A Launch Lab Initiative
Regional Investor Summit Experience
RISE connects ambitious Eastern Ontario startups with the capital, connections and opportunities they need to grow.
Where founders get their opportunity to RISE
RISE is built around a simple idea: great companies need more than great ideas. They need opportunities to be seen, heard and supported.
Through pitch competitions, investor showcases and networking events, RISE gives emerging companies the opportunity to step onto the stage, sharpen their story, meet investors and business leaders, and gain valuable exposure across Ontario's innovation ecosystem.
Since launching in 2025, RISE has brought together founders, investors, funders, community leaders and innovation partners for a series of high-energy events showcasing some of the region's most promising ventures.
Pitch Competitions
Early-stage companies raising pre-seed or seed capital present to experienced judges and a room of investors, funders and ecosystem leaders.
Venture Showcases
Evenings focused on discovering and connecting with promising Eastern Ontario ventures, with regional investors, funders and business leaders in the room.
Connections That Last
Founders gain exposure, feedback and relationships with the people who can help them take their next step.
THE PITCH COMPETITION
Your vision. Your story. Your stage.
Each competition challenges founders to communicate their vision, market opportunity, traction and potential. It's also a chance to win $10,000 in non-dilutive prize funding to help move their business forward.
Who it's for
Early-stage companies raising pre-seed or seed capital
What you'll do
Pitch to experienced judges and a room of investors, funders and ecosystem leaders
What's at stake
$10,000 in non-dilutive prize funding, plus exposure, feedback and connections
RISE So Far
December 2025 · Kingston
The Inaugural RISE Pitch Competition
Six promising Ontario startups at the pre-seed and seed stages took the stage, representing life sciences, clean technology, AI and defence. Finalists competed for a $10,000 cash prize and free registration to the Ontario Centre of Innovation's DiscoveryX 2026 conference.
Judges: Michelle Cathers, Kevin Vance, Suzanne Grant and Roger Bowes
Presented by: Launch Lab, Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI), Reaction (RXN) HUB and Kingston Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO), with support from Seguin Financial and Co-operators
Winner
Marlow
Marlow's innovative approach to period care, lubricated tampons designed to improve comfort and inclusivity, stood out among a highly competitive group of founders.
April 2026 · Kingston
RISE 2026
RISE returned in 2026 with another six companies taking the stage, demonstrating the breadth and ambition of Eastern Ontario's startup community across a diverse range of emerging technologies and industries.
Judges: David Robinson, Jennifer Francis and Eoin Callan
Sponsors and partners: Southern Ontario Fund for Investment in Innovation (SOFII), Kingston Economic Development Corporation, Co-operators, Seguin Financial, Helix Funding and ARCADE – Intellectual Property and Business Law
Winner
DOUBL
DOUBL is making shopping more personal for consumers while helping retailers become more profitable. For co-founder Bryn Davis Williams, the win was also a homecoming: a return to Kingston, where she began her entrepreneurial journey more than a decade ago.
2026 Finalists
NEW IN 2026
RISE Venture Showcase
RISE is growing beyond the traditional pitch competition. In March 2026, Launch Lab introduced the RISE Venture Showcase in Belleville, bringing together regional investors, funders, business leaders and entrepreneurs for an evening focused on discovering and connecting with promising Eastern Ontario ventures.
Held at The Landing on South Church in partnership with Trenval Business Development Corporation and The Landing, with support from BDC and the RISE series sponsors.
The showcase reflects the broader vision for RISE: more opportunities for Eastern Ontario companies to connect with the people and resources that can help them scale.
March 2026 · Belleville
Showcase #1
Featured: Aluminum 3104 Ltd.
June 2026 · Belleville
Showcase #2
Featured: Aluminum 3104 Ltd. (update), Azza AI and STRATOTEGIC
RISE is made possible through collaboration
Our sponsors and partners are helping founders access capital, expertise, connections and visibility at critical stages of their growth, creating a stronger environment for entrepreneurship, investment and innovation across Eastern Ontario.
The next big idea could be on our stage.
WHAT’S NEXT
With more pitch competitions, Venture Showcases and opportunities planned, Launch Lab is building an ongoing platform for Eastern Ontario's emerging companies to connect with investors, funders and the broader innovation community.