40,000+ users at the global engineering firm AtkinsRealis (formerly SNC-Lavalin).

I am a self-starter, driven and accomplished engineering leader with 15 years of experience in software development and technical leadership. At Priceline (part of Booking Holdings, Inc.), I am working as a Senior Director, managing distributed engineering teams across North America. Additionally, I am the site leader of our Toronto office with 200+ employees & growing. 

My career has spanned multiple countries across Europe, Asia, and North America, giving me the experiences to build different products across B2B & B2C, serve global customers and collaborate with professionals around the world. These global experiences have made me better equipped to foster collaboration, implement change management and lead with empathy & openness. 

Beyond the tech realm, I'm an avid traveler with passion for exploring new places. Being a beneficiary of women in leadership accelerated growth programs, I am also a great advocate of women in leadership and an active member of few mentorship programs.

Marc Milewski has only really had one job, and that is Payments. For the past 15 years, Marc has been involved in both the banking and fintech stages of Payments. As one of the early employees of VersaPay, Marc was instrumental in the development, sales, and operations of Canada’s first EFT gateway. Over his seven years with the company, Marc did thousands of rollouts with every type of business and understood the market gaps. In 2017 Marc moved out to the Maritimes and left VersaPay to start his own payment company that focused on thinking about Payments as “financial interactions.” The early time was working as a consultant and ISO to generate revenue streams to fund version one. It was here that he met the other co-founder of Zūm Rails, Miles Schwartz while consulting. With Miles’s background in Data Aggregation and Marc’s knowledge of Payments, they formed Zūm Rails in 2019 and built Canada’s only instant Payment gateway. Together they have scaled the company from two people at the kitchen table to 30+ employees providing innovative payment solutions that streamline a client’s financial interaction and tie it into Payments. 

In his role leading the Rogers Create Lab, Leo does not just work on tech; he is helping shape the future of how we connect, live, and solve problems with 5G innovation. His team leads projects that make real differences in areas like healthcare, finance, and public services, bringing cutting-edge 5G technology into the hands of people who need it. His job is about making sure these advancements reach across sectors, proving that technology can be a force for good, transforming lives and industries.

He spends a lot of my time building relationships—not just within Rogers, but with startups, scale-ups, and anyone eager to push boundaries and explore new possibilities. These partnerships are at the heart of what they do, turning innovative ideas into reality by bolstering Canadian startups into the limelight.

It's about more than leading a company into the future; it's about inspiring a whole industry to think bigger and act bolder.

His work is about bridging gaps—between technology and its practical applications, between Rogers and visionary partners, and between the present and an exciting, interconnected future.

Head of Corporate National Partnerships at Skip the Dishes, part of the Just Eat Takeaway Corp. I lead the team responsible for driving growth with Skip's national and strategic brands. 

Previously Head of Partnerships at global restaurant tech unicorn Deliverect. I built channel alliance partnerships (White label/Resellers) and Growth & Strategic partnerships generating net new MRR for US/C. I led a number of BD strategies with partners including Lyft, Toast and Lightspeed. I was also previously Head of Strategic Partnerships/ENT brands at Uber Eats Canada, where I led and managed global brands HQ'd in Canada. 

I have 10+ years of leadership experience and have worked in high performing teams in Operations, Sales, Client Success, Account Management, Onboarding, Business Development and Partnerships.

I am an active advisory board member to high growth startups in the food tech and delivery space. I'm originally from the UK and have been in Canada 12 years, I live in Burlington with my 5 year old son, my husband, our dog and cat.

Andrew's career reflects major contributions to Canadian SMBs and significant advocacy for LGBT inclusivity. After becoming one of the youngest to become a Partner in Canadian private equity, he shifted his focus to innovation and support for small businesses. At Shopify, he launched Shopify Balance, the company’s first credit card for SMBs, and expanded lending during the COVID-19 pandemic, aiding businesses in navigating economic challenges. This followed his founding of Daveed Bags, the first Certified B Corporation in the luxury leather bag industry, manufactured in Canada.

In the last two years at Float, Andrew has introduced groundbreaking products to help SMBs save and grow in the midst of inflation. In the last two weeks, Andrew and Float announced a first-of-its kind, $50M funding to grow Canadian SMB lending through Float Charge Card, which has grown 300% YoY after launching in 2022. In 2023, Andrew and Float introduced Float Yield, Canada's first-ever high-yield account for SMBs, offering a 4% interest rate from $1 of balance.

Furthermore, Andrew has been a trailblazer for inclusivity, being one of the first on Bay Street to openly identify as gay in 2011. Since then, his involvement in the LGBT business community, helping individuals overcome challenges related to sexuality and gender identity in traditional fields, highlights his dedication to creating an accepting Canadian workforce. In his view, there is still much work to be done.

