Anna Baird is an accomplished business transformation leader. She has been published on YouTube as a public face for Google’s DNA Series which talks about Business Impact through People, Culture of Innovation, Psychological Safety and Sharing Consciously.

Founding Cultivate Labs for the Google Cloud business, Anna’s storytelling draws on her customer experience consulting and technology background. She has held multiple roles in Google in an Executive Advisor capacity for Innovation, Ethical AI and Work Transformation.

Anna’s previous roles have included an Executive Advisor role at LinkedIn and a number of roles in consulting. She is also a Director for Cocoon Advisory Limited, a consultancy she built to drive support for scale and transformation in startup businesses.

Active in a number of Diversity and Inclusion initiatives, Anna is an advocate for the UN’s HeForShe commitment and is a mentor with The Knowledge Society (TKS) aiming to help young inventors and technologists as they build their out proof of concepts for tech accessibility, sustainability and healthcare among other industries.

Anna’s speaking engagements have spanned from South Africa to Saudi Arabia, all throughout Europe and across North America. She has been the keynote speaker for a number of company-wide kick-offs, public associations and Government entities.

Max Lytvyn is a co-founder of Grammarly and currently focuses on self-serve revenue growth as the Head of Self-Serve Revenue. Since its founding in 2009, Grammarly has grown from a subscription-based tool for students to the trusted AI assistant for work, serving over 30 million users and 70,000 professional teams.

Before helping build Grammarly, Max co-created MyDropBox, a plagiarism- detection company, and served as the Director of Product Strategy at Blackboard Inc. after it acquired MyDropBox. Max’s favorite aspect of working at Grammarly is exploring new opportunities and puzzling out challenges. He’s also inspired by working with and learning from a talented, values-driven team.

Max is a member of the Forbes Tech Council and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Fast Company. Max holds a BBA in information systems from the International Christian University in Kyiv and holds an MBA from Vanderbilt University.

Jack Newton is the CEO and Founder of Clio, the world’s leading legal technology company headquartered in Vancouver, BC. A pioneer in cloud and AI solutions for law firms, Jack has redefined how legal services are delivered—making them more accessible, efficient, and client centered. Today, Clio powers over 150,000 legal professionals in 130+ countries. He’s also the bestselling author of The Client-Centered Law Firm, a guide for law firms looking to thrive in the experience-driven era.

Anna Sainsbury is Co-Founder and CEO of GeoComply, a leading company at the forefront of fraud prevention, geolocation, and cybersecurity solutions. With a deep understanding of the online world’s complexities, Anna has guided GeoComply to become an indispensable partner to the gaming, fintech, media, streaming, and cryptocurrency industries. The company’s advanced technologies address critical challenges such as fraud, compliance, and cyber threats, ensuring digital security for prominent brands like DraftKings, FanDuel, BBC, and Nextdoor.

Since co-founding GeoComply in 2011, Anna has been a driving force behind its growth into a global powerhouse, processing over a billion transactions monthly and safeguarding more than 200 million devices worldwide. GeoComply’s ‘Unicorn’ status has received accolades such as Deloitte’s Top 5 High-Growth Tech Companies and recognition from Fast Company as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Enterprise Technology Companies.

Anna’s entrepreneurial journey is rooted in a passion for making the digital world a safer place for all. Beyond her commitment to technological innovation at GeoComply, she is a strong advocate for social responsibility and online safety, and actively collaborates with and donates our technology to organizations, like the Child Rescue Coalition, to combat child exploitation and protect vulnerable communities.

Jamie leads Wayve’s Science department, where he guides our research teams to unlock new research breakthroughs, to enable those breakthroughs to have meaningful impact for the business, and to disrupt both our technical and business strategy to ensure Wayve stays at the forefront of innovation.

Jamie has been at the forefront of applied AI research for the past 20 years. Before joining Wayve, Jamie was Partner Director of Science at Microsoft and Head of the Mixed Reality & AI Labs. While at Microsoft, Jamie shipped foundational features for Microsoft’s Kinect (Microsoft’s line of motion sensing input devices) and the hand- and eye-tracking that enable HoloLens 2’s interaction model (smart glasses).

Jamie has a PhD in computer vision from the University of Cambridge and has received multiple Best Paper and Best Demo Awards at top-tier academic conferences. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2021.

