Cours Bayview Yards

On November 1st, we hosted an exclusive meeting with Trade Commissioners from the Netherlands and Ireland, Caroline Donnelly and Fanny Bousquet, offering local businesses an incredible window into the ICT and cleantech markets in Europe. Held at Cours Bayview Yards, this event brought together key insights and direct access to international trade experts, helping attendees understand emerging opportunities and tailor their strategies for market entry in these dynamic regions. The session kicked off with presentations highlighting the current business landscape, trends, and partnership possibilities within the Netherlands and Ireland, followed by one-on-one meetings where participants could dive deeper into specific interests, explore international growth strategies, and gain valuable guidance for expanding abroad. A huge thank you to everyone who joined us to make this event impactful! 🤝 🔗 To stay informed on upcoming events, insights, and opportunities for your business, join our mailing list: https://bit.ly/48C6oFr

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of attending the inaugural TEDxMechanicsville at Cours Bayview Yards. The event theme, Ensemble, explored three thought-provoking tracks: Just, Productive, and Joy. It was an inspiring day filled with connection, sharing, and incredible ideas. Speakers brought forward powerful insights—from advancing Truth and Reconciliation here in Ottawa to reimagining the construction industry with a people-first approach, and even embracing the messy middle of life’s transitions. A huge congratulations to Jen Hunter and her team for creating such an impactful event, and Banfield is honored to have been a founding sponsor. The date for next year’s TEDxMechanicsville is already set for November 1. Will we see you there?

Honoring Truth and Reconciliation as a Collaborative Entrepreneurial Community Earlier this week, it was a privilege to come together with Indigenous Entrepreneurs and our partners at the ADAAWE HUB to host a Truth and Reconciliation event at Cours Bayview Yards on the traditional unseeded territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg People. It builds on the initial steps we have taken together in our DE&I journey, including our collaboration with Pow Wow Pitch and entrepreneurial International Women's Month events. It was also an opportunity to celebrate the 2nd anniversary of ADAAWE. We are very grateful to Magnolia Perron, Program Manager, ADAAWE, Indigenous Women and Youth Program Officer at NACCA, and Ottawa 40 Under 40 Award Winner, for her leadership in our community. She also moderated the Indigenous Business Panel featuring current founders and graduates from ADAAWE's Wejibàbandan Indigenous Business Incubator: • Amanda Fox, Founder & CEO, Inspired by Nokomis • Denyse Nadon, CEO & Founder, Tribalure Cosmetics & Skincare • Gavin Decontie, Founder & CEO, Decontie Clean (celebrating 10 years in business!) • Katonhetsheriio Ashley Clark, Founder, Bougie Birch • Kaylee Smoke, Founder & CEO, K Rose Artistry Heartfelt thanks to all founders for sharing your inspiration and actionable insight with us, for building your businesses here, and making so many meaningful contributions to our economy and community. Miigwech. We are very grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with you, our partners at ADAAWE and NACCA, and continue taking steps towards Truth and Reconciliation as a critical part of our DE&I journey. This special event enabled our Invest Ottawa team to come together to share knowledge, explore new opportunities and drive economic growth. It aims to help take action on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations for Business (# 92) as part of our journey (which reads): We call upon the corporate Canada to adopt the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework and to apply its principles, norms, and standards to corporate policy and core operational activities involving Indigenous peoples and their lands and resources. We know we have a long way to go to help drive meaningful, impactful and sustainable change. We look forward to continuing our journey with our partners at ADAAWE, NACCA, Pow Wow Pitch and Indigenous Entrepreneurs across our region. This event is one step that underscores how we can work together to support and empower indigenous entrepreneurs as a collaborative community. There are many more steps to come. We invite you to join us at the ADAAWE Indigenous Holiday Market, a celebration of Indigenous culture, art, and entrepreneurship on Nov. 23. This event is a wonderful opportunity to support local Indigenous artisans, connect with their unique creations, and celebrate the holiday season in a meaningful way. Learn more and join us: https://lnkd.in/e8VRs5aT

Meet Mohamed Hatem Diabi, Co-founder and CTO of Inboundr.ai! 👋 As a Software Developer focused on building AI Agents that transform conversations into engaging content, Mohamed is leading innovation in AI-driven communication. Being part of the Bayview Yards community brings unique value to Mohamed and his work—from the accessible meeting rooms that foster collaborative sessions to complimentary parking and an atmosphere that fuels creativity. The connections he's built here have been invaluable for him and his team at Inboundr.ai. We're proud to have trailblazers like Mohamed working at Ottawa’s Innovation Hub! 🤝

