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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260407T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260407T120000
DTSTAMP:20260609T082925
CREATED:20260227T165832Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260316T162734Z
UID:10000015-1775556000-1775563200@www.acceleratorcentre.com
SUMMARY:Expert Founder Workshop: Preparing for Growth\, Investment & Exit Through Smart Tax Strategy
DESCRIPTION:As your company moves beyond pre-revenue and into real growth\, the financial and tax decisions you make now can mean the difference between incremental progress — and exponential value. The right strategy doesn’t just protect your business. It can save you hundreds\, thousands\, even millions of dollars over time. \nMNP is joining the Accelerator Centre for a practical\, founder-focused workshop built specifically for growth-stage companies preparing for their next chapter — whether you’re raising capital\, scaling operations\, graduating from the AC program\, or positioning for a successful exit. \nThis isn’t theory. It’s real-world insight from advisors who work alongside scaling companies every day. You’ll walk away with actionable strategies to strengthen your financial foundation\, maximize available funding\, and proactively plan for the tax milestones that can materially impact your valuation and long-term success. \nWhat We’ll Cover: \nSR&ED for Scale-Ups: Best Practices & What’s Changed\nAs your R&D investments grow\, so do the opportunities — and the risks. Get a practical update on recent SR&ED developments\, avoid common claim pitfalls\, and learn proven strategies to optimize returns as your operations become more complex. \nTax Planning Strategies for High-Growth Companies: Key Milestones\, Triggers & Timing\nGrowth introduces new tax realities. From investment rounds and ownership changes to exits and operational independence\, understand the critical milestones founders must plan for early. Learn how smart\, proactive tax strategy can unlock significant savings — and how to avoid the costly missteps many discover too late. \nWho Should Attend: \nFounders and senior leaders of growth-stage companies who are actively generating revenue and preparing for expansion\, investment\, or transition. \nPosition your company for sustainable growth\, protect enterprise value\, and plan strategically for what comes next. \n  \nJay McLean – Partner\, National SR&ED Leader\nJay McLean is a MNP Partner and national leader of the Government Incentive practice including: Scientific Research & Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credits\, Ontario Interactive Digital Media tax credits (OIDMTC)\, and more. \nHe is a designated accountant and engineer with more than 20 years of experience working with companies from varying industry sectors. The majority of Jay’s client work is with SME private companies. Jay is committed to providing clients the highest and most efficient service possible in all situations\, and as such will coordinate service engagements. \nAs the leader of the national SR&ED practice\, Jay’s experience spans a variety of R&D settings\, prototyping\, and production environments including: development of new materials\, engineering consulting companies\, software development\, manufacturing settings\, and more. Jay also has considerable experience leading SR&ED audits with the Canada Revenue Agency to very successful outcomes. \n  \nScott Chartrand – Senior Manager\, Tax\nScott Chartrand\, CPA\, CA is a Senior Manager in MNP’s Tax Services practice in Waterloo\, Ontario. With more than 14 years of experience in public practice and within one of Canada’s largest insurance organizations\, Scott helps small and medium sized businesses navigate complex tax and regulatory matters with confidence. \nScott delivers tailored tax compliance and advisory solutions grounded in a disciplined\, client focused approach. By taking the time to understand his clients’ goals\, he develops clear and practical strategies to support long-term success. His areas of focus include corporate structuring\, succession planning\, tax minimization\, and acquisitions and divestitures. Known for his strong technical expertise and problem solving skills\, Scott provides innovative solutions while ensuring clients remain compliant. \nScott earned his Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) from Laurentian University in 2011. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2014 and completed CPA Canada’s InDepth Tax Program in 2018. He is actively involved in the accounting and financial services community through volunteer leadership and mentorship roles\, including involvement with CPA Ontario and the Insurance Institute of Canada. \n  \nTony Papa​ – Partner\, ​Regional TMT Leader\nTony is a senior Business Advisor with MNP’s Assurance and Accounting team in Waterloo and the firm’s Regional Leader of Technology\, Media\, and Telecommunications. Tony is a leader with more than two decades of experience serving companies with international\, national and local operations. \nTony works closely with clients across several industries\, including technology\, manufacturing\, consumer business\, services\, retail\, and distribution. He supports his clients in reporting across a multitude of frameworks\, such as International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)\, U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)\, and Accounting Standards for Private Enterprises (ASPE). \nPrior to joining MNP\, Tony served as the director of financial reporting and corporate finance for a publicly listed Canadian company and was also an audit partner at a global accounting firm. \nTony earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from Wilfrid Laurier University in 1998. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA)\, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant (CA) in 2001. Tony is a board member with the Kitchener Soccer Club.
