Commerce Toronto

Commerce Toronto is where Canada’s retail, e-commerce, CPG, and tech communities come together to connect, learn, and grow!

Commerce Toronto brings together 200+ attendees from across the retail, e-commerce, CPG, and tech sectors. From early-stage founders, operators, brand builders, and industry professionals, this event is designed to spark conversations, share insights, and foster connections across the commerce ecosystem.

The evening features presentations and fireside chat with industry leaders who share their journeys, challenges, and strategies shaping the future of commerce.

​Explore our on-site Marketplace, where a curated selection of CPG brands showcase their latest products—offering a hands-on experience and an opportunity to discover what’s next in consumer innovation.

Agenda

​​5:30–6:30PM | Doors open, networking and marketplace​​6:30–8:00PM | Community open mic, speakers presentations

8:00–8:30PM | Continued networking

​​8:30PM | End of event and afterparty (offsite of Rotman)

Community Leads

Sharif Virani is the Head of Partnerships at Ecom North, he is a digital communications advisor and fractional CMO with expertise in brand strategy, growth marketing, and content production across DTC, STEM, and public advocacy sectors. He previously led creative and strategy teams at Media Launch (acquired by WebMarketers), working with brands like UberEats and Canadian Blood Services. He co-founded Casper Kitchens and currently leads marketing at Instasnacks and advises Sumer Inc. Sharif has taught brand management at Algonquin College and believes in creative, entrepreneurial approaches to digital problem-solving—helping businesses find their voice, shape their story, and drive purposeful growth.

Steve Ballantyne is a serial entrepreneur, CPG consultant, and 3x founder with successful exits. He founded Station Cold Brew, Canada’s first cold brew company, scaling it to $2M ARR and 2,000+ distribution points before a strategic acquisition. A Dragon’s Den alum, Steve has partnered with global brands like Kraft Heinz, Diageo, and Pernod Ricard. He now mentors CPG founders internationally, bringing hands-on expertise in scaling operations, financing, and exit strategy. With experience leading a $30M+ beverage roll-up and managing large-scale production, Steve is passionate about helping brands grow, innovate, and succeed in competitive markets.

Our Speakers

Josh Guttman is the Co-Founder and CEO of SELLIT9, an integrated trade-in platform unlocking instant liquidity for pre-owned household items. Previously, Josh served as Chief Revenue Officer at Altrio and VP of Revenue at Lane Technologies, helping steer the company to a $200M exit to VTS. He spent over 11 years at Salesforce in roles ranging from SDR to VP of Sales. A graduate of Queen's University (B.S.) and Schulich School of Business, York University (MBA '12), Josh is also a faculty member at Schulich ExecEd, known for his people-first, data-driven leadership philosophy.

More to be announced...

Thank You To Venue Partner

Rotman School of Management

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