Accelerated. Canada’s Semiconductor Symposium 2025.
Agenda.
Sessions at a glance
Monday, November 24
Opening Reception
1:30
6:30
Opening Reception
Join us for an intimate kick-off to two intense days at our opening reception. Connect with fellow attendees, guest speakers, panelists and partners in a relaxed setting. This will be a great opportunity to network, exchange ideas and initiate new relationships.
Day One: Tuesday, November 25
Innovation. Accelerated.
The Symposium opens with a high-voltage discussion around the innovation and commercialization potential for Canadian SMEs – regardless of their sector and end market. We’ll present examples of productive ecosystems and how they developed, along with a series of discussions that consider the state of two key technologies with deep roots in Western Canada: quantum and photonics. We’ll explore existing and emerging opportunities; the importance of a coherent national strategy and how to maximize market potential.
Research excellence will also be showcased with TEXPO, our national graduate student competition, featuring the work of some of the country’s most talented emerging engineers.
8:00
Doors Open
8:30
Welcome
Lynn McNeil
Vice President, FABrIC
CMC Microsystems
8:45
Special Presentation
9:00
Global Success: Canada Style
When companies exit early, it impacts Canada’s ability to grow large international successes. The effects are significant from a government perspective. It reduces the tax base. From an industrial perspective, it complicates supply chains. This session highlights three Canadian businesses that are achieving international success – Canadian style. Our panelists provide a lesson about the need to focus on commercial success – not rush for the exits.
MODERATOR
Avinash Persaud
VP, Hardware Catalyst Initiative and Semiconductor Initiatives, ventureLAB
Hamid Arabzadeh
Chairman and CEO
Ranovus
Craig McLellan
Founder and CEO
ThinkOn
Rakesh Patel
Chief Technology Officer
Evertz Microsystems
10:00
Morning Break
10:15
Canada’s Microelectronics and Semiconductor Innovation Zone: A Model for Success
What happens when the private sector and government align their focus and collaborate? The result is an innovation zone: a dynamic ecosystem where entrepreneurs, researchers and institutions work together to accelerate innovation, drive investment, and expand global impact. This model demonstrates the power of strategic, long-term planning and partnership — a vivid example of how Quebec has leveraged collaboration and vision to foster competitiveness, create opportunities and generate lasting economic growth. Definitive proof that innovation drives results: the Northeast Semiconductor Manufacturing Corridor.
MODERATOR
Manon Duclos
CEO
Technum Québec
Philippe Babin
General Manager
Aeponyx Enterprises Inc.
Stéphane Martel
Project Management Office (PMO) & R&D Director
Teledyne MEMS
Marie-Josée Turgeon
CEO
C2MI
11:15
Talent: The Backbone of National Success
Talent and technology are essential ingredients for competitive success. Canadian universities are recognized internationally for academic excellence; they attract the best students from around the world. The work of our academic institutions is supplemented by strong programs delivered by non-profits and private industry that nurture early-stage and mid-career professionals to ensure access to the specialized knowledge demands of the semi sector.
This session reviews the recent analysis by the Information and Communications Technology Council’s (ICTC) and Canada’s Semiconductor Council’s talent report. We’ll discuss the specialized courseware delivered for decades by CMC Microsystems and the specific gaps they address. And for a technologically sophisticated industry like semiconductors, we’ll review the specialized capacity vital to nurturing future generations of entrepreneurs.
MODERATOR
Aaron Genest
Senior Applications Engineering Manager & Government Affairs
Siemens EDA
Tony Chan Carusone
Chief Technology Officer
Alphawave Semi
Erik Henningsmoen
Senior Research & Policy Analyst
ICTC
Udson Mendes
Director, Technology
CMC Microsystems
12:15
Lunch
MODERATOR
Lynn McNeil
Vice-President, FABrIC
CMC Microsystems
1:15
Special Presentation
Douglas R. Colton Medal for Research Excellence
PRESENTED BY
Gordon Harling
President & CEO
CMC Microsystems
1:30
Inference at the Edge
Canada is a pioneer in AI inference technology, where trained AI models use their “knowledge” to make predictions or decisions on new, unseen data. Strong academic and commercial research, strategic investments, a rich talent pool and global leadership in machine learning, deep learning and ethical AI have established a powerful foundation. With market emphasis shifting to inference at the edge — running trained models directly on local devices, like smartphones or sensors, rather than sending data to remote cloud servers for processing — Canada is well-positioned to establish itself globally across a broad range of end-use industries. How do we move from potential to market powerhouse?
Garry Chan
Head of AI Initiatives
ventureLAB
2:30
The Emerging Quantum Business Sector
As recognized by the United Nations, 2025 marks the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. Canada has a long history at the global forefront of bringing quantum enhanced computing, sensing, and communications into everyday life. In this panel, we will explore how companies are developing and adopting quantum and quantum-inspired solutions today, while preparing for and shaping the broader quantum technology market of the future. What impact is Canada best situated to make in the quantum technology ecosystem, and what industries can most benefit from being ahead of the curve? Join us to hear from business leaders driving the second quantum revolution.
Megan Lee
Managing Director
Quantum City
3:30
Afternoon Break
3:45
Elevating Canada's Game in the Global Semiconductor Business
Generational shifts in the global landscape—from deglobalization to reshoring—are reshaping the semiconductor business. As our national semiconductor industry organization, Canada’s Semiconductor Council (CSC) is not just reacting; we are driving a strategic plan to secure our nation’s place as a leader in this new era. This presentation will cover the key initiatives we’ve launched and the critical work still ahead to elevate Canada’s game on the global stage.
INTRO
Lynn McNeil
Vice President, FABrIC
CMC Microsystems
Paul Slaby
Managing Director
Canada’s Semiconductor Council
4:05
Photonics: When NVIDIA and Apple Come Calling
When NVIDIA hinges its next products on Canadian technology, there are strong business opportunities. Canadian businesses from coast to coast are collaborating to produce best-in-class products and the opportunity this creates for other Canadian businesses to benefit.
Canada has invested in photonics capabilities since the days of Nortel. Several companies have developed technologies that have NVIDIA, Apple and others clamouring for our tech. Today, we’re at the cusp of leading the next generation of data centre interconnect.
This panel explores how companies and institutions across Canada are contributing to this leadership.
MODERATOR
Wei Shi
University of Laval
Tony Chan Carusone
Chief Technology Officer
Alphawave Semi
Alexander Janta-Polczynski
IBM
Mike Sekerka
Vice President & General Manager, Defence and Government Business Unit
RANOVUS
Hamid Arabzadeh
Chairman and CEO
RANOVUS
5:05
Emerging Innovation
A glimpse of the next generation of Canadian semiconductor excellence. We’ll introduce some impressive companies identified via FABrIC’s first Challenge round. The session concludes by highlighting research excellence with our TEXPO award winners. CMC’s national graduate student competition, we’ll showcase the work of some of the country’s most talented emerging engineers who could be your next employee.
MODERATOR
Richard Dunda
FABrIC
CMC Microsystems
Jérôme Bourassa
CEO
Qubic Technologies
Mike Sekerka
Vice President & General Manager, Defence and Government Business Unit
RANOVUS
Andrew Skafel
President and CEO
Edgewater Wireless
6:00
Recap
Lynn McNeil
Vice President, FABrIC
CMC Microsystems
Day Two: Wednesday, November 26
Integration. Accelerated.
Day Two focuses on the application of semiconductors as economic drivers. The impact of AI and the emerging opportunities in quantum will be discussed with the goal of defining natural areas for collaboration. Featuring industry leaders from automotive, agriculture, aerospace & defence, advanced manufacturing and oceans, we’ll explore the innovation issues they face and how we, collectively, can address them.
Morning sessions explore emerging technologies such as novel sensors coupled with AI for better decision-making.
Afternoon sessions recognize that Canada has significant national security and productivity challenges. With change and uncertainty ripping through global trade relationships and supply chains, Accelerated will explore how Canada’s semiconductor expertise contributes to the ability of these critical domestic industries to innovate and compete.
8:00
Doors Open
8:15
Welcome
8:30
The Information Age Goes Industrial: Sensing, Transmitting, Analyzing and Implementing Information
INTRO
Lynn McNeil
Vice President, FABrIC
CMC Microsystems
Cornelis (Cees) Draijer
Vice President, Technology
Teledyne Canada
9:15
Sensors, Sustainability and the Quantum Edge: Turning Data into Growth
From oceans to orbit, sensors are transforming how industries monitor, manage, and monetize. As quantum technologies reshape data processing and security, they challenge traditional IP frameworks.
For companies and governments alike, this leap in fidelity and reliability is both an opportunity and a challenge. The enormous value of the data generated raises new questions about intellectual property, ownership, and commercialization, especially when insights cut across borders or strategic domains.
This panel explores how sensor technologies – combined with AI, connectivity and emerging quantum tools – are driving cost savings, emissions reductions and new service models across sectors such as agriculture, mining, aerospace and marine systems. It also examines how cross-sector collaboration can unlock innovation while navigating the evolving IP and data landscape in quantum-enabled systems.
MODERATOR
Jen Mielguj
Director, IP and Partnerships, DIGITAL
Daly Brown
Co-Founder and CEO
Metropolitan Technologies
Kyung Soo Choi
Q-Block Computing
Graeme Herring
VP, Intellectual Property Strategy
Terramera
Chris Rampersad
VP, Data & Platform
EarthDaily Analytics
10:15
Morning Break
10:30
Precision Technology: IoT & Edge
This panel brings leaders from automotive, food processing, mining, medtech and marine to show how precise sensor data — processed at the edge and carried over robust networks — drives competitiveness and resilience. We’ll explore deployment patterns like “ruggedized” sensors, edge inference, and secure connectivity that improve throughput, quality, and sustainability. For business, the focus is a practical playbook: where to start, how to de-risk pilots, and the ROI drivers that justify scale. For government, it highlights enablers that accelerate adoption across critical sectors.
MODERATOR
Darrell Petras
Calvin Cheng
Director of Applications and Customer Success
Lumotive
Apurva Jayne
VP of Product and Customer Success
Lumotive
11:30
Autonomy Everywhere: Unlocking Value from Land to Sea to Sky
Autonomous systems are moving beyond cars into farms, mines, oceans, and defence platforms. Sensors are at the core of this transformation. This discussion explores where mid-sized businesses can supply, integrate, or service autonomy solutions across multiple markets — highlighting the need for resilient and responsive networks
Automation changes the old economic arguments about where Canada can compete and where it can’t. It changes labour cost calculations; it impacts skills constraints. Canada’s semiconductor sector excels at sensors – where is the domestic industry heading with automation and robotics? Is this an area where our semiconductor expertise can accelerate?
MODERATOR
Julien Caudroit
Chief Communication and Business Development Officer
Strix
12:30
Lunch
1:30
From Curiosity to Capability: Building Canada’s Adoption Advantage
We are in the early innings of how AI and quantum will reshape global value chains. The companies that captured the most value from the internet era weren’t the ones who built the protocols; they were the early adopters who used them to redefine industries. The same dynamic is beginning to unfold today.
For Canada, this is both a building and adopting opportunity. We must continue developing world-class technologies while also embedding them into businesses, infrastructure, and public systems. Early movers will not only unlock productivity at home but also secure indispensable roles in global markets, ensuring Canadian firms become trusted nodes in the value chains of the future.
This session explores how Canada can seize this pivotal moment — moving from pilots to platforms, and positioning our companies to capture a durable advantage as AI and quantum adoption accelerate worldwide.
MODERATOR
Lisa Lambert
CEO
Quantum Industry Canada
David Asgeirsson
Manager – Partnerships and IP
Xanadu
Auky Gonzales-Gysin
Founder & CEO
Ácara Climate
2:30
Data Sovereignty and Security
The enormous value of data generated raises new questions about intellectual property, ownership, and commercialization, especially when insights cut across borders or strategic domains.
Sovereignty in the digital age depends on trusted infrastructure for compute, data, and the full stack of critical technologies. Semiconductors are only part of the solution. Canada must strengthen domestic capacity and support the innovators who are building the foundations of sovereign innovation here at home.
MODERATOR
Chamirai Charles Nyabeze
Vice President of Business Development, Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI)
Brian Jin
Founder
Schemon
Debjani Mukherjee
Chief Executive Officer
Spica Systems
Rob Putman
Global Manager – Cyber Security Services
ABB Process Automation
Stuart A. Stein
Stuart Stein
CEO, President, and Founder
ConnSens Technologies Ltd.
