A NextGen Production — Issue '26July 25, 2026New Westminster, BC

Build Bold.Grow Smart.Lead The Future.

Who

Investors · Founders · Owners

When

July 25, 2026

Where

Anvil Centre, BC

Runtime

08:30 — 19:00 PST

Government, enterprise, and operators — on one stage, in one room, for one unforgettable day.

No. of Seats

200

Curated room. One day.

— The Audience

A room builtfor those whobuild.

Not for spectators. This is the room where British Columbia’s investors, founders, and business owners spend a single deliberate day together.

  • 01

    Investors

    Meet vetted founders & operators building what’s next in British Columbia — curated for signal, not noise.

  • 02

    Founders

    A clear read on the economy, new tech, and the playbooks that move revenue and raise capital in 2026.

  • 03

    Business Owners

    Proven strategies in sales, marketing, franchising and ops — from leaders who’ve scaled, sold, and led.

— The Takeaway

Where thissummittakes you.

Six outcomes. One unforgettable day. Each one earned by the room — not delivered from a slide deck.

  1. 01

    Clarity on the Economy

    Government insight on AI, technology, and what is coming for BC businesses.

  2. 02

    Strategies You Can Use Today

    Sales, marketing, franchising, technology, and scaling tools from BC's top leaders.

  3. 03

    Access to the Right People

    Investors, founders, and business owners — all in one room, one day.

  4. 04

    Government Access

    Direct proximity to the people shaping BC business policy right now.

  5. 05

    Perspective That Shifts How You Think

    Learn from those who have built, scaled, sold, and led at the highest levels.

  6. 06

    Community That Builds With You

    Stop building alone. Find your room.

— Why this summit exists

Most business owners are building alone.

Without the right information.

Without the right people.

Without a clear picture of where the economy is heading.

NextGen is the day you stop building in the dark.

One day that changes how you build.

— The People

Government.Enterprise.Operators.

A short list. A long bench. Scheduled voices below, updated from the revised agenda.

— Featured Voices

01
Hon. Rick Glumac, Minister of State for AI and New Technologies
Government Address

Hon. Rick Glumac

Minister of State for AI and New Technologies

Province of British Columbia

Tech-sector engineer turned MLA. Appointed Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence & New Technologies in July 2025 — bringing first-hand industry experience to BC policy.

Rick Glumac was first elected as MLA for Port Moody-Coquitlam (now Port Moody-Burquitlam) in 2017. He was appointed as Minister of State for AI and New Technologies in July 2025.

Rick comes to government from the tech sector and a background in computer engineering. He previously served as Minister of State for Trade, Parliamentary Secretary for Technology, as well as Premier's Liaison to Washington state.

Rick graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Electronics Engineering. He has worked in a variety of high-tech industries, including animation on films such as Shrek 2, video games, and developing mobile apps for Fortune 500 companies. Rick understands first-hand the value of B.C.'s high-tech sector and the benefit it brings to the economy.

02
Laura Jones, President & CEO
Keynote

Laura Jones

President & CEO

BC Business Council

Nationally recognized policy leader behind Canada's Red Tape Awareness Week. Published by the OECD and the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy.

Laura Jones is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Business Council of British Columbia, a non-partisan organization representing leading businesses across all sectors of the provincial economy. She is a nationally recognized public policy leader, known for her work on regulatory modernization and economic competitiveness, including the creation of Canada's annual Red Tape Awareness Week.

Laura has chaired the federal External Advisory Committee on Regulatory Competitiveness and has advised governments at both the provincial and federal levels. Before joining the Business Council, she was the Chief Strategic Officer and Executive Vice President of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, where she led national advocacy, research, and member engagement initiatives.

Her work has been published by the OECD and the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy. She holds a B.A. in Economics from Mount Holyoke College and an M.A. in Economics from Simon Fraser University.

03
Joslyn Young, CEO
Command the Room

Joslyn Young

CEO

Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade

Session —Command the Room — Make Every Relationship Count

20+ years across stakeholder relations, government affairs, and communications — driving economic growth and business advocacy across the region.

Joslyn Young is a senior executive with over 20 years of experience in stakeholder relations, government affairs, and communications.

As CEO of the Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade, she drives economic growth and business advocacy. Her background includes leadership roles at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, CN Rail, and regional municipal organizations.

04
Shams Hirani, President
Revenue Machine

Shams Hirani

President

EleWin Consulting Inc.

Session —Stop Chasing and Start Closing — Win Faster and Bigger with a Revenue Machine That Delivers

BC's exclusive Sandler-certified Sales & Leadership coach. 25+ years of B2B sales leadership turning conversations into predictable revenue.

Shams Hirani is the President of EleWin Consulting Inc., BC's exclusive Sandler Sales and Leadership coaching firm. With over 25 years of B2B sales leadership experience and an MBA in Marketing and Business Development, Shams works with small and mid-sized businesses to build high-performing sales teams, sharpen sales processes, and drive sustainable revenue growth.

As a Sandler-certified coach and trainer, he brings practical, no-nonsense frameworks that help business owners and sales professionals close faster, close at full value, and stop leaving money on the table. He is known for turning sales conversations into consistent, predictable revenue for his clients.

05
Jasmeen Kaur Judge, CEO
Founder Welcome

Jasmeen Kaur Judge

CEO

CoreOrbit Systems Ltd.

Session —Founder Welcome Address

CEO & Co-Founder of CoreOrbit, COEngine & NextGen Summit. Building a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem in BC, one room at a time.

Jasmeen Kaur Judge is the CEO & Co-Founder of CoreOrbit, COEngine, and the NextGen Summit — a BC-based marketing, systems & automations firm and technology company built to help entrepreneurs transform their operations, scale with confidence, and lead the future of business.

With a deep commitment to building a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem in British Columbia, Jasmeen founded the NextGen Business Summit, BC's most anticipated business event of 2026, bringing together investors, founders, Govt. and business leaders for one powerful day of insight, strategy, and connection.

She believes every entrepreneur deserves a seat at the table, and she built this event to make that possible.

06
Badhri Narayanan, MC
MC

Badhri Narayanan

MC

NextGEN Summit

Board leader, business consultant, and event organizer building meaningful connections between organizations, newcomers, and BC professional networks.

With over 8 years of Board leadership experience (including serving as Board Chair), and a strong background in HR, event organizing, business consulting, and workforce development, Badhri plays a key role in shaping CoreOrbit's direction and market presence.

Badhri specializes in building meaningful connections between organizations, newcomers, industry partners, and community networks. His work includes leading business consulting initiatives, strengthening brand visibility, and organizing impactful networking and professional events that bring people together.

His approach is rooted in collaboration, inclusion, and creating platforms where professionals and organizations can connect, grow, and succeed. At CoreOrbit, he is committed to elevating community impact and expanding opportunities for newcomers, entrepreneurs, and professionals across BC.

07
Aiman El-Ramly, Founder & CEO
Market Strategy

Aiman El-Ramly

Founder & CEO

Nexsun.ai

Session —Find Your Market. Own Your Lane.

Founder, board director, and strategic growth architect. Building Nexsun.ai — the System of Decision Record turning fragmented signals into accountable execution.

Aiman El-Ramly is a founder, board director, and strategic growth architect focused on building AI-native platforms that transform decision-making in complex environments.

He is the Founder and CEO of Nexsun.ai, the System of Decision Record that unifies fragmented data, context, and execution into a continuous decision layer, enabling organizations to move from signal to execution with clarity and accountability.

He co-founded ZE PowerGroup Inc. and ZE Power Engineering, scaling global businesses, and serves as a board director at Zema Global Data Corporation and Yocale.

Aiman holds an MBA from Royal Roads University, a BA from the University of British Columbia, and is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC).

08
Talaysay Campo, Knowledge Keeper & Founder
Knowledge Keeper

Talaysay Campo

Knowledge Keeper & Founder

Talaysay Tours

Session —Indigenous Land Acknowledgement & Knowledge Keeper Address

Indigenous entrepreneur, TED speaker, and Tourism Woman of the Year. Co-Owner of Talaysay Tours and founder of THEDA X NENA, rooted in Squamish and Sechelt Nation teachings.

Born and raised within the Squamish Nation and Sechelt Nation, Talaysay Campo is a respected Indigenous entrepreneur and health and wellness advocate, specializing in business leadership, cultural revitalization, and economic reconciliation.

As co-owner of Talaysay Tours, she has helped build one of British Columbia's leading Indigenous cultural tourism businesses, creating transformative land-based experiences that advance cultural education, environmental stewardship, and reconciliation through Indigenous knowledge and ethnobotany. Under her leadership, the company continues to strengthen relationships between Indigenous communities, corporate partners, educational institutions, and the tourism sector.

Talaysay is also the founder of THEDA X NENA, a skincare line rooted in plant medicine from the North Shore Mountains, inspired by the teachings of her matriarchs and created in honour of her mother, Candace Theda Campo. The brand reflects generations of ancestral knowledge, healing, and connection to the land.

Her leadership has been recognized through BC tourism industry awards, including honouring her contributions to Indigenous tourism and being recognized as Tourism Woman of the Year. She has also shared her voice as a TED speaker through her presentation, "The Door of Opportunities," where she speaks to resilience, identity, and creating pathways for future generations.

Above all, Talaysay is most proud of being an auntie to Simaya and Cyrus Campo, grounding her work in family, legacy, and the responsibility of carrying culture forward for the next generation.

09
Karen Dosanjh, Vice-President, Marketing
Panel 2 Moderator

Karen Dosanjh

Vice-President, Marketing

OSI Digital

Session —Panel 2 Moderator

VP Marketing at OSI Digital. 30-year trailblazer in Canadian PR & tech — first woman of South Asian heritage to practice PR in Canada. BC Business Woman of the Year 2023.

Karen Dosanjh is a trailblazer in the Marketing, Public Relations & Communications industry in Canada. Throughout her remarkable 30-year career, Karen has overcome both gender and cultural barriers to reach new heights in the business and technology sector.

She serves as the Vice-President, Marketing at OSI Digital and leads the global marketing strategy for the leading AI & digital transformation solutions provider. Karen is a force to be reckoned with in Canada's technology sector and was instrumental in the launch of three successful tech start-ups throughout her career including Bit Stew Systems.

Karen is recognized as the first woman of South Asian heritage to practice public relations (PR) in Canada. She began her career in public relations in 1992 and is recognized as a trailblazer in the Canadian PR field.

In 2023, Karen was named a BC Business "Women of the Year" in the "Entrepreneurial Leader" category and was the first woman of Punjabi heritage to be featured on the cover of the magazine. In 2025, Karen Dosanjh was named a Top 20 South Asian Influencer in Vancouver by Urban Asia, and she also won the Times of Canada Business Luminary Award in the same year for her contributions to the business landscape in Canada.

10
Norm Friend, Franchise Expert
Franchise Expert

Norm Friend

Franchise Expert

Franchise 101 Inc.

Session —The New Face of Franchising: Women, Immigrants, and the Next Generation of Franchise Owners in Canada

Almost 40 years in franchising. Recognized by Global Franchise Magazine as the go-to expert for Canadian franchising. Expert Franchise Witness recognized by the Courts.

Norm Friend is widely recognized as an expert in expansion strategies, franchise development and franchisee recruitment with almost 40 years' experience in all aspects of franchising. He was recognized by Global (World) Franchise Magazine as the go-to-expert for Canadian franchising.

Norm has negotiated the sale of over 250 businesses including unit franchises, sub-franchises, and the sale of two Canadian franchise networks. He is recognized by the Courts as an Expert Franchise Witness.

He has presented numerous seminars, and keynote talks to business organizations, universities, colleges, professional associations, and financial institutions throughout North America, including the U.S. Department of Trade and Commerce.

11
Praveen Varshney, Principal
Fireside Chat

Praveen Varshney

Principal

Varshney Capital Corp.

Session —Fireside Chat: Building and Financing Great Companies — What Actually Matters

Principal of Varshney Capital Corp., founding impact investor, FCPA, FCA, and one of BC's Top 500 Most Influential Business Leaders.

Praveen has been a principal of Varshney Capital Corp., a Vancouver based family office, since 1991. He's also a Founding Director of Pyfera Growth Capital & a Founding Director of Humanitas Smart Planet Fund, both with a social impact focus. Mr. Varshney obtained his UBC Sauder BComm in 1987 and is a FCPA, FCA. He has been a member of the Vancouver Chapter of EO since 1996 and a founding Director & Charter Member of TiE Vancouver since 2000.

He has been a Co-Founder, Director or Officer of many publicly traded and private companies over the years such as one of Canada's first producing diamonds mines, Mogo and Little Kitchen Academy. He also serves or has served on numerous charity boards over the years including The Vancouver Foundation, The Vancouver Police Foundation and Foundations for Social Change.

Praveen is also a recipient of Business in Vancouver's 40 Under 40 Awards, the 2020 Greater Vancouver Board of Trade Wendy McDonald Diversity Awards Outstanding Mentor and a 2025 prestigious King Charles III's Coronation Medal for community service. He was also listed as one of the Top 500 Most Influential Business Leaders in BC 2021-2026.

12
Keith Ippel, Serial Impact Entrepreneur & Investor
Fireside Chat

Keith Ippel

Serial Impact Entrepreneur & Investor

Spring Activator

Session —Fireside Chat: Building and Financing Great Companies — What Actually Matters

Serial impact entrepreneur and investor. Co-founder of five ventures, including Spring Activator and Canada's largest early-stage impact investing network.

Keith Ippel is a serial impact entrepreneur and investor. He has co-founded five ventures, including Spring Activator, a Vancouver-based organization created to help change the world through entrepreneurship and impact investing.

To date, Spring has supported 3,000+ entrepreneurs through incubation, acceleration, and investment readiness programs, and has helped 1,100 investors step into impact investing.

Keith also co-founded the Spring Investing Collective, Canada's largest early-stage impact investing network, as well as the Spring Impact Capital Fund, a pre-seed to seed-stage fund focused on the intersection of People and Planetary Health.

13
Jas Dosanjh Rai, Franchisee
Panel 2

Jas Dosanjh Rai

Franchisee

The Chopped Leaf · Rise & Thrive

Session —The New Face of Franchising: Women, Immigrants, and the Next Generation of Franchise Owners in Canada

Entrepreneur, multi-location Chopped Leaf franchisee, co-founder of Creekside Millworks, and founder of Rise & Thrive.

Jas Rai is a high-performing entrepreneur and mother. Jas spent years in the corporate world before making the deliberate choice to build something of her own. She became a Chopped Leaf franchisee, growing her portfolio to multiple locations and mastering every layer of what it takes to run a real business: operations, people, numbers, and growth. She then co-founded Creekside Millworks, expanding her entrepreneurial footprint into the trades: an industry that demands precision, trust, and relentless execution. Through it all, she was intentionally designing a life centered on family and freedom.

Now, Jas channels everything she has earned: the wins, the hard lessons, the boardroom instincts into Rise & Thrive. As a Certified Canfield Success Principles Coach and founder of Rise & Thrive, she creates the room she once needed: a supportive community where women in business strengthen their mindset, understand their money, and believe that bigger is possible. Real strategy. Real accountability. A community that moves with them.

— The Long Bench

  • TBC

    Chris TBC

    4x Founder & Venture Capitalist

    TBC

    Fireside Chat

  • TBC

    Aishwarya TBC

    Franchisee

    TBC

    Panel 2

  • Confirmed

    Nazreen Mohammed

    Manager, Major Accounts

    BDC · Business Development Bank of Canada

    BDC Support

Follow #NEXTGENSUMMIT for name reveals — dropped in waves.

— The Agenda

One day.Every anglethat matters.

19 segments · 8:30 AM — 7 PM PST · Curated for depth, not noise.

  1. 8:30 – 9:30

    60 min

    Registration

    Registration, Morning Coffee, Refreshments & Networking

  2. 9:30 – 9:45

    15 min

    Opening

    Indigenous Land Acknowledgement & Knowledge Keeper Address

    Talaysay Campo

    Knowledge Keeper & Founder, Talaysay Tours

  3. 9:45 – 9:50

    5 min

    Founder Welcome

    Founder Welcome Address

    Jasmeen Kaur Judge

    CEO, CoreOrbit Systems Ltd.

  4. 9:50 – 10:20

    30 min

    Government Address

    Government Address: AI, Emerging Technology & Government Support for BC Businesses — Live Moderated Q&A

    Live Moderated Q&A

    Hon. Rick Glumac

    Minister of State for AI and New Technologies, Province of BC

    Moderator — Jasmeen Kaur Judge

  5. 10:20 – 11:20

    60 min

    Keynote

    Keynote: The BC Economic Landscape — Opportunities & Realities for Small & Medium Business

    Keynote

    Laura Jones

    President & CEO, BC Business Council

    Moderator — TBA

  6. 11:20 – 11:25

    5 min

    Connection

    Connection Moment #1 — Audience Ice Breaker

  7. 11:25 – 12:25

    60 min

    Fireside Chat

    Fireside Chat: Building and Financing Great Companies — What Actually Matters

    Fireside Chat

    Praveen Varshney + Keith Ippel + Chris TBC

    Principal, Varshney Capital Corp. · Serial Impact Entrepreneur & Investor, Spring Activator · 4x Founder & Venture Capitalist

    Moderator — TBA

  8. 12:25 – 1:05

    40 min

    Lunch

    Networking Lunch

  9. 1:05 – 1:25

    20 min

    Relationship Building

    Command the Room — Make Every Relationship Count

    Joslyn Young

    CEO, Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade

  10. 1:25 – 2:25

    60 min + 10 min

    Panel 2

    Panel 2: The New Face of Franchising: Women, Immigrants, and the Next Generation of Franchise Owners in Canada & Q/A

    Panel 2

    Norm Friend + Jas Dosanjh Rai + Aishwarya TBC

    Franchise Expert, Franchise 101 Inc. · Franchisee, The Chopped Leaf · Founder, Rise & Thrive · Franchisee, TBC

    Moderator — Karen Dosanjh

  11. 2:35 – 2:45

    10 min

    Connection

    Connection Moment #2

  12. 2:45 – 3:15

    30 min

    Market Strategy

    Find Your Market. Own Your Lane.

    Aiman El-Ramly

    Founder & CEO, Nexsun.ai

  13. 3:15 – 3:35

    20 min

    Break

    Coffee, Refreshments & Networking Break

  14. 3:35 – 4:05

    30 min

    Sales & Revenue Growth

    Stop Chasing and Start Closing — Win Faster and Bigger with a Revenue Machine That Delivers

    Shams Hirani

    President, EleWin Consulting Inc.

  15. 4:05 – 4:15

    10 min

    Connection

    Connection Moment #3

  16. 4:15 – 4:45

    30 min

    Business Growth & Support

    Business Tools, Resources & BDC Support for BC Entrepreneurs — Live Q&A

    Live Q&A

    Nazreen Mohammed

    Manager, Major Accounts, BDC · Business Development Bank of Canada

    Moderator — TBA

  17. 4:45 – 4:55

    10 min

    Connection

    Connection Moment #4 — Commitment Closing Circle

  18. 4:55 – 5:15

    10 min + 10 min

    Closing

    The next chapter: An announcement!

    Closing

    Jasmeen Kaur Judge

    MC - Badhri

  19. 5:15 – 7:00

    105 min

    Networking

    Networking Reception

    All attendees, speakers, sponsors, and partners

Anvil Centre — New Westminster, BC
— The Venue49.2057° N · 122.9110° W

AnvilCentre.

A landmark civic & cultural venue in New Westminster — built for the rooms that matter.

Address

777 Columbia St

New Westminster, BC V3M 1B6

Transit

3-min walk from New Westminster SkyTrain. Paid parking on-site. Accessible.

Runtime

08:30 — 19:00 PST

Full day, single-track agenda.

Directions

Open in Google Maps

— Asked Often

Questions worth answering.

Clear facts for attendees, partners, and anyone evaluating the room before July 25.

01

What is NextGen Business Summit 2026?

NextGen Business Summit 2026 is a one-day business event in New Westminster, BC for investors, founders, and business owners. The summit focuses on BC economic insight, AI and emerging technology, financing, franchising, sales, marketing, and practical growth strategies.

02

When and where is NextGen Business Summit 2026?

NextGen Business Summit 2026 takes place on July 25, 2026 from 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM PST at Anvil Centre, 777 Columbia Street, New Westminster, BC V3M 1B6. The venue is a short walk from New Westminster SkyTrain.

03

Who should attend NextGen Business Summit 2026?

The summit is designed for investors, founders, business owners, franchise operators, and growth-minded leaders who want direct access to government insight, capital perspectives, practical revenue strategies, and high-quality business networking in British Columbia.

04

What topics are covered at NextGen Business Summit 2026?

The agenda covers AI and emerging technology, the BC economic landscape, financing and building companies, franchising, relationship building, market positioning, sales growth, BDC resources, and structured networking throughout the day.

05

Who is speaking at NextGen Business Summit 2026?

Confirmed speakers include Hon. Rick Glumac, Laura Jones, Talaysay Campo, Jasmeen Kaur Judge, Joslyn Young, Norm Friend, Karen Dosanjh, Aiman El-Ramly, Shams Hirani, Praveen Varshney, Jas Dosanjh Rai, Nazreen Mohammed, Badhri Narayanan, and Keith Ippel.

06

How do I register for NextGen Business Summit 2026?

Registration is available on the official NextGen Summit website at nextgensummit.co through the Register Here section. Tickets are handled through the embedded HiEvents ticket widget on the event page.

— Register Here

Your seatis waiting.

“Seats are limited to preserve the quality of the room. Early registrants get priority access to networking sessions and partner introductions.”

Date

July 25, 2026

Venue

Anvil Centre

New Westminster, BC

Capacity

200 seats · Curated

In The Room

Investors · Founders · Owners

Secure checkout powered by HiEvents · Confirmation emailed instantly