EVENT RECAP: Together Toronto (Jan 12)

The Vibe: Electric. ⚡ The Venue: MaRS Discovery District. The Goal: Real talk from the builders defining the Canadian tech landscape.

If you did not join us last night, you missed one of our most diverse and insightful sessions to date. We moved past the "founder gloss" and explored the grit, the pivots, and the frameworks required to scale in 2026.

💡 Key Takeaways from the Stage:

• Benjamin Alarie (Founder and CEO of Blue J): Walked us through the high-stakes future of AI-driven justice and how specialized LLMs are changing the legal game.

• Kristine Beese (Founder and CEO of Untangle Money): Provided a masterclass on shattering financial stigmas, highlighting the massive opportunity in designing products specifically for the financial realities of women.

• Shirley Zhong (Co-Founder & COO of Xatoms): Demonstrated that deep tech can solve fundamental human problems, sharing her journey at the intersection of water purification and innovative technology.

• Jason Ramsay (Founder of Nodalli): Shared insights on operational precision and the requirements for building a venture that lasts.

🔥 The Open Mic was On Fire

The community portion of the evening reached new heights of energy. It is clear that the reach of Together Toronto is expanding; we were even joined by dedicated community members who drove from Rochester, NY, USA, specifically to attend the event.

The microphone did not stop moving as the community stepped up to the floor:

• Founders stepped forward to share their current company progress or announce the official launch of their new ventures.

• Talent and Opportunity met face-to-face, with individuals searching for their next role and others looking to hire for their growing teams.

• The Next Generation made a memorable appearance as a young entrepreneur took the microphone to pitch their very first venture, proving that the spirit of innovation has no age limit.

📺 Missed a session?

Do not worry if you could not make it. We are uploading the full recordings of all four talks to our YouTube channel later this week.

​The photos are up! 📸 Check out the full gallery here and don't forget to tag us @techtoorg

🗓️ What is Next: Feb 2nd

We are not slowing down. We are returning to MaRS on Monday, February 2nd with a fresh lineup of founders and even more opportunities to connect. Our January event sold out quickly—do not wait to secure your spot for the next one.

🔥 HOT TOPICS

AI is moving faster than regulation. Clean tech ambition is colliding with adoption reality. And Canada is tightening immigration just as global talent competition peaks.

These three forces are reshaping founder strategy, investor focus, and policy decisions right now.

🧠 1. OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Health
OpenAI introduced ChatGPT Health, a dedicated US space in ChatGPT for analyzing medical records, Apple Health, MyFitnessPal, and more to deliver personalized wellness advice - not diagnosis or treatment. Over 230 million weekly global health queries drive it; data stays isolated, encrypted, and excluded from AI training, with physician input on 600,000+ outputs. Early access rolls out now, expanding soon beyond EEA/UK, partnering b.well for records.

🌱 2. Canadian AI & Cleantech Momentum
Canada's Economic Strategy Tables targeted $20B annual clean tech exports by 2025 via agile regulations, scale-up finance like "Own the Podium," and government as lead buyer. Proposals include regulatory sandboxes, Indigenous partnerships, and global market access to overcome adoption barriers and boost GDP contribution to $80B.

🌍 3. Canada's Immigration Cuts Hit Tech Talent Pipelines
Canada caps permanent residents at 380,000 in 2026, down 15,000 from last year, with sharp drops in temporary workers and refugees. Ontario banned "Canadian work experience" job requirements starting January 1, opening doors for foreign tech hires. The Start-Up Visa program shuttered new applications on December 31, 2025, though prior commitments linger until June.

📡 The TechTO Signal

AI is maturing.
Clean tech is under pressure to scale.
Talent is becoming more constrained - and more valuable.

Founders, investors, and operators will need to move with precision in 2026.

Momentum compounds inside the right community.
TechTO - Canada’s most connected Tech Community

WAYO - Your Merch, Made Smarter

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They powered our TechTO merch, and it looks 🔥 on the community.

If you are thinking about custom merch for your team, event, or launch in 2026, check out WAYO and see what you can build:

Sponsored by WAYO - your brand, made better.

🗓️ UPCOMING EVENTS

• Commerce Toronto: Wednesday, January 21 @ 5:30pm - EARLY-BIRD TICKETS HERE

• Together Toronto: Monday, February 2 @ 6:00pm - EARLY-BIRD

• Sales Toronto 2026: Wednesday, February 09 @ 6:00pm - EARLY-BIRD TICKETS HERE

• Health Toronto 2026: Wednesday, February 25 @ 6:00pm - EARLY-BIRD TICKETS HERE

Don’t forget to lock in your year of TechTO! Subscribe to our full events calendar

🎤 Know Someone Who Should Be on the TechTO Stage?

We’re always looking to spotlight founders, operators, and builders with powerful stories; the kind that inspire, teach, and move the Canadian tech community forward.

If you know someone whose journey deserves the mic - from early stumbles to breakout momentum - we want to hear from you.

Help us bring fresh voices and new perspectives to future TechTO events and podcasts.