Two prominent Calgary leaders are joining the global lineup for Energy Disruptors: UNITE 2026.
Entrepreneur and venture capitalist Arlene Dickinson and Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas will take the stage when the summit returns to the BMO Centre on September 28 and 29.
Dickinson is the Founder and General Partner of District Ventures Capital, which invests in companies in the food, beverage, health and wellness sectors. The bestselling author and longtime venture capitalist on CBC’s Dragons’ Den will share her perspective on innovation, investment and what entrepreneurs need to build and scale companies.
Farkas, who became Calgary’s 38th mayor in 2025, will address the opportunities and challenges facing a growing city navigating questions around infrastructure, affordability, talent and economic competitiveness.
“There is a reason this event is held in Calgary,” said Graeme Edge, Co-Founder and CEO of Energy Disruptors: UNITE. “Calgary has always been a city built by people willing to take risks, solve hard problems and think bigger about what’s possible.”
The two-day Energy Disruptors summit is expected to attract thousands of founders, investors, policymakers, executives and innovators. Its program will connect conversations about energy with technology, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, geopolitics and public policy.
Dickinson and Farkas join a lineup that already includes Margaret Atwood, former United Kingdom prime minister Lord David Cameron and economist Tyler Cowen.
Additional speakers and programming are expected to be announced in the weeks ahead.


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