URL:https://www.acceleratorcentre.com/event-page/expert-founder-workshop-preparing-for-growth-investment-exit-through-smart-tax-strategy/
LOCATION:Accelerator Centre HQ\, 295 Hagey Blvd\, Waterloo\, Ontario\, N2L 6R5\, Canada
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260416T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260416T190000
DTSTAMP:20260609T082925
CREATED:20260316T161821Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T160103Z
UID:10000017-1776358800-1776366000@www.acceleratorcentre.com
SUMMARY:She Talks Tech: The Neurodiverse Advantage
DESCRIPTION:At She Talks Tech: The Neurodiverse Advantage\, we’re creating space for honest\, thoughtful conversation about what it really means to work in tech as someone who identifies as neurodivergent — and what it means to build teams\, companies\, and ecosystems where neurodiverse talent can thrive. \nThis event brings together founders\, professionals\, leaders\, and allies to share lived experiences\, challenge assumptions\, and explore how diverse ways of thinking strengthen innovation. \nWhat to Expect: \nLived Experiences in Tech & Leadership: Hear from women who identify as neurodivergent about navigating careers\, entrepreneurship\, and leadership — on their own terms. \nInclusion in Action: Learn from team leaders and allies who are rethinking hiring\, communication\, management\, and workplace culture to better support neurodiverse colleagues. \nBeyond Awareness: Move past surface-level conversations and into practical insights on fostering environments where different thinking styles are valued — not accommodated as an afterthought but recognized as an advantage. \nCommunity & Connection: Whether you identify as neurodivergent or want to be a stronger advocate\, this is a space to listen\, learn\, and build meaningful connections. \nInnovation thrives on difference. By embracing neurodivergent perspectives\, we build better products\, stronger teams\, and a more human tech industry. \nJoin us for a conversation rooted in experience\, respect\, and possibility. \nMeet the Speakers: \nWanda K. Deschamps \nWanda is the founder and principal of Liberty Co – a consultancy focused on increasing neurodiverse employment with a special emphasis on autism due to her own diagnosis at midlife. \nA champion for inclusion\, she enjoys speaking and writing under the banner of the Inclusion Revolution\, a worldwide movement launched in 2018 to spearhead broader thinking about disability\, especially disability employment. As part of this\, Wanda is a proud advocate for autistics\, including as an advisor and participant in research into autistics experiences in the workplace and beyond. \nPrior to founding Liberty Co\, Wanda enjoyed a twenty-five-year career in the philanthropic sector serving with leading Canadian institutions. Now a neuroinclusion thought leader and speaker\, she partners with public\, private and non-profit organizations across Canada\, and is known for bringing creativity and passion to every session\, panel and keynote. \nIn recognition of the impact she is making\, Wanda is the 2024 recipient of the Phillip Emmerson Award for Employment Excellence from CASE (Canadian Association for Supported Employment) and the 2023 Life Sciences Ontario volunteer award. \n  \nSarah-Beth Bianchi \nSarah-Beth Bianchi wears many hats – coach\, community organizer\, mom\, spouse\, friend\, and lifelong learner. Through these roles\, she understands firsthand the balancing act of building a fulfilling life while managing the many demands of career\, family\, and personal growth. \nSarah-Beth works with individuals navigating the wonderfully messy middle of their careers and lives. She coaches through the lens of her lived experience with neurodivergence and evidence-based\, ADHD-affirming approaches to motivation\, strengths\, and goals. Sarah-Beth supports clients in moving from feeling overwhelmed to feeling empowered\, helping them make intentional changes and design lives that reflect their values\, priorities\, and aspirations. \n  \n  \nIsabella Chawrun \nIsabella Chawrun is a PhD candidate supervised by Lili Liu\, where she has interest applying wearable health technologies that have been successfully adopted by people living with dementia to populations of older autistic adults with and without intellectual disability. Her dissertation focuses on the lived experience of heath\, health care experiences\, and aging for older autistic adults. In addition to being a graduate researcher at the AIRP\, she is a research trainee at the Centre of Addiction and Mental Health\, at the Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics\, where she applies big data and machine learning techniques to cohorts of underserved populations\, specifically older autistic adults with and without intellectual disability. \nIsabella completed her Honors Bachelor of Science in Biological Anthropology at University of Toronto\, Mississauga in 2018 and her Master of Arts at York University in Social Anthropology in 2020. Isabella has lived experience of autism and mental health\, which guides her research and advocacy work. Isabella loves learning about all things technology\, machine learning and big data\, and mixed methods research\, and is happy to connect. \n  \n Jennifer Seberras\, P.Log. \nJennifer Seberras is an entrepreneur\, business coach\, and founder of LeadershipHub.ca\, dedicated\nto supporting women as they step into — and grow within — entrepreneurship.