Author: Elevate

  • Fourteen of Canada’s Top Startups Named as 2026 CIX Startup Award Winners

    Fourteen of Canada’s Top Startups Named as 2026 CIX Startup Award Winners

    Powered by Elevate, CIX Startup Awards is the Largest National Showcase of Canada’s Most Innovative Emerging, Early, and Growth-Stage Startups

    TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / February 10, 2026 / Elevate has announced the 2026 CIX Startup Awards winners: fourteen exceptional Canadian startups from across the country making an impact in health, climate, defence, fintech and marketing. Over half are impact ventures and three-quarters have female founders or C-level executives. The winners were selected from a pool of over 370 applications, reviewed by 94 leading North American investors.

    These award recipients will present in person at the CIX Summit on March 25, 2026 at the Design Exchange in Toronto, connecting with 600+ investors, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders from across North America’s technology ecosystem.

    The 2026 CIX Startup Award Recipients:

    Emerging Category Recipients:

    • PRE Inc. (Marketing Tech)- Toronto, ON

    • Sonaro (Healthtech)- Montreal, QC

    • Cashew Research (Marketing Tech)- Calgary, AB

    • Elle, MD Biotechnologies (Healthtech)- New Minas, NS

    • Xubin Aerospace (Defense Tech)- Oakville, ON

    Early Category Recipients:

    • Qidni Labs (Medtech)- Kitchener, ON

    • WeavAir (Climate Tech)- Toronto, ON

    • Pontosense (Medtech)- Toronto, ON

    • MedMe Health (Healthtech)- Toronto, ON

    • LiORA (Climate Tech)- Calgary, AB

    Growth Category Recipients:

    • Venn (Fintech)- Toronto, ON

    • Eavor Technologies (Climate Tech)- Calgary, AB

    • Loopio (Sales Automation)- Toronto, ON

    • Hiive (Fintech)- Vancouver, BC

    A 19-Year Legacy of Celebrating Canada’s Tech Leaders

    Over the last 18 years, CIX’s awards program has elevated Canada’s most promising startups to an international audience. This year’s fourteen winners join an illustrious alumni list including Brim Financial, Float Financial, SRTX, ApplyBoard, Clio, League, Wealthsimple, Ada, and Dapper Labs.

    The CIX Selection Committee, comprised of over 90 esteemed investors including representatives from Altos Ventures, Antler, Forum Ventures, Inovia Capital, Golden Ventures, Mighty Capital, Panache Ventures, and White Star Capital, evaluated more than 370 submissions, based on six criteria: Business Model, Quality of Offering, Innovation, Market Opportunity, Management Depth, and Leadership team Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. To avoid bias, a minimum of 15 investor judges evaluated each application.

    “It is a challenging time for entrepreneurs, and so it was wonderful to see the quality of this year’s CIX winners,” said Neha Kera, Managing Partner at Innovobot Resonance Ventures and CIX Startup Awards Co-Chair. “We are eager to see what else they will accomplish in the years to come, and I hope everyone can learn more about them at CIX”.

    “The competition was intense with over 350 applicants, and our selection committee did a stellar job in selecting the winners,” said Matthew Leibowitz, Managing General Partner, Plaza Ventures and CIX Startup Awards Co-Chair. “We’re thrilled to shine a spotlight on this year’s recipients and can’t wait to meet them at CIX Summit.”

    A Critical Platform in Challenging Times

    Amid ongoing trade tensions between the USA and Canada and the lowest level of Canadian VC investment since 2020, the CIX Summit remains steadfast in its commitment to strengthen Canada’s startup ecosystem. The March 25 program facilitates crucial connections between Canadian founders and North American investors while featuring discussions with Canadian unicorn startup leaders who have lessons to share with others taking the same path.

    What to Expect at CIX Summit 2026

    The program includes founder pitches, networking sessions, interactive roundtables, and 1-on-1 meetings between founders and investors.

    Meeting Exchanges: Over 75 investors from across North America will take 1:1 meetings with founders. As each investor will take multiple meetings, there are over 450 meeting opportunities at this year’s Summit.

    CIX Investor Forum: A closed-door, exclusive gathering of North American VCs and LPs to network and have off-the-record conversations on the latest trends shaping early-stage and growth investing.

    CIX Founder Forum: Practical guidance on raising your seed round with confidence, structuring your cap table to maintain control as you scale, and unlocking non-dilutive capital to extend runway without giving up equity.

    Secure Early Bird tickets before February 26, 2026 at CIXSummit.com

    About Elevate
    Elevate is a Canadian non-profit that unites world-class innovators to catalyze transformation in the Canadian tech ecosystem. Through year-round programs and events, including the annual Elevate Festival and CIX Summit, Elevate places a spotlight on Canadian innovation, facilitates global connections with startups and investors, and inspires Canadians to embrace a go-for-gold mentality to help shape the future of the Canadian innovation economy. Elevate has hosted global icons such as First Lady & Author Michelle Obama, Businesswoman & TV personality Martha Stewart, CEO of OpenAI Sam Altman, Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, and U.S. Vice President Al Gore, each of whom has inspired millions of people. Learn more at Elevate.ca.

