Speakers

Get ready to engage with an exceptional lineup of speakers

Dr. Natalie Brooks

CEO, NorthStar Innovation Group — Canada

Dr. Natalie Brooks is a business strategist and innovation leader specializing in organizational transformation and entrepreneurial growth. She advises emerging companies and established organizations on developing innovative business models and cultivating leadership cultures that encourage bold thinking, creativity, and sustainable growth.

Topic: Leading Organizations Through Disruption

Michael Carter

Venture Capitalist & Entrepreneurship Advisor — USA

A venture capitalist who works with ambitious founders developing technology-driven businesses. His expertise includes startup financing, growth strategy, corporate innovation, and preparing emerging companies for international expansion.

Topic: What Investors Look for in Tomorrow's Entrepreneurs

Professor James Harrington

Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship — UK

A distinguished academic and entrepreneurship specialist whose research focuses on innovation strategy, entrepreneurial leadership, and business transformation. He works with organizations seeking to develop sustainable innovation capabilities and translate innovative ideas into meaningful business outcomes.

Topic: Innovation as a Leadership Strategy

Sofia Ribeiro

Founder, ImpactBridge International — Portugal

A social entrepreneur and advocate for responsible business, with initiatives that connect entrepreneurship with sustainability, youth empowerment, and inclusive innovation. Her work demonstrates how businesses can create meaningful economic and social value while addressing contemporary global challenges.

Topic: Entrepreneurship with Purpose: Innovation for Social Impact

Dr. Amara Okafor

Founder & CEO, Nexora Ventures — Nigeria

A visionary entrepreneur and innovation strategist who has built several technology ventures focused on inclusive economic growth. She is recognized for helping emerging-market businesses transform innovative ideas into scalable enterprises while championing purpose-driven leadership, sustainable growth, and meaningful social impact.

Topic: Entrepreneurship with Purpose: Innovation for Social Impact

Dr. Samuel Williams

Global Business Futurist — United States

With extensive expertise in global economic trends, disruptive technologies, and emerging entrepreneurial models, Dr. Samuel explores how markets are evolving and challenges leaders to rethink traditional business approaches. His work encourages organizations to anticipate change, embrace innovation, and capitalize on the opportunities shaping the future of business.

Topic: The Next Decade of Global Entrepreneurship

Isabella Morgan

CEO & Future-of-Work Strategist — Canada

With expertise in leadership, workforce transformation, and innovation, she helps organizations navigate change and strengthen their competitive advantage. Her work emphasizes the value of inclusive leadership and entrepreneurial thinking in building agile, resilient, and forward-looking organizations.

Topic: People, Leadership and the Future of Innovation

Maya Chen

Technology Entrepreneur & AI Strategist — Singapore

Her expertise spans artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and the future of work, with a strong focus on how emerging technologies can reshape organizations and industries. She advocates for the responsible adoption of innovation while empowering people to become active drivers of creativity, growth, and transformation.

Topic: AI, Entrepreneurship and the Future of Business

Dr. Sophie Laurent

Professor of Entrepreneurship & Innovation — Canada

Dr. Sophie Laurent is an academic and entrepreneurship researcher whose work focuses on innovation ecosystems, startup development, and the relationship between leadership and economic growth. She frequently works with entrepreneurs and institutions to promote innovation-driven economies.

Topic: Creating the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem of Tomorrow

Aisha Williams

Social Innovation Entrepreneur — Canada

An advocate for inclusive entrepreneurship and responsible innovation, she focuses on creating opportunities for young entrepreneurs and supporting business models that combine commercial success with meaningful social impact. Her work promotes inclusive growth, innovative thinking, and sustainable approaches to entrepreneurship.

Topic: Inclusive Innovation: Building Businesses That Matter

Victoria Anderson

Founder & CEO, VentureRise Labs — USA

Her work as a technology entrepreneur and startup mentor focuses on artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and venture development. She is passionate about fostering entrepreneurial environments where experimentation, learning, and calculated risk-taking lead to scalable and innovative solutions.

Topic: Building a Culture of Innovation

Marcus Thompson

Technology Entrepreneur & Investor — Canada

An experienced technology entrepreneur and early-stage investor with expertise in fintech, artificial intelligence, and digital services. His work focuses on supporting entrepreneurs in transforming innovative ideas into scalable, sustainable businesses while fostering growth, strategic thinking, and long-term impact.

Topic: From Innovation to Global Scale

Dr. Emily Carter

Leadership & Innovation Consultant — UK

Her expertise lies in innovation leadership, organizational culture, and strategic decision-making, where she works closely with senior executives and entrepreneurs to drive meaningful transformation. Her approach encourages teams to challenge conventional thinking, embrace creativity, and turn innovative ideas into measurable business outcomes.

Topic: Empowering Leaders to Think Differently

Dr. Lukas Schneider

Founder & CEO, FutureWorks Innovation — Germany

Specializing in industrial technology, digital transformation, and sustainable business models, Dr. Lukas advises organizations on integrating technological innovation with effective leadership strategies. The focus is on strengthening competitiveness, driving sustainable growth, and helping businesses adapt to rapidly evolving markets.

Topic: Innovation Leadership in the Era of Digital Transformation

Sophie van Dijk

Global Entrepreneurship & Sustainability Strategist — Netherlands

Specializing in circular business models, responsible innovation, and international entrepreneurship, she works with business leaders to turn sustainability challenges into opportunities for growth and competitive advantage. Her work promotes forward-thinking strategies that align business performance with long-term environmental and economic value.

Topic: Sustainable Entrepreneurship: Turning Global Challenges into Business Opportunities

Alejandro Martín

Serial Entrepreneur & Global Business Advisor — Spain

As a serial entrepreneur and global business advisor from Spain, Alejandro Martín specializes in circular business models, responsible innovation, and international entrepreneurship. He works with business leaders to transform sustainability challenges into opportunities for growth and competitive advantage. His approach focuses on developing forward-thinking business strategies that create lasting economic, environmental, and social value.

Topic: Sustainable Entrepreneurship: Turning Global Challenges into Business Opportunities

Stephan Cote

Leadership and Communication Coach, Trainer and Speaker— CANADA

Stephan is a professional leadership and communication coach, trainer, and sought-after speaker. He facilitates courses for diverse educational training schools on subjects like “ Innovation ”, “ Communication and Connection ”, “ Leadership Skills ”, “ Ethics and Integrity in the Workplace ” amongst other topics. His 2 signature courses, “ The Communication Catalyst ” and “ Leadership Evolved ” have helped thousands of leaders enhance their leadership presence and communication skills, empowering them to inspire and lead with authenticity. He has trained community and business people, professional communicators, government officials, educators, health care leaders and pastors from various backgrounds in different areas of the world like the United States, Canada, French Polynesia, Trinidad and Tobago, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Australia, New Zealand, France and Spain. As a result of Stephan’s motivating DISC behavioral analysis training, teams, organizations, local and provincial government bodies and schools have grown in their ability to better communicate, resolve challenges, and achieve their desired goals as well as produce exceptional results. His outgoing and engaging personality has helped him connect with his clients to better build healthy teams and successful emerging leaders for over 3 decades. Stephan thrives when he coaches, trains, and equips inspiring leaders to boldly pursue their purpose and mission.

Bhuva Shakti

Founder & CEO of Wallet Max, Empowering Executive Women and Venture Capitalists to Fund Sustainable Startups— USA

Bhuva Shakti (she/her) is the visionary founder and CEO driving sustainable innovation at Wallet Max, a global community of executive women and venture capital investors with a mission to expand fundraising access for high-growth sustainable startups. With an MBA from Columbia University in New York and as a senior executive director on Wall Street for three decades, Bhuva has managed diverse financial portfolios and launched several digital transformation products for investment banks, capital markets, and payment networks. Bhuva’s leadership and risk governance oversight, during the global financial crisis and the pandemic, was pivotal for the success of regulatory compliance and mergers acquisitions at the world’s top banks and credit rating institutions. Bhuva is a board director and fractional C-Suite advisor for social impact businesses, and a keynote speaker advancing economic inclusion and climate-fintech partnerships. Bhuva is the USA country director for World Business Angels Investment Forum and the Chief Ethics & Culture Officer for Women in AI worldwide. She leads the fundraising strategy and product operations for market expansion and manages investor relations throughout the diligence and investment. Bhuva is the founder of Bhuva’s Impact Global that provides board advisory services and enterprise risk management for public and private corporations.