This month, executives from NVIDIA, AWS Canada, Google, and Microsoft will join Alberta’s top political leadership and Canadian tech founders at Future Summit 2025.
From November 18 to 20 in Calgary, Future Summit will open the doors to Canadian tech’s most exclusive strategy sessions. While most conferences chase big attendance numbers, Future Summit is designed to stay small. There are no pre-panel prep calls, and most sessions are off the record. All are designed with authenticity in mind.
Future Summit 2025 takes place November 18 to 20 in Calgary.
According to Future Summit Founder Josh Rainbow, every conversation is structured to be candid and useful.
“The real story of Canada’s tech sector starts when decision-makers step off the stage and into rooms built for real dialogue,” Rainbow said. “We wanted to build a conference where the people you meet and the way you meet them lead to something tangible.”
Here are three reasons you won’t want to miss Future Summit 2025.
Off the record conversations
Future Summit’s agenda is built around access. Each session is designed to cut through the scale and choreography of standard tech conferences and get decision-makers talking candidly.
At its VIP Reception on November 18, a curated group of AI and energy leaders will meet for an off-the-record dinner, and four exclusive discussions covering energy, AI, digital infrastructure, and Alberta’s economic future. The reception will see attendance from key government officials, global investors, and national infrastructure players.
On November 19, the Data Centre Round Table will gather operators from across the cloud, AI, and energy ecosystem to talk about the future of Canada’s compute stack, behind closed doors, no phones allowed.
The Founders and Funders Dinner will bring a curated guest list of 50 post-revenue founders and investors together in a hidden room in downtown Calgary. The dinner is backed by AWS, 1Password, Couchbase, PREDICTif Solutions, Boast, Legal Sneakers, and Impact Applications.
And at the BMO Centre, a fireside conversation titled “Building the Next Unicorn” will connect 20 founders directly with operators who’ve scaled past the ceiling: Headversity CEO Kelly Schmitt and Darcy Tuer, CEO of Zayzoon.
A high-return guest list
Future Summit’s guest list is a who’s who of Canada’s tech economy. From industry, Eric Gales, Managing Director of AWS Canada, will join leaders and builders working inside NVIDIA, OpenAI, Google and Microsoft to talk about Canada’s future in AI and cloud infrastructure.
They’ll be joined by founders shaping the Canadian tech story, including Kevin Kliman, who this year led Humi to an acquisition by Employment Hero, Olivier Blais, Co-Founder and VP of AI at Moov.AI, and Arvind Gupta Professor of Computer Science University of Toronto. Blais and Gupta are also members of Minister Evan Solomon’s recently unveiled AI Task Force, and will bring a national perspective on AI adoption and security.
From the government, Federal AI Minister Evan Solomon has shown support, as well as Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, Nate Glubish, Alberta’s Minister of Technology and Innovation, and Sean Murphy, the province’s first Chief AI Officer, who will take part in discussions on how policy can keep pace with innovation.
Also among the heavy hitters will be energy industry legends Kinnear Financial CEO Jim Kinnear and North West Digital Power Founder Ian MacGregor, both legends in Canada’s energy sector. According to Rainbow, it’s the mix of senior industry leaders, policymakers, and founders that gives Future Summit its edge.
“These are the people writing policy, signing cheques, and building the companies driving Canadian tech,” Rainbow said. “When you put them in one place, the conversations naturally turn into outcomes.”
A glimpse at who’s coming next
While Future Summit’s attendee list skews senior, the event is also bringing in a handful of Alberta’s brightest students through its Future Builders Program, a partnership with The Knowledge Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Calgary’s leading post-secondary institutions.
These students will join the same discussions as founders, investors, and policymakers. It’s a chance, Rainbow said, for attendees to meet Canada’s breakout builders before they make headlines.
“It’s a small step toward making sure Alberta’s next generation of innovators has a seat at the table,” Rainbow said.
One Future Builders member, Shaliza Samir Khoja, is a student researcher at The Knowledge Society, studying at the intersection of neuroscience, AI, and biotechnology.
“For me, Future Summit is the next step in my journey to rebuild systems that protect human potential, amplify innovation, and transform ideas into solutions that matter,” said Khoja. “It’s a chance to be among people who aren’t waiting for the future, because they’re creating it.”
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Join the most ambitious founders, investors, and tech leaders at Future Summit, November 18–20 in Calgary. Get your tickets here.
All photos provided by Future Summit.