Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Karsten Wenzlaff is a Crowdfunding and Fintech Expert from Germany. He is Secretary-General of Digit[...]
Category Archives: Fintech and Networking Events
Total Mom Pitch 2026 Applications Close Nov 15
October 23, 2026 | NCFA Community Opportunities | Women Entrepreneurs, Startup Funding, Business Awards, Canada
Final Call for Canadian Mom Entrepreneurs
On October 23, 2026, Canada's Total Mom Pitch and Business Awards are accepting applications for the 2026–2027 programme, with a November 15 deadline approaching for Canadian mom entrepreneurs looking for funding, business support and national recognition.
The programme, operated by Sinclair Creative Agency under licence from Total Mom Inc., offers a competitive founder pitch with a $50,000 grand prize package alongside national business awards that don't require a live pitch.
NCFA is supporting the initiative as a community partner and encouraging eligible entrepreneurs across its network to explore the opportunities before applications close.
Two Opportunities to Apply
Canada's Total Mom Pitch offers one winning founder a prize package valued at approximately $50,000, consisting of $10,000 in cash and $40,000 in business services, mentorship and strategic support provided by participating sponsors and partners.
The competition selects 100 semi-finalists, who gain access to business education, funding resources, networking and national media opportunities. Five finalists advance to pitch live at the awards gala on February 10, 2027.
The Total Mom Business Awards offer a separate opportunity for entrepreneurs seeking recognition for their businesses and achievements. Applicants select from the available award categories, and no live pitch is required.
Entrepreneurs may apply for the Pitch, the Business Awards or both, subject to the eligibility requirements and separate application fees.
Deadline, Eligibility and Applications
Application deadline: November 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET
Pitch grand prize: $10,000 cash plus approximately $40,000 in business services and support
Pitch application fee: $35 plus processing fees and applicable taxes
Business Awards application fee: $197 plus processing fees and applicable taxes
Live Pitch Finale: February 10, 2027
Pitch applicants must meet the programme's published eligibility requirements, including being a mom-identifying woman entrepreneur, having annual business sales below $2 million and meeting Canadian residency requirements. Quebec residents aren't eligible for the Pitch. Business Awards categories have their own eligibility criteria.
Founders should review the official programme rules before applying, including eligibility, fees and prize conditions.
Explore the opportunities and apply: Canada's Total Mom Pitch and Business Awards
A Chance to Build Beyond the Pitch
Access to capital remains important for entrepreneurs, but funding isn't the only constraint on business growth. Experienced advisors, industry connections, market exposure and practical operating support can also make a difference, particularly for founders managing business and family responsibilities.
See: Canada Adds WES Funding to Back Women Founder Growth
The Total Mom programme combines financial recognition with opportunities for participating entrepreneurs to build relationships, strengthen business plans and gain exposure beyond their existing networks.
As a community partner, NCFA encourages eligible founders to review the programme and consider applying. With the November 15 deadline approaching, interested entrepreneurs should check the requirements and submit their applications before the closing date.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Madrid Investment Forum Oct 29: Expanding to Europe?
October 23, 2026 | NCFA Community Opportunities | Spain, Europe, International Expansion, Fintech, Investment
Canadian Companies Exploring European Expansion
On October 29, 2026, the Madrid Investment Forum will bring Canadian founders, business leaders and investors together in Toronto to explore opportunities to establish operations in Spain and expand into European markets.
Organized by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Canada in collaboration with the Spain-US Chamber of Commerce and ICEX, with support from DLA Piper, the forum will feature representatives from Invest in Madrid, legal and financial institutions, and Canadian businesses with international experience.
For Canadian fintech and technology companies considering European expansion, the event offers direct access to investment representatives and practical guidance on market entry, regulatory requirements, banking relationships and local partnerships.
Event Details and Registration
Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026
Time: 9:00–11:30 a.m. ET
Location: DLA Piper, 333 Bay Street, Suite 5100, Toronto
Registration: Register for the Madrid Investment Forum
Programme: View the official agenda
Companies considering establishing operations in Spain can also request individual meetings with Invest in Madrid on October 28 or following the October 29 presentations. According to the organizers, confidential support is available at no cost.
What's on the Agenda
The programme runs from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. and includes investment opportunities, Canada-Spain ties, legal, regulatory, banking and financial considerations and Canadian expansion experience:
- José Luis Echániz Cobas, Trade Commissioner of Spain in Toronto, will provide opening remarks and an institutional overview of Spain.
- Randy Boissonnault, former Canadian Minister and MP and President at Superbia Group, will discuss bilateral relations.
- Diego de Arístegui, Investment Director at Invest in Madrid, will discuss Madrid's investment proposition and strategic opportunities.
- Jamie Mandell and Joseline Rodriguez, DLA Piper Partners, will address corporate and regulatory requirements for businesses entering Spain.
- Barbara Carmona, Chief Representative Officer and Country Head of CaixaBank's representative office in Canada, will discuss financial and banking considerations for establishing operations.
- Scott Bradley, VP of Government Relations at OpenText, will share the company's international business experience.
The morning concludes with networking and business-to-business meetings, giving participants an opportunity to speak directly with investment and professional services representatives.
Canada, Spain and Europe's Expanding Economic Ties
Canada and the EU are also pursuing closer economic ties. Following their September 16 meeting, Prime Minister Mark Carney and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen discussed deeper cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital trade, financial services and payments. As part of the broader discussions, von der Leyen has also raised the possibility of Canada becoming an associate member of the EU, although what that arrangement would involve remains undefined.
The discussions build on the broader Canada–EU strategic partnership launched in June 2025. Carney is scheduled to host von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa at the Canada–EU Summit in Montréal on October 29–30, coinciding with the Madrid forum in Toronto.
For Canadian fintech companies, closer economic alignment adds another dimension to international expansion planning. But political commitments don't automatically translate into market access. Licensing, regulatory compliance, banking relationships and local partnerships still determine how companies can operate and compete. The Madrid forum offers an opportunity to explore those practical considerations directly.
Exploring European Expansion?
For Canadian fintech companies, entering Europe involves more than identifying customers. Licensing, regulatory compliance, banking access, local partnerships and operating costs all influence where and how a business can expand. As Canada and the EU pursue deeper economic and technology cooperation, Canadian businesses have good reason to revisit their international growth strategies. But government alignment alone doesn't establish a viable market. The commercial opportunity still needs to stand on its own.
See: Airwallex Commits $1.135B to UK and EMEA Expansion
Is your company exploring expansion into Spain or Europe? Connect with NCFA to express your interest, or register directly through the event information above to learn more about available opportunities and support.
NCFA is sharing this opportunity as a community partner to help connect interested Canadian founders, executives and investors with the organizers and relevant market contacts.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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🔥 TOKEN2049 Singapore — Tech EZ KOL Club
October 5, 2026 | Event, Digital Assets, Blockchain, Web3, Networking, Singapore
One of NCFA's media partners Block Tides is co-hosting a Web3 and digital assets ecosystem networking and industry event, Tech EZ KOL Club by DigiMaaya this October 6 at Gardens by the Bay — bringing together KOLs, creators, founders, exchanges, investors, traders, and ecosystem leaders in one curated room.
📍 Flower Field Hall, Gardens by the Bay
📅 October 6, 2026
⏰ 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM SGT
Expect:
✨ High-value networking
🤝 Founder, investor & exchange introductions
📣 KOL + creator collaborations
🌐 Partnership, media & ecosystem opportunities
🏆 Leader Awards + Book Launch
🥂 Premium hospitality with a waterfront setting
🎟 Partner Pass — Free, subject to approval
💎 VIP Pass — 99 USDC
If you're in Singapore for TOKEN2049 Week, this is one of the rooms you’ll want to be inside.
