A closer look at the sessions and influencers shaping the inaugural Future Summit, which runs from November 18 to 20.
This month, executives from NVIDIA, AWS Canada, Google and Microsoft will join Alberta's top policymakers and Canadian tech founders at Future summit 2025.
From November 18 to 20 in Calgary, Future Summit will open the doors to Canada's most exclusive technology strategy sessions. While most conferences aim for large numbers of attendees, Future Summit is designed to stay small. There are no pre-panel meetings and most sessions are not recorded. All are designed with authenticity in mind.
Future Summit 2025 will take place from November 18 to 20 in Calgary.
According to Future Summit founder Josh Rainbow, every conversation is structured to be honest and helpful.
“The real story of Canada's tech sector begins when decision-makers step off the stage and into spaces designed for real dialogue,” Rainbow said. “We wanted to create a conference where the people you meet and the way you meet them results in something tangible.”
Here are three reasons why you won't want to miss Future Summit 2025.
Not for recording conversations
Agenda for the future summit built around access. Each session is designed to transcend the scale and choreography of standard technology conferences and force decision makers to speak candidly.
At the VIP reception on November 18, a curated panel of leaders in artificial intelligence and energy will meet for an informal dinner and four exclusive panels focused on energy, artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and Alberta's economic future. The reception will be attended by key government officials, global investors and national infrastructure players.
On November 19, the Data Center Roundtable will bring together operators from across the cloud, fabric and energy ecosystems to discuss the future of Canada's computing stack behind closed doors, without the use of phones.
Founders and Sponsors Dinner will host a hand-picked guest list of 50 founders and investors after earnings in a hidden room in downtown Calgary. Dinner is supported by AWS, 1Password, Couchbase, PREDICTif Solutions, Boast, Legal Sneakers, and Impact Applications.
And at the BMO Center there was a fireside chat called “Making the next unicorn” will connect 20 founders directly with operators who have broken the ceiling: Headversity CEO Kelly Schmitt and Darcy Tuer, CEO of Zayzoon.
High-income guest list
The Future Summit guest list is a who's who of Canada's tech economy. Eric Gayles, managing director of AWS Canada, from the industry will join leaders and developers working at NVIDIA, OpenAI, Google and Microsoft to talk about Canada's future in artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure.
They will be joined by founders shaping Canadian tech history, including Kevin Kleeman, who led Humi to its acquisition of Employment Hero this year, Olivier Blais, co-founder and vice president of artificial intelligence at Moov.AI, and Arvind Gupta, professor of computer science at the University of Toronto. Blais and Gupta are also members of Minister Evan Solomon's group. recently introduced The Task Force on Artificial Intelligence will provide a national perspective on the adoption and safety of artificial intelligence.
On the government side, support comes from federal AI Minister Evan Solomon, as well as Alberta Premier Daniel Smith, Nate Glubisch, Alberta's Minister of Technology and Innovation, and Sean Murphy, the province's first Chief AI Officer, who will participate in discussions on how policy can keep pace with innovation.
Also among the top performers will be energy industry legends Kinnear Financial CEO Jim Kinnear and North West Digital Power founder Iain McGregor, both legends in Canada's energy sector. According to Rainbow, it is the combination of senior industry leaders, policy makers and founders that gives Future Summit its edge.
“These are the people who write policies, sign checks and create companies that advance Canadian technology,” Rainbow said. “When you put them in one place, conversations naturally turn into results.”
A little about who will be next
Although the Future Summit's list of participants is skewed, the event also attracts some of Alberta's most talented students through its program. Future Builders Programpartnerships with the Knowledge Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters and leading post-secondary institutions in Calgary.
These students will join the same discussions as founders, investors and policymakers. This is a chance for participants to meet Canadian builders before they make headlines, Rainbow said.
“This is a small step toward ensuring Alberta's next generation of innovators has a seat at the table,” Rainbow said.
One of the Future Builders members, Shaliza Samir Khoja, is a Knowledge Society student researcher studying at the intersection of neuroscience, artificial intelligence and biotechnology.
“For me, the Future Summit is the next step in my journey to rebuild systems that protect human potential, enhance innovation, and turn ideas into meaningful solutions,” Hoxha said. “This is a chance to be among people who don’t wait for the future, because they create it.”
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Join the most ambitious founders, investors and technology leaders at the Future Summit, November 18-20 in Calgary. Get your tickets here.
All photos courtesy of Future Summit.
