Hey Montréal!

I can’t feel more grateful to experience Montréal’s summer! It feels so refreshing seeing people out, walking around, and having fun!
Talking about fun!! StartupFest is coming this week, as well as some cool events!
This week will be about celebrating Ambition and +, so let’s get out there, step out of our comfort zone, conquer what we want most, and have fun!

Decided to do some restructuring this week, so here’s what’s new:
- A little corner with your “MUST HAVE” links
- Little 🏄🏼‍♀️ emoji next to the events I’ll be going to, so come say hi!!

Your MUST-HAVE links 💫

These events are curated from multiple sources (including the official StartupFest website), so you don’t have to go searching.

19 events, sorted by date

Events Coming Up 🎉

July 7th - Non-Dilutive Coffees: Tips on how to get "Free Money" Tips for Startups

Location: Tommy Café (Rue Saint-Paul)
Time: 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.
What: ​Join Moose Capital for 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.
Sign up Link: Here

July 7th - StartupFest Edition: MTL Founders, VCs & Friends 5a7 🏄🏼‍♀️

Location: Montréal, QC
Time: 5:00 - 7:30 p.m.
What: Come hang out at our Founders, VCs & Friends 5a7, a chill evening where Montreal’s founders and VCs can catch-up! Whether you’re looking to meet new faces, catch up with old friends, or just enjoy some good vibes come through!
Sign up Link: Here

July 7th - Young People In Tech (Startupfest Edition)🏄🏼‍♀️

Location: Marché des Eclusiers
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
What: ​In town for Startupfest? Interested in tech and entrepreneurship? Young founders?
​Whether you're a student, investor, founder, super-connector, or simply curious about learning and meeting new people in the industry, this event is for you. ​​​
Sign up Link: Here

July 8th - Invest-Tech 2025

Location: Ax.c
Time: 4:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Price: $22.63
What: Le Consortium québécois des incubateurs High Tech (ACET, Centech, CTS et Zú) vous invite à son événement phare dédié à l’innovation. Préparez-vous à rencontrer près de 40 startups dans les secteurs de l’Intelligence Artificielle, du Deep-Tech et de la Medtech/Biotech.
Sign up Link: Here

July 8th - Building Your AI Enterprise

Location: TONIC DNA
Time: 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
What: ​Drive Capital and Shadow are kicking off a new event series for founders, operators, and domain experts who want to build smarter, faster, and more efficiently in the age of AI by unpacking the shift toward lean, intelligent companies.
Sign up Link: Here

July 8th - Founder Friends Montreal 🏄🏼‍♀️

Location: BDC Square, 5 Place Ville Marie
Time: 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
What: ​Join Elizabeth Yin, GP & co-founder of Hustle Fund, and Chloë Ryan, CEO & Founder of Acrylic Robotics, for a raw conversation with a founder on stage who went through the wringer and came out the other side.
Sign up Link: Here

July 8th - MTL Founder Poker #8

Location: BoxOne Ventures
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Buy in: $5
What: MTL Founder Poker loves Startupfest, so we'll be making our monthly tournament bigger and better. New to poker? Don't worry. We hold a Poker 101 at the start of each event. Keep it chill, please save your pitches for a follow-up call.
Sign up Link: Here

July 8th - The Unofficial Startupfest Pre-Party by 🧠 The AI Collective MTL 🧠

Location: Philémon Bar
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
What: Join us at Philémon Bar for an exclusive pre-party where Montreal’s AI community meets Startupfest’s boldest minds. Whether you’re deep in AI, building the next big thing, or just curious about what’s next — this is your space to connect, collaborate, and spark big ideas.
Sign up Link: Here

July 8th - Before You Fundraise at Startupfest

Location: Saint-Paul Street West (Capita Hacker House)
Time: 7:00 - 9:30 p.m.
What: ​Startupfest kicks off tomorrow. Before you dive into pitches and investor meetings, join a small group of real founders for a no-fluff night on how to actually raise in this market.
Sign up Link: Here

July 9th - Fundraising Stories We Usually Keep Private

Location: Saint-Paul Street West (Capita Hacker House)
Time: 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
What: ​This isn’t a panel. It’s not a pitch. It’s a low-key hang with founders who’ve raised real money in the worst fundraising market in a decade — and have the scars (and term sheets) to prove it.
Sign up Link: Here

July 9th - Bière & Code & Beer MTL

Location: Brutopia - Brasseur Artisanal
Time: 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
What: Informal meetup for tech enthusiasts and developers who want to connect in a friendly atmosphere. Join us to chat about code, share ideas, and enjoy a craft beer in a relaxed setting. 🍻 (First drink on Defang 👀).
Sign up Link: Here

July 9th - From patent to exit : conversation with Frank Baylis

Location: 85 Rue Saint-Paul O, H2Y 3V4
Time: 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
What: As part of an exclusive Off-IPFest event, 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.
Sign up Link: Here

July 9th - Bière & Code & Beer MTL

Location: Brutopia - Brasseur Artisanal
Time: 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
What: Informal meetup for tech enthusiasts and developers who want to connect in a friendly atmosphere. Join us to chat about code, share ideas, and enjoy a craft beer in a relaxed setting. 🍻 (First drink on Defang 👀).
Sign up Link: Here

July 10th - Tech Walk and Talk | Startupfest Edition 🏄🏼‍♀️

Location: Place Victoria
Time: 8:30 - 10:00 a.m.
What: ​​​​​Come for an informal walk and talk up on the second day of Startupfest. We will meet at Place Victoria at the (new Ax-C building) and finish our walk at Startupfest in Old Montreal.​​
Sign up Link: Here

July 10th - Thursday Founder Co-Working Escape @ Startupfest

Location: 185 Saint-Paul Street West (Capita Hacker House)
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
What: Startupfest is energizing, but it can also be non-stop chaos. If you need a break to clear your head, catch up on work, or have real conversations with other serious founders, come by the Capita Hacker House.
Sign up Link: Here

July 10th - Summer Fintech Social - Montreal

Location: Station FinTech
Time: 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
What: ​​​​​Are you passionate about fintech? Or maybe you just want to meet some friendly faces who get just as excited about innovation in the financial space as you do. ​This isn’t your typical formal networking event, we’re all about good vibes, great conversations, and connecting with people who are genuinely interested in the future of fintech.
Sign up Link: Here

July 10th - Rep Matters Cocktail at Startupfest 2025

Location: Station FinTech
Time: 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
What: ​​​​​In celebration of the fourth edition of the Black Entrepreneurship Investment Prize at Startupfest.​
Join us for an evening filled with food, art, and amazing people.
Sign up Link: Here

July 10th - Healthtech Social by Scalpels & Spreadsheets

Location: Montréal, QC
Time: 5:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Price: $5
What: ​​​​​Join us for this Startupfest off-event with like-minded 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.
Sign up Link: Here

July 12th - Community Gathering in Old Montreal (A Post-Startupfest Potluck Edition)

Location: 449 Place D’Youville
Time: 2:30 - 6:30 p.m.
What: Designed for meaningful connection, come hang out in an open space where founders, creatives, investors, and curious thinkers can gather, share, and build relationships in an authentic and relaxed setting.
Sign up Link: Here

Simon’s Elisabeth’s Corner!

I’m taking over Simon’s Corner as of now!
Quick Intro, I’m Elisabeth & here are a few ways to get along with me:
- Mention Sports (Bonus Points if it has “Olympics” in your sentence)
- Mention Bubble tea (Bonus Points ++ if you suggest we go buy one)
- You don’t drink my coffee (Don’t be like Simon.)

On another note, I’m having fun this week with our media partnership between McGill Ventures and StartupFest, (feel free to come say hi if you see a McGill Ventures jacket, I love to yap). Trying to stick to the theme of the StartupFest and bring it to young builders and students, so we can grow ambitious, with the right resources!

Love,
Elisabeth.