Robert is the CEO and Co-Founder of Doormat, an online real estate legal services provider that launched in 2023. Prior to starting Doormat, Robert was a senior software engineer at Shopify. Robert has always been driven to build products that excel other people’s lives and has a deep passion for technology. From launching apps in high school to help his peers access homework and schedules on their phones to building a fitness app to help him get into better shape, Robert loves to build and is an inventor (he has two solo patents from his work at Shopify!). 

When Robert went through the home buying journey he was surprised to learn that he needed a real estate lawyer. Having never used a lawyer for anything he opted to take the lawyer recommendation from his real estate agent. Through working with his lawyer he saw an opportunity to make the closing process better match consumer expectations by digitizing it. His experience kickstarted the creation of Doormat which is to make real estate transaction simple for consumers. Since launching Robert has raised over $1.25 million and grown the team to 8 people. Doormat has completed over $150 million dollars worth of transactions within just under a year since launching.

Outside of work, Robert loves to spend time with friends and family. He is also an avid runner and tennis player!

Michael Nar is the Head of Risk and Data at Helcim, a payments company empowering small businesses to grow and prosper. There he leads the functions managing financial risk and data analytics. His personal mission to build an inclusive economy is what led him to work with small businesses for the positive impact within their communities. 

A small business owner himself, he cofounded Sweet Rice, a bakery specializing in mochi donuts and other rice based foods. What started from a humble social media following has grown into a dedicated retail space with wholesale partnerships. Their treats bring people together to enjoy life’s sweetest moments while recognizing the diversity of dietary needs.

As a generalist with an entrepreneurial spirit, he’s found success building out teams and launching new ventures that capitalize on data within the renewables industry. A background in electrical engineering and experience across operational roles has enabled him to empathize and identify new opportunities.

When not serving his community he’s food adventuring with his wife, running around with his two daughters enjoying all life has to offer, and cycling on the open road.

I am Sidhant Sakhuja, a strategic leader in the technology and innovation sectors, dedicated to the growth of tech startups and the advancement of automotive technology. In my role at the Ontario Centre of Innovation, I specialize in identifying and nurturing DeepTech startups by providing crucial investment and grant funding to fuel their journey towards innovation and market success.

 

At VentureLab, I had the privilege of leading the Accelerate AI program, where I took charge of both crafting its strategic framework and overseeing its practical implementation. My leadership extended across the entire program lifecycle, from initial concept to final execution, where I established key strategic partnerships to enrich the program's offerings. My targeted business development initiatives were instrumental in broadening the program's scope, enabling us to extend our support to over 20 startups operating at the crucial intersection of AI and supply chain. This expansion diversified our impact and significantly propelled the participating startups towards groundbreaking innovation and market relevance.

 

My contributions also extend to early-stage venture funding through my active involvement with York Angel Investors and the Venture Fund at the University of Waterloo, where I leveraged my expertise to steer startups toward growth and scalability.

 

Before my foray into the venture ecosystem, I served as a Senior Production Engineer at ElringKlinger, a premier Tier-1 German automotive supplier. My role was pivotal in designing automotive components and streamlining manufacturing processes for mass production, collaborating with major OEMs like Daimler, Stellantis, GM, Ford and projects such as the Lucid Air Sedan and Rivian Pickup Trucks. My efforts have consistently yielded enhancements in production efficiency and product innovation.

 

My academic credentials include master's degrees in Business Entrepreneurship and Technology from the University of Waterloo and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Windsor, complemented by a certification in Product Management. This foundation bolsters my capability to blend strategic investment insight with profound technical knowledge.

 

Committed to the continuous evolution of the tech industry, I bring a comprehensive blend of investment acumen, technical expertise, and a passion for innovation, aiming to drive forward the next wave of technological breakthroughs.

I currently lead the software engineering function at Float. My background in software development includes experience in Ecommerce, Restaurant Tech, and Travel, and I have been leading software teams for over 10 years. I co-founded Feedback in 2017 and served as CTO before the team was acquired by Hopper in 2019. At Hopper, I led multiple initiatives both in Engineering and Product, including Hopper’s first B2B products. 

I joined Float as a Staff developer in 2022 when the team was still quite small as I was enticed by the opportunity to build a great product and an even greater team from the ground floor. I stepped into the head of engineering role in the summer of 2023 to help scale our engineering team to become the highest impact team in Canada. 

