Listen to this article
Estimated 3 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
Organizers of Toronto Tech Week are expecting as many as 25,000 people to participate in the event this year after first launching it in 2025.
Toronto Tech Week consists of over 600 events across the city from May 25 to May 29 aimed at giving companies, investors, founders and even students interested in the industry a chance to network and learn.
“We’re so excited to welcome the world into Toronto this week,” said co-director Mellonie Truong.
“One of our goals was to make it more accessible, have it be open-barrier and celebrate the community and the folks who are building what’s next for our Canada innovation economy,” she said.
Mellonie Truong, left, and Julia Konefal are the co-founding partners of Toronto Tech Week. 2026 is the event’s second year. (Submitted by Toronto Tech Week)
Truong and her co-director Julia Konefal say they created the event to help bring Toronto and the Canadian tech industry to a global stage.
“[Toronto is] the third-largest tech ecosystem in the world,” said Konefal. “It’s not just Toronto showing up for Toronto Tech Week. It really is us bringing the world here and showing what we’re working on.”
And for those in the tech community, like Ashley Martis, the CEO of StartupFuel, a Toronto accelerator that helps connect startups with venture capital funds, the week is like no other.
“[It’s] very unique in the sense that we have a lot of grassroots communities that never talk to each other, and these events bring everybody together,” said Martis. “I start to see players I didn’t even know existed, and I’ve been in this industry for 15 years. And it’s good. That visibility gives entrepreneurs a direction, a path, but also brings people together.”
The event started last year, with 315 events and 15,000 people attending. Now the number of events has nearly doubled.
“If you’re an investor, equally, it’s a great opportunity to meet founders. We know of deals that were done because of Toronto Tech Week 2025,” said Konefal.
Organizers are also focusing on reaching out to students and the next generation of entrepreneurs this week.
Linda Nguyen recently graduated from a master’s program in data analytics. She says she is taking advantage of some of the events to gain inspiration for a startup of her own.
“I met a lot of new people and I learned new skills from them. I heard about their story. It’s also inspired me,” said Nguyen.
Truong says she hopes Toronto Tech Week continues to grow in years to come. And she hopes it becomes one of those events that attendees build into their calendars.
“That access to entry without the really expensive conference ticket is so important to us too, because it’s making it accessible.”