CUTC 2026 TRANSFORM

VIRTUAL

Canada's longest-running student-led technology conference closes its 2026 season virtually: a free day of talks, live Q&A and conversations with founders and builders, streamed live to students anywhere in the world on October 3.

What is CUTC?

Founded at the University of Waterloo in 1999, the Canadian Undergraduate Technology Conference has grown into one of Canada’s longest-running student-led technology communities.

CUTC relaunched in 2025. Since November we’ve run events across Canada and reached more than 3,500 students.

Today we reach students through conferences, hackathons, workshops and community events hosted in Waterloo, Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver and St. John’s.

  • 3,500+ STUDENTS REACHED
  • 1999 FOUNDED AT WATERLOO
  • 5 CITIES ACROSS CANADA
  • 20+ SPEAKERS THIS SEASON

Meet the speakers

Over twenty founders, builders, and creatives for the 2026 season!

  • Andrew D'Souza
    Andrew D'Souza Founder and CEO, Boardy
  • Elisa Chu
    Elisa Chu Product Manager, Deloitte
  • Iris Guo
    Iris Guo ML Product Manager, Zynga
  • Johnny Libenzon
    Johnny Libenzon Product Manager, Unyte Health
  • Matt Espinoza
    Matt Espinoza Co-founder, Clover Labs
  • Nimrah Umar
    Nimrah Umar Data & AI Strategy Lead, Interac
  • Jonathan Murray
    Jonathan Murray Co-founder, Backboard.io
  • Roger Kirkness
    Roger Kirkness CEO & Co-Founder, Convictional
  • Sahas Chopra
    Sahas Chopra Content Creator and Founder, Squid Media
  • Shane Barakat
    Shane Barakat Co-founder, Polarity
  • Taylor Young
    Taylor Young Chief Strategy Officer, CoLab Software
  • Ashwin Balu
    Ashwin Balu Principal Canada Leader, IBM
  • Ben Gigone
    Ben Gigone Co-founder, Chexy
  • Eleni Belete
    Eleni Belete Manager, Startup Ecosystem Canada
  • Jack Price
    Jack Price Growth, Chatbase
  • Jason B Ramsay
    Jason B Ramsay Founder, Nodalli
  • Katrin Barilo
    Katrin Barilo Product Manager, Totango
  • Kazzy Khazaal
    Kazzy Khazaal Co-founder and CEO, Dreamwell AI
  • Shalini Mohan
    Shalini Mohan Product Manager, Digital Health, Loblaw Digital
  • Sultan Akif
    Sultan Akif Startups Account Executive, Microsoft
  • Wendy Foster
    Wendy Foster Principal Data Scientist, Disco

The 2026 season

  1. Transform Virtual

    VIRTUAL · OCTOBER 3, 2026

    The season closes in Montréal with keynotes, workshops, startup showcases and a full afternoon of recruiting.

    GET FREE TICKETS →

  2. Connect & Create: Intern Picnic

    CORONATION PARK, TORONTO · AUGUST 29, 2026

    An end-of-summer social at Coronation Park bringing together interns, students, builders and young professionals from across Toronto: snacks, board games, spikeball, a giant game of hide and seek, and plenty of time to actually meet people.

  3. CUTC: Transform Hackathon

    VIRTUAL · AUGUST 8 – 15, 2026

    A week-long virtual hackathon open to everyone, at every skill level. Teams of up to four competed across five tracks: media, apps, workflows, hardware and design. Mentors were on hand around the clock and speaker sessions ran all week.

  4. Transform Toronto

    TORONTO, ON · SPRING 2026

    A full day of keynotes, panels and recruiting that brought students together with founders and operators from across Canadian tech.

  5. Codescape

    WATERLOO · MARCH 21, 2026

    A one-day AI-powered competition in Waterloo where teams solve digital puzzles using prompt engineering to unlock real-world campus challenges in a fast-paced scavenger hunt experience.

  6. AI Unlocked

    QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY · FEBRUARY 25, 2026

    A one-day AI workshop and networking event at Queen's University that brings together students and industry leaders to explore practical, real-world applications of AI tools across disciplines.

