Calgary’s startup community is starting 2026 with a double dose of insight as Tech Thursday launches its first two sessions of the year later this month.
The series returns on January 22nd with Hot Takes for 2026 Canadian Tech, a no-filter conversation on where the industry is heading. Topics will range from AI and humanoid robots to workplace culture and emerging trends shaping the year ahead. The panel features Kelly Schmitt of Headversity, Mark Le Dain of Fuelled, and Graeme Harrison of Augur VC, moderated by Tech Thursday co-founder Philippe Burns.
On January 29th, Tech Thursday teams up with DMZ and TDIP for From Service to Scale, exploring how founders turn service businesses into scalable, productized solutions. Speakers include Kelsey Hahn of Monark, Addy Graves of Cashew, and Lourdes Juan of Knead, with moderation by Justine Clark of DMZ
Cashew and Knead were recently named included on Calgary.tech‘s Homegrown Calgary Startups to Watch for 2026.
Tech Thursday also announced its first podcast partnership with Your Business is on the Line, hosted by Shubh Sidhu, with Burns joining as guest co-host — signaling an expanded platform for Calgary’s tech conversations in 2026.
Last year Tech Thursday won the Ecosystem Supporter of the Year award at Start Alberta’s 8th annual Tech Awards.
Since launching in 2022, the organization has hosted 175+ events and welcomed more than 20,000 attendees, expanding to Calgary in June 2023 and Edmonton in May 2025. Its weekly gatherings have strengthened connections between founders, operators, and investors, helping create the flywheel effect fuelling Alberta’s tech economy.
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