Get ready for an interactive morning of coffee, conversation, and actionable insights!

Our latest Innovate & Caffeinate session focuses on the recent changes to the Canadian Entrepreneurship Incentive Program (CEI) and how they impact founders both now and in the future.

We’re bringing together seasoned founders and experts in tax planning, talent recruitment, and founder compensation to help you get up to speed and navigate these updates effectively.

What’s on the Agenda?

This session is all about hands-on learning and real connections. Our panel of experts will walk you through the most important CEI updates that could affect your business today and, in the years, to come, covering:

• Tax Planning Essentials: Insights on the new rules and how founders can navigate them
• Talent Recruitment & Retention: Tips for attracting and compensating top talent under the revised regulations
• Founder Considerations: Key advice on structuring compensation and benefits to support long-term growth and team stability.

Come ready to discuss, ask questions, and explore solutions tailored to founders' unique challenges. Whether you’re a founder, CFO, or another key team member, this session promises valuable takeaways—and plenty of coffee!

Meet the speakers

Hongwei Liu
Hongwei Liu is the CEO of Mappedin, a Waterloo based indoor mapping company working with global customers maintaining a digital source of truth for over 3 billion square feet of indoor space. He has led the company’s growth from the founding team to the 100-person operation based out of their Waterloo office. He also serves/d on the boards of Communitech, IP Ontario and the Grand River Hospital Foundation. Hongwei grew up in Ottawa and studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Waterloo.

Sara Hopkins
Sara Hopkins is a Manager of Consulting, Human Resources at MNP LLP in Waterloo, with over 12 years of expertise spanning industry and professional services. With a primary focus on HR strategy and people management, Sara brings a comprehensive approach to supporting organizational and employee growth. She holds a BA in Psychology from Western University, an MBA from Laurier University, and is currently pursuing her Master of Counselling Psychology. As a Registered Psychotherapist (RP) and a Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL), Sara is uniquely positioned to bridge HR expertise with a profound understanding of individual well-being, ensuring balanced solutions that align business objectives with holistic people management.

Wendy Lei
Wendy is a Partner with MNP’s Tax Services group in Burlington. Wendy specializes in domestic tax planning for Canadian private corporations and their shareholders.

Wendy’s approach is to understand each client’s objectives, and educate them about the advantages, disadvantages, and risks of the alternatives available to them. She helps them make an informed decision on how to proceed, and then helps them implement their chosen alternative. She works closely with family businesses and large corporations in a broad range of industries, including real estate, technology and communications, retail, professional services, and manufacturing.

Matthew Klassen - Moderator
As part of Communitech's external relations team, Matthew advocates with all levels of government for policies and programs that support founders. He also works to build and strengthen partnerships between Communitech, local startups and scaleups, and partners across the Waterloo Region community. Prior to joining Communitech, Matthew served as a senior advisor to Waterloo's Regional Chair and several provincial cabinet ministers.

Matthew is a proud alumnus of the University of Waterloo, London School of Economics, Ontario Legislature Internship Program, and Action Canada Fellowship.

This event is proudly sponsored by MNP: