Ideas
today.
Impact
tomorrow.

Kick off the Forum with a fast-paced intelligence briefing pairing key data from 2025 Canadian venture activity with a forward-looking view of what’s next. Gain sharp insights into capital deployment trends, cleantech convergence, and the emerging signals set to shape Ag & Food Tech in 2026.

Global investors and agribusiness leaders take the stage to unpack why Canada is rapidly rising on the Ag & Food Tech investment map. Learn where international capital is flowing, what global partners are looking for, and how Canadian innovators can position themselves to win on the world stage.

Discover the next wave of Canadian innovation. Leading accelerators showcase some of their most promising cohort companies in a rapid-fire format that delivers a high-tempo. The showcase will be followed by a moderated discussion featuring two active investors alongside participating incubator and accelerator leaders, providing real-time market perspective and tactical advice for companies entering the seed and pre-seed arena, hungry for commercial traction.

Go inside the investor–founder dynamic in this candid, interview-style conversation featuring an active venture investor alongside two portfolio founders. Together, they will unpack what it really takes to move from early traction to commercial momentum in today’s Ag & Food Tech market.

International trade and investment leaders discuss bilateral initiatives, and Canada’s appeal as a North American beach head. Canadian companies will also gain insight into soft-landing supports, regulatory navigation, and partnership strategies.

Where real challenges meet real solutions. This interactive working session brings industry leaders and innovators together to explore how AI, automation, and advanced data tools are transforming productivity, labour efficiency, and supply chain performance across agriculture and food processing. Designed for active audience participation, this interactive lab will surface shared insights and actionable outcomes participants can take back to their organizations.

Rob Leclerc, Founding Partner, AgFunder. Agentic AI is quickly moving from concept to application, but what does it actually look like in practice? In this session, Rob Leclerc, Founding Partner at AgFunder, will share how AgFunder is actively building and deploying agentic AI across its platform, offering a behind-the-scenes look at real use cases, lessons learned, and where the biggest opportunities lie. From investment workflows to data intelligence, this talk will cut through the noise and explore how AI agents are beginning to reshape how capital is deployed and how innovation is surfaced within the Ag & Food ecosystem.

Joelle Faulkner, Co-Founder & CEO, Area One Farms. Since 2012, Area One Farms has partnered with over 55 Canadian farm operators across 200,000+ acres, using an innovative equity model to support succession and growth. Joelle Faulkner will share insights on how leading farmers are managing risk, adopting new technologies, and building resilient, future-ready operations.

A producer-led feedback session bringing the on-farm perspective directly into the room. Farmers and producers will share first-hand insights on operational pain points, adoption barriers, and where current agtech solutions are — and are not — delivering value. Designed to foster practical dialogue between producers, innovators, and investors, this session grounds the conversation in real-world needs and highlights where the next wave of impactful innovation is most urgently required.

The momentum continues with a second high-impact showcase of emerging Canadian companies and accelerator portfolios, giving investors and industry partners concentrated exposure to the country’s most exciting innovations.

Roll up your sleeves for a hands-on session tackling the sector’s most urgent challenges. Industry leaders and innovators work through practical solutions and pathways to adoption across the Ag & Food Tech value chain. Designed for active audience participation, this interactive lab will surface shared insights and actionable outcomes participants can take back to their organizations.

Marianne Edward, Owner/Operator, Sheldon Creek Dairy. As Canadian agriculture evolves, producers are exploring diversified, value-added models to strengthen resilience and drive growth. Drawing on her experience at Sheldon Creek Dairy, Marianne will share practical insights into building an integrated agri-food business, from production to processing, branding, and direct-to-consumer sales. This keynote will offer a practical, on-the-ground perspective on scaling diversified operations, navigating value-chain challenges, and how producers are adapting to changing market dynamics while building sustainable, future-ready businesses.