    Media can apply for a media pass and access more images by visiting https://cixsummit.com/press-room.

    For award winner and CIX Summit interview inquiries, please contact: Amanda Connon-Unda, Senior Director, Marketing and Communications, Elevate: amanda@elevate.ca

    SOURCE: Elevate

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    View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

  • Canada’s Premier Startup Awards Program, CIX, Now Open For 2026 Nominations

    Canada’s Premier Startup Awards Program, CIX, Now Open For 2026 Nominations

    Powered by Elevate, CIX Startup Awards is the largest national showcase of Canada’s most innovative emerging, early, and growth-stage startups

    TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / November 3, 2025 / The CIX Startup Awards, Canada’s premier startup awards program selected and recognized by North American investors, is now accepting applications for 2026. From Monday, November 3 at 12:00 PM through Sunday, November 30 at 11:59 PM, Canada’s most innovative tech companies can apply at https://cixsummit.com/startup-awards for a chance to be recognized at the 2026 CIX Summit on March 25, 2026 in one of three categories: Emerging, Early, and Growth. CIX is Canada’s only tech agnostic awards program across all stages, pre-seed to growth.

    Selected by a committee of 100+ esteemed investors, including Altos Ventures, Antler, Forum Ventures, Inovia, IVP, Golden, Mighty Capital, Panache and White Star, CIX’s awards program has helped elevate Canada’s most promising startups across all stages to an international audience. In 2025, winners covered a wide range of sectors, including climate tech, fintech, bio and med tech, AI, agriculture, and e-commerce.

    Past CIX Startup Award alumni include some of Canada’s most notable tech success stories, such as Ada, ApplyBoard, Clio, ecobee, League, Miovision, Wattpad, Wave, Wealthsimple, and Xanadu.

    The 2026 award recipients will be announced in January, with winning founders and CEOs set to pitch live to a room full of investors at the CIX Summit in Toronto on March 25, 2026. The annual summit – consistently sold out – draws more than 500 investors, founders, and industry leaders from across North America’s tech ecosystem.

    Fast Facts

    • 78% of CIX Award recipients were funded within 6 months of CIX recognition

    • 86% were funded within a year

    • 22% of the CIX selection committee is made up of US investors

    The 2026 CIX Selection Committee, comprising 100+ top global investors and experts in innovation, will evaluate submissions based on six criteria: Business Model, Quality of Product and Service Offering, Innovation, Market Opportunity, Depth of Management, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion of Leadership. CIX awards program is unique because each entry is reviewed by at least 20 investor judges.

    What’s In It For Startups

    Winners of the CIX Startup Awards earn national recognition as part of Canada’s longest-running and most prestigious innovation program. Award recipients are featured on the main stage at the CIX Summit, gain early access to 1:1 investor meetings, receive national media coverage, and are invited to exclusive VIP events. They also secure a permanent place among CIX’s alumni on the official website.

    “CIX Summit is the Oscars of our tech industry! I attend CIX every year to see the impressive award winners and network with the who’s who of the Canadian tech scene. The conversations I have and connections I make at CIX are invaluable,” said Roy Pereira, CEO & Co-founder, Unified.to, and former two-time CIX Startup Awards recipient.

    “The CIX Startup Awards are a cornerstone of Canada’s innovation ecosystem, helping connect the country’s most promising tech companies with the capital and support they need to scale globally,” said Lisa Zarzeczny, CEO and Co-Founder of Elevate. Elevate acquired CIX Summit in 2023, and the 18th annual edition, taking place March 25, 2026, marks the third year under Elevate’s leadership. “We’re proud to continue this legacy of recognizing excellence and giving Canadian founders a powerful platform to showcase their innovations to top investors across North America. I encourage all eligible founders to seize this opportunity and apply before the November 30 deadline.”

    Applications are now open for Canadian startups at no cost at https://cixsummit.com/startup-awards and will close on Sunday, November 30, 2025 at 11:59 PM EST. For more information about the CIX Startup Awards, visit CIXSummit.com.

    About Elevate

    Elevate is a Canadian non-profit that unites world-class innovators to catalyze transformation in the Canadian tech ecosystem. Through year-round programs and events, including the annual Elevate Festival and CIX Summit, Elevate places a spotlight on Canadian innovation, facilitates global connections with startups and investors, and inspires Canadians to embrace a go-for-gold mentality to help shape the future of the Canadian innovation economy. Elevate has hosted global icons such as First Lady & Author Michelle Obama, Businesswoman & TV personality Martha Stewart, CEO of OpenAI Sam Altman, Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, and U.S. Vice President Al Gore, each of whom has inspired millions of people. Learn more at Elevate.ca.

    Contact Information

    Amanda Connon-Unda
    SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
    AMANDA@ELEVATE.CA

    SOURCE: Elevate

    View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

  • Elevate Festival 2025 Welcomes Top U.S. Tech Leaders to Toronto

    Canada’s leading tech festival welcomes top U.S. and global AI innovators to its 7th annual event, October 7-9. Media accreditation is now open. Apply here.

    TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / September 23, 2025 / Elevate Festival, Canada’s largest homegrown tech and innovation event, returns this October 7-9 for its seventh year in Toronto. Building on its reputation as Canada’s premier platform for AI and technology, Elevate 2025 will feature a lineup of leading U.S. speakers, offering insights into emerging trends, innovation strategies, and cross-border collaboration. The Festival serves as a rare opportunity to see how Canadian founders, policymakers, and investors are working alongside U.S. leaders to navigate one of the most competitive and interconnected tech markets in the world.

    U.S. speakers include:

    • Chris Lehane, Chief Global Affairs Officer at OpenAI

    • Erika Ayers Badan, CEO of Food52 and former CEO of Barstool Sports

    • Clay Bavor, Co-Founder of Sierra

    • Jeff Holan, Head of Cortex AI Apps and Agents at Snowflake

    • Chris Urmson, Co-Founder and CEO of Aurora

    • Margaret Richardson, Chief Marketing & Corporate Affairs Officer at GoFundMe

    • Chan Park, Head of US Policy and Partnerships at OpenAI

    • David Nyhan, Director at Spotify

    • Adam Blinick, Head of Public Policy and Communications for the US & Canada at Uber

    You can find a list of confirmed speakers here.

    Elevate Festival 2025 marks a pivotal moment for North American tech. By uniting U.S. and Canadian leaders on a Canadian stage, the Festival creates space to learn from one another, collaborate on the future of AI, and unlock new opportunities that will shape the next decade of innovation. For American audiences, the Festival offers a front-row view of how Canada’s fast-growing tech ecosystem is scaling globally, while highlighting the cross-border dynamics that are shaping investment, talent, and policy.

    Over 85 sessions have been added to the Festival’s agenda here, with more being added every day. Select sessions with U.S. speakers include:

    • Inside Spotify’s AI Lab: David Nyhan, Director for Spotify, on building the next generation of personalized music experiences.

    • The Road Ahead for Autonomous Vehicles: Chris Urmson, trailblazing technologist and CEO of Aurora, on what’s next in self-driving.

    • The Future of AI Democratization: Chris Lehane, Chief Global Affairs Officer at OpenAI, on how artificial intelligence can be made accessible and impactful across industries worldwide.

    • Lessons From Building and Scaling AI Agents for the Enterprise: Jeff Hollan, Head of Cortex AI Apps & Agents at Snowflake, on what it takes to create AI products that solve real problems, stay competitive, and scale globally.

    • Call My Agent: The Future of Service: Clay Bavor, Co-Founder, Sierra, on how AI agents are transforming customer experiences, from smarter product discovery to seamless subscription management.

    “Elevate is where global tech and innovation leaders come together,” said Lisa Zarzeczny, Co-Founder and CEO of Elevate. “This year, we’re excited to bring several prominent U.S. voices driving breakthroughs in AI, fintech, and more, connecting American innovators with Canadian founders and global investors to shape the future of technology.”

    Elevate Festival is made possible by its Founding Sponsors: TD; Moneris; and Interac Corp.; as well as its Corporate Sponsors: Google; the Government of Ontario; the City of Toronto; 3M Canada; Remote; Capital One Canada; KPMG LLP; Danone Canada; DMZ; CPA Ontario; Riipen; TurboTax Business; Startup Atlantic; The Way Company; University of Toronto; Dell Technologies; EQ Bank; Brampton Innovation District; Toronto Transit Commission (TTC); Black Innovation Zone; Uber Canada; Beanfield; Kids Help Phone (KHP); MenuSano; Toronto Global; MaRS Discovery District; and 4TU.Startups, the Netherlands.

    With support from OddBee; Bizzabo; Divine Furniture Rental; Digitech, Lithuania; Get Wrapped; Interprefy; AccessWire; Islands; Twenty6Two; Category Communications; MarTechDo; and Fintechs Canada, and Official Media Partner: The Globe and Mail. Supporting Media Partners include Maclean’s | SJC, Pattison; UB Media; BetaKit; and NOW Toronto.

    For more information about Elevate Festival 2025, visit: www.elevatefestival.ca. To purchase tickets, please visit: www.elevatefestival.ca/tickets. You can also join the conversation on social media by following @ElevateTechCA and using #ElevateFest2025.

    Media can apply for accreditation here by Friday, October 3rd.

    About Elevate

    Elevate is a Canadian non-profit that unites world-class innovators to catalyze transformation in the Canadian tech ecosystem. Through year-round programs and events, including the annual Elevate Festival and CIX Summit, Elevate shines a spotlight on Canadian innovation, facilitates global connections with startups and investors, and inspires Canadians to embrace a go-for-gold mentality to help shape the future of the Canadian innovation economy.

    Media Contact
    press@elevate.ca

    SOURCE: Elevate

    View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire