Isaac is a Nigerian-Canadian who immigrated to Canada in 2010 to pursue his education. He studied at Memorial University and graduated with a B.Eng in Electrical Engineering in 2016. During his studies, he identified a problem with web data collection which inspired him to found Metricsflow, a data analytics software for marketers. Together with his co-founder and team, they developed and deployed the technology across Canada, the USA and Japan. Isaac has raised capital from angels and VCs in Canada and Silicon Valley. Throughout his journey, Isaac has participated in startup programs at hubs such as Genesis Centre in St. John’s, Propel ICT in Atlantic Canada, Communitech in Waterloo and Creative Destruction Labs in Montreal.

Isaac is currently the CEO & Founder of Metricsflow. In addition to his company, Isaac mentors startups at the Founder Institute and is a board member of the Canadian Marketing Association. He has been a startup judge for founders at the Evolution program at Genesis Centre and Memorial Centre for Entrepreneurship.

Isaac is the first tech startup founder to be granted the Startup Visa in Newfoundland and Labrador. This visa enabled him to continue his path with entrepreneurship. In 2018, his company Metricsflow was selected as a finalist for the most promising startup award in Canada by NACO and in 2022, Isaac was the winner of the Bridget Foster Cultural Business Icon Award.

Laura works at the intersection of workforce integration, innovation, immigration, and inclusive economic development. With a Master of Public Health and a Graduate Diploma in Community Health & Social Justice, she brings a systems-thinking and cross-sector approach to leadership.

Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Laura moved to the United States at 16 years old to learn English and pursue higher education. In 2018, she relocated to Newfoundland and Labrador for graduate school, where she quickly developed a deep connection to the province and chose to make NL her home.

Laura currently leads Amal Unite & Empower, a multi-stream provincial workforce integration initiative housed at Amal Youth and Family Centre. Under her leadership, the initiative has grown into a province-wide ecosystem supporting newcomers, employers, and communities through employment readiness, employer engagement, workforce integration, wellness and retention programming, and inclusive workforce development initiatives.

Since launching in 2024, Amal Unite & Empower has supported hundreds of newcomer professionals in securing employment across Newfoundland and Labrador while building strong partnerships with employers, industry leaders, government, and community organizations. Her work focuses on strengthening workforce participation, long-term retention, and the connection between immigration, innovation, and economic growth.

Prior to her role at Amal, Laura played a key role at the province’s technology innovation hub, where she led the Belonging Initiative and worked to strengthen diversity, equity, inclusion, and immigration pathways within the tech and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Chris Gardner is Chief Strategy Officer at Spellbook, an AI-powered legal technology company serving law firms in over 80 countries. He has more than 15 years of experience building and scaling technology companies in Newfoundland and Labrador, with expertise in strategy, operations, finance, governance, fundraising, and growth. 

Before Spellbook, Gardner cofounded Sequence Bio, a genomics-driven drug discovery company. He helped scale operations, secure global pharmaceutical partnerships, and raise capital. His experience includes leadership across multiple stages of company growth, from early startup development to international market expansion. He served as COO and then CEO. 

He has served on boards and in governance roles at Sequence Bio and Spellbook. He also played a founding role in Common Ground, where he served as chairman of the early-stage technology coworking hub in St. John’s, which supported several growing tech companies in Newfoundland and Labrador. His work today focuses on applied AI and the impact of emerging technologies on global industries.

Falon O’Keefe is Vice President of Sales at Virtual Marine, where she leads growth initiatives across North America and international markets, with a focus on simulation technologies serving the marine, defence, and offshore energy sectors. Her experience includes market expansion, commercialization strategy, revenue growth, and navigating complex procurement environments, particularly within defence and other highly regulated industries. 

Over the past two years, she has led the company’s defence portfolio, working with organizations across Canada, the United States, and allied nations. She brings experience in strategic planning, sales leadership, stakeholder engagement, and cross-functional collaboration, with a focus on aligning business strategy with operational execution. 

O’Keefe also serves on the Advisory Board for Memorial University’s Centre of Sales and Supply Chain Excellence, where she provides industry insight on commercialization and workforce alignment. She holds an MBA and has expressed an interest in supporting the continued growth of Newfoundland and Labrador’s technology sector through market access, commercialization, and scaling opportunities. 

Ramy Abdulzaher is Co-founder and COO of Bonocle, an accessibility-focused technology company developing solutions for individuals who are visually impaired. Since relocating to Newfoundland and Labrador in 2022, he has been active within the province’s startup and innovation ecosystem, contributing to entrepreneurship and founder-support initiatives while building Bonocle’s operations and growth strategy from the province. 

Abdulzaher brings experience across engineering, operations, project management, business development, and startup leadership. His background includes work on international projects in Qatar, as well as experience scaling technology ventures across markets in the Middle East, the United States, and Canada. At Bonocle, he has led initiatives spanning fundraising, international market expansion, and the company’s strategic transition from hardware to SaaS. 

In addition to his company leadership experience, Abdulzaher has contributed to entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives through mentorship, judging, and advisory roles with international organizations and startups. His work has focused on accessibility, inclusion, founder development, and supporting entrepreneurial growth across emerging technology ecosystems. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and an MSc in General Management.

Samantha Butler-Connors is Senior Director of Sales at Nasdaq Verafin, where she leads commercial growth initiatives focused on new business acquisition, market expansion, and enterprise sales strategy. Her experience spans SaaS, financial crime management technology, and industrial operations, with a focus on scaling high-performance sales organizations and building partnerships across North America. 

Throughout her career, she has worked closely with executive stakeholders, including CEOs, COOs, CROs, and compliance leaders, leading complex negotiations and supporting strategic growth initiatives. Her background includes cross-functional collaboration with legal, product, marketing, and customer success teams, as well as experience in forecasting, operational planning, and structured go-to-market execution. 

Butler-Connors is currently completing an MBA in Leadership with AI through the University of Fredericton. She also contributes governance-aligned experience through committee leadership and organizational oversight work, including service on Nasdaq Verafin’s Occupational Health & Safety Committee. In addition, she brings firsthand experience operating a small family-owned business in Newfoundland and Labrador, providing perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing early-stage companies in the province. 

Adilya Dragan is Founder and CEO of Starluv Inc., where she leads the development of AI-driven solutions focused on personalization, digital commerce, and scalable technology platforms. Through her work with Starluv and its evolution into Vertera, she brings experience in applied artificial intelligence, commercialization strategy, and growth-stage company leadership. 

Dragan’s background combines mathematical modelling, business strategy, and hands-on startup operations. Her experience spans product development, strategic planning, partnership building, and navigating funding and commercialization pathways through programs such as NRC IRAP. She has also collaborated with founders, incubators, and government stakeholders to support innovation and ecosystem development within Newfoundland and Labrador’s technology sector. 

As an entrepreneur building a company in Newfoundland and Labrador, Dragan brings perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing early- and growth-stage technology companies, including access to capital, talent, and market visibility. Having lived and worked across multiple countries, she also brings an international perspective shaped by experience across technology, innovation, and business growth in diverse markets. 

Lillian Fidler is Founder and CEO of Fidler Innovations Inc. and has more than 30 years of experience across technology, digital media, and entrepreneurship in Newfoundland and Labrador. She previously founded and led Lillian Fidler Design, building the company over 25 years to provide graphic design, web development, and video production services for organizations across the province. 

Fidler’s background spans multiple generations of technology adoption and innovation, from early computing and digital publishing to artificial intelligence. She is also co-founder of Republic of Avalon Radio, described as Newfoundland and Labrador’s first podcast, and is a licensed amateur radio operator who leads an international network supporting women in radio communications and STEM fields. 

Through Fidler Innovations, she is currently focused on developing AI-powered business solutions and has secured NRC IRAP funding in support of product development. Her experience includes operations, strategic planning, funding compliance, and founder-led governance within small and emerging technology companies. Fidler also brings experience in communications, marketing, and community-building initiatives connected to technology and innovation in Newfoundland and Labrador. 

Christina Fong is a Business Development Manager at CoLab AI, where she has contributed to the company’s growth from its pre-seed stage through to Series C expansion. Beginning as employee #12 and the company’s first Customer Success hire, she has since held leadership roles across customer success and business development, supporting CoLab’s growth to more than 200 employees and a global customer base. 

Fong brings experience in SaaS sales, startup scaling, go-to-market strategy, and revenue growth. Her work has included building and scaling outbound business development functions, developing operational frameworks, and leading teams responsible for generating new business opportunities. Her background spans both engineering and technology, having started her career in Newfoundland and Labrador’s offshore oil and gas sector before transitioning into the tech industry following completion of her MBA. 

In addition to her professional experience, Fong has contributed to talent and ecosystem development through teaching techNL’s AI Skills Launchpad (SaaS Sales) program and mentoring participants in the program. She is also involved with Special Olympics fundraising initiatives in St. John’s and has received several academic and leadership awards through Memorial University’s MBA program. 

Christopher O’Keefe is Director of Software Engineering at Trudell Medical Limited in the AI department, where he leads software engineering strategy, delivery execution, and platform modernization in a regulated health technology environment. He partners with senior technology and AI leaders on practical AI adoption, responsible governance, and the operational planning needed to bring emerging technologies into enterprise settings. Christopher brings more than 20 years of technology leadership experience across fintech, health technology, telecom, manufacturing, and platform-based organizations, including leadership roles at BlackBerry, Verafin (now Nasdaq Verafin), SiftMed, and Trudell Medical. 

Christopher’s experience spans software strategy, product development, cybersecurity and compliance, AI-enabled development practices, and operational planning. He has led teams through growth, transformation, and operational scale, with experience that includes SOC 2 implementation, acquisition evaluation and integration planning, governance policy development, and supporting strategic and financial decision-making at the executive level. 