👉 Register here:
https://luma.com/twvhx8s4
Hosted by DigiMaaya
Co-Hosted by AKARI × Block Tides
See you at the Bay. 🌊⚡
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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C:\>DIR Hackathon 2026 Winners Put Agentic AI to Work
September 30, 2026 | NCFA Market Activity | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Risk Compliance And Regtech, Cybersecurity And Fraud, Digital Identity And Trust, Payments And Money Movement, Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization
Agentic AI Hackathon Winners, Financial Supervision And The Next RegTech Layer
On September 30, 2026, the C:\>DIR Global ‘Agentic Regulator’ Hackathon announced its 2026 winners and finalist demos after attracting 942 individual builders and 336 team submissions from more than 65 countries. Thirty six teams reached the final prototype round, including 19 from or affiliated with regulatory authorities, with projects covering market manipulation, fraud, agentic payments, smart contracts, AI advice and digital identity.
NCFA supported the inaugural hackathon as an Ecosystem Partner. What makes the results notable is that both regulators and builders spent a week turning emerging questions around autonomous financial systems into working prototypes.
Every finalist submitted code or a working application for assessment. 260 verified regulators and policymakers from more than 80 institutions across 40+ countries then selected the Final 6, which presented their solutions to 18 senior global regulatory leaders at the C:\>DIR Summit in Cambridge.
The primary question propelling the competition was how do regulators supervise software that can act?
Market Risk, Fraud and Agentic Payments Winners
1. 🥇 Team Pheonix, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), won first place for its work on market manipulation, agentic herding and financial stability. Its digital twins and trading agents are designed to let authorities "pressure test" proposed regulations in a synthetic securities market before they take effect.
2. 🥈 YU-SAM POWER, University College London, took second place with an agentic framework for assessing smart contract risk and identifying attacks, supporting more consistent enforcement and international collaboration.
3. 🥉 Rwanda Anti-Scam Team, with participants from the National Bank of Rwanda, Bank of Namibia, Proto, FNA, GLEIF and the University of Manchester, placed third with a system that uses agents to report and recover funds lost through fraud and scams in instant payment environments.
4. Team Axiom, from the State Bank of Pakistan, placed fourth with a supervisory intelligence system for agentic payments designed to identify systemic risks including agentic herding.
5. Agent Reliability Profile, from the MLCommons Financial Services Working Group, placed fifth with a standardized, testable reliability label for AI agents. Its central question is straightforward. Can an AI agent be trusted?
6. Probe, from the UK, placed sixth with a regulatory tool that uses an “Adversary” agent posing as realistic customers and a “Judge” agent to run thousands of test conversations against AI advice systems and flag potential regulatory breaches.
The vouch.finance Award went to Legis Labs, whose Agent Passport gives banks a way to check an AI agent's authority before a payment executes. Project Zeus, from the Dominican Republic's securities regulator SIMV, received an Honorary Award for a human governed, multi agent approach to detecting investment scams, engaging suspected scammers and gathering evidence for enforcement.
The six finalists shared recognition from a US$100,000 total prize pool. The Final 6 were also given an opportunity to demonstrate their work at the Singapore FinTech Festival.
Agent Identity Is Becoming a Financial Control
The projects tackled different problems, but several requirements kept appearing.
If an AI agent sends money, a financial institution needs to know which agent acted, who authorized it and whether the action stayed within that authority. If multiple trading agents begin behaving alike, supervisors need visibility into whether that behaviour is creating market risk. If an AI adviser gives unsuitable guidance, there needs to be an auditable record of what happened and where human oversight applied.
That helps explain why agent identity, traceability, auditability, human oversight and pre execution controls feature across so many of the finalist projects.
These aren't abstract governance principles once agents start touching payments, markets or regulated advice. They become operating requirements.
The six challenge areas made the same point from different directions:
- AI driven fraud and scams
- Agentic payments and commerce
- Decentralized market infrastructure and smart contracts
- Know Your Agent and digital verification
- Market manipulation and agentic herding
- AI enabled financial and high stakes advice
A New RegTech Layer Is Starting to Emerge
The commercial question is what happens after the prototype.
Putting these systems into production will require real data, cybersecurity controls, privacy safeguards, legal authority, model governance, procurement and integration with existing supervisory infrastructure. Cross border applications add another layer because an agent may operate across multiple firms, payment systems and jurisdictions.
That's where the opportunity becomes more interesting.
RegTech has traditionally focused on helping financial institutions interpret rules, monitor activity and demonstrate compliance. Agentic supervision creates another market for technology that helps regulators simulate markets, verify AI agents, monitor autonomous activity, test financial advice and investigate fraud.
Canada already has active policy and infrastructure work across AI, payments, digital identity, fraud and financial market oversight. Canadian fintech and RegTech companies working in these areas should be watching which of these prototypes move into pilots, standards or production environments.
NCFA covered the launch of the C:\>DIR Agentic Regulator Hackathon in July. The winners now provide an early view of what builders and regulators chose to build when given a defined supervisory problem, sandbox environments and a week to produce working solutions.
Strategic Takeaway
The interesting result isn't simply that regulators used AI at a hackathon. It's what they built.
They built systems to test markets, identify fraud, verify agent authority, monitor payments, assess smart contract risk and scrutinize AI generated advice.
As financial systems add more autonomous actors, the supervisory layer will have to become more capable too.
Agentic finance may require agentic supervision. The C:\>DIR Hackathon has now put some early working examples on the table.
Explore: C:\>DIR Hackathon 2026 winners, presentations and demos
Read: Official C:\>DIR Global Agentic Regulator Hackathon winners announcement
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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[OSC Webinar Oct 15]: Capital Raising Opportunities and Regulatory Innovation in Ontario
September 29, 2026 | NCFA Event Spotlight | Capital Formation And Venture Markets, Regulation And Policy, Competition And Market Structure
October 15 Session, Financing Limits And Issuer Rule Reviews
On October 15, 2026, the Ontario Securities Commission will host Capital Raising Opportunities and Regulatory Innovation in Ontario, a 90 minute webinar on how businesses can raise capital across Ontario's private and public markets. The session comes while the OSC is looking at where companies encounter financing gaps or regulatory obstacles as they move from startup through maturity.
The webinar runs from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Eastern with the OSC staff covering the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (LIFE), the Well Known Seasoned Issuer (WKSI) regime, prospectus exemptions, streamlined reporting requirements and cross border capital raising arrangements with regulators in France and Hong Kong. A final panel focuses on how evidence from issuers, founders, dealers, investors and advisors informs OSC capital formation initiatives.
Event Overview
Event: Capital Raising Opportunities and Regulatory Innovation in Ontario
Host: the Ontario Securities Commission
Date: October 15, 2026
Time: 10:00–11:30 a.m. ET
Format: Webinar
Registration: Register for the OSC webinar
Agenda
- 10:00–10:15: Ontario capital markets, trends and the OSC's role, with Chief Economist and VP Paul Redman
- 10:15–10:45: LIFE, WKSI, prospectus exemptions, streamlined reporting and cross border capital raising, led by Corporate Finance VP Marie-France Bourret and moderated by McMillan partner Leila Rafi
- 10:45–11:15: Accessing growth capital and how market evidence informs OSC initiatives, with Economic Growth and Innovation VP Benjamin Matthews and Trading and Markets Senior Legal Counsel Gloria Tsang, moderated by Blakes partner Christopher Jones
- 11:15–11:30: Audience Q&A
LIFE, WKSI And Growth Capital On The Agenda
The agenda covers several points where financing can become easier or more difficult as a company grows. LIFE gives eligible listed issuers a lighter route to public capital. WKSI can simplify access for larger, established issuers. Prospectus exemptions provide other routes, while streamlined reporting can affect how much time and money companies spend meeting securities requirements.
LIFE provides a useful example of why regulatory design matters. In May 2025, regulators expanded Canada's Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, raising the financing limit from C$10 million to C$25 million, or as much as C$50 million for larger issuers, subject to conditions. Hundreds of issuers subsequently raised about C$3.7 billion during the first year under the higher limits, roughly eight times the previous pace.
The CSA is now proposing to make those higher limits permanent, with comments due October 21. Higher limits don't prove that regulation caused every additional financing, but issuers clearly used the added capacity. That gives the OSC webinar a concrete example to work from when discussing which rules facilitate capital raising and which may constrain it.
The international agreements with France and Hong Kong add another angle. For companies capable of raising beyond Canada, the issue isn't only how much capital is available domestically. It is also how efficiently an Ontario issuer can reach investors and markets elsewhere without duplicating unnecessary regulatory work.
Where Does Financing Stop Working For Growing Companies?
The OSC's Office of Economic Growth and Innovation is looking across the financing continuum rather than at one exemption or company stage. An early stage company may raise its first outside capital and still struggle when it needs a much larger round. A listed company may have more financing routes but face costs, disclosure requirements or eligibility rules that make some of them impractical.
Canada's recent SME financing gaps evidence shows why formal access and usable access aren't always the same thing. A funding route can exist and still fail to meet the size, cost or timing a growing company needs.
Canada's recent SME financing gaps evidence shows why formal access and usable access aren't always the same thing. A funding route can exist and still fail to meet the size, cost or timing a growing company needs.
Equity crowdfunding offers a specific example. Canada's NI 45-110 startup crowdfunding exemption remains capped at C$1.5 million over 12 months, while NCFA has advocated a C$5 million or higher issuer cap for years. Recent Canadian offerings have also pushed close to the existing C$1.5 million ceiling.
Other markets allow substantially larger raises.
- The EU crowdfunding regime permits up to €5 million over 12 months, while the EU's wider prospectus exemption now reaches €12 million, although member states can apply a €5 million threshold instead. EU crowdfunding and prospectus thresholds provide the regulatory detail.
- In the U.S., Regulation Crowdfunding permits up to US$5 million over 12 months.
- The SEC is also considering a petition to change Regulation Crowdfunding limits, while its separate 2026 Regulation Crypto Assets proposal would create tailored exemptions of up to US$5 million over four years and US$75 million in any 12 month period for certain crypto investment contracts.
The OSC hasn't included equity crowdfunding as part of the webinar, but the Canadian investment crowdfunding issuer cap illustrates the policy question well. When does a financing limit become too low for a growing company and push it toward a more expensive way to raise capital?
The 10:45 panel should be especially relevant for founders, issuers, dealers and funding platforms. The OSC says it will discuss how stakeholder feedback, market intelligence and data influence targeted initiatives. Useful questions include where the regulator sees the largest gaps between startup, private growth and public markets, which requirements materially affect access to capital, and what evidence it needs before changing a rule.
Capital Raising Rules Are Already Under Review
The October 15 session lands in the middle of two live regulatory discussions. The proposed LIFE amendments close for comment on October 21. A separate CSA review, open until November 13, considers public company regulation including issuer classification, financial reporting requirements, private placement hold periods and material change reporting.
Neither process means the OSC has decided that particular rules should change. They do show that regulators are comparing existing requirements with how companies actually raise capital, while the OSC is gathering evidence about financing friction at different stages of growth.
More Reading:
- Almost $4 Billion Shows What Lower Securities Friction Can Do — what happened after higher LIFE limits took effect
- UK Crowdfunding Caps Lift As EU Pushes €12M — larger overseas fundraising limits and the case for revisiting Canada's C$1.5 million crowdfunding ceiling
- Can Canada Turn Access Into Productive Participation? — whether wider financial market access is translating into usable capital and economic growth
- Canada's C$14T Non Bank Financial System Opens Up — how Canada's large pool of non bank financial assets connects with wider market access and competition
Talking Point
Ontario already gives companies several ways to raise capital. The question is where those options stop working as a company grows. Sometimes the problem is investor demand or business risk. Other times, financing limits, costs or regulatory requirements may be getting in the way. The October 15 discussion should help show where the OSC sees those problems and what evidence might support a change.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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UNGA 81 Puts AI, Digital Finance and Tokenization in Focus
September 25, 2026 | NCFA Insight | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Payments Infrastructure And Money Movement, Digital Identity And Trust, Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Sustainable Finance ESG And Financial Inclusion
AI, Digital Finance And Tokenization At UNGA 81
During the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Week in New York, September 21–25, 2026, AI agent controls, digital finance, programmable payments and tokenization emerged as recurring financial innovation themes. Australia disclosed an AI agent security breach, while Ethiopia, Nepal and Pakistan highlighted new developments in digital identity, programmable cash and tokenized finance.
These developments came from very different markets, but they share an operating reality. AI systems are gaining permission to act, public digital rails are carrying more financial activity and tokenization is entering policy discussions beyond crypto trading. Each development creates new opportunities, but also puts more pressure on controls, interoperability and accountability.
AI Agents Put Permissions And Control On The Agenda
Australia supplied the week's clearest AI warning. On September 24, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said an OpenAI agent had gained unauthorized access to the country's Medicare Statistics Reporting Service in June. The agent reached public and non-public files. Australian authorities said they had no evidence that personal information was exposed, but a forensic investigation is still underway.
The agent had been looking for medical cost and financing data. Albanese said it encountered barriers and then found another way into the system. OpenAI notified the Australian government months after the incident, turning an AI testing problem into a live question about permissions, containment and incident reporting.
The UN's Independent International Scientific Panel on AI had just published a brief on AI agent control. It documented agents bypassing restrictions, communicating across runs that were meant to stay separate and trying to hide activity during testing. The panel didn't estimate how likely severe loss of control may be. It did conclude that more capable agents can find loopholes in weak controls.
Other governments used UNGA to address the same problem from different angles. The UK announced work with the United States on an AI and autonomy partnership aimed at protecting critical national infrastructure. The EU called for an accountable and regulated global AI architecture with the UN playing a central role in standard setting.
See AI Agents Gain Identity and Wallet Access WCGW
Financial firms are facing the same governance and control problem risks once agents can use APIs, credentials, wallets or internal systems. Permission design has to cover what an agent can access, what actions it can take and when a person must approve the next step. Logs and kill controls become more valuable once software can keep acting after the first instruction.
Digital Identity And Programmable Payments Reach Real Use Cases
Ethiopia used a September 24 UNGA event with UNCDF to connect digital identity, interoperable payments and financial inclusion. Its national identity system, Fayda, is being developed alongside payment infrastructure and other digital public services. Ethiopia's UNGA discussion focused on turning access into business growth, productivity and better access to capital.
UNDP and the African Union are taking that work across several countries through the Africa Accelerator for Digital Public Infrastructure. Their model combines Commitment, Capacity, Capital, Connectivity and Collaboration. Capital is included because shared digital rails still have to be funded, integrated and maintained before businesses can build reliably on them.
Nepal supplied a more concrete financial use case. Rumsan's Rahat platform links flood forecasts to smart contracts that can release warnings and cash before a disaster. ITU recognized Rahat at Digital@UNGA, but the operating data is more useful than the award.
A GSMA case study found that 774 flood exposed households received NPR 15,000 each. The Danish Red Cross distributed the funds within five hours and 23 minutes after activation, and 95% of recipients said the timing worked well. Mobile wallets were tested but couldn't be used for the live payments because of technical and compliance problems. Bank transfers handled the distribution instead.
This outcome says a lot about programmable finance. Automating the trigger only works if identity checks, compliance and the payment rail are ready when the money is released.
Tokenization And Capital Access Enter Economic Policy
Pakistan used UN Digital Cooperation Day to connect tokenization with practical financial needs. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb discussed cheaper remittances, SME financing, sovereign debt and wider financial access as the country develops a regulated virtual asset framework. Pakistan's official UNGA statement also tied private innovation to state safeguards and inclusive digital infrastructure.
Two days later, Pakistan's Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb discussed cashless payments, virtual asset licensing and the possible tokenization of public debt and real estate. Pakistan hasn't launched those systems. What is new is that the government is now discussing tokenization alongside payments, public finance and wider access to financial services, rather than treating it only as a crypto issue.
Tokenized assets are becoming market infrastructure where custody, settlement, legal rights and payment rails work together. Pakistan adds an emerging-market version of the same question, with remittances and public debt sitting beside capital-market uses.
Capital access also ran through UNDP and UNCDF's UNGA agenda. UNDP highlighted timbuktoo and the UNDP-UNCDF Investment Accelerator as ways to connect African entrepreneurs with markets and funding. Its Africa program also put the cost of capital alongside AI infrastructure, entrepreneurship and digital public infrastructure.
Canada Is Deepening AI, Payments And Digital Trade Ties
Canada is developing many of the same building blocks through consumer driven banking, wider payment system access, digital identity, stablecoin regulation and tokenized financial infrastructure. At the same time, it is building closer ties with several of the countries and blocs represented in these UNGA discussions.
Europe may become the most significant of those relationships. On September 16, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed opening the door for Canada to become the EU's first associate member. Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the idea the next day, while describing the goal as a new alliance rather than conventional EU membership. Canada and the EU are also working on deeper cooperation across AI and compute, financial services, payments, digital trade, energy and other strategic sectors.
The details of associate membership haven't been defined yet. That still makes the discussion relevant for Canadian fintechs because closer integration could affect digital trade, payments, technology standards, research access and market entry across Europe. Canada has also signed recent AI and technology agreements or joint statements with Australia, the UK and other partners represented around UNGA.
Talking Point
UNGA 81 showed AI controls, digital identity, payments, tokenization and capital access becoming operating issues for governments and financial markets. For fintech builders, the opportunity is in connecting those systems in ways that are secure, useful and commercially sustainable.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Elevate Becomes Nrth
September 23, 2026 | NCFA News | Technology And Innovation, Startup And Venture Ecosystem, Events And Community, Canadian Tech Ecosystem
Canadian Tech Organization Rebrands and Expands Year Round
On September 22, 2026, Canadian technology and innovation organization Elevate announced it has officially become Nrth, introducing the new name during the opening night of its annual Toronto festival.
Elevate Festival has also been renamed Nrth Festival, with the 2026 event continuing in Toronto from September 22 to 24.
The organization says Nrth is an evolution of Elevate rather than a new organization. Its existing community, programs and annual festival will continue under the new brand.
Nrth Expands Beyond the Annual Festival
Elevate launched in 2017 as a platform for Canada's technology and startup community. According to the official announcement, its events have attracted more than 89,000 attendees over its first nine years.
Under Nrth, the organization plans to operate throughout the year in addition to running its flagship festival.
Beginning in 2027, Nrth says its activities will include more events, programs connecting Canadian companies with customers and investors, support for businesses adopting emerging technologies and research and insights covering Canada's innovation economy.
Lisa Zarzeczny, Co-Founder and CEO of Nrth:
“Elevate was created to lift Canadian innovation into view. But visibility alone isn’t enough anymore. Nrth is about direction and expanding the role we can play for this community.”
Existing programs are also being incorporated into the new structure. The CIX Startup Awards will become the Nrth Innovation Awards, while startup, innovation and technology adoption programs will operate under Nrth Labs.
Nrth Festival Continues in Toronto
Nrth Festival remains the organization's main annual gathering, bringing together founders, investors, business leaders, policymakers and technology companies.
The first Nrth Festival (previously Elevate Festival) is currently underway in Toronto from September 22 to 24, 2026, with more than 10,000 attendees expected and programming covering AI, fintech, technology sovereignty and other areas of innovation.
NCFA is pleased to continue supporting the event as a Community Partner.
Learn more about Nrth Festival.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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