Waterloo and Kitchener tech events
Waterloo tech events in one calendar: Waterloo meetups, a hackathon in Waterloo when one is on, workshops and talks in Kitchener, and Waterloo Tech Week events as their hosts post them. Each event has its own page with the link to register.
73 events
Communitech - Techtoberfest ($)
Register for meeting location
https://communitech.ca/community/events/techtoberfest-2026.html Tickets: $199-249 Come with questions. Leave with answers. Forget sitting through back-to-back presentations. Spend two days exploring live demos, asking questions in focused breakout sessions, getting practical advice from experienced operators and having honest conversations with investors. Then celebrate what’s being built by clinking steins at the Biergarten. Skip the pitch. Get the diagnosis. Bring your questions, your challenges or your latest build. Get candid feedback from investors and experienced operators who'll tell you what they actually think and build relationships that extend well beyond the event. See the idea before everyone else does Meet founders before the deck is polished. Explore live demos, ask tough questions and get an inside access at the companies and technologies coming out of Waterloo Region. Build what’s next for you Explore emerging technologies and meet founders. Whether you're looking to grow your skills, your network or your career, you'll leave with new ideas and new connections. Investor Office Hours: Meet one-on-one with investors for candid feedback and practical advice to help strengthen your business. Keynote: Cut through the noise with practical insights on where businesses and technology are headed and what you should pay attention to next. Ask the Experts: Ask the questions you can't Google. Get practical advice from experienced operators on AI, IP, R&D tax credits, architecture and more. Breakout Sessions: Small enough to ask your question. Join practical discussions on AI, robotics, quantum and the technologies attracting attention from builders and investors. Showcase: This is where companies show their work. Explore live demos, works in progress and the ideas taking shape across Waterloo Region. Networking & Biergarten: After a day of demos and feedback, grab a beer and some Oktoberfest-inspired food and keep the conversations going with founders, investors and Waterloo Region's tech community.
CivicTechWR Hacknight
Kitchener, ON
Communitech - Techtoberfest ($)
Register for meeting location
Tickets: $199-249Come with questions. Leave with answers.Forget sitting through back-to-back presentations. Spend two days exploring live demos, asking questions in focused breakout sessions, getting practical advice from experienced operators and having honest conversations with investors. Then celebrate what’s being built by clinking steins at the Biergarten. Skip the pitch. Get the diagnosis.Bring your questions, your challenges or your latest build. Get candid feedback from investors and experienced operators who'll tell you what they actually think and build relationships that extend well beyond the event.See the idea before everyone else doesMeet founders before the deck is polished. Explore live demos, ask tough questions and get an inside access at the companies and technologies coming out of Waterloo Region.Build what’s next for youExplore emerging technologies and meet founders. Whether you're looking to grow your skills, your network or your career, you'll leave with new ideas and new connections.Investor Office Hours:Meet one-on-one with investors for candid feedback and practical advice to help strengthen your business.Keynote:Cut through the noise with practical insights on where businesses and technology are headed and what you should pay attention to next.Ask the Experts:Ask the questions you can't Google. Get practical advice from experienced operators on AI, IP, R&D tax credits, architecture and more.Breakout Sessions:Small enough to ask your question. Join practical discussions on AI, robotics, quantum and the technologies attracting attention from builders and investors.Showcase:This is where companies show their work. Explore live demos, works in progress and the ideas taking shape across Waterloo Region.Networking & Biergarten:After a day of demos and feedback, grab a beer and some Oktoberfest-inspired food and keep the conversations going with founders, investors and Waterloo Region's tech community.
Codify your taste — design faster without losing it
Kitchener, ON
FreeTechtoberfest Founder & Funder Mixer
Register for meeting location
Techtoberfest is back 🥨 Join MaRS IAF, Velocity and RBCx at the Velocity Innovation Arena for an Oktoberfest-inspired afternoon bringing founders and investors together. If you’re a founder getting ready to fundraise, this one’s for you. We’ll kick things off with short, curated 1:1 meetings with investors, then open things up for casual networking, good conversations and some Techtoberfest fun. A chance to meet investors, get some early conversations going and build relationships ahead of your raise. For Founders Preparing for or actively raising an early-stage round? Submit your pitch deck when you register. Priority will be given to companies with an MVP and signs of early traction. For Investors Investors will be matched for approximately one hour of 1:1 meetings with participating founders, followed by open networking. Space is limited to keep the 1:1s useful for everyone, so submitting an application doesn’t guarantee a spot. We’ll follow up by email to let you know if you’ve been accepted. Prost!
Personal AI & Always-On Agents | Waterloo Agentic Techtoberfest
Kitchener, ON
Socratica F26: Act VI
Accelerator Centre
Please RSVP if you're planning on coming - this will help us manage food + other logistics!What's this?We host co-working sessions for you to get started on your passion projects. It's time carved out for deep work, giving you space to finally work on what you've always been itching to start.Not school, not your job!Eat, exchange feedback, demo, find inspiration and make new friends <3Who's it for?Makers, artists, learners, researchers, founders, and doodlers. Whether you're writing a personal blog, building the next moonshot company, labouring on your next piece of art, or starting a side project, come join!CODE OF CONDUCTBy attending our events, you agree to follow our Code of Conduct. TL;DR, be curious, respectful, and kind!Disclaimer & Notice of PhotographyBy registering, you agree to share your information with Socratica sponsors. By attending a Socratica event, you consent to being photographed or recorded for promotional purposes.https://socratica.info
Why Founders Waste Months on the Wrong Decisions and How to Avoid It
Online
Barn Sprint F26 — Two Weeks to Your YC Video
Kitchener, ON
KWLUG - Dinner at Yo Sushi, Downtown Kitchener
Monday, Oct 19 2026, 07:00pm Location: We are continuing the dinner meetup tradition at Yo Sushi in downtown Kitchener, starting at 7pm. Note that this restaurant meeting is on a Monday. This is a supplementary informal meeting; we will still hold hybrid meetings for technical topics.The restaurant is located at 103 King St W in Kitchener, at King near Ontario St. Here is a map. Parking at City of Kitchener parking lots is free after 5pm. The nearest City parking lots is at 40 Ontario St S.You can probably just show up, but the organizers would find it helpful if you RSVPed to dinner@kwlug.org ElsewhereLuma
Founder Institute - How to Use AI to Position Your Startup to Buyers
Online
https://www.meetup.com/waterloo-startup-founder-101/events/316871866/ You built the product. The market isn't buying it yet. Usually the gap is positioning: buyers don't see themselves in your pitch. In this hands-on session, Jonathan Grover shows you how to use AI to fix that. You'll build a synthetic version of your ideal buyer as an AI agent, then let it tear into your pitch in real time, surfacing the objections and gaps a real buyer would raise. You'll leave with sharper positioning that actually converts, plus a Claude skill you can take home and reuse on your next pitch. Come with a product and a pitch you're willing to put to the test. ❯❯ RSVP now at https://fi.co/e/405381/meetup to get your link and join us live! ❯ Featured Speaker: Jonathan Grover — Founder & Fractional Chief Product Officer, Supergrover Jonathan Grover is a product, AI, and go-to-market leader who helps founders and executives turn a built product into real market traction. A former Fortune 50 executive, he has managed billions of dollars of product roadmap and shipped AI products that scaled to $100M+ ARR across 180+ countries. He has structured go-to-market deals worth more than $150M, holds patents in AI, and across 60+ early-stage ventures has helped raise $500M+ in funding and taken part in multiple exits. Today he runs Supergrover, advising CXOs and product teams on product strategy, go-to-market, and AI transformation. ❯ What You'll Learn: How to turn your ideal customer into a synthetic buyer persona you can interrogate with AI How to pressure-test your pitch against that AI buyer and surface objections before real buyers do What separates positioning that converts from features that fall flat How to spot and close the "traction gap" between building a product and selling it A reusable Claude skill you can take home to sharpen future pitches ❯ Who Should Attend: Founders whose product works but isn't converting buyers yet Early-stage founders refining their positioning, pitch, or messaging Technical founders who need to sell to non-technical buyers Anyone who wants to use AI to sharpen how they go to market trends. . ❯❯ Don’t miss this live, interactive online event packed with valuable insights! RSVP now at https://fi.co/e/405381/meetup to get your link and join us live!
IP 101: Introduction to Intellectual Property
Kitchener, ON
Bits & Bytes Monthly Meeting ($)
Downtown Community Centre 2nd flr Multi-Purpose Room, 35 Weber Street W, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
http://bitsbytes.ca/meetings.htm Bits & Bytes Computer Club for Mature Adults The club meets: 3rd Wednesday of every month at 9:30 am (except July and August) Meet in the Downtown Community Centre unless indicated otherwise learn from professionals on a variety of topics including computer upgrades, software demonstrations, internet seminars and more $2.00 admission fee includes refreshments Do you have topics you'd like discussed or questions you'd like answered at our next meeting? E-mail questions to: bitsbytes35@gmail.com Kitchener Group Card Please Note: In order to take part in any free activity at any City of Kitchener community centre, you will be required to have a Kitchener Group Card. A Kitchener Group Card can be purchased at any Kitchener community centre. Cost for those 55+ is $15.00. For more information on the Kitchener Group Card, ask office staff at any Kitchener community centre, or check the link below: https://www.kitchener.ca/en/recreation-and-sports/discounts-for-adults-55.aspx
FreeSurviving the Media UpsideDown: Bots and the Landscape of Violent Vitriol
University of Waterloo Dana Porter Library, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/surviving-the-media-upsidedown-bots-and-the-landscape-of-violent-vitriol-tickets-2002951268161 Join Dr. MacDonald in conversation with Olivia DeRamus founder of Communia a social media app for women and non-binary users. We will be discussing the marked increase in bots spreading violent misogyny within viral media events tied to gendered discourse. Content Warning: This talk will address cases of sexual assault on university campuses. The talk will work from a trauma-informed perspective and links to additional supports and resources will be made available.
Non-Techincal Wednesday
Kitchener, Ontario
AI Power Hours: AI, your data and your IP
Kitchener, ON
CivicTechWR Hacknight
Kitchener, ON
FreeWomen in Communications and Technology - The Myth of Merit: Building Visibility Through the Strength of Your Circle
Accelerator Centre, 295 Hagey Blvd, Waterloo, ON N2L 6R5
Hard work matters, but so does who knows your work. Learn how visibility, relationships and advocacy can shape career growth. We often hear that if you work hard, do good work and prove yourself, opportunities will follow. But career growth isn’t always that simple. The people who know your work, recognize your potential and advocate for you can play an equally important role in what comes next. In this session, you'll learn how hard work alone is not enough, discover where career decisions happen and how to build strategic visibility. We'll explore how to break free from the executor trap, pinpoint your visibility gaps, and take action to ensure your impact is recognized. This session ties directly to this year’s Mentoring Circles theme, The Power of the Circle – Leading Through Change, highlighting the role our professional relationships can play in helping us navigate change and create new opportunities. Because you don’t have to navigate your career alone — and sometimes the strongest opportunities come through the people in your corner. Milja Saari-Hembruff VP, Data & AI Adoption at SAP and Co-Founder of The LeadWell Collective Milja is a Vice President and Chief of Staff at SAP, where she works hand in hand with executive leaders to drive the adoption of SAP Data & AI solutions globally. Over the last two decades, she has been dedicated to building teams, developing top performers and empowering women. She is also co-founder of the LeadWell Collective[3], where she is driven by a mission to help women unlock their potential and lead with confidence.
Start Right: Setting Up a New Company the Right Way
Online
Accelerator Centre - AC Open House: Meet the Mentors
Accelerator Centre, 295 Hagey Boulevard, Waterloo, ON
Big startup decisions are easier when you have the right people in your corner. Join us on Thursday, October 22 for the Accelerator Centre Open House: Meet the Mentors. This high-energy afternoon brings together early-stage founders, experienced mentors, investors, startup advisors, and trusted service providers who can help you tackle what is next. Whether you are preparing to raise, refining your go-to-market strategy, building your team, or navigating the day-to-day realities of scaling, this is your chance to get practical advice and make connections that can move your business forward. What’s in it for you? Speed Mentorship Get focused, one-on-one advice during 10-minute mentorship sessions with people who have built, funded, and supported growing companies. Bring your biggest question, current challenge, or next big idea. Meet Your Startup Support Network Connect with experts in funding, legal, finance, marketing, product development, talent, operations, and more. Discover the people and resources available to support your next stage of growth. Meaningful Networking Keep the conversations going over refreshments with fellow founders, mentors, ecosystem partners, and industry leaders who understand the startup journey. Who should attend? Early-stage founders looking for practical advice and fresh perspective Entrepreneurs seeking trusted mentors and service providers to support fundraising, growth, and scaling Professionals interested in mentoring, advising, or supporting startups in Waterloo Region’s innovation ecosystem Come curious, bring your questions, and be ready to connect. One conversation could unlock your next opportunity.
$54.58 to $65.23DisruptHR-KW 8.0: The End of HR: As we know it! ($)
Maxwell’s Concerts and Events, 35 University Avenue East, Waterloo, ON N2J 2V9
Tickets: $54.58 - $65.23 Join us for an evening of talks, a panel and more! DisruptHR-KW 8.0 The conversation HR can't afford to ignore is happening this October. Join over 250 HR, People & Culture, Talent, and business leaders for an evening that challenges conventional thinking and explores what's next for the world of work. This year's theme: The End of HR: As We Know It AI is changing how we hire, develop, and support people. Expectations around leadership, culture, and employee experience continue to evolve. The role of HR is transforming faster than ever. So where do we go from here? DisruptHR-KW 8.0 will bring together bold ideas, fresh perspectives, and practical conversations about what the future of HR really looks like. You'll leave inspired, challenged, and equipped with ideas you can take back to your organization. Speakers. Panel. Keynote. The evening features the signature DisruptHR format, where speakers have just 5 minutes and 20 automatically advancing slides to share one idea that could change the way you think. You'll also hear from an expert panel discussing the biggest opportunities and challenges shaping our profession, followed by a special keynote from Bob Egan, one of Canada's leading workplace futurists (and Blue Rodeo band-member), who will explore what's next for HR, leadership, and the future of work. Network over great food. The conversations don't end when the presentations do. Connect with HR and business professionals from across Waterloo Region while enjoying complimentary food from Little Mushroom Catering (thanks to our sponsor Cowan) and drinks (thanks to our sponsor TWINN) throughout the evening. About DisruptHR DisruptHR is a global movement dedicated to challenging the status quo in Human Resources and the workplace. With more than 135 chapters worldwide, it brings together HR professionals, executives, entrepreneurs, and innovators who believe there's a better way to lead people and organizations. DisruptHR-KW has become one of Waterloo Region's premier HR events, bringing together a diverse community that's passionate about people, leadership, and the future of work. Whether you're looking for new ideas, meaningful connections, or simply an evening that will make you think differently, you'll find it here. Come curious. Leave inspired. #DisruptHRKW Visit our amazing sponsors to learn more about them and the awesome work they do: Presented by: * TextNow Ultimate disruptor: * Coach Academy Fuel disruptors: * Cowan * Twinn Prime disruptor: * demi * H2R Business Solutions * Heroic Voice Rising disruptors: * Aixal Consulting[8] & Worklynx Recruitment * Catalyst HR Partners * Dean Group * EY * Fillion Wakely Thorup Angeletti LLP * Jackie Lauer * Oxford HR Group * RLB People * TalentWise Collective * Technically Speaking * The Cora Group Prizes courtesy: * Canada Life
AI Agents × Company OS
Kitchener, ON
Southwestern Ontario Drupalcamp
KPL Central Branch, 85 Queen St N, Kitchener, ON
Day 1: Informative sessions and networking opportunities Date: Friday, October 23, 2026 Location: Kitchener Public Library Join us for a full day of informative sessions, networking opportunities, lunch and refreshments. We anticipate a great line-up of speakers with topics including AI, Accessibility, new advancements in Drupal, Design and UX, devops processes and more. Session submissions open August 3 - this is your opportunity to share what you've been working on. We anticipate that the Camp will be free to attend again this year.
Southwestern Ontario Drupal Camp
Kitchener, ON
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