Backing Breakthroughs: Building and Investing in Deep Tech Companies

Overview Deep tech investing requires more than capital. It demands conviction in science, sharp judgment on timing, and the ability to navigate uncertainty long before markets are obvious. Presented by Torys LLP and the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus Ecosystem team, this investor lunch and fireside chat bring together leading voices across the deep tech investment spectrum—from formation-stage company builders to institutional Seed and Series A investors. Through a candid fireside conversation, we’ll unpack how investors evaluate breakthrough technologies, where risk truly sits, and what it takes to turn scientific potential into venture-scale outcomes. This session is designed to surface how decisions are made before traction is visible—and what signals matter most along the way. Who Should Attend Founders building or exploring deep tech ventures Researchers and scientists interested in commercialization Operators working within technical or R&D-driven companies Investors looking to better understand early-stage deep tech dynamics Key Takeaways You’ll leave with: A clearer understanding of how investors assess technical risk vs. market risk Insight into when to build a company vs. invest in one A breakdown of what differentiates deep tech from traditional venture Perspective on how formation rounds compare to institutional Series A Clarity on the signals that matter most at different stages of company building When a company should stay in university vs when it is ready to spin out How to show customer traction when the tech isn’t ready for prime-time The session includes a live panel and Q&A, followed by networking over lunch. Speakers Innovobot (IRV Fund): Neha Khera, Managing Partner Neha Khera is the Managing Partner of IRV, Innovobot's deep tech fund, with over a decade of experience backing global success stories like ApplyBoard and Mejuri. A former co-founder of 500 Startups Canada and Partner at 2048 Ventures, she has a proven track record of scaling high-impact startups across North America. Beyond investing, Neha is a dedicated mentor and advocate for diversity in tech, holding engineering and MBA degrees from the University of Waterloo and Richard Ivey Business School. Wittington Ventures: Zeeshan Ali, Partner Zeeshan is a Partner at Wittington Ventures, where he leads the Innovation Fund, backing early-stage deep tech startups in healthcare and climate. Previously, he was Managing Director of the MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund (IAF), one of Canada’s most active seed-stage funds. At IAF, he led investments across enterprise software, healthcare, climate, and deep tech — working closely with founders to scale their companies, sharpen go-to-market strategies, and bring breakthrough technologies to market. Celesta VC: Charles Lesperance, Investor Charles Lespérance is a deep tech investor with more than 15 years of experience spanning venture capital, private equity, structured finance, and strategy. Before joining Celesta, he co-founded BDC’s $200 million Deep Tech Venture Fund, backing early-stage companies in quantum, AI, semiconductors, and robotics, with prior experience at PSP Investments and McKinsey & Company. He holds an MBA from Harvard and a mechanical engineering degree from McGill. Multiverse Computing: Samuel Mugel, Chief Technology Officer (Moderator) Expert in quantum computing and quantum machine learning. PhD jointly awarded by ICFO (Spain) and the University of Southampton (UK). Formerly Computational physicist at Cortirio (UK), Technical Director at The Quantum Revolution Fund, and Founder and CTO at Groundstate Consulting. Advisor for the McKinsey Tech Council and the Forbes Tech Council, and Mentor at the Creative Destruction Lab Event Details Date: May 25, 2026  Time: 12:30 PM – 3:00 PM Location: Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus Agenda:  12:30 PM – 1:30 PM: Registration and networking lunch  1:30 PM – 1:35 PM: Welcome remarks  1:35 PM – 2:30 PM: Panel + Q&A  2:30 PM – 3:00 PM: Networking Register Deep tech opportunities are shaped long before they’re obvious. Join us for an inside look at how investors think, decide, and act at the earliest stages, and what it means for how you build or back the next generation of companies. Spots are limited. Register now. Toronto Tech Week is a citywide celebration of the people building what’s next. From May 25–29, 2026, founders, investors, and builders come together for hundreds of community-led events across Toronto, connecting tens of thousands of people around Canadian tech. Torontotechweek.com