Summary of AccelerateOTT 2025 Conference
On June 12, 2025, the AccelerateOTT conference took place in Ottawa, marking a significant milestone in Canada's entrepreneurial landscape. Attracting over 580 participants, this year’s event underscored the flourishing entrepreneurial spirit across the nation, bringing together founders, investors, and partners under the theme “Legends in the Making.”
Sonya Shorey, President and CEO of Invest Ottawa, set the tone by defining a “legend” as a fearless builder who takes significant risks to effect change. Jonathan Lowenhar, founder and managing partner of Enjoy the Work, emphasized engagement in his dynamic session, performing live feedback on founder pitches, a hallmark of the conference's focus on authentic, collaborative exchanges.
Kyle Braatz, Co-Founder of Fullscript, delivered a personal keynote stressing the importance of vulnerability in leadership. He urged attendees to embrace vulnerability as a “superpower,” encouraging an open and honest dialogue among founders. Elizabeth Audette-Bourdeau, Founder and CEO of Welbi, shared lessons from her own journey, highlighting that customer validation outweighs media recognition in a startup's success.
The event also celebrated milestones within Ottawa's innovation ecosystem, including a key achievement for Invest Ottawa and Trellis, which became the first client to successfully navigate the full Invest Ottawa Venture Path. Shorey lauded the contributions of Canadian entrepreneurs, stating they are defining the future of industry and technology right in Ottawa, often compared to renowned innovation hubs like Silicon Valley, Berlin, and Boston.
The conference culminated in the Startup World Cup regional pitch competition, where mDETECT emerged as the winner, earning the chance to compete for a $1 million prize in Silicon Valley. loon and Szimpla secured second and third places, respectively.
As AccelerateOTT 2025 concluded, it became evident that the demand for connection, insight, and genuine dialogue among founders continues to thrive, emphasizing the pivotal role of founder-led innovation in shaping Canada's economic landscape. The success of this year’s conference illustrates a growing commitment to supporting and celebrating the entrepreneurial community in Canada.
For further details, including event highlights and speaker bios, media contacts include Patrick Kenny and Lindsey Fair from Invest Ottawa.
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