Gear Up for AccelerateOTT 2025: A Showcase of Legends!

AccelerateOTT 2025: Where Legends Take the Stage

Scheduled for June 12, 2025, at Lansdowne Park, Ottawa, AccelerateOTT is gearing up to be one of the most significant entrepreneurship summits of the year. As part of Ottawa Innovation Week, this one-day event serves as a dynamic platform for founders, funders, and innovators, focused on creating meaningful connections and opportunities.

Event Overview
The theme for this year is "Legends in the Making," emphasizing the ambition and resilience of participants. The event kicks off with an inspiring opening fireside chat featuring Kyle Braatz, CEO and Co-Founder of Fullscript. In a talk moderated by Sean Silcoff from The Globe and Mail, Braatz will share insights into building a rapidly growing Health Tech company, reflecting on the crucial decisions and values that drive sustainable success.

Further amplifying this theme are sessions like the "Women Leading the Charge" panel. This panel brings together influential women from diverse sectors, including Michelle Scarborough of BDC, Erin Kelly from Advanced Symbolics, Vanessa Galarneau of Pluvo, and VC founder Melissa Allen. Moderated by journalist Manjula Selvarajah, the discussions will shed light on the unique challenges and opportunities women face in tech and venture capital, demonstrating actionable leadership and progress.

Compelling Narratives
An engaging segment entitled "The Founder's Journey: Grit Behind the Glory" will feature four local entrepreneurs—Mike Potter, Fahim Sheikh, Elizabeth Audette-Bourdeau, and Jean-Simon Diallo. They will narrate their personal journeys, highlighting the trials, setbacks, and pivotal moments that defined their paths in tech entrepreneurship.

Startup World Cup Regional Competition
Following these inspirational sessions, the event transitions to a competitive pitch format with the Startup World Cup Ottawa Regional. Finalists will vie for a chance to win $50,000 in funding and an opportunity to advance to the global finals in San Francisco, competing for a $1 million prize. Esteemed judges from various investment backgrounds—including Matthew He, Kevin Madill, and Inshaal Qadir—will evaluate twelve promising startups across AI, biotech, cleantech, and more.

Knowledge Sharing and Networking
AccelerateOTT prioritizes actionable insights for founders through tactical learning sessions. Topics will include effective pricing strategies for B2B SaaS, understanding customer needs, and investor engagement techniques, led by industry experts like Jonathan Lowenhar.

Networking opportunities will highlight the importance of collaboration and community essential for entrepreneurial success. Attendees can engage with venture capitalists, mentors, and peers throughout the day, further fostering the idea that great companies thrive through collective support.

Conclusion
Ultimately, AccelerateOTT 2025 is not just about celebrating successful entrepreneurs but about affirming that legends are built, not born. It's a gathering for those committed to ambition, equity, and resilience within the Canadian entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Join us on June 12 in Ottawa for a day filled with inspiration, networking, and the potential for transformative growth, as new stories in entrepreneurship take shape. Secure your ticket now and be part of this exciting journey.