BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Accelerator Centre - ECPv6.15.17//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:Accelerator Centre
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.acceleratorcentre.com
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Accelerator Centre
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/Toronto
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20260308T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20261101T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20270314T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20271107T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260303T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260303T170000
DTSTAMP:20260414T234018
CREATED:20260204T183833Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260213T135642Z
UID:10000012-1772550000-1772557200@www.acceleratorcentre.com
SUMMARY:Dual-Use Demystified: Could Your Tech Serve Both Commercial and Defence Markets?
DESCRIPTION:Understanding dual-use\, defence opportunities\, and procurement basics  \nCanada is increasing investment in technologies that serve both commercial and defence and security applications. If you’re building in AI\, cybersecurity\, sensing\, geospatial\, robotics\, advanced materials\, simulation\, or critical infrastructure software\, your product may already qualify as dual-use — even if you’ve never considered defence markets before.  \nJoin us for a practical\, founder-friendly session designed to help you:  \n\nIdentify credible defence and security use cases for your technology \n\n\nUnderstand the technical\, data\, and capability characteristics that typically trigger dual-use considerations \n\n\nLearn what does — and does not — change when engaging with defence-adjacent customers \n\n\nGain a clearer picture of how defence procurement works and where startups can realistically engage \n\nWho should attend: Founders\, product leaders\, CTOs\, and business development leads.   \nSpeaker: Shelby Eyre  \n \nShelby Eyre is an Economic Policy and Planning Analyst with FedDev Ontario’s Defence Services Team. She works closely with small and medium-sized firms and post-secondary institutions in southern Ontario\, helping them understand opportunities within Canada’s defence ecosystem and connect with global defence primes. With prior experience at Innovation Canada within the Department of Innovation\, Science\, and Economic Development\, Shelby brings a strong perspective on emerging technologies and their defence applications. \n  \n  \n  \n  \nSpeaker: Karim Sallaudin Karim \n \nDr. Karim Sallaudin Karim is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo and a leader in translating advanced research into real-world\, dual-use technologies. Most recently\, he served as Associate Vice President of Partnerships\, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship\, where he focused on industry collaboration and technology transfer. He is the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of KA Imaging\, which develops novel spectral and phase-contrast X-ray imaging systems used across medical\, industrial\, and defense/security applications. Technologies originating from Dr. Karim’s research are deployed globally\, including ultrasonic fingerprint sensor components now used in over 200 million mobile devices. He is a Fellow of both the Engineering Institute of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Engineering.  \n  \nSpeaker: Cameron Waite \n \nCameron Waite is the Founder and CEO of Real Life Robotics (RLR)\, a Waterloo-based company delivering real-world automation solutions across commercial\, municipal\, and defense sectors. With over 15 years of experience in robotics and automation\, he has led deployments spanning last-mile delivery\, IoT-integrated automation\, and secure\, scalable orchestration of autonomous systems through RLR’s flagship platform\, PASSENGER. \nPrior to founding RLR\, Cameron held senior roles at Canadian robotics leaders Avidbots and Aeryon Labs\, where he worked directly with clients including the U.S. military\, Canadian law enforcement agencies such as the OPP and RCMP\, and a broad network of government and defense contractors to deploy tactical robotics for ISR\, public safety\, and critical infrastructure support. \nCameron serves on the Canadian Robotics Council’s Outdoor Robotics Advisory Group\, contributes to federal smart mobility initiatives\, and is active in Canada’s dual-use innovation ecosystem\, working closely with organizations such as OCI\, IRAP\, CENGN\, and the Waterloo Dual-Use Consortium. He is a vocal advocate for sovereign robotics infrastructure and frequently collaborates with global partners on security-conscious automation strategies for domestic and allied markets. \nModerator: Ruth Casselman \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\nRuth Casselman is the CEO for the Accelerator Centre\, and the Co-Chair for the Waterloo Dual-Use Technology Consortium (dualusetech.ca). Ruth’s leadership is rooted in her own entrepreneurial experience and her deep understanding of the challenges founders face in scaling technology ventures. Ruth was the founding Chief Operating Officer at Alert Labs – an IoT technology manufacturing and data analytics company specializing in reducing wasted water and CO2 emissions in commercial properties. She stewarded Alert Labs through a successful acquisition by a Fortune 500 organization\, giving her first-hand experience in fundraising\, scaling\, and navigating complex exits. \nAt the Accelerator Centre\, Ruth champions programs that accelerate innovation across sectors\, including the Aerospace Accelerator\, a collaboration with the Region of Waterloo\, that supports aerospace and aviation startups by providing tailored programming and industry connections. \nBefore Alert Labs\, Ruth held senior technical\, communications\, and crisis leadership roles at BlackBerry\, including serving as public relations lead for BlackBerry Government and Enterprise Security. In this capacity\, she worked closely with Fortune 500 corporations\, global enterprises\, and government agencies worldwide\, supporting secure communications\, cybersecurity positioning\, and mission-critical technology. She also led crisis management for BlackBerry’s Network Operations Centers globally\, operating at the intersection of secure infrastructure\, real-time operations\, and high-stakes stakeholder communication. This experience gave her deep exposure to the operational\, regulatory\, and reputational complexities of enterprise security and government technology environments.
URL:https://www.acceleratorcentre.com/event-page/dual-use-demystified-could-your-tech-serve-both-commercial-and-defense-markets/
LOCATION:Accelerator Centre HQ\, 295 Hagey Blvd\, Waterloo\, Ontario\, N2L 6R5\, Canada
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.acceleratorcentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/UPDATED-Dualuse-Workshop_March-20256_Website-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20260305T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20260305T113000
DTSTAMP:20260414T234018
CREATED:20260206T182418Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260304T144030Z
UID:10000013-1772703000-1772710200@www.acceleratorcentre.com
SUMMARY:International Women’s Day: AC:Incubate+ & DGBS Showcase
DESCRIPTION:Celebrate the growth\, resilience\, and bold thinking of founders graduating from the AC:Incubate+ and Disrupting Gender Bias in Startups (DGBS) programs at our upcoming showcase. \nOver the past six months\, early-stage founders have transformed ambitious ideas into real ventures\, building traction\, sharpening their strategies\, and stepping into leadership with clarity and confidence. This showcase marks the culmination of that work and the next chapter for each company. \nThe AC:Incubate+ program is grounded in the belief that strong companies are built through intentional\, high-touch support. Through tailored mentorship\, milestone-based guidance\, and specialized training\, founders receive what they need to validate ideas\, build momentum\, and prepare for long-term growth. The result is not only stronger ventures\, but a more resilient and capable innovation ecosystem. \nThe Disrupting Gender Bias in Startups (DGBS) program addresses the systemic barriers that continue to shape who gets access\, visibility\, and opportunity in entrepreneurship. By centering the lived experiences of women and gender-diverse founders\, the program creates space for norm deconstruction\, collective visioning\, and leadership development\, equipping participants to build ventures that challenge the status quo and contribute to a more equitable economy. \nThis year’s showcase takes place alongside International Women’s Day\, offering a timely moment to reflect on how equity\, access\, and shared responsibility show up in practice. The theme\, Give to Gain\, mirrors what we see across both programs: when time\, knowledge\, and opportunity are invested intentionally\, founders—and the ecosystem around them—move further\, faster. \nWhat to Expect\n\nFounder stories that highlight growth\, challenge\, and key inflection points\nInsights into how targeted support shaped each venture’s journey\nA look at what’s next for graduating companies\nA celebration of inclusive innovation\, leadership\, and collective progress\n\nAgenda\n\n9:30 am  | Doors open\n9:45 pm  | Opening Remarks\n9:55 am – 10:15 am | Panel discussion of founders from the AC:Incubate+ & DGBS program featuring Emily Tell\, Shreyonshi Bharat\, Yvonne Ip\, and Elaine Liu\n10:15 am – 10:35 am | DGBS Impact with Anna Jones\, DGBS Program Manager\n10:35 am – 10:50 AM |  To Give to Gain Workshop featuring Christianna Chow\n10:50 am – 11:30 am | Networking & Showcase floor\n\nSpeakers\n  \n \nChristianna Chow\nChristianna Chow is the Co-Founder of Octopodi Technologies and a passionate educator\, mentor\, and startup leader focused on making the future of tech learning more human\, equitable\, and meaningful. She is graduating from AC:Incubate+\, Accelerator Centre’s flagship program supporting high-potential founders as they scale their ventures. \nAt Octopodi Technologies\, Christianna is on a mission to transform how coding is taught and learned in academic institutions. Built by educators for educators\, Octopodi combines automated code analysis with instructor expertise to help professors deliver more value-driven feedback\, track student competency development\, and significantly reduce the time spent grading. By shifting the focus from simply whether code “works” to how students think\, problem-solve\, and grow\, Octopodi helps instructors teach more—and helps students learn with greater confidence. \nChristianna’s leadership is grounded in human-centered technology\, empowerment through ownership\, and