Global Startups

Toronto will be at the center of global attention during the FIFA World Cup. At the same time, founders, investors, and operators will be in the room at Tech Builders 2026. A full day designed for those building: • Visionary keynotes • TED-style talks • Investor speed networking • Pre-seed summit • Cocktail networking at the CN Tower Prices go up tomorrow. If you’re planning to be in Toronto, this is where the tech ecosystem meets during a global moment. Secure your spot today: https://lnkd.in/dQkjjA6j #TechBuilders2026 #TorontoTech #StartupConference #PreSeed #VentureCapital #WorldCup2026 #Founders #Investors

We’re hosting two focused sessions during Toronto Tech Week 🇨🇦 Designed for founders building at pre-seed and companies thinking about their next market. 1. Investor Readiness Bootcamp (Certified | In-Person) A one-day program for founders preparing to raise their first round. → Company structure, valuation, investor materials, legal & financial readiness → Hands-on sessions to move from theory to decisions → Leave with a clear fundraising roadmap + Investment Readiness Certificate 🔗 Register: https://luma.com/98pg84tp 2. Mexico Market Intelligence (Lunch Session) Part of our Emerging Markets in the Spotlight series. → Practical insights on entering Mexico → Trade, innovation, and cross-border opportunities → Conversations with leaders actively operating between Canada and Mexico 🔗 Register: https://luma.com/8pog8x21 Both events are in-person in downtown Toronto as part of Toronto Tech Week. Spots are limited — sessions are designed for small, high-value conversations. Toronto Tech Week #ttw2026 #torontotechweek #builtbytoronto #startupfunding #marketexpansion #preseed

If you are preparing to raise capital in the next 3–6 months, this is worth your time. Fundraising is not about telling a better story. It is about being ready to receive capital. This piece shares what we got wrong, what we learned from the investor side, and how founders can better prepare before entering the market.

Founders engage with the startup ecosystem in different ways depending on what they need at a given moment. Some are looking for conversations with other founders and investors. Others are trying to solve a specific challenge in their company. Some are preparing for the next stage of growth. At Global Startups, founders usually engage with us in different ways along the journey: • Events to connect with the ecosystem • Strategic sessions and fractional services to work through specific challenges • Bootcamps to prepare for growth or investment • Programs for more structured support over time All of these are designed for startups beyond the idea stage, typically companies building toward their first sales, first funding round, or early expansion. Learn more about how founders engage with Global Startups on our website. https://lnkd.in/g52QnHGC #StartupFounders #StartupGrowth #InvestorReadiness #TechFounders #CanadianStartups #StartupEcosystem

We’re pleased to announce our next speaker for Lessons Learned: Investors & Funders — May 14 in Toronto. Angelo Casanas Director of Innovation Elevate Angelo works at the intersection of startups, corporations, and the broader innovation ecosystem. At Elevate, he leads initiatives that support Canadian startups through partnerships, programming, and collaboration across the tech community. Throughout his career, Angelo has focused on connecting different parts of the ecosystem — bringing together academia, the public sector, and industry to support entrepreneurship and innovation. Previously, he held leadership roles at the Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst at Toronto Metropolitan University and served as Interim Managing Director at OneEleven, one of Toronto’s leading hubs for scale-ups. In this session, Angelo will contribute his perspective on how the ecosystem is evolving and how organizations collaborate to support the growth of early-stage companies. 📅 May 14 📍 Toronto 🔗 Register https://lnkd.in/ew2RqAWT Join us for Lessons Learned: Investors & Funders, a conversation designed for founders and operators looking to better understand how capital and innovation are being shaped today. This session is brought you by Dentons #TorontoTech #StartupEcosystem #Innovation #CanadianStartups #TechCommunity #VentureCapital #StartupFounders

In this episode of Founder Funding Stories, we feature Steve George, CEO of Terra Bioindustries, sharing the journey behind raising his company’s pre-seed round. Steve will walk through how he prepared the company to become investor-ready, the traction and positioning that mattered most to early investors, and the lessons learned while navigating due diligence and structuring the raise. For founders planning to fundraise, this conversation offers a real look at what happens before the capital arrives — and what it takes to get there. Investor Readiness Bootcamp

What if founders could access expertise without committing to a long program? As startups grow, the challenges change. 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. That’s why we are introducing a fractional services model at Global Startups. Founders can now access support such as strategic advisory sessions, fractional executives, industry experts, and guidance on market entry or investor readiness. Each company can decide what support they need and when to use it. Visit our website to learn more about the services now available. https://lnkd.in/g52QnHGC #StartupFounders #StartupGrowth #TechFounders #CanadianStartups #StartupStrategy #Entrepreneurship

ounders face many decisions while building a company. Some of them are not easy to answer alone. Questions like: • Why are sales not moving as expected? • Is the company ready to approach investors? • Should the focus be on customers or fundraising? • Is this the right time to enter a new market? These are moments where it helps to step back and review the situation with an experienced perspective. That is what our Strategic Sessions are designed for — a focused conversation to review where the company is and what the next steps could be. Book a strategic session and get clarity on your next move. https://lnkd.in/gsntjd7G #StartupFounders #StartupGrowth #InvestorReadiness #TechFounders #StartupStrategy #CanadianStartups

We’re excited to be a Community Partner for the CIX Summit on March 25 in Toronto, powered by Elevate! If you’re capital ready, this is your chance to make meaningful connections. Book up to four 1:1 meetings with investors and get in front of the people who can help move your business forward. Elevate expanded the investor lineup and there are still 200 meeting spots available. You’ll receive your booking link in your ticket confirmation email, so be sure to secure your spot and start planning your meetings. 🎟 Use CIXGLOBALSTARTUPS20 for 20% off. Let’s connect at the Summit. See you there 👋 #CIXSummit #StartupFounders #Investors #TechConference

Many corporations are looking for meaningful ways to stay connected to the startup ecosystem — not only to observe innovation, but to actively participate in it. At Global Startups, we work with early-stage founders building companies beyond the idea stage, many of them from underrepresented communities and international backgrounds, bringing global perspectives to the Canadian innovation ecosystem. Through our programs, bootcamps, and ecosystem events, corporate partners have the opportunity to: • Engage with pre-seed founders building new technologies • Connect with investors and ecosystem leaders • Support underrepresented entrepreneurs navigating early growth challenges • Gain insight into international markets and global innovation trends Each year our activities include investor readiness bootcamps, founder events, conferences, pitch days, and ecosystem conversations designed to support early-stage innovation. These initiatives bring together a community that has already supported 340+ startups and helped raise more than $500M in investment. If your organization is looking to engage with the next generation of founders and innovation leaders: Join the corporations that have trusted us to connect with underrepresented founders, investors, and international markets. Connect with Juan Pablo Carstens to learn more. #CorporateInnovation #StartupEcosystem #VentureCapital #TorontoTech #InnovationLeadership #CanadianStartups #GlobalStartups