Tech Thursday panelists speak to a crowd in Calgary. Photo by Jennifer Friesen/
On every single Thursday evening in Calgary and Winnipeg, hundreds of people trickle into their local venues, drinks in hand, ready to listen and ask questions. A panel of tech leaders lead discussions about a bevy of topics, ranging from scaling product teams, new ventures in biotech, or urban planning.
This is Tech Thursday, a weekly, inperson event that’s become a mainstay for professionals in Calgary and Winnipeg’s tech ecosystems.
Now, it’s expanding.
Next month, Tech Thursday will launch new chapters in Ottawa (May 1) and Edmonton (May 8), marking its move into four Canadian cities. A oneoff Toronto event is also scheduled for June 26 during Toronto Tech Week.
Founded in 2022 in Winnipeg by Neo Financial as an informal gathering to support the local ecosystem, Tech Thursday quickly outgrew its original format. It expanded to Calgary in June 2023, and in 2024, it spun out into an independent company to focus on one goal: making Canadian tech feel more connected (and, as an added bonus, give people a reason to look forward to Thursdays).
Weekly meetups built to last
Each Tech Thursday follows the same model: inperson panels and conversations led by local voices, tackling everything from technical deep dives to trends in business growth and DEI. These sessions are followed by informal networking, creating a rhythm that regular attendees now rely on. The format is designed for tech professionals who want to “learn something tangible they can bring into their job the next day,” says cofounder Philippe Burns.
“Our secret sauce in every market we’ve always expanded to is all about bringing as many groups together as possible and feeling like they have an opportunity to use Tech Thursday as a platform,” he adds. “So whenever you want to come in and host an event with us, we will provide that opportunity and give you a space.”
In Ottawa, a steering committee of local leaders — Jesse Card of Youth Ottawa, strategic biotech consultant Liisa Johns, Paul Newton, Laurie Miggins, and Darryl Bandoro of VU Venture Partners — is helping shape the first season of events.
“It’s an honour to help bring Tech Thursday to Ottawa alongside an incredible group of local leaders,” says Darryl Bandoro, principal at VU Venture Partners and Ottawa Tech Thursday lead. “Our goal is to spark the collisions that drive innovation by creating a weekly forum where serendipity thrives, insights are shared, and connections turn into big ideas — all in a format that feels like a live podcast with the boldest minds in tech.”
In Edmonton, the series is led by Ken Bautista and Seanna Baxter from Edmonton Unlimited, with strategic input from Tessa Vriend at API.
Why Ottawa and Edmonton?
Burns says the choice was intentional.
“We really wanted to find markets that had similar tech communities that were maybe a bit disjointed that we could play a role in bringing together and build really strong local tech communities,” says Burns. “We also wanted to start to break down the barriers between historically insular tech communities.”
He points to Ottawa’s oncethriving tech scene, which lost some momentum after Shopify scaled back its local presence, leaving a gap in community programming. Edmonton, meanwhile, is seeing renewed energy following the closure of Startup Edmonton and the emergence of Edmonton Unlimited as a new support organization.
Both cities, Burns explains, offer the kind of ecosystem Tech Thursday looks for: strong talent, solid companies, and a need for consistent connection.
Edmonton stands out for its AI and life sciences sectors, while Ottawa blends earlystage startups with major employers, like Nokia, and tens of thousands of tech workers looking to plug back into something local.
As of December 2024, Tech Thursday has hosted 20,000 attendees across Calgary and Winnipeg. Burns says the Calgary chapter sees an average of 167 RSVPs per week, translating to about 100 inperson attendees. In Winnipeg, actual attendance often matches or exceeds RSVPs.
Rather than copying and pasting the same format into new cities, the team is adapting its programming to fit each local context while maintaining the familiar weekly cadence. The longterm goal, Burns says, is to build “a national network that can share ideas, talent, and opportunity across regions.”
That expansion includes plans beyond physical events. Burns says they’re considering new ways to scale Tech Thursday’s reach, including podcasts and digital media.
Inspired by U.S.based networks like Turpentine, they’re considering how content created around their events could serve a broader online audience and build momentum between cities. The goal is to create a scalable feedback loop where live events and media offerings support and grow each other.
Sharing the stage
The initiative is backed by national sponsors including Neo Financial, Skip (formerly SkipTheDishes), Crestview Strategy, and Boast.
Tech Thursday is also partnering with to help share regional innovation stories across the country and explore joint opportunities for sponsors and storytellers (drop us a line here if you want more information).
The team’s approach is designed to be deeply collaborative — not just in spirit, but in practice.
“We found some incredible folks in these markets who really want to help build up Tech Thursday and bring it to new groups,” says Burns. “Next week, for example, the women in technology and communication in Manitoba are taking over Tech Thursday and are talking about mentorship in tech.”
More information is available at techthursday.ca.