Tanis Jorge is a serial tech entrepreneur, advisor, and author best known as the co-founder of Trulioo, a global identity verification company that achieved Unicorn status in 2021. Her entrepreneurial journey began in junior high, when a locker assignment next to future co-founder Stephen Ufford sparked a lifelong friendship and business partnership. Together, they built and exited four tech companies over two decades.

With each venture, Jorge honed her expertise in scaling startups and navigating the complexities of co-founder dynamics. After stepping away from Trulioo, she turned her attention to mentoring entrepreneurs, focusing on the often-overlooked relationship between business partners. Today, she continues to guide founders through the challenges of entrepreneurship, sharing insights from her own journey and championing the power of strong co-founder alignment.

Anabel Maldonado is a patent-holder, and the Founder & CEO of PSYKHE AI, the taste intelligence layer for commerce. Leveraging the most advanced psychographic dataset in retail, PSYKHE AI powers emotionally intelligent merchandising and product discovery for category-leading retailers in the AI era.

Chantelle Murnaghan leads Product Innovation for lululemon’s run, train, yoga, and On-The-Move apparel categories. In this role, Chantelle oversees the research that informs lululemon’s product creation process and drives new initiatives, from gathering scientific insights and identifying real human needs, to advanced prototyping, technical product development, and testing.

Chantelle’s expertise in the fields of neuroscience, neuromechanics, biomechanics, and sensory perception has been integral to the discovery and application of industry-shifting initiatives at lululemon, including the brand’s unique Science of Feelä innovation lens. Her team’s ground breaking work studying breast movement and movement management needs has shaped lululemon’s celebrated approach to technical sports bra design and resulted in product innovations like the Enlite Bra and AirSupport Bra.

Her collaborative and inclusive leadership style has created strong internal and external partnerships and elevated lululemon’s R&D processes. In addition to her cross-functional collaboration with lululemon’s Raw Materials, Design and Ambassador teams, Chantelle also leads partnerships with academic third parties, augmenting in-house capabilities with best-in class institutions to accelerate innovation across lululemon’s men’s and women’s apparel. Outside of work, Chantelle is a wife and mother of two young children, as well as a lifelong runner and skier.

Lu Zhang, Founder and Managing Partner of Fusion Fund, is a renowned Silicon Valley-based investor, a serial entrepreneur, and a Stanford Engineering alumna. With a strong technical background, Lu has extensive experience bringing a broad range of technologies to commercialization, and deep domain expertise in AI in healthcare, Enterprise AI/Networks, Edge Computing and Data Privacy. Founded by Lu in 2015, Fusion Fund is dedicated to supporting early-stage entrepreneurs working on innovation in healthcare, enterprise AI and industrial automation. With investments in over 90 companies across the U.S. and Canada, Fusion Fund has generated substantial exits over the years.

Prior to starting Fusion Fund, Lu was a serial entrepreneur and materials science researcher. Following the exit of her startup, Lu began investing in and supporting early-stage entrepreneurs. This eventually led her to create Fusion Fund in 2015. Since then, Lu has built a distinguished ecosystem and established her reputation in the VC industry. She was honored as Young Global Leader by World Economic Forum (Davos), Silicon Valley Women of Influence, Top 25 Female early-stage investor by Business Insider, Featured Honoree of VC of Forbes 30 under 30 and Town & Country 50 Modern Swans – Entrepreneurship Influencer.

Lu frequently speaks at high profile tech conferences such as World Economic Forum(Davos), Future Investment Initiative (FII), Web Summit, SuperReturn, etc. and she is a guest lecturer at Stanford University and Wharton. Lu serves as a board member of many portfolio companies, the Board Director of CommonSpirit Health Foundation, the Board and Chairwoman of the Youth Council of Future Science Award, and Jury Board of the Cartier Women Initiative and Young Leader Award. She holds an M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from Stanford University.

Chinasa T. Okolo, Ph.D., is a Fellow at The Brookings Institution and a recent Computer Science Ph.D. graduate from Cornell University. Her research focuses on AI governance for the Global Majority, datafication and algorithmic marginalization, and the socioeconomic impact of data work. Dr. Okolo has been recognized as one of the world’s most influential people in AI by TIME, honored in the inaugural Forbes 30 Under 30 AI list, and advises numerous multilateral institutions, national governments, corporations, and nonprofits.

In addition to her work at Brookings, Dr. Okolo serves as a Drafting Member of the Nigerian National AI Strategy, a Consulting Expert to the African Union AI Continental Strategy, an Expert Contributing Writer to the International AI Safety Report, and the Editor-in-Chief of ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society. Her research has been covered widely in media outlets and published at top-tier venues in human-computer interaction and sociotechnical computing.

