Web Summit Vancouver 2026 brought together thousands of founders, investors, and technology leaders from around the world, and Boast was right in the middle of it.
From May 11 to May 14, our team was on the exhibit floor at Booth E177, connecting with the builders driving some of the most exciting innovation happening across North America and globally. But our week at Web Summit was bigger than the floor. We hosted an invite-only reception, co-sponsored an intimate fireside chat with two of Vancouver’s most celebrated founders, and made dozens of conversations count (on camera and off).
Here’s a look at a few the highlights.
Before the Show: A Fireside Chat Worth Showing Up Early For
The week kicked off on Monday evening with something special. Boast joined forces with Hootsuite, Clio, and North House for an intimate, 75-person fireside chat featuring two of Vancouver's most iconic founders: Jack Newton (CEO of Clio, valued at over $5B) and Ryan Holmes (back at the helm of Hootsuite, the world's leading social media management platform). The conversation was moderated by Yvonne Lau of the Financial Post and tackled what it really takes to scale a global tech company from Vancouver — navigating AI, remote work, and a competitive VC landscape.
Ahead of the fireside, Joel Hansen of the League of Innovators joined Paul to talk about what makes LOI special: a genuine community of founders who show up for each other, with a spirit of goodwill and real investment in the success of every cohort member. It's an ethos that resonates deeply with what we're building at Boast, and it's why we're proud to partner with this community.
Tuesday Night: The Builders & Backers VIP Reception
On Tuesday evening, Boast co-hosted an invite-only gathering for founders and senior finance leaders from high-growth Canadian technology companies. The Builders & Backers VIP Reception (co-hosted by BLG and Roynat Scotiabank) was exactly the kind of event Web Summit week calls for: Relaxed, high-signal conversation over drinks and light bites, focused on the topics that matter most to scaling companies, including non-dilutive funding, growth capital, fundraising, and the legal considerations that come with growth.
On the Show Floor: Solutions We’re Excited About
The Boast team logged a lot of miles on the floor this week, and we captured some of the conversations that stood out. Here’s a selection of the teams and founders who left a mark.
LimitlessAI: Turning Data Into Deal Velocity
Matthew Dillon and the LimitlessAI team are helping GTM teams do more with what they already have: the data at their fingertips. By streamlining and accelerating analysis across the sales cycle, LimitlessAI helps teams dig deeper into their prospects’ real challenges and deliver more value at every step. It’s a mission that aligns squarely with our goals at Boast: Helping teams capitalize on their strongest assets to drive better outcomes.
Blyssminds Health: Community-Powered Innovation
Alyssa Mack-Lee from Blyssminds Health is proof of what a great accelerator can do. Supported by the League of Innovators, Alyssa is building a product with the potential to literally change lives — one that tackles genuine technological uncertainty and keeps impact at its core. This is exactly the kind of innovation that SR&ED was designed to support, and we’re proud to help founders like Alyssa access the non-dilutive funding they deserve.
The Cross-Border Conversation
Audrey Polk and Paul got to talk shop about the East Coast tech ecosystem, which was a great reminder of what makes Web Summit unique: it's a global event. While SR&ED and IDMTC are naturally top of mind for us in a Vancouver setting, the U.S. contingent at the show was eager to explore cross-border opportunities. Boast works across North America — whether you're navigating federal R&D Tax Credits under IRC Section 41, state-level programs, or Canadian SR&ED, we know the code and have the expertise to make sure you're rewarded for your R&D investment.
NeoSOFT: Problem-First AI
Poonam Lalka and the NeoSOFT team are doing exactly what the industry needs more of: starting with the problem statement and marching toward clear solutions, rather than applying AI for the sake of it. By helping companies build sustainable businesses on real innovation (not hype) NeoSOFT is helping teams earn the runway they need to make an impact. That’s a mandate we share at Boast.
QueerTech: Building an Inclusive Ecosystem
A.J. Stewart connected with Paul bright and early on Day 1 to explain QueerTech’s mission: Ensuring tech leaders within the queer community have access to the education, tools, and support they need to build world-changing solutions. At Boast, we believe great ideas deserve to take flight regardless of who’s behind them. QueerTech is raising the bar for what an inclusive Canadian tech ecosystem can look like, and we’re proud to be part of that same community.
Ethos Lab: Opening Doors for BC’s Next Generation
Enoch Tamale joined Paul on the floor to share how Ethos Lab is leveling the playing field for innovators across BC. Through partnerships with major players like Microsoft, Ethos Lab is giving BC’s youth the exposure and tools to bring their ideas to life. Community is everything when it comes to ensuring great innovation takes flight — and Ethos Lab is living that principle.
CIRA: The Infrastructure Behind Canadian Business Growth
CIRA and Eric Brynaert are delivering something foundational: the digital infrastructure Canadian businesses need to thrive. By ensuring the integrity of a business’ digital real estate, CIRA is a key piece of the ecosystem that helps Canadian companies achieve the growth they deserve. We were excited to connect with their team and continue the conversation throughout the week.
Salesbricks: Cutting Through the Sales Stack
Adam Saleh from Salesbricks was holding it down bright and early, and for good reason. Their solution targets something that plagues a lot of scaling teams: redundant platforms and fragmented documentation that slow down the sales process. By making it more seamless and actionable, Salesbricks helps teams focus on their superpower; which is exactly what we want for the innovative companies we work with at Boast.
Why Web Summit Matters for Boast
Web Summit Vancouver is a signal moment for the Canadian tech ecosystem. It draws global attention to the builders, investors, and innovators who are calling Vancouver (and Canada) home. For Boast, that's a meaningful backdrop.
Since 2011, we've helped more than 2,000 companies across North America access over $900 million in R&D innovation capital. Whether that's through SR&ED in Canada, CDAE-IA in Quebec, IDMTC for interactive digital media, or federal and state R&D Tax Credits in the U.S., our mission is the same: help great companies claim the non-dilutive government funding they've already earned through their innovation.
Events like Web Summit remind us why that mission matters. The innovation on the floor — from AI-powered GTM tools to health tech to the infrastructure supporting Canadian digital business — is exactly what these programs were designed to fuel.
Until Next Time
We'll be back. In the meantime, if you're a founder or finance leader navigating R&D tax credits in Canada or the U.S., we'd love to talk. The funding exists — you just need the right team to help you claim it.
Boast has helped more than 2,000 companies across North America access over $900 million in R&D innovation capital since 2011. We combine deep human expertise with purpose-built technology to simplify the SR&ED, CDAE-IA, IDMTC, and U.S. R&D Tax Credit claims process, and stand behind every claim with our 100% audit defense commitment.
