LONDON, ON – September 22, 2025 – London’s first Techstars Startup Weekend has arrived with impact. Throughout the dynamic weekend, founders, developers, and problem-solvers turned transformative ideas into ventures, proving again why London is one of North America’s fastest-rising innovation markets.
Hosted at and supported by Info-Tech Research Group, the globally recognized event challenged participants to transform concepts into companies in just 54 hours, guided by more than 20 industry mentors. The weekend culminated in a high-energy pitch competition judged by Christina Fox (CEO, TechAlliance), Davie Lee (Director of AI & Innovation, interVal), Sandi Conrad (Director of Enterprise Services, Info-Tech Research Group), and Sheldon Carter (CEO, Digital Extremes).
Arielle Kayabaga, Member of Parliament for London West, toured the event, meeting mentors and participants to see first-hand the impact that experiences like this have on London’s vibrant tech and innovation economy. City of London CouncillorJerry Pribil attended the final pitch competition on Sunday evening, underscoring the city’s support for emerging entrepreneurs and industry advancement.
Techstars Startup Weekend is another opportunity to witness the Canadian ambition here in London. Over the past three days, unstoppable innovators, aspiring founders, developers, builders, and creatives came together bringing their boldest dreams to life. It’s a powerful reflection of the shift in Canada, where we are owning our narrative, telling our stories, and building ventures that have global impact
Capping off an unforgettable weekend of visionary ideas and game-changing pitches, three standout teams took top honours, sharing in a prize pool valued at $26,000. NestKinnect was awarded first place for their platform enabling healthcare workers take control of their schedule, earning recognition as the weekend’s leading innovators. In second place, Synthia impressed judges with their AI-powered platform making research accessible for all, and Varnish rounded out the top three for their platform that enables artists and creatives to protect the copyright on their artwork from AI tools.
Techstars partners with leading organizations like TechAlliance in more than 160 countries worldwide to deliver Startup Weekend. This debut event in London accelerated business creation, workforce development, and cross-sector collaboration, fueling momentum across Southwestern Ontario’s innovation economy.