Christian F. Nunes, MBA, MS, LCSW, is a trailblazing advocate, international speaker, strategist, and leader who made history as NOW’s second African American President in 2020. As Founder/CEO of Equity Bound Solutions LLC, she creates equitable solutions for organizations by blending equity, mental health wellness, and social justice principles. With over two decades of experience
advocating for AI & digital safety, mental health, and gender equity, Christian has drafted significant legislation, co-authored policy surveys, and launched transformative initiatives. Christian F. Nunes, MBA, MS, LCSW, is a formidable advocate, international speaker, strategist, and leader who made history as the second African American President of the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 2020. As the Founder and CEO of Equity Bound Solutions LLC, she is committed to creating equitable solutions for organizations by effectively blending principles of equity, mental health wellness, and social justice.

With over two decades of experience, Christian has a proven track record advocating for AI and
digital safety, mental health, and gender equity. She has been instrumental in drafting vital
legislation, co-authoring impactful policy surveys, and spearheading transformative initiatives,
including “Unlock the Future,” the “Feminist State of the Union,” the “Feminism NOW Podcast,” and her children’s book “No Hug Today,” which empowers young children by teaching them about consent and self-advocacy.

Through her powerful media presence and advocacy work, Christian has positioned herself as a
leading voice in policy development and international speaking engagements, earning significant
recognition from prominent media outlets such as Forbes, CNN, The Washington Post, The New
York Times, and MSNBC, including Unlock the Future, Feminist State of the Union, the Feminism
NOW Podcast, and her children’s book No Hug Today, which teaches young kids about consent and self-empowerment. Her advocacy through media appearances, policy development, and
international speaking engagements has earned her features in prominent media outlets like
Forbes, CNN, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and MSNBC.

Gurpreet Jhaj is the Vice President of Marketing at Vancity. She brings a wealth of experience, having lived and worked across the UK, USA, India, and Canada. Gurpreet joined Vancity in 2022, following leadership roles at BCAA, Aimia (EMEA and US), and Centrica. She is renowned for driving innovation within organizations and building highly engaged, effective teams.

For the past decade, Gurpreet has made British Columbia her home, residing in the vibrant Gastown neighborhood near the DTES. She is deeply committed to fostering a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable future. Gurpreet is an active member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values’ communication working group, where she shares and learns best practices from the GABV network.

Embracing life in BC, Gurpreet enjoys hiking the province’s stunning mountains, swimming, and paddleboarding on its serene lakes during the summer. An avid reader and lifelong learner, she is passionate about continually expanding her knowledge.

Jung Lee is a global business executive with a passion for bringing innovative products and services to market. As the Canada Country Manager for Remitly, she works with Canadian customers and businesses to deliver digital financial services that make global payments fast, easy and more accessible.

She has had the opportunity to build and lead initiatives across AI, voice technology, cloud services, mobile payments, and drone delivery. Jung has led high-performing teams and launched new solutions with partners in fintech, healthcare, retail, and manufacturing.

Prior to her role at Remitly, Jung held leadership positions in business and product development at Alphabet’s Wing, Amazon, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Visa. She holds an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of British Columbia.

Chris Neumann is a 4x founder turned early-stage investor with a focus on enterprise software, developer tools and AI.

Chris was previously a General Partner at Panache Ventures, Canada’s leading early-stage fund. Before that, Chris founded Commonwealth Ventures, a San Francisco-based accelerator for Canadian and UK startups. He was also a Venture Partner at 500 Startups, the CEO and Cofounder of DataHero (acquired by Cloudability) and the first employee of Aster Data (acquired by Teradata).

Chris is dedicated to supporting the most ambitious founders in Canada and around the world as an investor and through his blog, chrisneumann.com.
Summarize this table

Shivam is a strategist and advisor focused on digital transformation and sustainability for governments, multilateral organizations, and corporations worldwide. He serves as a Senior Advisor to the United Nations Environment Programme and works with global consulting firms such as D4DInsights, a leader in data-driven solutions for sustainable development. Shivam guides governments in building national resilience through digital ecosystems and infrastructure innovation. He is also an active investor in climate-focused and corporate SaaS startups. Shivam holds a graduate degree from Harvard University and is a frequent guest lecturer at graduate business schools around the world.

Natalie Monbiot pioneers ethical approaches to AI that extend human capabilities rather than replace them. As Founder of Virtual Human Economy (VHE), she develops and implements strategies for AI technologies that allow people to expand their reach while maintaining control over their digital identity.

Previously, as a founding executive at Hour One, Natalie helped create one of the first commercially successful AI avatar companies, pioneering a system where real people could be compensated for their digital likenesses. This work established her as a leader in creating ethical frameworks for AI representation.

Natalie’s TEDx talk, “Can your ‘digital twin’ be trustworthy?”, addresses the practical challenges of maintaining authenticity and trust when using AI to represent humans in digital spaces.

Before 2019, Natalie worked as a digital media executive shaping innovation for brands including Samsung, BMW, and Sony.

Natalie’s work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and MIT Technology Review. She speaks regularly at major technology conferences including Web Summit, SXSW, and Fortune Brainstorm AI, focusing on tangible approaches to developing AI that enhances human potential rather than diminishing it.

Handol is Co-Founder & CEO of Variational AI. Variational AI is a venture-backed generative AI platform-based drug discovery start-up working at the intersection of machine learning and chemistry to create novel and selective cancer drugs. Variational AI’s goal is to deliver better, novel, and safe medicines to patients faster than ever to redefine the unit economics of drug discovery and development.

Handol has 25+ years of technology leadership experience in venture-backed start-ups and public companies in software, mobile, quantum computing, and machine learning in Silicon Valley, Canada, and Asia Pacific. He sits on the boards of the AI Network of BC (AInBC), The Frontier Collective, and the United Way of BC.

Anita Bathe is the Senior Manager of Media Relations and Issues Management at TransLink, where she leads the organization’s strategic media engagement and crisis response efforts.

Before joining TransLink, Anita built an award-winning career in journalism, working as an anchor and reporter for CBC and other major news outlets at both the national and local level. Her work earned her two Canadian Screen Awards for Best Local News Anchor in the country, and she spent more than a decade telling stories that mattered to communities across British Columbia.

Anita brings that same storytelling lens to public transportation, helping bridge the gap between complex infrastructure initiatives and the people they impact. She is passionate about connecting people to their cities whether through journalism, transit, or trusted public dialogue. Anita is committed to building trust through clear, inclusive communication that puts people at the forefront, while safeguarding brand reputation.

With a foundation in journalism and a deep commitment to public service, Tina Lovgreen now serves as Director of Communications at TransLink. She oversees the organization’s external communications and brand strategy, guiding how Metro Vancouver’s transit system communicates with millions of customers and stakeholders.

Tina began her career as a reporter and video journalist at CBC, where she covered some of the province’s most pressing stories and developed a sharp eye for impactful, human-centered storytelling. She draws on that experience to lead with clarity and purpose, especially when navigating complex or high-stakes public issues.

Her work bridges the worlds of journalism and public communication, helping to ensure transit is not just a service, but a story people understand and trust.

Rob Kenedi has spent over two decades turning great tech stories into must‑listen shows—and turning startups into real businesses.

He created and hosts Decelerator, a talk‑show‑meets‑podcast where a sharp monologue sets the stage before candid conversations with founders, investors, and ecosystem builders who are rewriting the tech playbook. Before Decelerator, Rob launched two influential series, the BetaKit podcast and Entrepreneurs in Small Rooms Drinking Coffee, that have shaped tech dialogue since 2014.

Off‑mic, Rob is a repeat founder and operator: he’s led venture‑backed and bootstrapped companies, helped lead a notable services firm to a Deloitte acquisition, and, as CEO of Endloop Studios, released a #1 iOS game in the mobile app heyday.

Today he advises startups from pre‑seed to scale‑up, unblocking growth with hard‑won operating insight and an unmatched network.
Summarize this table

Rob Kenedi has spent over two decades turning great tech stories into must‑listen shows—and turning startups into real businesses.

He created and hosts Decelerator, a talk‑show‑meets‑podcast where a sharp monologue sets the stage before candid conversations with founders, investors, and ecosystem builders who are rewriting the tech playbook. Before Decelerator, Rob launched two influential series, the BetaKit podcast and Entrepreneurs in Small Rooms Drinking Coffee, that have shaped tech dialogue since 2014.

Off‑mic, Rob is a repeat founder and operator: he’s led venture‑backed and bootstrapped companies, helped lead a notable services firm to a Deloitte acquisition, and, as CEO of Endloop Studios, released a #1 iOS game in the mobile app heyday.

Today he advises startups from pre‑seed to scale‑up, unblocking growth with hard‑won operating insight and an unmatched network.

Wellington Holbrook is the President and CEO of Vancity, one of Canada’s largest community credit union. With a 30-year career in Canada’s financial services industry, Wellington has focused his career on cooperatives and banking institutions with missions that extend beyond profits.

Prior to becoming CEO of Vancity, Wellington held progressively senior roles at financial institutions across Canada. At connectFirst Credit Union, Wellington served as Chief Operating Officer before taking on the role of CEO, leading the credit union through mergers and the integration of several credit unions under a new brand. At ATB Financial, he led their retail, business and agriculture banking lines of business and, as Chief Transformation and Technology Officer, he led an ambitious digital, business and cultural transformation at the largest Alberta-based financial institution. Serving as the Senior Vice-President of Operations at the Business Development Bank of Canada, Wellington played a pivotal role in leading and shaping the bank’s business across Western Canada.

Fluent in French and English, Wellington holds a B. Comm from the University of Manitoba and an MBA with distinction from the University of Oxford. In 2008, he was invited by the Clerk of the Privy Council of Canada to partake in a year-long program focused on foreign diplomacy, where he honed his leadership skills.

Wellington has served on several boards, and currently is Chair of the Calgary Telus Convention Centre. He is an avid music fan and amateur musician. He and his wife have two adult children.

Dr. Danny Goel is a Vancouver-based physician, Clinical Professor at UBC, and the founder & CEO of PrecisionOS, a company transforming how procedural training is delivered through immersive VR and AI. With fellowship training from Harvard and years of clinical experience, his team has built a platform that bridges hands-on learning with advanced spatial computing—making critical skills more accessible, scalable, and measurable.

PrecisionOS supports a wide range of healthcare professionals—from surgeons and nurses to medical students and procedural specialists—by enabling them to practice high-stakes tasks in a safe, data-rich virtual environment. Under Danny’s leadership, the company has grown into a global leader in AI-enabled simulation and procedural education at scale, helping institutions train better, faster, and more efficiently.

As a founder, clinician, and innovator, Danny is helping redefine how we prepare the next generation of healthcare providers.

Shelly Badhesha visionary Business Executive with a 15-year tenure in the tech and consulting spheres. As the Director of Banking at RBCx, she is dedicated to financial empowerment for the innovators of today and leaders of tomorrow. Guiding a team of relationship managers, her mission is to propel startups and scale-ups toward unparalleled growth through strategic financing and robust partnerships.

Her professional experience was enriched at IBM Consulting in Canada, where, as an Associate Partner, she steered the Customer Transformation domain, meticulously weaving the threads of customer and employee experiences with the finesse of design and the prowess of digital products. Her expertise is deeply rooted in cultivating strategic partnerships and harnessing cross-cultural leadership to navigate the dynamic business landscapes of Fortune 100 companies across Energy, Mining, Retail, and the Public Sector.

The vibrant city of Vancouver is where she innovates and inspires. Here, she pioneered KPMG’s Innovation practice, unveiling the city’s first Canadian Innovation Centre, cementing my repute as a maven of innovation consulting and venture development.

Sonia is a government and stakeholder relations leader with deep experience at the intersection of transportation, technology, and public policy. With nearly a decade in the mobility sector, she has worked to advance innovative, tech-enabled transportation solutions—ranging from micromobility to ride-hailing—to better serve equity-seeking communities and enhance urban and goods movement in Vancouver.

Currently at Lime, Sonia helps shape policy for the world’s largest electric vehicle company. Prior to that, she led government and stakeholder relations at TransLink, where she championed future-focused initiatives within one of North America’s top transportation authorities.

Sonia holds a Master’s in Public Policy and Global Affairs. Originally from London, UK, she now calls Vancouver, Canada, home.

Currently responsible for providing cohesive, strategic direction to Asset Management, Property Management, and Development functions for Low Tide Properties, to achieve key performance metrics for a diverse portfolio of Creative and High-Tech Office, Life Sciences, Flex-Industrial, Retail, and Multifamily Rental properties in Vancouver and Seattle.

Beyond my work at Low Tide Properties, I serve on numerous non-profit boards including for the Urban Land Institute of British Columbia and Catalyst Communities, as well as previous terms on the Mount Pleasant BiA and Downtown BiA.

Ted Graham is an entrepreneur, intrapreneur turned author (The Uber of Everything) and Head of Open Innovation and Corporate Venture at General Motors. He often speaks about disruptions in regulated industries and is an angel investor across multiple sectors. He recently was awarded Mentor of the Year at CDL Atlantic.

Mike Klassen is a dedicated Councillor for the City of Vancouver, first elected in 2022. He is committed to fostering economic growth, supporting small businesses, and promoting safe, vibrant communities. A champion for the city’s high-tech industry and arts and culture sector, Mike also prioritizes building housing faster to meet Vancouver’s growing needs and creating an age-friendly city where older adults can stay active and connected.

Before public office, Mike served as Vice President of Public Affairs for the BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA), where he played a key role in advocating for seniors’ health care and housing. During the COVID-19 crisis, as Acting CEO of BCCPA, he led efforts to help care homes manage the unprecedented challenges and reunite families separated by health restrictions.

Mike’s commitment to community service is evident in his leadership roles, including as president of the board for PAL (Performing Arts Lodge) Vancouver, where he helped launch a 66-unit housing project for arts professionals. He has also served as Vice-Chair of the Vancouver City Planning Commission, Vice-Chair of the DOXA Documentary Festival, and board member for the B.C. Small Business Roundtable and Canadian Association of Long-Term Care.

In 2015, Mike led a province-wide consultation that resulted in regulatory reforms bolstering B.C.’s wine and grape-growing industry. A UBC graduate with a passion for running, fitness, and wine travel, Mike was born and raised in Vancouver, where he lives with his family.

Allison Braley is a partner at Bain Capital Ventures (BCV) where she leads marketing. Over 20+ years, Allison has crafted narratives that stick for tech, media and VC brands. Allison has worked with The Information, Ford Motor Company, Conde Nast, The OutCast Agency and ZocDoc, among many others.

Soroush is the CEO and Co-Founder of Novarc Technologies. Soroush has over 15 years of experience in the commercialization and product development of industrial automation, focusing on collaborative robotics, machine vision, machine learning and welding. Soroush holds an MBA in Strategy and Finance from the University of British Columbia and is a professional engineer as well as a CFA charter holder. He holds a Master of Applied Science in electrical engineering from the University of British Columbia and a bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Sharif University of Technology.

Lisa Graston is an innovation ecosystem strategist with a global perspective on emerging tech and the mobilization of capital for entrepreneurs. As Director of Operations at the National Angel Capital Organization (NACO), Lisa contributes to national initiatives that strengthen Canada’s early-stage capital networks and innovation economy.

NACO is Canada’s national industry association representing angel investors, incubators, and early-stage capital networks – through policy advocacy, research, and convening initiatives, NACO mobilizes capital, strengthens regional ecosystems, and supports the growth of high-potential startups across Canada. Since its inception, NACO members have invested over $1.8 billion into more than 2,000 early-stage companies, fueling innovation from coast to coast.

Before her role at NACO, Lisa was the Director of Investor Relations at OurCrowd, Israel’s most active venture capital firm. Lisa played a pivotal role in growing the firm’s North American footprint, expanding investor access to frontier technologies across AI, cybersecurity, digital health, and climate tech, and in raising funds for OurCrowd’s portfolio of companies.

Lisa holds an MBA from York University’s Schulich School of Business and is passionate about strengthening the Canadian innovation ecosystem and supporting the next generation of global tech founders.

Allison Butula is the Head of Marketing at Metalab, the product design agency behind some of the most iconic digital experiences of the past two decades, including Slack, Uber, Instacart, Headspace, and Coinbase. With over a decade of experience in brand strategy, e-commerce and digital marketing, she’s known for leading high-impact brand transformations that drive growth.

Before joining Metalab, Allison was CMO at Kit and Ace, where she led a company-wide rebrand following its acquisition by Unity Brands. She has also held executive brand and e-commerce roles at Vitruvi, Cactus Club Cafe, and Herschel Supply Co.

Outside of Metalab, Allison is an avid trail runner, cyclist and trained amateur sommelier.

Sharad Kharé is an award-winning storyteller, documentarian, and founder of Human Biography, a global content agency that produces original video stories for remarkable individuals, brands, and organizations across the world. With a background in media and journalism, Sharad holds a Master’s degree in Communications, where his academic research focused on personal and digital legacy.

