BUILDERS PERSPECTIVE 🛠️

Today we are a featuring our latest podcast episode featuring Philippe-Antoine Lehoux, CEO of Missive. Phil’s Founder Journey is a standout story that’s flown under the radar- until now.

“25 years ago, tech wasn’t cool… being geeks, wasn't like how it is nowadays.”- Phil, CEO at Missive

Key Takeaways From Phil’s Journey

🌱 1. Start Small, Learn, and Level Up

Don’t wait for the perfect big idea - start with a manageable project, gain confidence, learn the craft, and build from there. Success is often a series of steps, not a single leap.

Phil began with small, scrappy projects (like a gaming portal which was the first hit on Google for “Jeux” which means “Games” in French) and a name badge generator that almost got into YC (but didn’t) before tackling more ambitious ideas like Missive.

🛠️ 2. Focus Relentlessly on Product and Customers

Stay close to your users, listen to their pain points, and build a product you’re proud of. Even against bigger competitors, a small team with great craft and customer understanding can win.

Phil is an avid student of technology and of his customers. He says it was always important for him to understand the craft. Even today, he understands the full-stack of his product and says that part of the magic is that when customers face some challenges he’s “still in the game” and can participate in the solve.

🤝 3. Find the Right People and Build Your Tribe

Seek out talented, like-minded collaborators who care about the craft as much as you do. Great co-founders and team members make everything possible- and more enjoyable.

Phil was entrepreneurial even when it came to how he’d find his tribe. He said that he went as far as starting activities like his gaming festival and his co-working space to find his tribe. He met his Co-Founders at one event and immediately knew they had something special.

This episode was produced by StartWell and hosted in their beautiful studio. Learn more about StartWell here.

UPCOMING TECH EVENTS + CHANCE TO WIN TICKETS 🔥

It’s been a busy year already for Canadian Tech Events 🇨🇦. From Web Summit in Vancouver to the first inaugural Toronto Tech Week and Montreal Startup Fest just last week! But, there’s more to come and we’re here to help you stay ahead with the can’t-miss events still to come — and give you a shot at scoring free tickets along the way.

Toronto Rocketships Demo Day + Together Toronto - August 11

We’re bringing the Rocketships Tour to the city — alongside a power-packed edition of Together Toronto, our high-energy, low-pressure event where founders, operators, and investors connect, share ideas, and learn from the leaders shaping Canada’s tech future.

🚀 What to expect:

• Founder stories from builders making real moves

• A demo day featuring Toronto’s most promising startups, handpicked by top local VCs

• 500+ founders, operators & investors all in one room

🎤 Speaker Sneak Peek:

Hear real-world lessons from:

• Matthew Reeves, CEO of Together Software (acquired by Absorb), on life after acquisition and building with intention

• Sameer Dhar, Co-Founder of NiaHealth, on breaking through in HealthTech and building products that actually move the needle

Whether you’re scaling a startup, backing one, or looking to break into tech — this night is for you.

The Rocketships Tour is heading to Ottawa, Calgary, the Atlantic region, and more — all leading up to our final stop in Toronto this November, where we’ll unveil the full list of Rocketship companies.

Know a high-growth company making serious moves in your city? Nominate them here and help us spotlight the next wave of Canadian tech leaders.

Elevate Festival- October 7-9

We’re excited to officially partner with Elevate Festival 2025!

Since 2017, Elevate Festival has been bringing 10,000+ founders, investors, execs, and ecosystem builders together for a 3-day conference hosted at Meridian Hall and St. Lawrence Centre, attendees access over 250 speakers, masterclasses, pitch sessions, and curated networking designed to spark startup growth, deal flow, and global visibility.

Interested in attending?

🎟️ TechTO Community Exclusive: Use promo code TECHTOELEVATE for 20% off your ticket. Grab your discounted ticket here.

And we’re just getting started…Stay tuned for more exciting announcements about how we’re showing up at Elevate!

SAASNORTH- November 5-6

It’s the 10th anniversary of Canada’s top SAAS conference, and we’re rallying a crew of founders, execs, VCs, and ecosystem leaders to head to Ottawa together. Whether you’re launching, scaling, or funding tech startups — this is the place to connect.

🎟️ TechTO Exclusive Deal - We’ve secured special pricing: $575 + taxes (vs. $999 + taxes on the SAAS NORTH website). Offer expires July 25 — get your ticket here!

🚌 Travel Together: Skip the logistics and hop on the GuruLink-powered TechTO Startup Bus from Toronto to Ottawa.Network with founders, funders, and tech leaders before the conference even starts.

Departs Toronto: November 4 | Returns: November 6.  Sign up for just the bus here.

🏆️ WIN Your Way In: We’ve teamed up with GuruLink to offer two lucky startups a free ride + full conference pass to SAAS NORTH. Enter to win here.

✨ And that’s not all…

Stay tuned for more details on “What Happens After Dark”, TechTO’s signature party on November 4 — plus our Rocketships Tour, featuring some of Ottawa’s most exciting, high-growth SaaS companies.

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