He also brings a strong commitment to Newfoundland and Labrador’s technology ecosystem through talent development, mentorship, and support for early-stage innovation. Christopher mentors local technology professionals, supports co-op and early-career pathways, and advises a local startup. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering from Memorial University, a Master of Science in Management with a specialization in Technology Management from Wilfrid Laurier University and is a named inventor on 7 patents in mobile platform technology. 

Alex Noseworthy is Head of Software at Enaimco, a St. John’s-based SaaS company developing subsea digital twin technology for offshore oil and gas operators. He brings more than 20 years of experience in software development, engineering leadership, and scaling technology teams in Newfoundland and Labrador. 

Prior to joining Enaimco, Noseworthy served as Head of Software at Mysa, where he led the growth of engineering teams across software, firmware, QA, DevOps, and integrations during a significant period of company scaling. His experience includes engineering strategy, Agile transformation, AI adoption, operational planning, and leadership development. Earlier in his career, he worked at Vision33 as a Software Architect leading the development of SaaS platforms, and at Memorial University on major campus technology initiatives. 

Noseworthy brings experience in scaling growth-stage technology companies, talent development, cybersecurity and compliance initiatives, and bridging software innovation with traditional industries. His work has included SOC2 and ISO 27001 readiness, operational risk management, and engineering leadership within both startup and scale-up environments. He also contributes to mentorship and community initiatives through volunteer coaching and support for local technology talent development. 

Gillian Ogyiri is Senior Director of Software Development at Nasdaq Verafin, where she leads teams developing technology solutions focused on financial crime prevention, anti-money laundering, and fraud detection. She brings extensive experience in software development, engineering leadership, product delivery, and building scalable technology systems within the fintech sector. 

In addition to her industry leadership role, Gillian is the Founder and Executive Director of Dikan Tech Corp., a Newfoundland and Labrador-based organization focused on expanding access to digital skills, mentorship, and technology career pathways for youth, newcomers, and underrepresented communities. Through this work, she has led workforce development initiatives, industry partnerships, and community programs designed to strengthen the province’s technology talent pipeline and improve access to opportunities within the digital economy. 

Gillian brings governance and strategic leadership experience through her work in regulated technology environments and through establishing governance structures, policies, and operational frameworks within Dikan Tech Corp. Her experience includes organizational planning, stakeholder engagement, operational oversight, and aligning growth initiatives with long-term strategic objectives. She has also completed governance training through the BBI Governance Training program focused on board governance and non-profit leadership. 

As a technology leader, founder, and immigrant woman in tech, Gillian is passionate about contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable technology ecosystem in Newfoundland and Labrador   

Andrew Smith is founder of Design Smith Inc. and brings more than 30 years of experience across engineering, product development, manufacturing, and regulated industries. Based in Newfoundland and Labrador, and deeply invested in the province’s growing tech ecosystem, his work has focused on supporting companies in the development and commercialization of technologies across sectors including medical devices, diagnostics, infrastructure, and manufacturing. 

Through Design Smith, Smith works with organizations on product development, regulatory pathways, operational planning, and technical execution, helping move concepts from early-stage development through to implementation. Much of this work has been done alongside Newfoundland and Labrador companies and teams, applying and building local expertise in product development, compliance, and technical execution. His background includes experience in both Canadian and U.S. markets, particularly within highly regulated industrial and medical device environments. He is also a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) with experience in quality management systems, compliance, and risk-informed operational planning. 

Smith brings governance experience through board and committee roles, including serving as Vice Chair of the St. Bonaventure’s College Board of Governors and as a committee chair with PEGNL. He has also contributed to governance and strategic planning initiatives through leadership roles in engineering, manufacturing, and public event operations. A strong believer that world-class technology can be built here, Smith is particularly focused on developing homegrown talent and strengthening the technical capabilities of NL-based organizations. His experience spans strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, operational oversight, and facilitating collaboration across technical and organizational environments. 

Michael Tiller P.Eng is Principal Engineer at Tiller Engineering and founder of Engen, an AI platform focused on automating workflows for consulting engineering firms. Based in Newfoundland and Labrador, he brings experience at the intersection of traditional industry, applied technology, and entrepreneurship. 

Tiller Engineering (a Canadian Council of Innovators Company) is a Canadian consulting engineering firm based in St. John’s, NL. Tiller Engineering focuses on telecommunication engineering and other critical infrastructure services, with Michael leading initiatives focused on integrating emerging technologies into engineering operations. This includes robotics systems for telecommunications infrastructure inspection and the development of internal AI tools to support engineering documentation, quality control, and knowledge management. Building on that internal work, he is currently developing Engen as a standalone AI product intended for broader use within the consulting engineering sector. 

Michael also brings governance experience through his role on the Board of Directors for the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Canada, where he contributes to discussions related to digital transformation, AI adoption, and industry competitiveness. In addition, he serves on the Steering Committee of the Structure, Tower and Antenna Council, collaborating with stakeholders across Canada’s telecommunications infrastructure sector on operational and industry-related initiatives. He is a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) and has experience across operations, business development, strategic planning, and technology commercialization.