\nShe built and scaled a transportation and logistics company in a male-dominated industry\, growing\nit from the ground up into a multimillion-dollar business and eventually selling it. Navigating rapid\ngrowth\, industry barriers\, and high-stakes decision-making gave Jennifer a deep\, firsthand\nunderstanding of what it truly takes to build and lead a business from the inside out.\nThrough that experience\, she recognized a recurring gap: many women were capable\, driven\, and\nambitious\, yet lacked practical support\, confidence\, and real-world guidance to navigate the ups\nand downs of entrepreneurship. After selling her business\, Jennifer founded LeadershipHub.ca to\nhelp fill that gap. \nToday\, Jennifer works with women across all stages of business — from those just starting out to\nfounders leading established\, high-growth companies — helping them build clarity\, confidence\,\nand sustainable strategies. What sets her apart is simple: she’s been there. She understands the\npressure\, uncertainty\, wins\, setbacks\, and everything in between. \nJennifer often describes her work as being the person she wished she had while building her own\nbusiness — someone who offers honest\, practical insight rooted in lived experience\, not theory or\nhype. Her approach is grounded\, strategic\, and real — focused on helping women not just dream\nabout growth\, but actually build it. \n  \nMeet the Moderator \n \n \nStefanie Bruinsma \nStefanie Bruinsma is the founder of AutoCate\, a Canadian automotive technology and education company focused on transparency\, empowerment\, and accessibility in car care. She is a licensed Automotive Service Technician\, a Mechanical Engineering graduate from the University of Waterloo\, and an entrepreneur whose lived experience with ADHD informs how she thinks about problem-solving\, leadership\, and innovation. Stefanie is passionate about creating more inclusive pathways into skilled trades and technical fields\, and her work has been recognized through business award nominations and media coverage for its impact in advocacy\, innovation\, and community building. \n  \nThank you to our sponsor!
URL:https://www.acceleratorcentre.com/event-page/she-talks-tech-the-neurodiverse-advantage/
LOCATION:Catalyst Commons\, 137 Glasgow St Unit 210\, Kitchener\, ON\, N2G 4X8\, Canada
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260422T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260422T160000
DTSTAMP:20260609T082925
CREATED:20260316T144029Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260316T144029Z
UID:10000016-1776862800-1776873600@www.acceleratorcentre.com
SUMMARY:Accelerator Centre Open House: Meet the Mentors
DESCRIPTION:Behind every successful startup is a strong network of mentors\, advisors\, and trusted service providers who help founders make smarter decisions and move faster. At the Accelerator Centre Open House\, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with experienced startup mentors\, industry experts\, and service providers who support early-stage companies in areas like funding\, legal\, marketing\, talent\, and scaling operations. \nWhat’s in it for you? \nSpeed Mentorship: Participate in 10-minute mentorship sessions and gain rapid insights from experienced founders\, investors\, and startup advisors. \nExpert Connections: Meet mentors and service providers who work closely with startups and can help with legal\, finance\, marketing\, product development\, talent\, and other key growth areas. \nNetworking Reception: Connect with founders\, mentors\, ecosystem partners\, and industry leaders over refreshments and meaningful conversations. \nWho should attend? \n\nEarly-stage founders looking for strategic advice and expert insights.\nEntrepreneurs seeking mentors and trusted service providers to help navigate fundraising\, growth\, and scaling.\nProfessionals interested in mentoring or supporting startups within the innovation ecosystem.\n\nCome ready with questions\, challenges\, and an open mind—because one great conversation could change the course of your startup journey.
URL:https://www.acceleratorcentre.com/event-page/accelerator-centre-open-house-meet-the-mentors-2/
LOCATION:Accelerator Centre HQ\, 295 Hagey Blvd\, Waterloo\, Ontario\, N2L 6R5\, Canada
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