A conference to learn about practical technology for real business productivity

Join business leaders and technology experts to explore practical applications of AI, automation, ERP systems, robotics, and modern software , all focused on improving productivity and business performance.

The Southern Manitoba Technology Conference 2026 is a focused, one-day, in-person professional conference tailored for manufacturing and operations leaders who are responsible for advancing business transformation through technology adoption. The event is designed to move beyond theoretical discussion and deliver practical, actionable insights from industry-leading practitioners, with an emphasis on real-world implementation of Robotics and Automation, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Attendees will:

  • Gain clear, actionable guidance on adopting key technologies in manufacturing environments
  • See firsthand how leading manufacturers approach automation, ERP, and AI
  • Build professional connections with industry peers and technology solution providers
  • Leave with practical strategies for addressing real operational and technological challenges
  • Have the opportunity to network with peers and subject matter experts while gaining insights

Featured Sessions

  • Live Hackathon Kickoff: Hands-on demonstration of real software solution development
  • Keynote Address: Why technology adoption is essential for modern manufacturing
  • Robotics & Automation Workshop: Practical robotics use cases and adoption strategies
  • ERP in Practice: Tools and support available, with implementation insights
  • AI in the Workplace: Real use cases showing how AI improves production outcomes

Panel and Interaction

  • Industry Panel: ERP, Automation, and the path forward with industry leaders
  • Hackathon Demo & Awards: Showcase of solutions developed throughout the day
  • Networking Breaks: Purpose-driven interaction to establish connections and share insights

 

Breakfast and Lunch included in ticket price.

Sponsorship opportunities available, $500 – $1,200.

As more companies are adopting AI, they’re often unknowingly providing new ways for hackers to sneak in. If you’ve ever been curious about the real security impacts of AI technologies in your internal processes, then this session is for you.

In this session, we’ll share a series of lightning talks from a hackers perspective covering the latest AI trends including: secure vibe coding, MCP servers, and prompt injections. Throughout the session, you’ll have an opportunity to chat with our technical team to ask any burning questions you may have.

 

Lower TCO. Zero busywork. Infrastructure that runs itself—so your business can run ahead.

Who it’s for: Business owners, C‑suite leaders, and decision makers who want IT to be a force multiplier—not a distraction.

Why attend?
Because every hour spent managing infrastructure is an hour not spent growing your business. Walk away with a clear, understanding of the financial and operational levers available to you with a Private Cloud adoption —what to shift, what to keep, and how to realize outcomes quickly.

PLUS: All those in attendance will receive complimentary SWAG (and we don’t mean pens & notebooks), and if you speak to one of the EPIC team during the event you’ll also be entered to win one of our exciting prizes!

Grand Prize: Lenovo Laptop

Second Prize: 2 Tickets to Techapalooza (Saturday Feb 28th, 2025)

What to expect:

EPIC in 90 seconds
A concise snapshot of who we are and why organizations trust us to keep mission‑critical infrastructure running—so they can focus on growth.

Private Cloud, Simplified
A practical look at how EPIC Private Cloud (IaaS) shifts you to a predictable OPEX model, reduces TCO, and eliminates administrative overhead that slows teams down.

Proof in the Numbers
A real‑world case walkthrough showing how moving off on‑prem infrastructure reduces operating effort and cost—freeing capital and people for innovation and expansion.

Don’t take it from us…
Hear it straight from leaders already realizing the benefits. In a candid fireside chat, customers will share tangible outcomes—what changed, what they saved, and how their teams now move faster with fewer operational roadblocks.

And that’s not all…
We’ll close with an exclusive reveal that promises to change the way you think about productivity and flexibility. This launch is designed to unlock new levels of agility, empower teams to work smarter from anywhere, and accelerate business outcomes—all without adding complexity. Be among the first to hear what’s next, followed by networking, delicious food, and refreshments.

 

Kicking off during MbTech Week,  Launch Coworking Space will host Founders Coffee, a weekly gathering designed to foster entrepreneurial community, connection, and collaboration. This event will be lead by 360 Coaching Group with coffee from Muse Café.