Sharad has had the privilege of documenting the lives and insights of some of the world’s most iconic figures, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Oprah Winfrey, Meryl Streep, Arianna Huffington, Chip Wilson, Susan Sarandon, Val Kilmer, Indra Nooyi, Helen Mirren, Jack and Suzy Welch, Peter Diamandis, Maye Musk, Jacqueline Novogratz, and Katy Perry, as well as numerous visionary CEOs and global changemakers.

Through Human Biography, Sharad has partnered with leading institutions such as TED, Microsoft, UN Women, the David Lynch Foundation, and many others to craft compelling narratives that elevate mission and impact.

He has been invited to speak and lecture on the power of storytelling at institutions including Harvard University, IIT, Parsons School of Design, the University of Pennsylvania, and the United Nations. He currently serves as a guest professor in the Master of Film program at the University of Rome in Italy.

Sharad is also the host of The Human Biography Podcast, a series of deep conversations with extraordinary individuals about life, legacy, and meaning.

As co-founder of The Indigenous Collective, Sharad has collaborated with Indigenous communities across North America, directing and producing projects that preserve and honour culture, ceremony, and intergenerational wisdom. His most recent work includes a documentary project with the Chiefs of Ontario—capturing the sacred transfer of knowledge from Elders to youth—and a feature documentary on Ethos Lab, a groundbreaking innovation hub for youth.

His film on the life of Orene Askew, DJ OShow, won Best Documentary globally. In 2019, Sharad was awarded the Disruptor Fellowship at the United Nations Headquarters in New York for his pioneering work in media, joining other honorees such as Val Kilmer and Oona Chaplin.

Sharad currently serves on the board of Beedie Luminaries, continuing his commitment to education, equity, and storytelling that uplifts humanity.

Darcy Matheson is the Editor-in-Chief at BCBusiness magazine, which chronicles the innovators and change makers shaping our province. She’s also the VP of digital for Canada Wide Media, Western Canada’s largest magazine publisher.

Ka-Hay leads agriculture, climate investments and impact management at TELUS Global Ventures. TELUS Global Ventures is the strategic corporate venture arm of TELUS, that leverag TELUS’ global technology and commercial expertise alongside venture capital to scale the next generation of solutions in IoT, Agriculture, Healthcare and other digital solutions.

Ka-Hay brings nearly 15 years of impact investment experience around the world, backing early stage innovations that scale financial returns and impact. When not working, she can be found trying to keep up with her two kids who are quickly outpacing her on the bike, on the road, and let’s be real, everything else.

Winston Choe is a venture-builder, corporate-innovator, investor, mentor with diverse achievements in AI, HealthTech, CleanTech, Mobility

He has over 20 years experience in working with startups in Silicon Valley, to grow from seed to exit, through commercialization, investment, acquisition, and doing venture-development for corporations and accelerators.

He currently works as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) and Innovation Business Development Director at LG NOVA, the venture-studio and fund for LG Electronics in Silicon Valley. Their charter is to build new ventures by partnering with companies who provide foundational-technologies to their solutions. Winston has launched new ventures for LG Electronics in Digital Health and CleanTech in partnership with 5 companies, and also worked with strategic-partners and investors to expand LG Nova initiatives into new markets.

He was a Founding Mentor at PlugandPlayTechCenter, a venture accelerator with 30000+ startups, 300+ VCs, 500+ corporate-partners, accelerator-programs in 20 industries, investment-portfolio including 18 unicorns, and global-operations across 60+ sites. Winston co-founded TechGrowthVentures, an accelerator for US-Asia businesses, where he built a portfolio of 20 companies, based on cross-border synergies for supply-chain, joint-development, market-entry, investment. He also worked with governments in South-Asia to establish accelerator-programs leveraging their local ecosystems with a bridge to Silicon Valley.

Winston has established global sales and business-development teams at Intel, HP, Nokia, Sun, DEC, HERE with a track-record in achieving and exceeding business-targets.

Jan E. Odegard is a nationally recognized innovation strategist, venture advisor, and technology leader with over 30 years of experience working at the intersection of academia, entrepreneurship, and applied research. As Founder and CEO of 62x Ventures, and through his collaboration with LeVass Ventures, Jan helps institutions, municipalities, and developers design and implement high-performing innovation ecosystems. He brings deep expertise in ecosystem activation, talent development, research translation, and technology-driven economic development.

