Compress sales cycles and turn pilots into purchase orders, the #1 growth obstacle.
Presenting Sponsor
Canada Builds.
We Should Buy It.
A one-day event to accelerate the procurement of Canadian technology.
Build. Buy. Back.
Presenting Sponsor
Track Sponsors
Sovereign Capabilities
Defence
Premier Sponsors
Participating Sponsor
Supporting Sponsor
In 2026, Canada has changed. Buy Canadian is a policy. Defence spending is real. But many questions remain unanswered: What qualifies as Canadian? Who is stepping up and buying? And where will startups find the capital to scale?
There is progress but also the constant headwind of Canada's risk-averse culture.
Source Canada returns with an urgent call to action: buy Canadian innovation now. There is no time to waste.
Speakers
Highlighted speakers.
A first look at the leaders joining Source Canada 2026. More to be announced.
Senator Colin Deacon
Senate of Canada
Wendy Hadwen
ADM Policy, Defence Investment Agency
VAdm (ret'd) Ron Lloyd
Leadmark Ventures
Natalka Cmoc
Fmr Ambassador of Canada to Ukraine
Paul Bouchard
CEO, Top Aces
Eliot Pence
CEO, Dominion Dynamics
Kath Intson
CEO, Sentinel R&D
Jean Le Bouthillier
CEO, Qohash
Matthew Lombardi
ONE9 · The Icebreaker
Patrick Searle
CEO, Council of Canadian Innovators
Vass Bednar
Canadian Shield
Bernie Derible
Ontario's Military & Defence Rep
Event Tracks
Defence.
Presented by
Closing the gap between Canada's defence ambition and what its SMEs can actually win.
Supported by
Clear the hard entry gates: security clearances, cyber and ISO 27001 / AS9100.
Diversify beyond North America. Open SAFE, EDIP and security-of-information doors.
Close the capital gap: lenders avoid defence and active defence VCs are few.
Sovereign Capabilities.
Presented by
Strengthening Canada's sovereign capabilities through better choices and more control.
Supported by
Turn enterprise and government pilots into purchase orders from banks, telcos, utilities, government.
SOC 2, ISO 27001 and complex procurement processes block startups before the first meeting.
Assemble an end-to-end Canadian alternative to the foreign hyperscalers: compute to models.
The capital gap hits AI, cyber and deeptech hardest with more foreign ownership being the likely path.
2026 Agenda
One curated day.
The morning keynotes run on the main stage, presented by Deloitte. From 10:40 the Defence track (presented by Dominion Dynamics) and the Sovereign Capabilities track (presented by Qohash) run in parallel, with two rounds of Pitch Rooms and Briefing Rooms after lunch and curated 1:1 meetings all day.
| 8:00 | Registration, breakfast, exhibition opens | ||
| 9:00 | Welcome, Raymond Luk | ||
| 9:10 | Keynote panelDefence and Beyond: Defence Industrial Strategy as CatalystModerator: DeloitteWendy Hadwen, ADM Policy, Defence Investment AgencyEliot Pence, CEO, Dominion DynamicsGlenn Cowan, Founder, ONE9 | ||
| 9:45 | Keynote panelFrom Aspiration to Action: Canada’s MomentSenator Colin DeaconAdditional panellists to be announced | ||
| 10:20 | Break | ||
| Defence presented by Dominion Dynamics |
Sovereign Capabilities presented by Qohash |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:40 | A Fireside Discussion with Top Aces CEO Paul Bouchard | Buying Canadian Because it is BetterModerator: Jean Le Bouthillier, CEO, QohashPanellists to be announced |
Curated 1:1 buyer–seller meetings
From 10:40, exhibition floor open all day
|
| 11:00 | Defence Procurement VelocityModerator: Matthew Lombardi, The Icebreaker / ONE9VAdm (ret’d) Ron Lloyd, Leadmark VenturesBernie Derible, Ontario’s Military & Defence Representative | Strengthening Canada’s Sovereign CapabilitiesModerator: Patrick Searle, Council of Canadian InnovatorsRob Khazzam, CEO, FloatAdditional panellists to be announced | |
| 11:45 | The Challenges of Funding Canada’s Defence StartupsModerator: ScotiabankPeter Suma, BDCKath Intson, Founder & CEO, Sentinel R&D | Speeding Up Enterprise Procurement, From Both Sides of the TableModerator: Mike Kim, MycroftUma Gopinath, CIO, Porter AirlinesArmstrong Fluid TechnologyAdditional panellist to be announced | |
| 12:25 | Lunch | ||
| 1:15 | Pitch Rooms & Briefing Rooms, Round 1 | ||
| 2:10 | Beyond Our Borders: Scaling Through Allied MarketsNatalka Cmoc, former Ambassador of Canada to UkraineChristine Hanson, Regional Director North America, NATO DIANAModerator and additional panellist to be announced | Funding the Big BetDennis Kavelman, Inovia CapitalScott Pelton, RiSC CapitalDaniel Sax, Canada Strategic Missions Corporation | |
| 2:50 | Break | ||
| 3:10 | Pitch Rooms & Briefing Rooms, Round 2 | ||
| 4:00 | Closing remarks, Raymond Luk · Reception opens | ||
| 4:45 | Reception remarks | ||
| 6:30 | Event ends | ||
Program subject to change. Additional speakers will be announced as they are confirmed.
Event Experience
Unlike any other event.
Source Canada was architected to connect innovators with the buyers and investors they need to scale. It is a focused, curated experience.
Innovators
- Keynotes and breakout sessions focused on helping startups sell faster
- Pitch rooms with buyers and investors
- 1:1 meetings
- Opportunities to network and build relationships
Government
- Keynotes and breakout sessions on policy, procurement innovation and case studies
- Pitches from Canada's leading innovators
- Curated 1:1 meetings
- Opportunities to network and build relationships
Corporate
- Keynotes and breakout sessions on corporate procurement and case studies
- Pitches from Canada's leading innovators
- Curated 1:1 meetings
- Opportunities to network and build relationships
Capital
- Keynotes and breakout sessions on defence, quantum, AI and deeptech
- Pitches from Canada's leading innovators
- Curated 1:1 meetings
- Opportunities to network and build relationships
Snapshot of the 2025 Event
Inaugural Source Canada
On October 22, 2025, a curated room of Canadian buyers, founders, and operators focused on one question: How do we start buying Canadian tech now?
250
Attendees (sold out)
70
Corporate buyers
100+
Private meetings and briefing rooms
“Canada doesn’t have an innovation problem. It has a buying problem. Our defence and security startups build world class tech, but they can’t survive the Canadian procurement gauntlet. The Icebreaker is backing Source Canada to change this reality.”
“If Canada wants to lead in AI, cybersecurity, quantum and defence technologies, we can’t stop at inventing them. We have to buy them. Source Canada is helping bridge that gap by bringing together the innovators, buyers and investors who can turn Canadian innovation into Canadian growth. Every procurement decision is an opportunity to strengthen domestic companies, create high-value jobs, and build the strategic capabilities our country will rely on for decades to come.”
“Source Canada was literally the best event I’ve attended this year as a founder. The conversations were authentic, the connections meaningful, and the mission couldn’t be more important.”
Don't miss the 2026
Event.
Secure Your Spot
Bet on Canada.
Sponsor Source Canada. The choices made now will shape Canada for a generation in defence and innovation. Sponsors help make that work possible. Play a leadership role among Canada's leaders in innovation, business, government and capital.
Contact sponsorships@sourcecan.ca