Day 2 of HardTech Summit took place yesterday at Toronto Marriott Markham, bringing together a blend of innovation and game changing technology to the forefront of the hardware sector. This was ventureLAB’s first ever Pitch Gala with over 300 participants, where 8 companies pitched for their chance to take home a collective $50,000 in cash prizes.
Kicking off the night with the first keynote was Sebastien Gendron, Co-Founder and CEO of TransPod Inc.. Sebastien delved into the mission of TransPod and their vision to build a more sustainable and efficient future with their ultra-high-speed ground transportation, which connects cities and addresses climate change. The keynote was followed by the most highly anticipated event of the evening, - the Pitch Competition.
One of the most compelling aspects of the HardTech Pitch Gala was the opportunity for pitch competition finalists to win a collective $50,000 in collective cash prizes. The cash prizes were designed to help these innovative companies further their research and development efforts, scale their operations, and turn their visionary concepts into reality.
A total of eight companies were selected to participate in the pitch competition, where they had the opportunity to pitch their ideas to an audience of investors, industry experts, and fellow innovators to demonstrate their potential to disrupt the hardware industry. The companies are: Able Innovations, ABR, Digitho, Enertics, Hygienic Echo, Just Vertical, Steadiwear, Longan Vision.
Congratulations to the winners of the Pitch Competition:
- The first place prize of $30,000 was awarded to Hygienic Echo, and
- The second place prize of $20,000 & the Siemens Software Award were awarded to Able Innovations
We were privileged to hear remarks from Mayor Frank Scarpitti, City of Markham, which highlighted the semiconductor renaissance happening here in Markham and York Region, enabling tech startups with a growth mindset from across the globe looking to access unique growth-oriented initiatives like ventureLAB.
While the judges deliberated on the winners of the Pitch Competition, we had the opportunity to hear from John Ruffolo, Founder and Managing Partner of Maverix Private Equity, and Flavio Volpe, President of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association, for a Fireside Chat moderated by Sep Assadian, VP of Founder Success at ventureLAB. The discussion provided incredibly valuable insight into the Canadian deep tech and hardware ecosystem, touching on current macro-trends in the Canadian deep tech business environment and providing key recommendations for entrepreneurs looking to navigate difficult market conditions.
The gala dinner was the perfect culmination of the two-day event and brought together the brightest minds in the hardware technology sector, providing an opportunity for participants to network and showcase ventureLAB's unwavering dedication to nurture innovation and promote collaboration within the hardware and technology sector.
“I am so excited to watch ventureLAB in their role as conveners of the hardware ecosystem with the mission of growing globally competitive tech titans that build-to-scale in Canada.” - David Agnew, President of Seneca, Board member of ventureLAB
As we bring the two-day HardTech Summit to a close, we extend our gratitude to our sponsors, dedicated table partners, and attendees for their unwavering support throughout this exceptional 2-day event.
