The first day of ventureLAB's 4th Annual HardTech Summit brought together over 1,100 attendees at the Toronto Marriott Markham. Hosted by CBC journalist Manjula Selvarajah, the summit kicked off with an opening remarks by ventureLAB CEO Hugh Chow, followed by a featured fireside chat with Chow and Dick Thurston, Chairman and CEO of Hudson Valley FastFab. Their insights on global manufacturing and semiconductor opportunities set the tone for a day of impactful discussions about Canada’s future in hardtech.
For the first time since its inception, the summit included a side stage, dedicated for even more in-depth and diverse discussions. Panels on both the main and side stages explored critical topics shaping Canada’s tech landscape. “MedTech at Home: A $Billion Opportunity for the Smart and Bold” examined Canada’s potential to lead in medtech innovation, while “Fueling Hardtech Growth: Where is Canada’s Competitive Edge?” discussed strategies to elevate Canada’s standing on the world stage. Other sessions like “The Power of People: How Talent Can Help Bridge the Canadian Productivity Gap” tackled pressing workforce challenges, and “Commanding Attention: Practical Communications Tools for HardTech” provided practical insights into elevating storytelling in the competitive hardtech market.
This year’s summit was further enriched by key speakers, including Dr. Arvind Gupta, Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Toronto; Mona Enghanian, Assistant Vice President at the Ontario Centre of Innovation; Siri Agrell, CEO of BetaKit; Conway Fraser, Managing Director of Fraser Torosay and many more experts in the ecosystem. These distinguished guests, along with other leading voices, offered insights across panels, fireside chats, and networking sessions, driving forward discussions on Canada’s competitive strengths in hardtech and the path forward.
Attendees also explored over 30 exhibition booths showcasing groundbreaking advancements in hardware, medtech, AI, and semiconductors. This year’s summit was made possible by the generous support of sponsors, including York Region, Invest HK, FYELABS, Toronto Global, Dell for Startups, Vcycene, Ontario Brain Institute, Tech Bridge, Sterling Industries, Seneca Polytechnic, AMD, City of Markham, City of Vaughan, 105.9 The Region, EP&T, BetaKit and Canadian Manufacturing, whose partnerships underscored a shared commitment to building a robust and globally competitive Canadian tech ecosystem.
The day concluded with enthusiastic networking sessions, where industry leaders, innovators, and investors connected over shared goals and discussed how to accelerate Canada’s hardtech innovation. Day 1 set a powerful tone for the summit, energizing participants with fresh perspectives and a shared commitment to advancing Canada’s hardtech landscape.