My focus at Float these days is empowering our team to make technical decisions every day that balance the tradeoffs between customer obsession, business objectives, software quality, and time to impact. The team that I get to work with every day is the most inspiring aspect of my work, as I constantly am learning from all of the outstanding people at Float.

Rogan Porter is Operations Specialist at Willful, Canada’s leading online will platform.

Rogan brings over a decade of customer service and operations experience to Willful. He started by providing frontline customer support for one of Canada’s leading food service brands, and, since joining Willful, has taken on more strategic customer service and operational initiatives. In his role as Operations Specialist, Rogan is responsible for cross-functional projects and KPIs that span departments, including People & Culture, Finance, and Procurement.

He actively contributes to optimizing operational efficiency, implementing streamlined processes, and enhancing information security protocols as part of the Security Team. Additionally, he curates engaging team events and plans both in-person and virtual retreats, helping to solidify Willful’s reputation as an employer of choice with a deeply supportive and inclusive ethos.

As a proud, openly transgender person, Rogan a staunch advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. He has implemented company policies and procedures, as well as designed education and training programs that ensure these principles permeate every facet of the company’s operations and programming. As a result of Rogan’s work, Willful scored equal to or above its peers across five categories of equity, diversity and inclusion best practices in a recent assessment by the Diversity Institute.

In addition to his operational responsibilities, Rogan plays a pivotal role in spearheading Willful’s virtual witnessing program for residents in BC. Through this initiative, Rogan guides participants through the will execution process, ultimately ensuring Willful BC customers have legally valid documents. This innovative initiative not only streamlines end-of-life planning but also underscores Willful’s commitment to leveraging technology for the benefit of its users.

Through his work, Rogan is committed to creating a dynamic workplace culture of growth, community, and recognition

David is an Engagement Manager on Georgian’s R&D team, where he helps coordinate technical AI/ML projects with portfolio companies. This involves working with leadership to identify the right opportunity to build AI/ML products, scoping the project and aligning the work to key business objectives, planning and executing the development process, and working with company stakeholders to launch, drive adoption, and measure impact. David has a background in analytics and has worked in both enterprise-scale tech and management consulting.

Christine is a versatile, action-oriented leader with deep expertise in product management, start-up growth, AI & Data science. She draws tools from a variety of experiences, including Google, McKinsey, Nonprofits and Start-ups, to ultimately help product & tech companies achieve measurable results.

After learning how to solve complex problems around the world at McKinsey and how to build great products at Google in the Bay Area, Christine moved back home to Montreal to be more involved with the Canadian tech scene. She is currently Chief Product Officer at Caribou, a SAAS designed to help home care organizations become world-class employers.

In her previous VP Product position at Heyday - a Montreal-based AI company - she built the product team from the ground up, leading to a 60M acquisition by Hootsuite. Post acquisition, she successfully drove the integration of Heyday teams into this Vancouver-based Social Media company, and transitioned to owning AI products across Hootsuite.

Christine also co-founded APM Montreal, a community-based training program to make product management more accessible for people of all backgrounds. The 20 weeks long program includes both hands-on weekly classes and mentoring by top product leaders. 

Christine holds an Industrial engineering degree from École Polytechnique de Montréal and a Master's degree in Applied Mathematics from the same institution. She is also a graduate of the ‘Google Marketing Academy’, a Wharton School executive business program. She is a strong advocate for women in tech and is extremely passionate about education and equalizing access to opportunities.

Trung Pham is not your typical entrepreneur, being a non-technical and solo founder of a hardware technology start-up, RYSE. An IoT PropTech startup that focuses on creating smart devices to automate window blinds & shades, RYSE has achieved remarkable success, boasting over $8 million USD in online sales, shipping over 50,000 devices and securing multiple international patents. Their product lines include a Smart Shade device, able to motorize any window shade operated via a beaded chain, and a Smart Curtain, which motorizes any curtain on a rod or track. RYSE provides remote and mobile control with the ability to set schedules and routines, as well as integrations with voice speakers such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit. RYSE has raised over $8 million USD from angel investors, including celebrities and prominent entrepreneurs, and has been awarded a $4 million CAD cleantech grant to develop shade automation technology that can reduce indoor cooling and lighting loads in homes and buildings, resulting in up to 24% savings in energy consumption and GHG emissions. The company is located in Toronto, with a team of 26 full-time members driving its innovative vision forward. Trung has a background in finance, completing all 3 Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exams within 18 months. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from York University’s Schulich School of Business in 2009. His personal hobbies include boxing, weight training, and golfing.

