September is here, and that means three things: pumpkin spice season is almost upon us, networking season is ramping back up, and Winnipeg’s tech community has plenty to showcase after a heads-down summer.
This month we’re highlighting some earned media from local startups, a number of new initiatives and programs for entrepreneurs and tech professionals, and more Tech Thursday conversations worth your Thursday evening.
Let’s dive in.
🗓️ Tech Thursday Events
🚪 September 10th
Topic - Career Catalyst: Inside the Hiring Room
What are tech employers actually looking for when they hire? This panel brings together HR leaders and tech professionals for an honest look at how hiring decisions get made, from what gets a candidate shortlisted to how AI is changing the process.
Speakers:
Corin Frost, Senior Director, People & Culture, Laivly
Jordan Proctor, Engineering Manager, Security Platform, GitLab
Tracy Martin, Leader, People & Culture, Neovation Learning Solutions
Ron Cantiveros (Moderator), Career Catalyst Program Manager, Manitoba Innovates
Venue: The Saddlery on Market | Time: 4:30pm
🧭 September 17th
Topic - Strategy is not a Luxury
Most organizations know they need a plan. Few can afford the process that produces one. This conversation traces how Neralake built a co-design approach to strategic planning alongside the non-profit sector it serves, not just for it.
Speakers:
Matt Dirks, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Neralake
Shanae Blaquiere, Lead Product Manager, Neralake
Sean McManus, Executive Director, Manitoba Chamber Orchestra
Paul Card, Chief Executive Officer, Manitoba Innovates
Venue: The Saddlery on Market | Time: 4:30pm
Tech Thursday is thrilled to welcome Ramp as our new title sponsor!
Ramp launched in Canada this summer and is building a dedicated Canadian team. The company helps businesses save time and money by bringing corporate cards, expense management, bill payments, and accounting automation into one platform. They serve over 70,000 customers globally today.
Ramp’s support will help us bring more ambitious programming, and more leading voices from finance, technology, and operations, to Calgary’s tech community. We couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead.
🚀 Fundraising News
TetraGen Robotics raises $1.8M in an oversubscribed seed round. The Winnipeg company building autonomous welding robots, uses AI software and machine vision to weld without manual programming.
The round was led by Calgary’s StepChange Capital, with participation from Vancouver’s Emend Vision Fund and Winnipeg’s own Jim Richardson. The company plans to use the funding to grow its engineering and commercial teams and deploy more systems across North America.
📰 Startups In the News
Construction Clock rebrands as Supercrew. The Winnipeg company rebranded this week to reflect its shift from a time-tracking app into a full crew management platform that helps contractors plan work, track labour, and run payroll.
Now serving more than 3,000 companies across 10,000 job sites, Supercrew has raised $3.2 million to date, with participation from Chicago’s M25 and Winnipeg’s Trillick Ventures. The company employs 35 people and is moving into a new office in the McGillivray Business Park next month.
Truckbud rolls out across Winnipeg. The new Winnipeg ridesharing platform for large item transport, founded by Praise Odutayo in November 2025, connects people who need to move big items with local drivers who own trucks or cargo vans.
The platform has helped more than 600 Winnipeggers and local businesses since launch, and averages five to six customers a day. Truckbud plans to expand to Calgary by the end of 2026, with Brandon, Saskatoon, Edmonton, and Kelowna to follow in 2027.
🤝 News from our Friends
MEIA’s 2026 Green Dragon Cleantech Pitch Competition is open for applications. Canadian cleantech companies can compete for a $10,000 grand prize, with five finalists pitching in front of a live audience.
Judges will look at environmental impact, path to market, team strength, and potential to advance cleantech in Manitoba and beyond. Applications close September 20, 2026.
Community Futures Manitoba wants to help you sell to the Canadian military. A free webinar on September 15 will feature a speaker from PrairiesCan on what defence procurement opportunities are currently available, and what contractors are looking for (including certification and security requirements).
Day of Data Winnipeg 2026 hits the University of Manitoba on September 19. The free, community-driven event covers the full range of modern data technology, from SQL Server to PostgreSQL to Databricks, for data professionals, students, and lifelong learners.
Small Economy Works has applications open for its Initiate Rural Business Accelerator. The 10-week program is for rural entrepreneurs in South-Central Manitoba who are ready to launch or grow a business. It runs October 13 to December 18 and includes coaching, peer learning, and an AI-powered learning platform. Apply by September 21, 2026.
Prairie Dev Con returns to Winnipeg September 21-22. Billed as the largest AI and software development conference on the Prairies, this year expands to six rooms of sessions with more than 40 speakers and over 70 talks. Some tickets are still available.
Join Real Talk Tuesdays, a weekly Founders’ Circle run by Tiny Bison. Join a group of entrepreneurs every Tuesday at noon at the Manitoba Innovates office (8th floor, 423 Main Street) where founders brings a real problem, product, growth, hiring, or funding, and the room works through it over lunch. Email info@mbinnovates.ca to join or present, and follow Tiny Bison on LinkedIn to stay updated on other founder circles running through the week.
Solve your biggest operational headache at Efficiency Table. Running September 23 at 6:30, this event is for business owners who are struggling with admin work. The event will walk through a real-world problem from a local business, providing concrete steps and solutions to learn from. Tickets are $15 and the event is capped at 40 attendees.
ElevateIP applications are open September 9-23. The program, delivered in Manitoba and Saskatchewan by North Forge, helps eligible startups protect and commercialize their intellectual property, with up to $100,000 in funding available. Companies must be Canadian-controlled private corporations headquartered in Manitoba or Saskatchewan, with fewer than 500 employees.
💼 Job Opportunities
• Payworks, Digital Content & Media Specialist
• The North West Company, Director, Business Technology and AI
• Canada Life, Senior Software Development Lead
• Laivly, Technical Solutions Manager
• Manitoba Hydro, Cyber Security Operations Department Manager
🙌 Thank You to Our Sponsors
A big thank you to all of our sponsors for making these events possible including Ramp, Boast, Skip, Informanix, Lotlinx, Conquest Planning, The Exchange District BIZ, Norima Consulting, FeedFlo, Crestview Strategy, Motiv, Amiron Ventures, and Manitoba Innovates.