Off Events

What’s Happening Around Startupfest

Startupfest has become one of the world's most iconic startup events, and Montréal's vibrant energy ensures there's always something happening during the fest week. From innovative meetups to dynamic tech talks, explore a variety of Off-Events taking place around the city.

Please note: The "Off-Events" are independently organized and not affiliated with Startupfest.

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2025 Off-Events

Invest-Tech

Presented by: Consortium des incubateurs québécois en haute technologie (ACET, CENTECH, CTS, ZU)

The not-to-be-missed event to discover Quebec's tech up-and-comers!
The Consortium québécois des incubateurs High Tech - bringing together ACET, Centech, CTS and Zú - invites you to the 5ᵉ edition of Invest-Tech, its flagship event dedicated to innovation.
This year, get ready to meet nearly 40 of Quebec's most promising startups, ready to shake up the Artificial Intelligence, Deep-Tech, Medtech and Biotech sectors.
A unique opportunity to spot tomorrow's innovations... and today's investment opportunities.

Date: July 8, 2025 from 4PM to 8PM

Location: Espace Ax-C Floors 3 and 4, 800 Square-Victoria Montreal

Price: $20 per person.

Register now!

FemTech Breakfast Club

Presented by: Cap Inclusive

The FemTech Breakfast Club is Canada’s largest FemTech pitch competition, uniting incubators, accelerators, entrepreneurs, and investors to support women’s health founders raising Pre-Seed or Seed rounds. The initiative aims to help close the current funding gap by providing greater visibility and resources to early-stage FemTech ventures.

We host three in-person events—in Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto—where the top 5 startups in each city pitch for a chance to win up to $24,500 in prizes to fuel their growth.

Date: July 8th, 2025 from 8:30AM to 11:30AM

Location: Scotiabank offices

Invite only. To request an invite please contact eloise@capinclusive.com

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Founder Friends Montreal

Presented by: Hustle Fund

Join Elizabeth Yin, GP & co-founder of Hustle Fund, and Chloë Ryan, CEO & Founder of Acrylic Robotics, for a fireside chat in Montreal on July 8th! We bring together 100+ founders to meet over pizza, and we have a raw conversation with a founder on stage who went through the wringer and came out the other side.

Date: July 8th, 2025 from 6:00PM to 8:30PM

Location

  • Location: BDC Square, 5 Place Ville Marie, Ground Floor, Montreal, Quebec, H3N 2G2
  • Capacity: 100

Price: Free

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Tech Walk and Talk

Presented by: Amiral Ventures

Gabriel Sundaram and I are organizing a Tech Walk and Talk on the morning of July 10th. We will meet at Ax-C and finish the walk at Startupfest. 
It is an informal walk, open to all.

Date: July 10th, 2025 from 8:30AM to 10:00AM

Location: Old Montreal

Price: Free

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Fintech Social Networking Event

Presented by: Fintech Cadence

Join Fintech Cadence at Station Fintech on July 10th for some fintech networking! Designed to foster connections in a relaxed and approachable setting, these free-to-attend Fintech Socials provided an easy and informal way for professionals across the fintech ecosystem to meet, exchange ideas, and form meaningful relationships. With no rigid agendas, Fintech Social emphasizes organic conversations and collaboration, creating a welcoming space for both seasoned players and newcomers to the industry.

The Summer Montreal Edition of Fintech Social is brought to you by Fintech Cadence. Champion Partners: Scotiabank and Mastercard. Event Partner: Station Fintech. 

We hope to see you there!

Date: July 10th, 2025 from 5:00PM to 7:00PM

Location: Station Fintech: 4 Pl. Ville-Marie Suite 300, Montreal, Quebec H3B 2E7

Price: Free

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Building Your AI Enterprise

Presented by: Shadow Inc

Come join Shadow Inc. and Drive Capital in Montreal for the first event in our new series: Building Your AI Enterprise. 

We’re bringing together industry veterans, AI innovators, and leading investors—plus our partners at Inworld AI, Outcast, and Planned—for an evening of expert panels, live demos, and hands-on workshops. Discover how new tools, processes, and smarter business infrastructure can help you focus on your customers instead of the machinery of running a business.

Seats are limited - grab your spot!

We hope to see you there!

Date: July 8th, 2025 from 5:00PM to 8:00PM

Location: 780 Av. Brewster Suite 3-200, Montréal, QC H4C 2K1, Canada

Price: Free

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Healthtech Social

Presented by: Scalpels & Spreadsheets

​Healthcare and life science professionals! Join us for this Startupfest off-event with likeminded individuals. Whether you're building, investing or shaping the industry - you'll find your crowd here!

Expect to be surrounded by entrepreneurs, investors and others from healthtech, medtech, pharma/biotech, health IT & public health backgrounds.

Date: July 10th, 2025 from 5:30PM to 8:00PM

Location: 413 Saint-Jacques Street Montreal, Qc, H2Y 1N9

Price: $0 - $5

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MTL Founder Poker

Presented by: MTL Founder Poker

MTL Founder Poker hosts monthly poker tournaments for founders and the tech community - for July's tournament, we're doing things just a little bit bigger and better.

New to poker? No worries! We hold a Poker 101 before the games get rolling.

$5 tournament buy in includes food & drink, so you can't lose.

Most importantly, MTL Founder Poker is about building community through friendly competition. Come to play and save your best pitch for the fest.

Registration required.

Date: July 8th, 2025 from 6:00PM to 9:00PM

Location: BoxOne Ventures

Price: $5 cash

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The Unofficial Startupfest Pre-Party

Presented by: The AI Collective

The AI Collective is a global non-profit community uniting 70,000+ pioneers – founders, researchers, operators, and investors – exploring the frontier of AI in major tech hubs worldwide. Through events, workshops, and community-led research, we empower the AI ecosystem to collaboratively steer AI’s future toward trust, openness, and human flourishing.

Date: July 8th, 2025 from 6:00PM to 9:00PM

Location: Philémon Bar, 111 Saint-Paul St W

Price: Free

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Masterclass: Optimize Your Runway and Preserve Your Cap Table with Non-Dilutive Funding

Presented by: Moose Capital

Inscription gratuite et places limitées à 40 participants.

​Join us for an exclusive session to discover the smartest sources of capital: grants, subsidies, and tax credits designed to accelerate your growth without giving up a single share of your company. Learn how to identify funding opportunities, master application processes, and build a financing strategy that keeps you in control.

​The event will include:

​How to optimize non-dilutive funds alongside equity investments
A panel discussion with three experts:
- A startup coach/advisor
- A venture capital investor (VC)
- A public funding specialist (grants, tax credits)
A networking session at the end with complimentary bites

​Together, we’ll explore the funding landscape in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and internationally.

​Free registration with a limit of 40 participants.

Date: July 7th, 2025 from 12:00PM to 2:00PM

Location: Ax.c - Place Victoria, 800 Rue du Square-Victoria 3rd floor, Montreal, Quebec H3C 0B4

Price: Free

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Non-Dilutive Coffees: Tips on how to get "Free Money" Tips for Startups

Presented by: Moose Capital

Join Moose Capital for Non-Dilutive Coffees, an informal morning meetup right by Startupfest where founders can grab a coffee, chat, and get free advice on how to secure grants, tax credits, and subsidies: the “free money” that fuels growth without giving up equity.

​✅ When: Every morning the week of StartupFest 8:00–10:00 AM
✅ Where: Monday and Tuesday at Tommy Café, Wednesday to Friday at StartupFest
✅ What: Casual, drop-in coffee chats with Moose Capital’s experts on how to unlock Canadian non-dilutive funding programs, optimize your runway, and preserve your cap table. No formal presentations — just candid conversations and actionable tips.

​These sessions are free, open to all Startupfest attendees and Montreal founders, but spots are limited each morning. First come, first served!

Date: July 8th, 2025 from 8:00AM to 10:00AM

Location: Tommy Café 151 Rue Saint-Paul O, Montréal

Price: Free

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4@6 OFF-IPFest - From patent to exit : conversation with Frank Baylis

Presented by: MAIN

As part of an exclusive Off-IPFest event, in partnership with CCI and Osler, join us for an intimate fireside chat with Frank Baylis, entrepreneur, investor, and former Member of Parliament, on how intellectual property can serve as a strategic lever for business growth.

Frank will reflect on the journey behind Baylis Medical, a company built with IP at its core: from protecting innovation to building enterprise value, leading up to its sale for over $1.7 billion.

This rare exchange is designed for IP professionals, innovation strategists, and those looking to better understand how IP can drive competitive advantage and long-term value.

Date: July 9th, 2025 from 4:00PM to 6:00PM

Location: Walter (85 rue Saint-Paul Ouest, Montréal)

Price: Free

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Venture University Montreal Info Session – Learn the Business of Venture Capital & Private Equity

Presented by: Venture University

​Interested in becoming a venture capital or private equity investor? Launching your own fund? Or leveling up as an angel investor?

​Join us for a presentation and conversation with Q&A to learn more about Venture University - the world’s leading investor accelerator for venture capital, private equity, and angel investing.

During Montreal's Startupfest meet Sky Fernandes, Founder of Venture University and General Partner at VU Venture Partners, a global early-stage venture capital fund.

​Venture University has helped 750+ professionals break into the world of venture capital, private equity, and startup investing – from analysts and associates to fund managers, angel investors, and family offices.

​Whether you’re actively pursuing a VC career or simply curious about the inner workings of the industry, this is a rare opportunity to dive in.

Date: July 10th, 2025 from 5:30PM to 7:30PM

Location: 85 rue Saint-Paul Ouest, 5th floor (Walter Coworking)

Price: Free

Learn more

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