Canada’s Tech Momentum Is Accelerating - Here’s Your Inside Track 🚀

🛠️ BUILDERS’S PERSPECTIVE

Inside the Mind of a Health Tech Founder Redefining Care in Canada

In this section, we highlight founders whose insights are shaping what is next in Canadian tech.

Today’s spotlight: Emma Stern, Co-Founder & COO of Felix Health, a digital healthcare platform built by patients, for patients. Emma’s journey -from investment banking, to Chief of Staff at 500px, to building one of Canada’s fastest-growing health tech companies -offers a rare, honest look at what it takes to modernize a legacy sector. 

From Banking to Tech: A Crash Course in Real Work

Banking taught Emma the toughest lesson early: once you leave school, the value exchange flips. You are there to provide value. That mindset became the foundation for her entrepreneurial career.

Her later role as Chief of Staff became a “portal into being a founder,” giving her exposure to every decision, challenge, and moment of chaos that shapes a company. 

Building Felix: Naivete as a Superpower

Felix started with a simple question:

If digital care works in other countries, why not in Canada?

Emma and her co-founder were not doctors or pharmacists - they were frustrated patients. That outsider perspective became an advantage:

By centering the patient experience - not the institution - Felix built something the traditional system did not offer. 

Scaling the Hard Way: From Software to Warehouses

Felix’s biggest challenge?

Transitioning from a partner-pharmacy model to running their own warehouse pharmacies.

Logistics, staffing, compliance, fridges failing at night - they had to learn it all from scratch. Today, Emma sees it as one of their strongest moats. 

What’s Next for Felix

The team is now expanding into longevity and preventative care, giving Canadians more proactive ways to manage their health.

Emma leaves founders with three mottos she lives by:

• A problem shared is a problem halved.

• The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

• A penny saved is a penny earned. 

Emma shares more about co-founder dynamics, regulation, scaling mistakes, and leadership.

🎥 Watch the full interview on YouTube →

Interested in Health Tech? Join Us Next Week.

If Emma’s story inspires you, and you want to connect with founders, operators, and investors building the future of healthcare in Canada, we are hosting a Health Tech event on November 19.

 ✨ RECAP - Sales Toronto: A Night of Momentum, Community, and Real Impact

This week, we hosted our final Sales Toronto of the year - and what a way to close out 2025.

We walked in inspired… and walked out even more so.

Throughout the evening, we heard countless stories that reminded us why Sales Toronto matters:
- people landing new roles after connections made at past events (Check out Ronald Chiong’s post about it)
- teams finally finding the right talent to unlock their next stage
- early-stage founders advancing their ventures with insights from our speakers

These moments are the heartbeat of Sales Toronto.

But what makes this series truly special is the community: open conversations, generous knowledge-sharing, and a shared belief that we are stronger when we grow together.

The Leaders Who Took the Stage

Our speakers delivered a powerful mix of strategy, storytelling, and actionable advice - the kind that sparks new thinking immediately:

• Mark Walker, CEO, Nue

• Ben Wise, Co-Founder, Captivate

  → Access Ben’s persuasion guide.

• James Moncarz, Founder & Principal, PartnerBuild Advisory

• Saad Khan, Sales Leader, Hyperbound

Each speaker brought something unique to the stage - and together, they gave us a roadmap for the next era of sales leadership and growth.

🎥 Talks will be live soon on our YouTube channel.

🗓️ UPCOMING EVENTS

• FAST APPROACHING Health Toronto: Wednesday, November 19 at 6:00pm - REGISTER HERE
  

• Canadian Rocketships Event: Monday, December 1 at 6:00pm - REGISTER HERE
  

• FIRST EVENT OF 2026 Together Toronto: Monday, January 12 at 6:00pm - REGISTER HERE

• Sales Toronto 2026: March 24 at 6:00pm - EARLY-BIRD TICKETS HERE
  

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

OPPORTUNITIES TO WATCH 👀

Level Up Your End-of-Year Team Sessions with StartWell

As we head into the final stretch of 2025, many teams are planning offsites, strategy days, and well-deserved celebrations. If you are looking for a venue that actually elevates the experience, our partner StartWell is the place.

Why?

• World-class stage + AV (truly the best in Toronto)

• Spacious venues perfect for large teams

• Breakout rooms that make workshops and planning smoother

• Free barista service — unlimited cappuccinos and lattes ☕️🔥

• An atmosphere that makes people feel energized, not boxed in

As a TechTO subscriber, you receive exclusive Q4 pricing for your end-of-year sessions and socials.

To access the offer, contact StartWell’s Founder Qasim Virjee at [email protected] or call (647) 799-5566.

🔥 PARTNER PERKS

Our Directory helps you find our community’s favourite service providers and businesses that we stand behind. Check out a few perks from our partners:

• Unlock 3 Months Free of Mantle + White-Glove Cap Table Setup (Cap Table, Options, Board Resolutions & More! That’s $300 in savings!) CLAIM IT HERE

• Get a Free Finance, HR or Go-To-Market Strategy Session from Fractional Support by BrightIron (Bookkeeping, CFO, HR, CRO & CMO Services! That’s up to $500 in savings!) CLAIM IT HERE

🤝 GET MORE WITH TECHTO

If you’re looking for more ways to connect with the tech world, our TechTO Membership is a great way to interact with others building in the space.

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.