Karen Batch is the Director of the Artificial Intelligence Task Force at Distributive. Karen leads her team of 12 software developers, building commercial AI/ML projects: DIANA (Distributive Inferencing, A New Approach), and the Osler Surgical Block Scheduling application. These applications will leverage the capabilities of the Distributive Compute Protocol (DCP) to harness latent compute to power AI/ML, Big Data, and Advanced Research Computing. Karen holds a Bachelor of Computer Science, a Master of Science of Computing in Artificial Intelligence, and is an expert in ML. Her published research uses Natural Language Processing to detect cancer from radiology reports to identify trends and predict metastatic spread in patients over time. Karen uses her leadership and passion in the healthcare industry as Development Lead for the design, customization, and marketing of Osler; a surgical block schedule optimization application that applies ML algorithms to optimize operating room utilization. Ease of use and clarity of output results in more effective use of physical and human resources in a hyper-constrained industry. Secondary product benefits include a short learning curve, and reduced stress levels for schedulers, an historically complex skillset. Under her leadership, Osler is being implemented in hospitals across Canada, building schedules that improve surgical throughput by 9%, having a material effect on patient outcomes. Additionally, Karen is the Head Coach of the Queen’s University Varsity Artistic Swimming Team, is an inaugural seasons ticket holder for PWHL Toronto, and is an avid advocate for more women occupying technical leadership positions in industry.

At 29, I find myself at the forefront of tackling one of the world's most pressing issues: waste management. My journey began at 23 when I co-founded Intuitive AI, inspired by my upbringing in India and my co-founder's experiences in Pakistan. We saw the immense challenge waste poses to our communities and planet, not as an insurmountable problem but as an opportunity for innovation.

Our brainchild, Oscar, an AI-powered platform, was born out of a need to revolutionize the traditional, inefficient methods of waste management. By introducing technology into the sector, we aimed to solve the perennial confusion around waste disposal. Oscar doesn't just sort waste; it educates users, improving the accuracy of waste disposal significantly and propelling institutions toward a sustainable, zero-waste future.

Under my leadership, Intuitive AI has seen remarkable growth. We've expanded our reach across North America, Europe, Asia, and South America, collaborating with giants like Amazon Fresh, Meta, HSBC, Tim Hortons, and Citibank to name a few. Our presence spans five continents, with Oscar units deployed in key locations such as airports, universities, stadiums, and corporate offices, making a significant impact on waste disposal practices.

Our achievements are not just measured in growth but in the behavioural change we've instigated. Oscar's influence has doubled the accuracy of waste disposal, preventing over 600,000 instances of improper disposal and significantly reducing contributions to landfills. With over 100 billion data points collected, we've created the world's most extensive waste dataset, offering unprecedented insights into global waste patterns.

As we plan to triple Oscar's presence, I'm motivated by the prospect of steering us closer to a zero-waste future.

Mo’ is a seasoned technology executive and servant leader with over 10 years of experience leading and facilitating global teams. He is the Founder and CEO at SkillHat - an award-winning tech company launching motivated professionals into dream careers through e-learning and career development. Mo also won the award for the Black Product Innovator of the Year from BPTN & Bank of Montreal (BMO).

Channelling his passion for education, Mo’ has developed globally accredited training courses with PMI, IIBA & Scrum Alliance. He has trained 1000+ Project Managers, Scrum Masters, Business Analysts, and Product Owners, who are now thriving in their mission-driven careers.

As the Director of Data Governance at TELUS, my role revolves around fostering simplicity in intricate data landscapes. What excites me most about working in technology is the constant evolution; there’s always something new to learn and innovative ways to create customer-first experiences. 

I consider myself incredibly lucky to have a career that has taken me around the world, living across three continents. This journey has not only broadened my professional outlook but has also enriched my personal growth. Despite my global adventures, the place that holds a special place in my heart is where I started – my hometown, Toronto. There’s a unique comfort in the familiar streets and communities that shaped my early years.

In addition to my professional endeavours, I contribute as an advisor at the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University and serve as Vice President on the Board of Directors for the Data Management Association (DAMA) Toronto chapter. These roles allow me to give back, sharing insights on the evolving intersection of technology and governance.

Laura is the co-founder and COO of ecologicca, and the founder of What in the Tech. She runs a tech consulting business and sits on Venture for Canada's Employer Advisory Board. 

Laura is passionate about community building and philanthropy and spent 2023 acting as the volunteer Executive Director of Twelve Donations. Previously served as a Vice-Chair on the Tech4SickKids Council, Laura has been an active mentor with Monday Girl and SheMentors and is a member of the new SickKids Council launching in February 2024. 

She is also an angel investor in 4 wonderful women-led companies: Quill, Willful, ecologicca, and Mahara Mindfulness and a 2-time DMZ Women of the Year nominee (23/24).