The Bayview Yards Café has been home to some of the most incredible pop-ups from Ottawa’s vibrant food scene. From fresh-baked goods to international cuisine, these talented local restaurants and caterers have brought their unique flavors to our innovation hub: 🍽️ Nims Golden Bagya – African cuisine at its finest 🍽️ Afrodeez – Bold Afro-fusion dishes you won’t forget 🍽️ Snack 'O Shack – Tasty bites with bold, creative twists 🍽️ The Flatbread Pizza Company – Artisan pizzas with flair 🍽️ Green Rebel – Fresh, healthy, and delicious meal options 🍽️ Food Works – Crafting gourmet dishes with a social impact 🍽️ Dunu Donuts – Decadent donuts that are impossible to resist 🍽️ Syrian Kitchen – Authentic, flavorful Middle Eastern cuisine 🍽️ Baccanalle – Celebrating Afro-Caribbean flavors with a twist 🍽️ Tapri Chai – A celebration of Indian street food and chai culture 🍽️ Delights by Momma – Showcasing Latin American comfort food 🍽️ Britannia Bakeshop – Sweet and savory bakes that warm the soul Want to be the next standout in our lineup? 👀 This is your chance to join the ranks of these incredible businesses through our Pop-Up Program! Whether you're a new food venture or an established brand looking to reach more customers, the Bayview Yards Café Pop-Up is the perfect platform to showcase your culinary expertise to Ottawa’s dynamic innovation community. 🎟️ Learn more at our FREE webinar on November 13th! Register today: https://bit.ly/480HT4u

Who doesn’t love a little downtown time with Tedx. Invest in your learning and gaining insight and vision in community! Check out TEDxMechanicsville happening on Nov 2nd, at the Cours Bayview Yards . The 16 speakers from across Ottawa will share stories and vision on shifting our community and beyond to a become a more vibrant and kinder society.

Inspired by a Great Afternoon at Cours Bayview Yards! Last Tuesday, I attended "Design Thinking Your Way to Business Success: Navigating the Unexpected" hosted by Invest Ottawa. While design thinking isn't new to me, Sam Turgeon-Brabazon, MMIE offered a fresh perspective that's already sparking new ideas for my projects. Huge thanks to Naj Peterson, Erin Harris, Farid Dagher and Amanda Ruddy for sharing their invaluable insights on creativity and success. Special thanks to Sam Turgeon-Brabazon, MMIE and Igor Stipanac for moderating such a thought-provoking discussion. This was a highlight of Small Business Week! I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn from successful entrepreneurs and connect with this amazing community. #SmallBusinessWeek #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneur #DesignThinking #InvestOttawa #Networking

Where Innovation Meets Opportunity: Ottawa’s First Immigrant Founder Launchpad Pitch Finale for $25,000! Join Us as We Celebrate Tech Founders Building Game-Changing Companies Here in Canada's Startup Capital: • Tuesday, November 12 • 11:30am to 2pm • Cours Bayview Yards • Hosted by Invest Ottawa in partnership with Maple Bridge Ventures with critical support from Dentons • Register Now for Your Free Ticket: https://lnkd.in/eWcxJahU Did you know that immigrant entrepreneurs are a powerhouse in innovation? One in four Canadian businesses are immigrant-owned, and immigrant founders have launched over 50% of North America's unicorns—companies like Shopify and Zoom that have transformed entire industries. Come and experience this entrepreneurial momentum! On Tuesday, November 12th, we're celebrating Invest Ottawa’s first Immigrant Founder Launchpad Pitch Finale with 10 amazing founders are shaping our future with breakthrough ideas and solutions! These entrepreneurs are creating the next generation of transformative companies and growing Ottawa's impact as a global tech and business hub. We are grateful they are building visionary companies here in Canada's Capital. Sincere congratulations to all those participating in our pitch finale after weeks of hard work: • Alberto Aguilar, Plantaform™ • Martin Belporo, Phista Technologies • Dhruv Mehta, Lutendi Systems • Seyed Navid Mashhadi Moghaddam, CivitasVision • Josh Molot, BlueCaller, Inc. • Puja Pachchigar, GoKidu Technologies • Jorge Pantoja, JPlug.io • Naa Anyele Perbi, Perbi Cubs Canada • Herimino Rakotondrafara, TheDevFactory • Hamid Shirdastian, DocSplain AI Doctor Don't miss the opportunity to cheer these founders on as they take the mic and pitch for $25K in equity-based investment and non-dilutive funding. Sincere thanks to Maple Bridge Ventures and FedDev Ontario (ScaleUp Platform) for helping to make this possible. Join us for great company, food and cheers with friends and fans at Cours Bayview Yards! One thing is for sure - these entrepreneurs will keep you on the edge of your seat! • Register Now for Your Free Ticket: https://lnkd.in/eWcxJahU

Exciting day for founders on Nov 12! Two great pitch events that will get you ready and warmed up for SAAS NORTH Conference. Catch the Immigrant Founder pitch finale from 12:00 to 2:00 at Cours Bayview Yards. This is the culmination of a new program to help immigrant founders get ready for early stage investment through a combination of group workshops, 1:1 advisory, investor relations support, and market intelligence. https://lnkd.in/eK5R_Quk Then make your way downtown for the SheBoot grand pitch finale from 3:00 to 5:00 at Gowling WLG. Meet some of the most exciting women founders from across Canada as they pitch for $300,000 in investment prizes! https://lnkd.in/eqw2tdT6 Round out your day with the SaaSNorth welcome reception a short walk away at Lowertown Brewery! Celebrating Canadian entrepreneurship from coast to coast!