Entrepreneurship

Everything David does, he does all in. Through competitive squash, construction management, studying italian language and culture, and now leading a tech company, David has innnovated industry standards, led underdog teams to national success, and empathetically solved real business issues—all unteachable qualities of a rare type of founder: the kind that makes a difference at scale. David’s all-in mentality is seen in how he started Scelta, spending his entire life savings on a construction visualization software that he believed could revoltuionize the home buyers process. And in his one shot to prove it, it worked. He instinctively trusts his vision, and relentlessly commits—because he knows it’s a disservice to give any less. Today, Scelta has 8 full-time employees who live and die by his value of “Dial In”. David’s bold vision backed by his execution-ethic has contagiously fostered a company culture of ambitious do-ers who know that real value is measured by real, fast results. It’s so contagious, it’s extended to Scelta’s clients and advocates who message the team about their “Dial-In Fridays” and rep Dial In merch. Have you heard of a tech startup team that runs 20 hill sprints at their local park every Sunday? Now you have. Successfully navigating a real estate development technology company through Canada’s worse construction economy in his lifetime is a by-product of David’s much larger, true mission: to connect those who are "boots on the ground," building our communities and shaping our physical world. He's someone who thrives on challenges, celebrates victories, and never forgets to enjoy a good espresso along the way. By the way, Scelta bootstrapped the entire time.

Based in Whitehorse, Yukon, Erin is committed to supporting and growing the entrepreneurial community in the North. Through her work at Yukonstruct Society, a nonprofit organization focused on fostering entrepreneurship, Erin leads programs that assist entrepreneurs at every stage, from launch to scaling their businesses. Yukonstruct is a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, offering resources, mentorship, and support to help entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality. With a strong commitment to building connections and fostering community, Erin’s dedication to supporting entrepreneurs goes beyond the organization’s programs. Her focus on innovation and community-building is helping shape the growing entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Yukon.

Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, I flew to Vancouver with a one-way ticket in 2019. My first exposure to the entrepreneurial world was working with Volition, who help founders navigate knowledge gaps and tackle those "now what?!" moments. I learned first-hand the art of the pitch, the common roadblocks many entrepreneurs face and the sheer grit it takes for them to make their dreams a reality. As the Director of Programs at Startup Canada, I oversee our three flagship programs. I work with our programs leads to create entrepreneur-centric programs with the primary mission of connecting Canada’s entrepreneurs with the tools, community, and support they need to start and build their businesses. The most rewarding part of my job is seeing the passion from the entrepreneurs I get to meet and work with and being able to be a part of their journey and their growth is truly inspiring!

Dre is a Toronto-based multi-faceted designer in the fashion and textile industry, with a passion for empowering others to embrace their creative expression. As the creator of a popular YouTube channel with over 360,000 subscribers, he teaches sewing to people of all ages and skill levels, making the craft accessible and enjoyable for everyone. To help break down barriers in sewing, Dre offers Sewing DIY Kits, which include all the supplies necessary to complete a sewing project, along with his step-by-step video tutorials. By combining education with hands-on experience, he makes it easier for anyone to start creating. Beyond content creation, Dre is both a creative and a business leader, constantly exploring new ways to innovate in fashion, design, and digital media. Through his work, he continues to inspire and connect with a growing community of makers and entrepreneurs.

Vancouver entrepreneur & CEO at One Up Party. Creative thinker on a mission to celebrate 100M birthdays globally.

After many years of working directly in retail, both big and small, I realized I needed to do something more creative. Then came Mack House - a place where people learned to customize their own shoes. In helping guests learn to follow their own inspirations, I've learned a lot about the benefits of making art, the joy in completing the vision, and the difficulty in managing expectations. It's been quite an adventure but super rewarding.

Sabine Soumare is the Executive Director of the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) at the Diversity Institute, Toronto Metropolitan University. In this capacity, she leads efforts across Canada, working through 10 regional hubs to share research and resources that support women entrepreneurs. Sabine plays a pivotal role in building and maintaining an expansive network of over 250 organizations, unlocking essential data and insights to empower women entrepreneurs at every stage of business growth and across all sectors. She also collaborates closely with the Government of Canada to foster inclusive policies that address the challenges faced by this ecosystem. Committed to challenging stereotypes and strengthening the entrepreneurship ecosystem, Sabine was instrumental in launching several key initiatives, including the WEKH See it. Be it database in 2019. This valuable resource features over 2,000 profiles of successful women entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds, sectors, and regions across Canada. In addition to her work at WEKH, Sabine leverages her expertise in communications, marketing, and public affairs through her own consulting business. She provides strategic advice to institutions and nonprofit organizations that support women, newcomers, and racialized communities. Sabine also teaches Public Relations at La Cité Collégiale. A graduate of the École supérieure de Gestion in Paris, Sabine holds a Master's degree in Marketing and an MBA in Essentials from Rotman at the University of Toronto. From 2015 to 2018, she worked for two Ontario cabinet ministers, serving as Senior Communications Advisor and spokesperson for both the Attorney General and Francophone Affairs portfolios.

