Every month our team compiles a list of startup and small business events in Toronto and Southwestern Ontario that we’re interested in attending and think will be useful to the startup and small business community.
Some of these events may fill up fast, so if you’re interested in attending please register quickly. Business events are generally free of charge unless a price is listed. If you’re hosting an event or come across one that you think should be included here, feel free to contact us with your suggestion(s).
TORONTO EVENTS
Ladies Learning Code
We will be teaching you how to design for multiple screen sizes, select content that makes sense for mobile and of course, unmask the mysterious yet widely discussed HTML5. By the end of the workshop, you will have created a mobile version of a website! This workshop has been designed for beginners (though it’s definitely appropriate for those with basic understanding of HTML and CSS).
Event: Responsive Design for Beginners: Build Mobile Friendly Websites with HTML5 & CSS3
When: November 5, 2016, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Where: HackerYou, 483 Queen Street West, Toronto
Price: $55.00
Camp Tech
Camp Tech is a tech skills training hub. We provide half- and full-day in-person workshops for adults who want to learn web and digital skills. We create a welcoming environment for those who are hesitant around technology, and we emphasize skills that can be put into practice right away. Camp Tech was founded in August 2012. We offer approximately 75 workshops a year in Toronto, and have recently expanded into Ottawa, Hamilton, and Kitchener/Waterloo.
Event: Grow Your Business Using Instagram
When: November 8, 2016, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Where: Centre for Social Innovation, 215 Spadina Avenue, Toronto
Price: $85.00
Start-up Toronto
Startup Toronto is a grass roots entrepreneur-led community of Startup Canada. We connect our members to the startup ecosystem in Toronto, foster a supportive home for all entrepreneurs, and provide programs and tools that help accelerate business growth.
Event: Start-up Toronto Meet-up
When: November 8, 2016, 6:00 p.m.
Where: Marche Brookfield Place (Yonge/Wellington), 181 Bay Street / 42 Yonge Street, Toronto
Price: Free
Value-Based Partnerships
By teaching the principles of Value-Based Partnering, we empower leaders in all sectors to create alliances that move them from the transactional to the transformational. Turning commodities into causes, through partnership.
Event: Partnering Strategies for Small Business
When: November 10, 2016, 9 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Where: Centre For Health and Safety Innovation – Conference Centre, 5110 Creekbank Road, Mississauga
Price: $350.00
Toronto Reference Library
Event: Social Media & Influencer Marketing
New platforms like Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and Pinterest have changed the way information is consumed, and given life to experts who, in some cases, have created massive followings of like-minded people, based on very specific knowledge sets. These ‘experts’ are known as influencers and can be existing celebrities, or unknown newcomers with a passion. Learn from this year’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Sima Gandhi, as to why an Influencer Marketing campaign might be the right approach for your start-up.
When: November 10, 2016, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Where: Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street, Toronto
Price: Free
Toronto Board of Trade
The Toronto Board of Trade facilitates opportunities for knowledge sharing, networking, business development, and city building. It is the authoritative voice of Canada’s most prominent business community.
Event: Small Business Summit: How to Win Your Customer In-Person and Online
This half day interactive event is aimed specifically at small businesses who wish to upgrade their sales and marketing skills. From enhancing your sales pitch to adapting your business to meet a mobile world, learn what it takes to become and stay a success.
When: November 15, 2016, 1:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Where: Toronto Region Board of Trade, 1 First Canadian Place, Toronto ON – 4th Floor
Price: Members – $25.00; Non-members – $35.00
Artscape Youngplace
Artscape Youngplace nurtures creation, learning and collaboration through innovative programs, experiences and events in an inspiring, social environment in order to strengthen and grow our community. Part ideas laboratory, part creativity workshop, Artscape Youngplace is a community cultural hub located in Toronto’s West Queen West neighbourhood, with 75,000 square feet of space devoted to artistic inspiration, learning, growth and expression.
Event: Ignite Series 1.3: Fast-Track to Market: Effective, Authentic Communication
A brilliant new idea, a breakthrough product or advanced technology can open doors, but you can’t advance through them without the ability to effectively tell your story. Sharp communication skills, marketing strategy and media-savvy can take you farther.