  7. Hello, AI :)

    ONTARIO TECH UNIVERSITY · JANUARY 31, 2026

    A one-day, hands-on AI workshop at Ontario Tech University where students actively explore real-world AI tools and applications through guided, beginner-friendly sessions designed to build practical skills and confidence.

    Hello, AI :) — Opening ceremonyHello, AI :) — Alumni panelHello, AI :) — CUTC and BITSoc organizersHello, AI :) — Ontario Tech's FBIT DeanHello, AI :) — Nodalli workshop speakers

  8. Codemas

    VIRTUAL · DECEMBER 24, 2025 – JANUARY 3, 2026

    A virtual coding challenge where participants tracked their coding time through WakaTime to earn tokens, with ML/AI projects receiving bonus tokens. These tokens could be redeemed for prizes in an online shop.

    Codemas — Codemas dashboardCodemas — Codemas leaderboardCodemas — Codemas gift storeCodemas — Codemas home screenCodemas — Codemas giveawayCodemas — Meta Quest prize

  9. CUTC x Caffeine.ai

    SHOPIFY TORONTO · NOVEMBER 22, 2025

    A one-day prompthathon hosted at Shopify Toronto where participants build and demo AI-generated apps using Caffeine.ai’s conversational vibecoding platform, learning prompt engineering and rapid prototyping through hands-on workshops and team challenges.

    CUTC x Caffeine.ai — Opening ceremonyCUTC x Caffeine.ai — Shopify Toronto venueCUTC x Caffeine.ai — Caffeine.ai demoCUTC x Caffeine.ai — Lunch breakCUTC x Caffeine.ai — Participant demosCUTC x Caffeine.ai — Closing ceremonyCUTC x Caffeine.ai — Caffeine.ai judgesCUTC x Caffeine.ai — Event winners

Backed by our sponsors

CUTC relies on the companies and communities that show up for Canadian students. Thank you!

Interested in sponsoring?

SPONSOR CUTC →

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know before the conference.

What is CUTC?

The Canadian Undergraduate Technology Conference (CUTC) is one of Canada's longest-running student-led technology conferences, founded in 1999. CUTC brings together ambitious students, builders, founders, researchers, and technology leaders for experiences designed around real conversations, collaboration, and connection.

Why is CUTC 2026 virtual?

Several of this season's speakers are joining us remotely, so we're bringing the whole conference virtual. It also means students anywhere in the world can attend for free, without travelling to Montréal.

Who can attend?

CUTC is built primarily for undergraduate students, but you don't need to study computer science or engineering to attend. We welcome students across technology, business, design, science, and other disciplines, as well as recent graduates and other young builders interested in technology, from anywhere in the world.

How much are tickets?

Tickets are free. Register with your name and email and you're in. We're planning for around 250 attendees, but there's no cap, so bring your friends.

How do I join on the day?

Everyone with a ticket will receive the link to join by email before October 3, along with the schedule. Keep an eye on your inbox (and your spam folder) in the week leading up to the conference.

When is CUTC Transform Virtual?

CUTC TRANSFORM Virtual takes place on Saturday, October 3, 2026. The full schedule, including start time in your time zone, will be shared with ticket holders closer to the date.

What happens at CUTC?

CUTC isn't designed to be a sit-and-watch conference. Expect talks and conversations with founders, builders, and researchers, live Q&A, and time to connect with speakers and other attendees throughout the day.

Who is speaking?

Our virtual lineup brings together founders, researchers, engineers, and technology leaders shaping what's next. Check out the Speakers section above for the latest lineup.

Can I actually interact with the speakers?

Yes! Interaction is a big part of CUTC. Every session has live Q&A, and we'll have space for conversations between attendees, speakers, founders, and sponsors throughout the day.

What do I need to join?

A laptop or phone, a stable internet connection, and your ticket confirmation email. Headphones help. No dress code, it's virtual, so wear whatever you're comfortable in.

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? REACH US AT TEAM@CUTC.CA