Community Futures - Lethbridge Region

Navigating Today’s Insurance Market
2026-05-21 12:30 - 14:00 (America/Edmonton)
Join us for a practical session covering current business insurance market trends, common coverage gaps, risk reduction strategies, and ways hospitality and food businesses can improve insurability in today’s changing environment.

📅 May 21, 2026
🕧 12:30 PM – 1:45 PM (MT)
💻 Online via Zoom

👉 Register here:
Navigating Today’s Insurance Market Tickets, Thursday, May 21 • 12:30 PM – 1:45 PM MDT | Eventbrite

2026 High Level Innovation Conference
2026-05-01 - 2026-05-03 | Lethbridge Agri-Food Conference Centre, 3401 Parkside Drive S, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4R3, Canada
This is our final reminder to join in for Lethbridge’s 3rd Annual High Level Innovation Conference. You do not want to miss out on this great opportunity for learning, connection, and fun! Advance your business or your innovative ideas. Come enjoy this accessible and family friendly opportunity to see Innovation alive in your community!

BIPOC Foundation is a proud sponsor of this event and we look forward to welcoming you on Friday & Saturday. More details here – www.highlevelinnovation.com.

The Business of Video Games: Commercialization and IP
2026-03-12 13:00 - 14:30
Thursday, March 12, 2026
1:00–2:30 PM (MDT) | Online Event
Ticket price: $25 CAD

Register here: https://www.showpass.com/the-business-of-video-games-commercialization-and-ip-2/

This webinar explores the business side of video games, how games are marketed, discovered, monetized, and scaled; alongside a clear overview of the legal and IP considerations that protect long-term value. Learn why most games fail commercially, how IP becomes the real asset over time, and how early decisions around platforms, creators, and monetization can either unlock growth or limit future opportunities.

You’ll get clarity on:

How modern games are marketed, monetized, and scaled
The role of platforms, publishers, creators, and communities in determining success
Why IP ownership and early business decisions matter more than most founders realize
Key legal considerations around copyright, trademarks, monetization, and creators

If you’re willing, please share this with your members via newsletter. (Click on this link to download a graphic for you to share) (We just ask that the promo code isn’t posted publicly on social media.)

“Join Catapult Startups for an online webinar, The Business of Video Games: Commercialization and IP on Thursday, March 12, 2026 (1:00–2:30 PM MST). This practical session connects commercialization and IP so developers and founders can make smarter decisions early; covering how modern games are marketed and monetized, and the key legal basics (copyright, trademarks, ownership, and contracts) that create opportunity.

Register: https://www.showpass.com/the-business-of-video-games-commercialization-and-ip-2/

Capital Access & Next Steps - What's Next
2026-03-11 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Women entrepreneurs in Canada are starting and growing businesses at record levels. Nearly one-fifth of Canadian businesses are women-owned, and access to financing tools and capital vehicles have greatly improved. Despite this, women still represent a small share of the venture-backed founders in Canada, average loan and equity amounts are smaller, and access to large growth rounds continues to lag.

Join us March 11, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. MDT for our latest Capital Access webinar hosted by Ayo Aiyeleye from Alberta Innovates and Arielle Land from Movement51. Presenters Emily Smiley, Executive Director at Movement51, and Courtney Dragani, Chief Growth Officer at Movement51 and The51, will discuss how the capital landscape has shifted in recent years, what has meaningfully improved, where structural gaps remain, and what that means in today’s more disciplined, metrics-driven market.

All entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem partners are welcome to attend this session.

Attendees will leave with practical, forward-looking insights:

Founders will gain clarity on how to align with current investor priorities.
Investors will better understand the opportunity within the women-led venture landscape.

Policymakers and ecosystem leaders will gain perspective on where funding frameworks are working and where further refinement is needed.

MVP Mondays - Recurring
2026-03-09 12:00 - 13:00
Spearheaded by Craig Elias, Adam Berk, Wendy Muise, Andrew Browne, and Martin L’Heureux, MVP Mondays are typically held on the 2nd and 4th Monday of every month from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Mountain time (GMT -7).

​The format is a series of speakers, panels, MVP pitch sessions and successful examples of MVP development.

​The series is designed to help aspiring, first-time, and early-stage technology entrepreneurs and product managers accelerate the development of a successful technology product offering by learning a repeatable data-driven process to validate their value proposition, pricing and product offering and seeing relevant examples they can see what an exceptional MVP looks like.

Social Media Management for Food & Beverage Brands
2026-02-26 14:00 - 16:00
📅 Date: February 26, 2026
⏰ Time: 2:00 PM MST
📍 Format: Live online

🔗 Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/social-media-management-for-food-beverage-brands-tickets-1979885889994?aff=oddtdtcreator

A.I Training for Small Business
2026-02-24 11:00 - 12:30
Small businesses are constantly balancing competing priorities—marketing, operations, customer service, administration, and more. This training webinar is designed to help business owners and staff use artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT to streamline tasks, improve efficiency, and boost day-to-day productivity.
Join AI experts Frank Kenny and Norma Davey for practical, real-world strategies and use cases designed specifically for small businesses. You’ll learn creative marketing tactics, time-saving workflows, and ways to use AI more strategically and confidently in your business.
This webinar is intended for beginners and intermediate users who have a basic understanding of AI and want to use it more effectively and efficiently. It is not intended for advanced users.
This webinar is offered to Chamber members on a pay what you can basis. Please select the amount that works best for you at checkout. Your contribution helps support the work of the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce and allows us to continue offering valuable programming to our business community.
This event is a Chamber Member Exclusive Event

A Path to Business Ownership - #Owners Wanted
2025-10-16 17:30 - 20:00 | Sandman Signature Hotel, 320 Scenic Drive South, Lethbridge, Alberta, T1J4X6
Launched by Futurpreneur, #OwnersWanted is a program that will get you ready to buy the small business of your dreams. It’s completely FREE, and if you already have a prospective seller in mind, you can both attend to get the skills you need to complete this transition together.

Join us on Thursday October 16th, 2025 to learn how to:

Find a viable business that interests you
Approach and appeal to the business owners
Put a deal together
Practice negotiation and due diligence
Close the deal in a mock negotiation process
Structure and obtain the necessary funding

This Workshop is supported by the Government of Alberta and Community Futures Lethbridge Region.

Alberta Venture Education Series - Angel Investing
2024-12-09 19:00 - 2024-12-12 21:00 | Online
ClassRebel invites you to register for the Alberta Venture Finance Education Series – Live via Zoom. The goal of this education series is to raise the knowledge level in Alberta on venture finance mechanics, so that angels can more easily navigate early-stage investments, and founders can more easily raise startup capital

Please join us for our Angel Investing (main course outline) course this December. This course content will have Alberta-specific materials.

?: Angel Investing. December 9-12 at 7-9pm MT. Register here

**This education series is free to residents of Alberta only at this time. We require that you attend 1 or more of the live classes to get full on-demand course access

Questions? Email hello@classrebel.com

Alberta Venture Finance Educations Series - Fundraising for Start-Ups
2024-12-02 19:00 - 21:00 | Online
ClassRebel invites you to register for the Alberta Venture Finance Education Series – Live via Zoom. The goal of this education series is to raise the knowledge level in Alberta on venture finance mechanics, so that angels can more easily navigate early-stage investments, and founders can more easily raise startup capital.

Please join us for our Fundraising for Startups (main course outline) which will have Alberta specific content.

Fundraising for Startups. December 2-5 at 7-9pm MT. Register here

**This education series is free to residents of Alberta only at this time. We require that you attend 1 or more of the live classes to get full on-demand course access.

Questions? Email hello@classrebel.com

RBC AI Biz Boost
2024-11-27 09:00 - 2024-12-16 13:30 | University of Lethbridge, 440 University Drive W, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4R3, Canada
These sessions are designed to provide businesses with insights and practical advice on leveraging AI and other advanced technologies to solve business problems and enhance operational efficiency. Two half-day sessions (and bonus one hour virtual event) will feature sessions with industry consultants, a keynote speaker and interactive workshops.

This isn’t just another tech conference; it’s a deep dive into the practical applications of AI and how local businesses can implement them immediately to gain a competitive edge! Attendees will leave with tangible takeaways and tools to implement in their businesses, including a 176 page workbook. Whether just starting your data journey or looking to scale your efforts, this workbook offers step-by-step guidance to optimize your technology investments, enhance decision-making, and future-proof your organization in a data-driven world.

Empower your team to think critically, innovate boldly, and achieve sustainable growth by harnessing the power of data and AI.

Sign up at no cost – https://rbcsummit.ca/

Entrepreneurial Insights
2024-11-20 17:30 - 20:30 | Markin Hall, 4401 University Drive W, Lethbridge, 4401, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4R3, Canada
Join us for a networking and panel event coinciding with Small Business Week and Women in Entrepreneurship Week, to be inspired by a panel of four award-winning female Alberta entrepreneurs!

Each speaker brings a unique perspective from different industries, having overcome challenges through resilience, passion, and a commitment to social impact. Their entrepreneurial journeys reflect diverse experiences in leadership, innovation and business growth, offering valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs like you. This event will give you the chance to:

gain insights into navigating adversity and achieving business success;
learn about fostering diversity and inclusion within different industries;
engage in a dynamic panel discussion and ask your questions to our inspiring panel of business leaders; and
enjoy dinner while networking with business students, entrepreneurs and local business people.

Speakers

Tolu Amadi – Founder, Aceit Digital: Intellectual Property Lead, BIPOC Foundation
Jessica Gill – Real estate investor, author and YouTube channel creator
Shannon Pestun – CEO, Pestun Consulting: Co-founder, The Finance Cafe
Marci Stickel – Founder/CEO, LA Chefs; Owner/CEO Sky+Table Events Group

To continue the conversation on women in business you may want to consider attending the Lethbridge Chamber’s 2024 Women’s Conference the next day. Nov.21 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Norlands Historic Estate, ticket cost $179. For more information – https://www.lethbridgechamber.com/events/details/2024-women-s-conference-illuminate-your-path-embracing-your-unique-story-12362

RBC Summit
2024-05-03 08:30 | University of Lethbridge, 440 University Drive W, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4R3, Canada
Join us Mar.1 in Lethbridge (UofL Science Commons Atrium) or Virtually from 8:30am-3:45pm (meals included for in person)

Uncover the secrets of digital business transformation. Explore how local businesses are unleashing the power of data, machine, learning and AI to make savvy business decisions and boost their sustainability.

Morning Keynote – TBA
Local panel #1: Improving business decisions through data, machine learning and AI
Local panel #2: Enhancing sustainability and measuring progress using data, machine learning and AI
Closing Keynote – Shawn Kanungo, globally recognized innovation strategist and bestselling author

Closing Keynote – Shawn Kanungo, globally recognized innovation strategist and bestselling author

Shawn Kanungo
A globally recognized innovation strategist and bestselling author, Shawn works at the intersection of creativity, business, and technology. He spent 12 years at Deloitte working closely with leaders to help them better plan for the opportunities associated with disruptive innovation. His bestselling debut book, The Bold Ones, is a playbook for individuals to become bolder and push their careers and organizations forward. It has been touted as one of McKinsey’s top decision-making books for leaders. Kanungo’s work has also been featured in the Globe and Mail, The Guardian, CBC, and CTV. He’s been recognized by Edify magazine as one of their “Top 40 Under 40” and was called the “best virtual keynote speaker I’ve ever seen” by Forbes in 2021.

More details and free registration courtesy of the RBC Foundation at https://rbcsummit.ca/

High Level Innovation Conference
2024-05-03 - 2024-05-04 | Lethbridge Agri-Food Conference Centre, 3401 Parkside Drive S, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4R3, Canada
High Level Innovation is very excited to be sharing the launch and announcements for the upcoming High Level Innovation Conference in Lethbridge, Alberta happening on May 3 & 4, 2024.

The Conference will be held at the Lethbridge & District Exhibition Agrifood Hub (www.agrifoodhub.ca) and we have partnered with the Lethbridge School Division to add even more fun into the room as highschoolers from all over the province compete at the Alberta Esports Championship (www.aec2024.ca).

About the High Level Innovation Conference:

These 2 days in the first weekend of May will mark an opportunity for stakeholders from across Southern Alberta, the province, and beyond to experience and connect with innovative topics, job opportunities, workshops & takeaways, and support information for their career outlooks or entrepreneurial endeavours. Let’s get innovative!

High Level Innovation Conference is a family-friendly event and will have exhibits and sessions and interactive fun including spectating the tournament and an AR Mobile Game that will help guide attendees through some fun touring of the space. You may know someone who is looking for career options, is a new grad or new Canadian, or even a business owner or business professional that can benefit – community members will certainly find lots to do at our accessible and innovation-oriented event!

Passes are currently available here – www.bit.ly/highlevelinnovation2024

They are FREE for under 18 years of age and are just $30 dollars for a Multi-day Pass.

Anyone who registers between February 1, 2024, and April 1, 2024, will be given a door prize ticket at the Conference check-in for the $200.00 EB Games/GameStop voucher which can be won by attendees in the draw as a door prize.

Discover the High Level Innovation Conference – A Sneak Peek:

Exhibition Zones including Innovation in Tourism, Gaming, Digital, Entrepreneurship, BIPOC Business, Trades, and Agri-Food/AgTech.
Special Activations including 3D printers, simulators, innovative robotics and more.
Collisions with Job Opportunities & Employers through the Hiring Hangar from 12pm to 4pm each day.
Speed Advising / Information via RINSA for Startups & Entrepreneurs
General Play Stream & Spectating the Alberta Esports Championship (register competitive teams and read eligibility – aec2024.ca)
15 + Speaker Sessions including Interactive Keynotes, Panel Sessions, and Workshops on these topics through the lens of innovation:

Alberta’s Outlook for Innovation beyond 2024
Female-led Game Development
Design Thinking
Quantum Computing
Digital Storytelling with AI
Music Innovation
Career Journey’s
Entrepreneurial Skills
Supply Chain and Logistics
Optimizing Your Tourism Business
Cybersecurity
Sustainable Agrifood & AgTech
Energy Projects
A Beatmaking Workshop & more…

You can also enjoy Geek Fest on May the 4th by donation which will be just down the hall and great for board games, cosplay, kids, and everything great about Geeky & Nerdy hobbies and outlooks!

This is a Spring event that you don’t want to miss!

People from all over Alberta will be coming into Lethbridge and they can also explore great options for Itinerary Planning through our partners at Tourism Lethbridge: https://tourismlethbridge.com/plan

The High Level Innovation Conference Planning Committee would like to thank all of our current sponsors and partners including the Lethbridge School Division, Tourism Lethbridge, RINSA, BIPOC Foundation, Advancerite Technologies Inc., Lethbridge College, University of Lethbridge, Riipen, MNP, EarthMMO, AESA, Technology Alberta, Digital Alberta, Career Transitions, Careers NextGen, Leth’s Make It Happen, and everyone who’s helped and contributed to bringing this event to the Southern Alberta community!

***We have a few sponsorships remaining for Exhibition Zones, Gold & Silver levels and lots of Community Sponsorships that can be requested.

Eyren Uggenti

Founder & CEO, High Level Events Corp.

www.highlevelinnovation.com

info@highlevelevents.ca

Launch Point Pitch Competition 2024
2024-03-15 | Lethbridge College, 3010 College Drive S, Lethbridge, Alberta, T1K 8A2, Canada

Lethbridge Buyers Expo & Information Session
2024-01-31 10:00 - 15:00 | coast hotel lethbridge, 526 Mayor Magrath Drive S, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 0C4, Canada

Trailblazing - Have an Idea for a New Business?
2024-01-30 18:30 - 2024-03-12 21:00
Have an idea for a new business? Have the drive to build something? Unsure where to start?

In the FREE “Trailblazing” course you will be guided by serial entrepreneur Dr. Luc Roberts, while you turn your idea into a business and get started on your entrepreneurial journey.

Sessions are January 30th, February 6th, 13th, 27th, and March 5th and 12th 2024 from 6:00-9:00PM in the Agility Zone (SA6304).

Information and Registration: https://www.ulethbridge.ca/agility/trailblazing

WHO'S GOING TO BUY MY BUSINESS?
2024-01-23 10:00 - 12:00
Exploring various exit strategies (selling to family, employees, or the broader market.)
Unveiling industry trends
Practical advice for a successful exit

The session is designed to be an interactive experience, where business owners can tap into Neil’s expertise. It will offer valuable insights and actionable strategies that align with business exit planning trends, making it a valuable resource for business owners who want to sell but are unsure who will buy it. The best part? This session is free to attend!

Alberta Business Sales/Commercial Ventures invites you to a free session entitled: “Who’s Going to Buy My Business?”

If this is a question you have been asking yourself, this session will provide an in-depth discussion of the many available options.

If you have been considering selling your business but have wondered who will buy it, the free interactive class is a must.

Join us on January 23rd at 10:00 AM for an insightful one-hour virtual session hosted by the Alberta Business Sales and Commercial Ventures team. What to expect:

· Exploring various exit strategies (selling to family, employees, or the broader market.)

· Unveiling industry trends

· Practical advice for a successful exit.

Meet our expert – Certified Exit Planner Neil Gerritsen boasts over 14 years of invaluable experience in business exit planning and brokerage. You can read more about Neil and the Alberta Business Sales/Commercial Ventures team here.

This is an interactive experience, your participation is integral to the session’s success. Engage with us, ask questions, and gain insights from our seasoned experts and your fellow participants.

Register Here: https://forms.gle/1FkAG3QZzZpKEUm38