purpose-driven impact. Beyond building Octopodi\, she has mentored students and founders through programs like BETS\, teaching and venture coaching\, and continues to champion learning environments where mistakes are welcomed\, diverse voices are elevated\, and emerging talent is trusted to take on real responsibility. \n  \n  \n \nEmily Tell\nEmily Tell is the Owner and CEO of IdeaTilt\, a company that helps organizations thrive through clear\, practical approaches to AI\, cybersecurity\, and modern ways of working. With more than 20 years of experience across digital strategy\, project and program management\, people change management\, cybersecurity awareness\, and security framework alignment\, Emily specializes in helping businesses and teams adapt to disruptive technology change with simple\, proven techniques. \nEmily has led global technology and transformation initiatives across enterprise\, SMB\, and startup environments—supporting teams in more than 20 countries and multiple languages. Her work has driven major adoption and engagement outcomes\, including an award-winning learning initiative recognized as the Winner of the LinkedIn Talent Award for Learning (Companies over 10K employees) in 2022\, as well as large-scale increases in platform adoption\, communications engagement\, and operational efficiency. \nAt IdeaTilt\, Emily and her team focus on moving organizations from complex to simple—building AI-powered procedures\, human-in-the-loop workflows\, and sustainable governance models that reduce risk while increasing capability. Her work is grounded in a belief that AI and security should feel achievable without hype\, jargon\, or risky shortcuts—and that the best transformation happens when people feel informed\, empowered\, and confident. \n  \n  \n \nShreyonshi Bharat\nShreyonshi Bharat is the Founder and CEO of Saaga Events\, a B2B SaaS company reimagining how professional networking works at in-person and virtual events. Drawing on her background as an event planner\, Shreyonshi is building the next generation of AI-powered software designed to fix the broken systems event teams rely on—addressing challenges like inefficient networking\, poor data capture\, and the lack of measurable ROI for organizers and attendees. \nAt Saaga Events\, Shreyonshi leads the development of a smart\, data-driven platform that streamlines networking and lead qualification through intentional matching\, real-time insights\, and inclusive design. The technology reduces bias and fragmentation while helping event organizers\, conference hosts\, and corporate teams maximize engagement\, improve attendee experience\, and clearly demonstrate value to stakeholders. \nAs a South Asian woman founder with lived experience navigating exclusion in professional spaces\, Shreyonshi brings a deep commitment to equity and inclusion into both the product and the company’s mission. She is currently in active research mode\, engaging directly with event planners across corporate\, academic\, and organizational settings to ensure Saaga is built on real workflows\, real constraints\, and real-world pressure—earning trust when it matters most. \n  \n  \n \nYvonne Ip\nYvonne Ip is the Founding Director of Arise Architects Co-operative\, Canada’s first architectural practice operating as a worker-owned co-operative. With more than two decades of experience in architectural practice\, Ivonne has worked across a wide range of project types and is well-versed in every phase of the design and delivery process. She brings deep expertise in leading government-funded and regulated projects\, with a strong track record of guiding complex and innovative developments through planning approvals\, including the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). \nBeyond her professional practice\, Ivonne is also an accomplished artist whose work has been exhibited across Canada and the United States and is held in both public and private collections. She is deeply engaged in the cultural and societal impact of architecture through community initiatives such as the City of Kitchener Public Art Working Group\, Queen’s Green Community Garden\, and the Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable. Ivonne has also held leadership roles within organizations\, including the Trillium Waldorf School and the Grand Valley Society of Architects (GVSA)\, where she currently serves as Continuing Education Coordinator. \nA graduate of the Disrupting Gender Bias in Startups (DGBS) Program\, Ivonne is passionate about reimagining how firms can operate—building a collaborative\, project-centric culture that prioritizes community\, care\, and meaningful design. \n  \n  \n \nElaine Liu\nElaine Liu is the Chief Executive Officer of Infinity9 Cycle Corp\, a Toronto-based company transforming agricultural waste into fully biodegradable promotional products and packaging. Through innovative\, PLA-based materials and ongoing R&D\, Infinity9 Cycle helps businesses replace plastic with affordable\, high-quality sustainable alternatives—ranging from biodegradable coffee mugs and tableware to reusable bags and food film that naturally decomposes in under six months. \nElaine is also a proud participant in the Disrupting Gender Bias in Startups (DGBS) Program\, where she has championed inclusive leadership and gender equity in entrepreneurship. As she shares\, “To me\, feminism means supporting equality and fairness between all genders… It’s about ensuring that everyone has the same opportunities\, rights\, and respect\, regardless of gender.” Her work reflects a commitment to building a healthier planet—and a more equitable startup ecosystem—through innovation\, community partnerships\, and purpose-driven leadership. \n  \n \nPaniz Moayeri\nPaniz is a licensed architect and a director at Arise Architects Co-operative\, Canada’s first architectural worker-cooperative. With a career bridging practice\, research\, and advocacy\, her work focuses on the social\, ethical\, and cultural dimensions of built spaces and design. Paniz has nearly a decade of professional experience across offices in Toronto\, Dubai\, Victoria\, New York\, and Kitchener\, working on a wide range of building types\, delivery models\, and design stages. Skilled in community consultation and multi-stakeholder engagement\, Paniz is a strong advocate for participatory\, community-led design. \nPaniz’s award-winning graduate thesis\, Your Passport Doesn’t Work Here\, explored the intersection of architecture\, identity\, and Iranian queer heritage. Her writing appears in Canadian Architect\, JSSAC\, and The Signs That Define Toronto. She has taught design studio at Laurentian University\, assisted courses at Waterloo Architecture\, and served as a guest lecturer and critic at TMU and Carleton. \nAs a co-founder of Treaty Lands\, Global Stories\, Paniz has advocated for recognizing Canada’s Indigenous heritage and broadening architectural education beyond Western paradigms since 2016. She is a former Advisory Board Member to Waterloo Architecture’s Racial Equity and Environmental Justice Task Force\, and an active member of the Architecture Lobby\, where she advocates for equity and improved working conditions in the profession. \n  \n  \nMilo Aguera\nMilo Aguera brings 20+ years of software development and technology leadership across global companies including Nestlé\, Westwing\, and TIM Telecom. He founded Milo Tech Forecast\, a full-stack boutique tech agency bringing together passionate doers to build creative solutions to complex challenges. \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n \nSaba Oji\nNamed one of Canada’s Top 100 AI Startups\, Saba’s company HolisticMindAI develops therapist-guided AI tools to support mental health providers through ethical\, human-first innovation. As a researcher and EDI advocate\, she brings a nuanced and compassionate view on responsible AI development—emphasizing safety\, equity\, and community-informed design. Her lens blends technical rigor with lived experience and a commitment to ethical implementation.
URL:https://www.acceleratorcentre.com/event-page/international-womens-day-acincubate-dgbs-showcase/
LOCATION:Accelerator Centre HQ\, 295 Hagey Blvd\, Waterloo\, Ontario\, N2L 6R5\, Canada
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.acceleratorcentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/UPDATED-Incubate-Showcase_March-2026_Website-Cover-Image-5.png
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR