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Commerce Toronto recap, fintech lessons from a $1B BNPL journey, TechExit Vancouver, and what’s next on the TechTO calendar
Alex at TechTO
January 22, 2026 • Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes
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EVENT RECAP: Commerce Toronto
A Night of Bold Ideas, Real Connections, and What's Next in Retail
200+ founders, operators, and brand builders packed Desautels Hall for an evening that blended sharp insights with the kind of conversations that actually matter. From AI-powered sales tools to bone broth lattes (yes, really), the room was buzzing with innovation across retail, e-commerce, and CPG.
The Highlights
On Stage:
Alan Nowogrodski (Superbar) on how AI is reshaping sales.
Beckie Prime & Domenique Mastronardi (Beck’s Broth) on turning bone broth into everyday drinks.
Krista Norris (Krista Norris Collection) on building a timeless accessory brand.
Assel Beglinova (Paperstack) & Marie Chevrier Schwartz (RETHINK Retail) on scaling brands and supporting Canada’s tech ecosystem.
A huge thank you to all our speakers for sharing their time, stories, and insights so generously. Missed the talks? They will be available on our YouTube channel soon.
Our hosts Sharif Virani and Steve Ballantyne kept the energy high all night, and the community open mic gave attendees a chance to share their own wins, challenges, and what they are building.
The Marketplace: Hands-on, high-energy, and anything but boring. Big thanks to Balloon Water, Deja Bru, Kunana, Krista Norris Collection, and Beck’s Broth for an interactive marketplace where attendees tasted, tested, and discovered what is new in consumer innovation.
The Networking: No awkward small talk here. Real conversations, real connections -partnerships sparked, advice shared, and plenty of LinkedIn connections made. The extended format gave everyone time for meaningful exchanges with founders, operators, and industry leaders.
A Special Thanks
None of this would have been possible without Rotman School of Management for hosting us in the beautiful Desautels Hall. The space was perfect for bringing our community together.
Why Commerce Toronto Matters
Real operator insights. Hands-on product discovery. Face-to-face connections with people building the future of retail and commerce in Canada. You cannot get this from scrolling LinkedIn or listening to podcasts alone.
Do Not Miss the Next One!
Commerce Toronto is back April 21, and Early Bird tickets are live now.
Same energy. Same quality lineup. Same opportunity to connect with the people shaping the future of retail and e-commerce in Canada.
🎧 NEW EPISODE: FOUNDER JOURNEY FT. WAYNE POMMEN (CRO, AFFIRM)
🚀 In this Founder Journey episode, we sit down with Wayne Pommen, Chief Revenue Officer at Affirm (NASDAQ: AFRM) and former President & CEO of PayBright - to unpack what it really takes to build and scale a fintech company in Canada.
Wayne takes us inside the story of PayBright’s journey from a five-person startup to nearly $1B in annual transaction volume, and the realities behind becoming Canada’s first major Buy Now, Pay Later platform. From raising debt to power a lending business, navigating regulatory complexity, and scaling teams under pressure, to ultimately selling PayBright to Affirm - this conversation goes far beyond the headlines.
We also dive into Wayne’s transition from investor to operator, lessons learned from private equity, and why team, product, and capital strategy become existential decisions as companies scale.
If you are building in fintech, thinking about scale, or navigating growth in a highly regulated environment, this episode is packed with real, hard-earned insight.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHT Wayne shares what most people never talk about in fintech: how raising capital for a lending business fundamentally changes how you build, operate, and grow - and why misaligning capital structure can quietly kill otherwise strong companies.
More Takeaways From The Talk
Scaling BNPL in Canada is an operational marathon
PayBright’s growth was not just about demand - it required disciplined risk management, capital strategy, and infrastructure to support millions of transactions without breaking trust.
Capital structure shapes everything
Wayne explains why debt, equity, and risk tolerance are inseparable in lending businesses - and how founders must understand capital as a product decision, not just a finance problem.
Hypergrowth exposes leadership gaps fast
Going from startup to scale forced rapid evolution in team structure, decision-making, and accountability - especially in a regulated fintech environment.
Why Affirm’s model is different
Wayne breaks down what sets Affirm apart globally, and why a consumer-first approach to credit continues to win in competitive markets.
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Thanks for being part of the journey. You can leave us your feedback for 2026, and share who you think should join us in studio next year at [email protected]
Love what you heard?
TechExit Vancouver 2026
The exit environment has fundamentally changed.
In 2026, founders are navigating slower buyers, AI-driven shifts, secondaries and multi-path outcomes, not clean, one-track exits.
TechExit Vancouver 2026 is built for this reality, and we are excited to support it as the official leadership partner.
This is Canada’s senior forum for founders, operators, and investors thinking seriously about long-term outcomes, not just transactions.
Across one focused day, you’ll hear candid, experience-led sessions on:
• When to sell, wait, or reset as growth shifts
• What buyers truly value in SaaS acquisitions
• How to preserve optionality through dual-track strategies
• Why deals collapse - and how to prevent it
• How Canadian tech companies are scaling through acquisition
• How top CEOs lead at global scale
Featuring leaders including Jack Newton (Clio), Swish Goswami (Surf), and Brianna Blaney (Pocketed).
Event Details:
📍 Vancouver, CA | 🗓 February 19, 2026
Use code TECHTO20 to save 20%.
🗓️ UPCOMING EVENTS
Together YC: Monday, February 2 @ 6:00pm - REGISTER HERE
Sales Toronto 2026: Wednesday, February 09 @ 6:00pm - EARLY-BIRD TICKETS HERE
Health Toronto 2026: Wednesday, February 24 @ 6:00pm - EARLY-BIRD TICKETS HERE
NuSession: Engineering at Scale for 127M+ Customers: Wednesday, February 24 @ 6:00pm - APPLY 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.
🤝 GET MORE WITH TECHTO
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Our membership program already supports hundreds of entrepreneurs and professionals building the next best companies in Canadian tech. Take advantage of exclusive members-only events, and opportunities to meet those who will inspire your next big idea. Learn more about our Membership options here.
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