When: November 16, 2016, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Where: Artscape Youngplace Studio 106, 180 Shaw Street, Toronto
Price: $25.00
TechToronto
Each month, TechToronto Meetup is designed for Toronto technologists to learn something new and meet someone new. You’ll learn something new from one of our 5x5s, or five presentations of five minutes each.
Event: TechToronto Meetup + Afterparty
When: November 16, 2016, 6:00 p.m.
Where: RBC WaterPark Place Auditorium, 88 Queen’s Quay West, Toronto
Price: $12.00
MaRS Discovery District
MaRS is where entrepreneurs get the help they need, where all kinds of people meet to spark new ideas, and where a global reputation for innovation is being earned, one success story at a time.The often-free events at MaRS are ideal for start-ups, science, technology and social entrepreneurs looking to make connections and learn more about a particular aspect of business.
Event: MaRS MarCom Toolkit Workshop
Limited resources and a reliance on low-cost marketing may be hindering your opportunity for growth. Learn how to make a cost-effective and high-impact MarCom strategy that will help you grow your customer base and retain repeat clients.
Session 1 – Identify and Define Your Target Audience
When: November 16, 2016, 9:00am – 1:00pm in Collaboration Room 2
Session 2 – Evaluating Channels
When: November 24, 2016, 2:00pm – 6:00pm in Collaboration Room 2
Session 3 – Communicating to Customers
When: December 1, 2016, 9:00am – 1:00pm in Collaboration Room 3
Where: 101 College Street MaRS Discovery District, Toronto
Price: $100.00
Ryerson University’s Transmedia Zone
The Transmedia Zone is an incubator for innovation and creative experimentation in media and storytelling. With a focus on emerging platforms and processes, the Transmedia Zone supports projects from students as well as industry members. We put a priority on collaborative cross-disciplinary work, with teams sharing expertise and experience as they take their projects from concept to prototype, and beyond.
Event: Entrepreneurship Thinking for Creatives: Social Media Marketing Strategy
When: November 22, 2016, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Where: Transmedia Zone, 80 Gould Street, RCC 230, Toronto
Price: Free
Brain Station Toronto
Founded in 2012 by a group of lifelong learners, BrainStation began as a collective of industry practitioners providing collaborative, hands-on training for working professionals, freelancers and entrepreneurs.
Event: Lunch and Learn with Kent, Growth Marketer at Tilt
When: November 24, 2016, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Where: 460 King Street West Toronto
Price: $20.00
RIC Centre
As the Entrepreneur and Innovation Hub for Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon, co-located with industry partners Xerox Research Centre of Canada and GreenCentre Canada, the RIC Centre offers a comprehensive range of support services to entrepreneurs for free, including mentorship and advisory services, hands-on workshops and networking events.
Event: B2B Sales: What Metrics Do You Need to Understand
When November 28, 2016, 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Where: Xerox Research Centre of Canada, 2660 Speakman Drive, Mississauga
Price: $25.00
Enterprise Toronto
Enterprise Toronto is a one-stop source to start and grow your small business. Their team of small business advisors can help you make the right decisions during your business start-up and help develop your management capabilities as your business venture grows.
Event: GrowthWheel Entrepreneur Boot Camp
GrowthWheel is a hands-on, action-oriented program designed to help entrepreneurs at all stages overcome their barriers to growth.
When: November 29, 2016, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Where: North York Civic Centre, 5100 Yonge St., Main Level, Enterprise Toronto Resource Centre
Price: $25.00
WATERLOO REGION EVENTS
Velocity
Velocity is a leading entrepreneurship program at the University of Waterloo, and the largest free startup incubator in North America. From idea to product creation to commercialization, Velocity is committed to providing the knowledge, tools, space and network that startups and entrepreneurs need for success.
Event: F16 Velocity Start: How to Find Your Customers Online
When: November 2, 2016, 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Where: Velocity Start, 200 University Avenue West Waterloo
Price: Free
Communitech
Founded by a group of dedicated entrepreneurs in 1997, Communitech is Waterloo Region’s hub for the commercialization of innovative technologies. Over the years, they have supported and helped build a tech cluster of nearly 1,000 companies that now generates more than $30 billion in revenue.
Event: Silicon Valley Spotlight: What’s Happening in HealthTech & CleanTech
Presented by the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service and facilitated by CDMN, you and your clients are invited to dial in to learn about HealthTech & CleanTech in San Francisco and Bay area.
When: November 3. 2016, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Where: Conference Call
Price: Free
Waterloo Region Small Business Centre
The Waterloo Region Small Business Centre encourages and contributes to the enterprising spirit and economic vitality of our community by assisting entrepreneurs with the development of new or existing businesses.
Event: Digital Marketing Bootcamp
Day 1: Setting a Strong Foundation for Digital Success
Digital Marketing 101
Developing your digital toolkit
Website optimization basics and testing
Search Engine Optimization
When: November 7, 2016 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Day 2: Diving in Deeper
E-mail marketing
Subject lines that will get attention
Blogging 101
When: November 14, 2016, 6:00 p.m – 8:00 p.m.
Day 3: And So It Comes to an End
Social media: from beginner to expert!
Engaging your audience
Increasing website traffic
When: November 21, 2016, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Where: 200 King ST W., Kitchener
Price: $50.00
HALTON EVENTS
Silicon Halton
Silicon Halton organizes a number of events throughout the year in the region Halton which including Burlington, Oakville, and Milton. Their monthly meetups and Peer2Peer has three main components; a key notes presentation, a get to know a member presentation, and time set out for networking. These events are catered to anyone at a startup – especially in the tech industry – that want to learn more about business best practices.
Event: Create Credibility / Authority Online
When: November 18, 2016, 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Where: Halton Hive, 901 Guelph Line, Burlington
Price: Free
HalTech
HalTech is the leading source of support and personal service for tech and advanced manufacturing entrepreneurs in Halton. They assist Halton’s entrepreneurs and technology companies with developing their ideas, commercializing their products/services and establishing and expanding their businesses.
Event: Learning @ Haltech: Valuation Models For Tech Startups
When: November 24, 2016, 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Where: Ron Joyce Centre, 4350 South Service Road, Burlington
Price: Free
Burlington Chamber of Commerce
Since 1947, the Burlington Chamber of Commerce has been the voice of business in Burlington, giving companies valuable resources and connections to help them grow and succeed.
Event: The Business Before 9
When: November 24, 2016, 7:45 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Where: 3350 South Service Rd, Burlington
Price: $50.00
HAMILTON EVENTS
Innovation Factory
Innovation Factory helps advance Hamilton’s innovation community and serves as an inspiring, expert resource for entrepreneurs that fosters connections across the community and accelerates growth.
Event: Sales Peer2Peer – The Six Stages of the Sales Relationship
When: November 9, 2016, 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Where: 175 Longwood Rd S, Hamilton
Price: Free
Software Hamilton
Software Hamilton covers the Hamilton, Ontario technology and startup community.
Event: Function Keys Conference 3
Function Keys is a biannual, three-day conference in Hamilton, Ontario organized by Centre[3] for Print and Media Arts. The conference aims to explore contemporary ideas and issues in new technologies and digital cultures.
When: November 11 – 13, 2016, 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Where: Spice Factory, 121 Hughson St N, Hamilton
Price: Free
GUELPH EVENT
Innovation Guelph
Innovation Guelph provides educational programs, events, and services to help entrepreneurs, community organizations, researchers and business leaders develop ideas. Here, expert advisors can also help your development.
Event: Toolkit Tuesday
When: November 15, 2016, 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Where: Innovation Guelph – 111 Farquhar Street, Guelph
Price: Free
NIAGARA EVENTS
Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce
Businesses in Niagara are looking for leadership to address the real issues that are facing businesses and communities in Niagara. After extensive discussion and research the decision was made by a group of business people to create the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce. The goal is that this organization can bring together business leaders who are ready to help position Niagara’s economy for the 21st Century.
Event: Business After 5
When: November 1. 2016, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Where: FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, 250 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines
Price: Free
Innovate Niagara
Innovate Niagara is a member of the Ontario Network of Entrepreneurs, a network of regional and provincial not-for-profit organizations that deliver services and programs to help entrepreneurs succeed.
Event: Niagara Young Entrepreneur Kick-Off Weekend
When: November 4 – 6, 2016, 6:00 p.m.
Where: Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines
Price: $15.00
Are we missing any startup or small business events? Let us know and we’ll add it to the list.
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