From 2020 to 2024, Jan served as Executive Director of the Ion, the anchor of Houston’s innovation district and a signature initiative of Rice University. Under his leadership, the Ion evolved into a nationally recognized platform for inclusive innovation and startup engagement. He led the development of academic-corporate partnerships, designed talent cultivation and

venture programming, and spearheaded community activation strategies that positioned the Ion as a convener across sectors. Over his tenure, the Ion hosted more than 700 events, supported 300+ startups, and facilitated over 80,000 visitor engagements—amplifying Houston’s innovation visibility and strengthening its startup pipeline. He helped cultivate an environment where entrepreneurs, researchers, corporations, and creative practitioners could collaborate in real time, and his leadership helped establish The Ion as a credible, cross-sector innovation hub recognized by national foundations and federal partners. In 2024, Jan received the Innovation District Leadership Award from the Global Institute on Innovation Districts (GIID) in recognition of his impact and thought leadership in the field.

Prior to his work at the Ion, Jan spent more than two decades in senior leadership roles at Rice University, including as Executive Director of the Ken Kennedy Institute and Associate Vice President for Research Computing. At Rice, he helped grow one of the nation’s most respected interdisciplinary centers for high-performance computing, AI, and data science—bridging academic excellence with industry partnerships in energy, healthcare, and emerging technologies. He oversaw the university’s advanced computing infrastructure, led cross-sector research initiatives, and launched nationally recognized events such as the

Energy HPC Conference and AI in Health Conference. His leadership helped shape Rice’s national profile in computational science and technology translation. Jan also received Rice’s Michael Pearlman Memorial Service Award, honoring his long-standing institutional impact and service.

Jan’s advisory work builds on this deep operational and academic foundation. He currently leads the Houston chapter of Venture University, bringing its Venture Investor Accelerator program to Texas to expand early-stage capital access and mentor the next generation of founders and funders. Through 62x Ventures and in close collaboration with LeVass Ventures, he now advises innovation districts, universities, and civic organizations on how to align programming, partnerships, workforce strategy, and place-based investment to drive both economic and societal returns.

Jan holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Rice University, an M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M, and an Associate Degree in Engineering from Telemark College of Engineering in Norway. He is fluent in English and Norwegian and brings a systems-level mindset, cross-sector expertise, and collaborative approach to every engagement.

Caty has spent her career laser focused on enriching and improving consumers’ experiences, mostly in the digital space. She has touched on technologies in their infancy from social media at ESPN in 2008 to her most recent role as Head of Partnerships & Marketing at Dapper Labs where she spent time getting consumers and some of the biggest brands in the world excited about a new world of blockchain. Prior to Dapper Labs, she held roles at USA Network, the NHL, and the NFL. She’s driven by enriching fan experiences, demystifying new technologies for consumers, and working with smart people.

Theodora Jean is an award-winning communications strategist and the Founder of Coldwater Communications, a boutique PR agency recognized three years running as Small Agency Team of the Year. With over 15 years of experience in public relations, Theodora leads cross-sector campaigns spanning tech, government, non-profit, and entertainment, helping organizations tell impactful stories and navigate complex communications landscapes. She was recently honoured with the 2025 Entrepreneurial Leadership Award from the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) and has served in leadership roles with the Squamish Chamber of Commerce and CPRS Vancouver. Theodora holds degrees from Queen’s University and the University of Ottawa and has completed executive education at Harvard Business School.

Jennah Dohms is an entrepreneurial product leader named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 for 2024. As Chief Product Officer at TKS, she leads the technology and programming behind its global Accelerator and drives high-impact partnerships with organizations like Google, Microsoft, Meta, TikTok, the World Economic Forum, and the United Nations.

Jennah’s career spans human rights, nonprofit leadership, and startup growth, scaling a venture to $20M+, serving on the board of a global microfinance charity, and speaking on international stages including TEDx.

A former founder with a bias for action, Jennah builds at the intersection of mission and momentum turning big vision into real-world change.

Zach Coelius is a five time entrepreneur and early stage technology investor. He has invested $100m in over 80 young companies including Cruise Automation (bought by GM for $1B+), Branch Metrics, Fireflies, Booksy, Mud Water, Hellosign (bought by DropBox), Apprente (bought by McDonalds) and Mercury.

Zach is also a four-time entrepreneur. In his last company he was the co-founder and CEO of Triggit, an advertising technology company where he raised over $25m in venture capital and exited in 2015.