Launched in 2011, Startupfest welcomed over 15,000 of the world’s leading founders and investors to Montreal. Each year, thousands of people have gathered to chart the course of tech entrepreneurship as we’ve transformed Montreal’s iconic Old Port in unexpected ways that encourage genuine connections.
“Startupfest is legit! It has so many elements of a music festival, but it’s for startups! Hopefully there are a couple of people in the audience that want to come and work at Reddit.”
– Alexis Ohanian, Reddit
“I was here and pitched Onavo, my company, we picked up one of the top prizes and later we get picked up by Facebook. It’s awesome.”
– Guy Rosen, Facebook
“Absolutely love the space, love the people! So much energy, so much momentum behind Canadian startups. Everyone thinks they can take over the world. There’s so much optimism, there’s so much excitement! It’s just absolutely beautiful here!”
– Tobias Lutke, Shopify
“Over the course of 3 days, we had the opportunity to meet startups from around the globe and were impressed by the amount of creativity and entrepreneurship present on site.”
– Steve Berard, Québecor Média inc.
“I’ve been to plenty music festivals in my day, and while they’re pretty fun, my mind was thoroughly blown last week when my Intuit Canada colleagues and I attended Phil Telio’s Startup Fest, in Montreal. Certainly there are tremendous differences between a music fest and something like a startup fest, but never have I been to an event with so much positive energy, valuable knowledge sharing, and great camaraderie between all attendees. It was simply awesome.”
– Intuit Admin, The Best Festival I’ve ever been to? Startup Fest Montreal
Startupfest 2020
We planned and delivered the first hybrid event in Montréal—one of the first in the world—in July 2020: Startupfest 10X – Imagining a 10X future: Looking at the past to help inform the future.
While Startupfest’s 10th birthday looked a little different than we’d planned, we’re thrilled to have gathered the startup community from around the globe for two incredible days nonetheless. We featured Startupfest alumni, some of our most popular prizes and pitch opportunities, and a few special guests–broadcasting live from Old Montreal, our home for the past ten years.
Read more in our blog post A hybrid event a decade in the making or check out the 2020 website.
2019
9 lives: The importance of resilience and second chances, which was in many ways a form of foreshadowing 2020.
We brought the best of the Fest together on one stage, for the ultimate best pitch competition. Startupfest VF winner and finalists from the Grandmother’s Choice Award, $100K investment prize and the Women in Technology investment prize took the stage and pitched for the Audience Choice Award.
2018
Infinite possibilities: Anything is possible when you set your mind to it and build the team to make it happen.
So true to our theme, we introduced the Inclusion Initiative in 2018. Anyone can be an entrepreneur. But not everyone has the same opportunity to turn their ideas into reality. A thousand tickets were made available to entrepreneurs who are often less represented and unable to participate in events. The campaign supported women in tech, created opportunities for Indigenous entrepreneurs, and connected entrepreneurs from remote and underrepresented regions of Canada.
2017
Luck: Many things are out of your control, but by recognizing and seizing opportunities you can create your own luck.
Our speakers took us behind the curtain to see the role luck played in their startups. They showed us that half the emperor’s clothes are pure chance. But they also revealed that ingenuity and adaptivity that are the cornerstones of making your own luck, and ultimately, building a fortune.
2016
Startup Firsts: Exploring the importance and risks of being first and doing things for the first time.
We touched on where innovations come from, and the changes that help the new to flourish. We saw tactics for staying ahead, and for getting others to embrace your vision. We heared about the early days of today’s household names. We explored Firsts.
2015
Masters and models: Reinventing industries by mastering, and reinventing, business models.
Startups need to master business, funding, and growth models—and then figure out how to rethink them. We unboxed some of the world’s greatest business models, and looked deep within them to understand how they upended entire industries. And we heared from those who’ve mastered entrepreneurship enough to know when to follow the rules—and when to change the game entirely.
2014
Startups and the city: The density of cities provide many opportunities.
Entrepreneurs don’t start out to create vibrant cities. They just want to build successful businesses. But as an inevitable side effect of creating great companies, they become an essential catalyst of healthy growing cities.
2013
Startup Stories: Articulating a story is key to success.
Every great company has a story, and every startup has a story. Stories make us who we are, and we wanted to weave together something exceptional: We invited every Startupfest go-er to to join us in creating a story. A collaborative story.
2012
Startups that matter: The importance of having an impact.
Startups were and are an increasingly important part of the economy. Why your startup should change the world. An inspiring talk by Jeremy Edberg, Netflix.
2011
Startups & LOL: A focus on combining work and pleasure with a festival vibe. When it all began.