Chris Johnson – Three Mistakes I Made Building (and Exiting) a Startup in Winnipeg

THE TALK

Three Mistakes I Made Building (and Exiting) a Startup in Winnipeg

This is a short coffee conversation about three themes that slowed us down while building a SaaS startup — all things that felt reasonable at the time and only became obvious once the dust settled on the other side of an exit.

In ten minutes, I’ll share a few decisions that weren’t catastrophic, but in hindsight had us running with one of those weighted vests strapped on without knowing it. The kind of calls founders make every day while trying to be careful, scrappy, and “do the right thing,” without realizing the trade-offs.

THE SPEAKER

 Chris Johnson is a repeat enterprise SaaS founder and operator who has led multiple successful exits. He was the Founder and CEO of Permission Click, a K–12 workflow and forms platform acquired by SchoolMessenger in 2021. Following the acquisition, Chris became President of SchoolMessenger, where he led the business through its next phase of growth and operational maturity, culminating in a $300M acquisition by PowerSchool in 2023. Across these roles, Chris has built and scaled product-led organizations, overseen go-to-market transformations, and navigated the complexities of post-acquisition integration. Beyond operating roles, Chris is a co-founder of North Forge Technology Exchange and an active supporter of the Manitoba startup ecosystem as a mentor, advisor, and early-stage investor.

 

ABOUT FOUNDERS COFFEE

Beginning February 24th during Manitoba Tech Week, our Launch Downtown location will host Founders Coffee, a weekly Tuesday-morning (8 am to 9 am) gathering designed to foster entrepreneurial community, connection, and collaboration. Founders Coffee provides a welcoming space where local entrepreneurs can share their stories, present their ventures, and receive meaningful feedback from peers, mentors, and community partners.

Each session features:

  • A 10 min spotlight presentation from an early-stage founder or small business.
  • A guided 20 min Q&A and community feedback discussion.
  • Open Mic & networking (30 min) to help build relationships, spark ideas, and support the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Our goal is to cultivate a consistent, inclusive gathering that brings together innovators, creators, small-business owners, and community champions.

Presented by Futurepreneur, hosted by Launch Coworking, lead by 360 Coaching Group, and fueled by Muse Cafe, Founders Coffee strengthens the connective tissue of our local business community and helps entrepreneurs access the insight, encouragement, and resources they need to grow.

Founders Coffee will serve as a weekly ritual—a place where relationships are built, ideas take shape, and founders feel supported on their journey.

Join us at Ubisoft Winnipeg for the celebration of the global launch of Rainbow Six Mobile.

You’ll get a closer look at how the game came together, hear directly from the developers who helped bring it to life, and try it out for yourself.

It’s a chance to see the creative thinking, problem solving, and collaboration that go into building a AAA title right here in Manitoba.

ISACA Winnipeg and Manitoba Women in Tech are passionate about helping women take their place in the tech world. Cybersecurity is an area overflowing with opportunities, but perceptions about careers in cybersecurity might be holding many women back from entering the field.

This presentation is all about challenging common assumptions about what cybersecurity is (and who it’s for). Mary will explain how some of these perceptions and beliefs are just myths that can be broken to help women take a confident career step into the cyber world.

If you have ever thought that:
  • Cybersecurity is about hackers in hoodies
  • There’s only one “right” way to enter a cybersecurity career
  • Cybersecurity leadership is defined by technical mastery alone
  • Cybersecurity work is isolated and done in silos
  • Security is something you add on after technology is deployed
  • Cybersecurity is about fear, control, and saying “no”
  • You need permission or perfect confidence to belong in cyber
If so, you need to join us for this myth-busting presentation as part of MbTech Week! Mary’s presentation will be complemented by a panel featuring diverse cybersecurity roles that showcase the field as a multidisciplinary, collaborative ecosystem.
Agenda:
  • 8:00 – 8:30 am: breakfast & networking
  • 8:30 – 9:30 am: keynote & discussion
  • 9:30 – 10:00 am: networking
  • 10:00 am: event conclusion
Thank you to ISACA Winnipeg and Launch Coworking Space for sponsoring this event!

Join us at the IDEA START HQ for our community meetup where we’ll focus on our individual journeys and opportunities to connect!

  • Your innovation & entrepreneurship journey – what are your needs, interests, and motivations?
  • Networking and connecting with mentors, peers, and facilitators
  • Founder game for entrepreneurial connection, growth, and fun!
  • Hear from this month’s guest mentor
  • Pizza and pop provided

Guest Mentor Speaker: Eno Umoka

Eno Umoka is an AI growth strategist, founder, and ecosystem builder who helps startups and service-based businesses generate leads and scale faster using practical AI systems. He specializes in turning AI from a buzzword into simple, scalable workflows founders can adopt quickly, even with limited resources. Beyond revenue, Eno’s mission is to help 100,000 entrepreneurs and changemakers grow with clarity, confidence, and execution, so growth becomes easier, not heavier.

Please note: The building doors will be unlocked from 4:30 PM – 7:30 PM and Parking is free in SP1 after 4:30 p.m.

 

If you haven’t joined us at an I-VIC meetup yet, these meetups are split into 5 parts:

  1. Dividing into “Journey Groups” to connect with others in a similar place on their own journeys (e.g. From those who are “Exploring Entrepreneurship and Innovation” to those who are “Achieving Success”)
  2. Hearing our guest mentor’s story
  3. A founder game or activity that supports connection, learning, and growth
  4. Collaboration requests and ecosystem updates
  5. Connection and networking (plus pizza and pop!)

 

Photography Notice

By participating in this event, you consent to being photographed, videotaped, and/or audio recorded and you authorize IDEA START to use the photographs, videos, and/or audio recordings in its activities, at its events, and in its promotional material, in print or electronic format, including on the internet via the university’s website or other social media websites. Please alert the photographer at the event if you do not want your photo taken.

Personal Information Notice

Your personal information is being collected under the authority of The University of Manitoba Act. The information you provide will be used by the university for the purpose of processing your registration for the event, determining catering orders, improving future IDEA START events, and for further communication regarding the event. Your personal information will not be used or disclosed for other purposes, unless permitted by The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). If you have any questions about the collection of your personal information, contact the Access and Privacy Office (tel. 204-474-9462), 233 Elizabeth Dafoe Library, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2

 

Join us at CreativeMornings Winnipeg on February 27, 2026, as we explore the theme of Camino—the ways and paths that shape innovation. CreativeMornings is a free, monthly breakfast lecture series that celebrates creativity in cities around the world, bringing together curious, open-hearted people from every discipline. Each event features a local speaker, a global theme, and a welcoming community that believes everyone is creative and everyone is welcome.

Our speaker for our CreativeMornings X MbTech Week event is tech entrepreneur and U-Pro Soccer founder, John Barbosa. John is redefining athletic training with an AI-powered platform that uses computer vision and biomechanics to transform any living room into a world-class soccer academy. Supported by North Forge, U-Pro Soccer is opening new pathways for young athletes to access professional-level coaching from home. Discover how John’s journey from idea to impact is paving a bold new way forward in sports tech and beyond.

 

UCN Linkages is a reoccurring economic development conference that brings together industry leaders, economic development organizations, academia, and more, to Northern Manitoba.

Linkages is focused on initiating creative, critical thinking and collaborative conversations about northern economic development and the future.

UCN hosts two conferences annually; one in The Pas, and one in Thompson.

 

 

UCN Linkages is sponsored by Look North, Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, the Government of Manitoba

🚨 Sold Out! 🚨

 

Microsoft Fabric is a unified, cloud-based data platform designed to simplify data management and analytics, integrating tools and services to support every stage of the data lifecycle, and provides a strong foundation for implementing the latest innovations in AI. It is the next generation of Microsoft’s long history of data tools and services.

Join us for a workshop showing you the powerful features of Microsoft Fabric, and how it enables you to build an intelligent data strategy to unify all your data sources in your enterprise. This convergence enhances data utilization across your organization, empowering you to make strategic, data-driven business decisions and support AI initiatives.

Stay for complimentary lunch and refreshments and connect with like-minded professionals and engage with experts from Improving Winnipeg.

 

Improving Winnipeg, formerly Imaginet, is a premier consulting firm with deep expertise in the Microsoft stack of products and Azure cloud services. Mike Diehl, director of Data Engineering & Business Intelligence, has over 30 years of experience and is a sought-after speaker for data strategies, Agile development, and DevOps topics. He has spoken at many conferences across North America and in London, England, and will be presenting at the Microsoft Fabric Community Conference in Las Vegas in March.