Spotlight on Innovation: SFU VentureLabs’ Community Hub During Web Summit Vancouver
Catherine Dahl – Joanne Fedeyko – Sumreen Rattan – Dr. Sandi Dunn
Alongside Web Summit Vancouver, SFU VentureLabs was proud to host and support a series of events designed to bring together founders, investors, industry leaders, and ecosystem partners from across Canada and the globe.
From investor matchmaking and founder showcases to practical AI workshops and international startup collaboration, here’s a look back at the successful week of connection.
May 12 – Rise & Raise: Empowering Women in Tech Capital
Back by popular demand, Rise & Raise returned to highlight and support women-owned and women-led tech ventures.
The event featured two high-profile panel sessions covering topics from what venture capitalists look for before saying yes to how founders navigate today’s funding reality. Fourteen women-led tech companies then took the stage to pitch, with each founder receiving dedicated 1:1 feedback from investors afterward.
“Very grateful for the Rise and Raise event. The one on one connections were fabulous – love getting some US connections. In addition, I was lucky enough to win the prize to attend the Silicon Pathways. Couldn’t be more excited. Wonderful, incredibly useful, meaningful prize!!”
Elayne Wandler, eSense Health
May 12 – Korea Global Startup Bridge Conference
VentureLabs supported KOTRA in hosting this cross-border gathering, bringing together innovative Korean startups with Canadian and Korean investors and ecosystem partners.
The day featured conference sessions, panel discussions, and pre-arranged 1:1 business meetings focused on investment opportunities and Canada–Korea collaboration, reflecting VentureLabs’ commitment to connecting BC’s innovation ecosystem to global networks and emerging markets.
May 13 – Curated Meetings: Matching Companies and Investors
After last year’s success, Curated Meetings returned with an enhanced format, enabling more focused and meaningful conversations between scaling companies and local and international investors.
VentureLabs facilitated more than 45 structured meetings, opening direct lines to partnership opportunities and deal flow that extend well beyond the event.
May 14 – HeyGen Avatar Masterclass for Scaling Companies
To close out the week, VentureLabs hosted the HeyGen Avatar Masterclass for Scaling Companies, led by AI consultant John Zubak.
The hands-on workshop explored how founders and growth-stage companies can use AI avatars to scale communication without scaling production, with applications across marketing, onboarding, customer support, and sales. The workshop reflected VentureLabs’ focus on giving founders practical tools they can apply directly to growth.
Watch the workshop recordings here:
As Vancouver’s top tech accelerator, VentureLabs was proud to help bring that momentum to the forefront by creating spaces for meaningful deal flow, connecting founders with potential funding opportunities and strategic partnerships that position BC’s tech community for its next stage of growth.