Alykhan Kara is an entrepreneur specializing in marketplaces, small business growth, and consumer tech. He founded Shomigo Markets, which hosts in-person markets that connect vendors with curated shopping experiences. After running large-scale markets in Toronto, he launched NextMarket, a platform designed to streamline vendor applications, logistics, and payments, making it easier for market organizers to manage and scale their events. With a background in software engineering and business, Alykhan is building technology-driven solutions that enhance the vendor-market experience, helping small businesses thrive in the in-person retail space.

Chelsea is the Associate Director of the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Schulich School of Business, aka Schulich Startups. In this role, she manages programs ranging from curated mentorship to large scale events and partnered accelerator projects, all of which support a portfolio of over 250 startups and 3000+ active community members. Under her leadership, the team, resources and programs within the office have grown exponentially. She has worked with entrepreneurs and innovators for nearly a decade, both in Canada and abroad. Chelsea began her journey as a business consultant for fair trade entrepreneurs across Nepal, later applying this experience in her role evaluating community public health interventions in cities around the world while working for the World Health Organization in Japan. Before joining Schulich, she worked at MaRS Discovery District, an urban innovation hub in Toronto, helping government and corporate partners to refine their internal innovation strategies and launch public innovation initiatives. Here she also led the impact evaluation practice, measuring the success of internal projects and creating metrics for partners to measure their own impact. Previously, she also worked with the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, assessing proposals and awarding grant funding for innovative public health projects, intended to make Canadian cities healthier, more livable, and more sustainable.

Hunter’s journey into entrepreneurship wasn’t sparked by a single moment—it was ingrained in him from an early age. Whether he was watching Dragon’s Den with his dad or brainstorming full-fledged business ideas during long car rides to hockey games, the drive to build something of his own was always there. Over the years, he immersed himself in entrepreneurship, taking classes, competing in business competitions, and launching small ventures. By his final year at the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University, he knew it was time to put his education, experience, and passion to the test. Through working with innovative companies and starting his own ventures—especially during the pandemic—Hunter saw firsthand the relentless effort required to build and sustain a business. But to him, there was no other path—this was his dream. In October 2022, he founded PORCH, a club designed to support international entrepreneurs on the personal side of their journey. From building websites and setting up payment platforms to forming corporate partnerships and growing a global network, every step has been a lesson in real-world entrepreneurship. Today, Hunter leads an exclusive community of hundreds of international entrepreneurs from 60+ countries, dedicated to making the entrepreneurial journey easier, more successful, and filled with the right people

Marsha Druker is passionate about creating community and driving innovation within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. As the Founder of Fuckup Nights Toronto, a speaker series that champions learning through failure, Marsha has built a vibrant and supportive community where entrepreneurs can openly share their stories. Since its launch in 2017, Marsha has grown Fuckup Nights Toronto into one of the city’s key events in the startup ecosystem, sparking meaningful conversations around failure, mental health, and resilience. Marsha is also a Regional Innovation Director at the Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN). In this role, she is committed to advancing innovation in the Canadian food ecosystem by building strong partnerships and driving initiatives that support the growth and success of the Canadian food ecosystem.

Anjali Dhaliwal is the Co-Founder and CEO of Avo, a VC-backed crypto trading startup that hit $20K revenue within weeks of its closed-beta launch. Using Intelligent Systems, avo users can select from a variety of agentic portfolios to use for their crypto investing. Just like how Spotify recommends songs tailored to your taste, Avo uses AI models to recommend portfolios and create personalized portfolios based on user behaviour and preferences. Born into a blue-collar immigrant family, Anjali secured $80K+ in scholarships to attend university. At 16, she founded a nonprofit that scaled to support 30K+ high school students across North America, secured six-figure government grants, and led a 200+ volunteer team by 19. Before Avo, Anjali built an impressive career, landing roles at a $590B pension fund, Nasdaq, and four VC firms—all before turning 21—through strategic cold outreach. She thrives in zero-to-one environments, excelling in building and scaling startups from scratch. Her impact has earned her recognition as the youngest listee in BC Business 30 Under 30 and the youngest delegate at the G20 YEA Summit in Italy, where she represented Canadian youth. At just 22 years old, Anjali is redefining crypto trading infrastructure and proving that innovation has no age limit. With Avo scaling rapidly, she is just getting started. |