An unforgettable day of insights, innovation, and impact at the opening of Toronto Tech Week

Every year, Global Startups hosts its flagship annual conference—an opportunity to gather the tech community, track emerging trends, and spotlight critical conversations shaping the future of innovation. In 2025, the theme came naturally: “Breaking Barriers: Rethinking Investment for Startups.”

After working with over 300 startups across 9 years and hosting 11 editions of this conference, the team behind Global Startups knows just how pivotal funding is in a founder’s journey. This year, the focus was sharp: help startups better understand the investor mindset and challenge traditional norms around who gets funded—and why.

A Clear Message to Open the Day

The day began with a powerful message from our CEO, who set the tone by calling for action: “Let’s start funding good startups in the market. Don’t wait for perfect.” She emphasized how GSA Ventures—Global Startups’ sister company—has been operating under a data-driven, underdog-focused strategy akin to Moneyball, which fits the Canadian startup ecosystem perfectly. The message was clear: talent and potential are everywhere, if you know how to spot it.

Investor Insights That Matter

• Moien Gaishi, Principal at GreenSky Ventures, kicked things off by championing the rise of deep tech. He unpacked what truly defines the sector and explained why it holds untapped promise for the decade ahead.
• Ferhan Bulca, Board Director at Maple Leaf Angels, offered a clear breakdown of different types of angel investors—and why lumping them all together is a mistake. He shared how to identify the right fit before even starting the conversation.
• Upasana Sharma, President of TiE Toronto, brought forward the urgent need to make tech ecosystems more inclusive. While some progress has been made, she reminded us that equity for diverse founders remains a work in progress.
• Michael Dales, Project Manager at RHA Ventures, illustrated the investor mindset through a live case study. He spoke to what excites investors most: not just traction, but a compelling vision that can scale impact.
• Eoin Callan, Manager Director at Bloom Impact Capital made a powerful case for Nature Tech—why now is the moment to invest in solutions that address climate and sustainability challenges on a global scale.

A Conversation with Kim Furlong: The State of VC in Canada

One of the most anticipated moments was a fireside chat between Kim Furlong, CEO of the Canadian Venture Capital Association, and Anne Gaviola, Journalist at Global News. Together, they reflected on the current state of venture capital, why investment levels have dipped, and why this downturn may offer the best opportunity in decades to invest in tech. “This is a moment we only see every 35 years,” Kim shared, urging stakeholders to rethink risk and seize the cycle.

Pitch. Compete. Win.

The afternoon saw four high-growth startups take the stage for the Sales Pitch Competition: Smartconcil, Aspedan, WeVent, and PocketClinic. After a high-energy round of presentations, PocketClinic was crowned the winner, walking away with $15,000 in in-kind services generously provided by OVHCloud, Dentons, and JDL Immigration.

Celebrating Ecosystem Champions

No Global Startups conference is complete without recognizing the community builders behind the scenes:

• Visionary Award: This year went to OVHCloud, a long-time supporter of diversity and inclusion in tech. Receiving on their behalf, Katya Guez, Startup Program Manager for the Americas, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to helping startups scale with sustainable and sovereign infrastructure.

“We believe a strong ecosystem is essential! We hope to continue helping entrepreneurs scale their solutions and ensure their technical resilience with our sovereign, sustainable and affordable cloud infrastructure.” — Katya Guez, OVHCloud

• Mentor of the Year: Six outstanding coaches were nominated by our startups—Payal Raj, Alexander Miranda, Luis Ortiz, Yanki Li, Henrique Dias, and Laura Stumer. The award went to Henrique Dias, recognized for his exceptional dedication and support.
• Startup of the Year: From a strong pool of nominees—HealthBuddha, KhetiBuddy, Forgevision, Scintillant Ventures, PicketClinic, Deschool, and Tiffinstash—the award went to HealthBuddha for its significant traction and impressive progress in the market.

A Toast to the Community

The evening wrapped with a networking cocktail at CN Tower—on what turned out to be the hottest day of the week! It was the perfect way to celebrate the conference’s impact and reconnect with mentors, founders, investors, and our extended community.

None of this would be possible without the incredible Global Startups team, our dedicated volunteers, and our amazing MC Beatriz Zanatelli, who returned for her second year and kept the day flowing with warmth and professionalism.

We also thank our partners—the City of Toronto, OVHCloud, Dentons, JDL Immigration, and Emergex—for their unwavering support in helping us bring this community together year after year.

Looking Ahead

As we close the chapter on this year’s event, we’re already thinking about the next one. With a decade of impact behind us, 2026 promises to be our most memorable yet.

Let’s keep breaking barriers—together.