History and Details
With a passion for business acceleration, the IG Expo team, led by Innovation Expo Manager Mickey Campeau, will deliver a one-day tradeshow in Guelph, ON that will be full of excitement and surprises!
The Innovation Expo launched in 2018 as a joint initiative between Innovation Guelph and Bioenterprise to showcase the innovative and spectacular companies we supported together in a seed funding program funded by FedDev Ontario. What a year it was!
The Expo’s success in 2018 led to another Expo, and another, and yet another! Interrupted only by a global pandemic, this event is now an annual tradition in Guelph – one many look forward to each year.
Gaining a reputation for its incredible connection-building opportunities and introductions, Innovation Guelph’s Ontario Innovation Expo celebrates and showcases innovative client companies and their products and services from across Ontario (and even beyond)! These founders are working diligently to build back Canada’s economy after a few very tough years.
This event specifically addresses the needs of all audiences and facilitates connections – with sponsors, investors, experts, potential clients/customers, media and more! We hope to welcome you to our growing list of attendees and cheerleaders. If you haven’t done so yet, you can REGISTER today! It’s free to attend.
Our first Innovation Expo – 2018
Our first year. Co-hosted with Bioenterprise, this event was a showcase of FedDev supported seed funding clients that our two organizations supported with funds and mentorship. An extension to our joint funding was announced and we garnered the attention of our Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation, both sent us congratulatory messages by video.
In addition to the tradeshow, a dynamic keynote speaker, a panel on women in manufacturing and many VIP guests, and free giveaways, made this day very memorable for many. Entrepreneurs with innovative new products and services from Agri-innovation, Agri-food & beverage, Manufacturing, Cleantech, Technologies, and more – showcased their companies and their creations to over 500+ people on the very first snowy day of the year! Check out our videos.
our second innovation expo 2019
Our second year. Co-hosted with Bioenterprise again this year, this event was a showcase of FedDev supported seed funding clients that our two organizations supported with funds and mentorship.
Over 700+ people attended live and enjoyed a new selection of innovative and scalable companies on display. We introduced the Choice Awards, had door prizes, great giveaways, and had a “host du jour” named The Great Orbax who filmed amazing exhibitor highlights and had the crowd laughing. A VIP panel on the topic of the importance of innovation in business was enlightening.
Let us introduce some of our exhibitors from 2019.
our virtual innovation expo 2021
After a global pandemic forced the cancelation of our third Innovation Expo in 2020, the looming lockdowns were still upon us for 2021. After completing extensive research into online platforms, our Expo team decided to invest in a women-led, Canadian company called TechAdaptiKa – and launched our third Innovation Expo, this time solo, 100% online and virtual for all.
Over 500+ attendees registered and 140 hours of video watched, this platform was a dynamic example of every startup’s keyword for Covid … PIVOT. Like many of the companies we support, we learned to pivot, too. This event was unlike any other virtual tradeshow we had attended and are proud of what we accomplished.
Being virtual allowed us to expand our reach a little, and had 2 amazing keynote addresses, one concert and a panel discussion on the grit and resiliency it takes to be an entrepreneur.
Watch the videos to see what it was like.
The Return to Being In-Person – Innovation Expo – 2022
Our yearly expo is a chance for many of our clients to showcase the ways that they are confronting the sustainability pillars of environmental accountability, social equity, and economic efficiency. The showcase tradeshow delivers new ideas, products, and services to the public. It unites start-ups and small businesses with investors, encourages partnerships and community collaboration, and allows people the chance to see the innovation occurring in their own backyards. (Check out our blog page for more on this).
The tradeshow floor opens at NOON on October 13, 2022 and will close at 5PM.
NOTABLES:
- The Great Orbax is returning as our host this year and is bringing along Sweet Pepper! Look for them on the tradeshow floor and say hello.
- The Choice Awards are back! Vote for your favourite display, innovative company, or most engaging company for your chance to win some great prizes! Winning companies will receive special recognition.
- Fill it Forward is back with an amazing FREE GIFT for the first 150 – 200 people through the door! While you are there, learn about how you can help the world by reusing.
- Private VIP lunch panel will be streamed live for additional & on-demand viewing
More details will be added soon! Registration is FREE and is now open.