3:30
Afternoon break
3:45
Harsh Environments and Dual Use: A Uniquely Canadian Opportunity
A quintessentially Canadian subject — dealing with harsh environments. Bounded by three oceans, the Canadian environment is severe. Roughly 27% of our land mass is above the treeline in Arctic tundra and alpine biomes. Massive mineral and energy wealth in remote and difficult-to-access locations. Low temperatures, high winds and short growing seasons embed overcoming challenges into everything we do. These challenges create a uniquely Canadian opportunity for our ideas and technology.
From the immense vacuum of space to the dramatic immune responses of the human body or the challenge of operating under intense ocean pressures, 21st-century technology is expected to go everywhere and do everything with incredible precision. It’s a low-volume, high-margin business, where Canada can lead. Niche semiconductor technology, such as that Canada can produce, is a key ingredient – but only part of the solution. Moreover, these technologies are uniquely suited to contributing to the demands of Canada’s defence. What’s needed – and where?
MODERATOR
Nancy Andrews
Chief Engagement and Communications Officer, Canada’s Oceans Supercluster
Godard
CEO & Co-founder
Verge Agriculture
Meiz Majdoub Jr.
CEO
Mostar Labs
Jean-Francois Bousquet
MINDI Hub
Dalhousie University
4:45
Building Resilient Canadian Supply Chains
Canada’s prosperity and security depend on resilient supply chains, from food and critical minerals to defence, automotive, and digital infrastructure. Recent disruptions — from pandemic shortages to geopolitical tensions — have underscored the risks of over-reliance on foreign systems. For Canada, sovereignty means securing and scaling critical capabilities at home while embedding them strategically in trusted global value chains.
Sovereignty does not mean solitude: the challenge is deciding where Canada must be self-reliant, and where deeper integration with allies and partners strengthens both resilience and influence.
This session will looks at how advanced technologies can help Canada strengthen visibility, efficiency, and assurance across its supply chains. We will explore choices in sectors such as aquaculture, agriculture, automotive, and critical minerals, and how aligning domestic capacity with international partnerships can improve productivity, reduce vulnerabilities, and reinforce Canada’s role as a reliable and strategic partner.
Robert Saik
T1 Technology Corp. AGvisorPRO
David Asgeirsson
Manager – Partnerships and IP
Xanadu
5:30
Closing
Lynn McNeil
Vice President, FABrIC
CMC Microsystems
Thursday, November 27
Technology Training for Business Leaders
Stay late, and take a deep dive into the fundamental technologies changing industry. From artificial intelligence to quantum computing, profound advancements are underway.
We offer series of workshops that will provide business-oriented insights grounded in hype-free technology analysis.
8:30
Strategic Applications of Photonics: How Photonics is transforming end-sectors
Price: $250
Photonics is rapidly transforming industries such as mining, agriculture, and ocean / marine by enabling smarter, safer and more sustainable operations. For business leaders and decision-makers, this session is a strategic investment in future-proofing your organization. You’ll get critical insights into how advanced light-based technologies -– such as remote sensing, precision imaging and fiber-optic monitoring – can optimize resource management, enhance environmental monitoring and drive automation. Understanding and leveraging photonics will help unlock new efficiencies, reduce operational risks and position your company at the forefront of innovation.
INSTRUCTOR
Ahmed Abumazwed, PhD
CMC Microsystems
10:30
Quantum for Competitive Advantage: How industries are adopting quantum tech
Price: $250
Quantum technologies are poised to reshape mining, agriculture, advanced manufacturing and ocean technologies. They promise to unlock novel capabilities in sensing, computing and secure communication. For business leaders and decision-makers, this session will help you stay ahead of the curve. You’ll learn how quantum technologies may deliver a competitive advantage. By understanding the potential and practical applications of quantum technologies, you can position your organization to lead in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
INSTRUCTOR
Luke Govia, PhD
CMC Microsystems
Where
Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre
1000 Burrard St
Vancouver, BC V6Z 2R9
(604) 331-1000
Thank you to our generous sponsors
SILVER
BRONZE
TEXPO
Sponsor Accelerated
Contact us to learn more about sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities.