Event category: BetaKit Keynote Stage

As the lines blur between national security and commercial innovation, defence tech is emerging as one of the fastest-growing and most strategically important sectors in Canada. In this fireside chat, Dominion Dynamics founder Eliot Pence joins Douglas Soltys, Editor-in-Chief of BetaKit, to explore how Arctic surveillance, sensor platforms, and sovereign technology are shaping the next wave of SaaS and data infrastructure. Expect insights on funding, dual-use innovation, and why the defence tech moment is opening big opportunities for Canadian founders.

In this fireside conversation, Minister Solomon and Michael Buhr dive into how Canada can lead—not lag—in the global race to harness the value of AI. From keeping top innovation talent and homegrown tech companies in Canada, fueling scale with Canadian growth capital, enabling smarter procurement, to taking bold national bets, this discussion explores what it will take to turn Canadian AI ambition into real trusted economic value, productivity gains, and a global advantage. Expect a candid exchange on policy, innovation, and the confidence needed to make AI a true national asset.

Every Canadian founder hits the crossroads: stay and scale at home, or head south to chase capital and customers? In this lively, honest conversation, founders, investors, and pro-Canada advocates unpack the real challenges—and surprising advantages—of building companies in Canada. From funding gaps to global competition, we’ll explore what it takes to make “staying” the smarter move.

One of Canada’s largest enterprise software companies is now all in on AI. In this exclusive fireside chat, EVP, Chief Digital Officer & Chief Information Officer at OpenText, Shannon Bell will share how the company is embracing AI to drive transformation at scale. From reimagining customer experiences to streamlining operations and unlocking new efficiencies, Bell will provide an insider’s perspective on how OpenText is embedding AI across its platforms and products.

Wherever you are in your journey as a founder or product leader, two pillars maintain the foundation of your product: people and (product) systems. Delivering on your promise to customers relies on your product systems running at the highest efficiency so that your people can focus on executing high-quality work, not complex systems or navigating management. Join me for tactical insights from over twenty years of learning in enhancing product systems and teams for my web agency, external clients, and startup teams.

In this bold and personal keynote, Vidyard’s Michael Litt unpacks the shifting SaaS landscape—where customers no longer pay for software, but outcomes. From contract lock-ins to value-driven results, the next era is Results-as-a-Service. Drawing on two decades of pivots—on-prem to SaaS, marketers to sellers, desktop to AI—Michael shares how to navigate uncertainty, place strategic bets, and build in the age of large language models. Where does AI end and your product begin? What categories are untouchable? What gets swallowed by foundation models? Expect war stories, real talk, and a future-forward look at what it really takes to evolve.