Kingston Startup Ecosystem: Stay Local, Scale Global

Join us for this Kingston Startup Ecosystem session, where we’ll hear from local entrepreneurs about how they scaled globally from Kingston.

In today’s connected world, location is no longer destiny. With AI tools, digital platforms, and remote collaboration, founders in smaller cities can build, scale, and even exit their startups—without relocating to a major tech hub.

This Kingston Startup Ecosystem session brings together entrepreneurs who have done exactly that. Learn how they scaled globally while staying rooted in their communities, proving that you don’t have to leave home to go big.

· AI for All: Discover how affordable no-code and AI tools are enabling small-town founders to build world-class products.

· Global Reach from Anywhere: Learn how platforms like Shopify, TikTok, and digital marketing have made accessing international customers easier than ever.

· Remote-First Growth: Explore how online tools make it possible to collaborate with global teams, mentors, and customers—without ever changing your postal code.

· Founder Stories: Hear real-world examples of founders who raised capital, scaled operations, and exited successfully—from right where they started.

Whether you’re building from Kingston or any other small city, this session will show you how to stay rooted—and still grow globally. Register now to learn how to scale on your terms.

Panelists:

Alexander Forstner – CTO at Cyclic Materials

Alex Forstner is the Chief Technology Officer and a founding team member at Cyclic Materials. He has a degree in Engineering Physics from Queen’s University and an MBA from the University of Toronto Rotman School of Management. Alex’s career has been devoted to the global energy transition. First, from an infrastructure perspective where he worked to help Ontario transition away from coal power and integrate more renewable energy into the electricity grid and then to the commodity side where he spent 7 years working on and leading hydrometallurgical laboratory research programs on process innovations to extract the critical minerals necessary to facilitate electrification. Passionate about natural resources and their role in developing society, Alex is dedicated to making societal progress more efficient and less harmful to the planet and it is this reason that Alex is excited to be at Cyclic Materials and the forefront of the circular economy for rare earth elements.

Rathi Perumal, M.Eng., P.Eng., Founder & CEO

Rathi Perumal, CEO of Uyir Engineering Inc., is a trailblazer in the electrical engineering world. Holding degrees in Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering from India and a Master’s from the University of Windsor, Rathi boasts over 13 years of professional experience in electrical engineering in both the US and Canada. She has been recognized as a TOP 40 under 40 Kingston Young Professional, a testament to her entrepreneurial innovation, resilience, and ability to conceptualize and design effective solutions.

Rathi’s expertise spans troubleshooting machinery to collaborating on alternative fuel projects with strategic partners in the environment and climate change sector. Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to establish one of Canada’s first women-led global engineering consulting firms, leveraging AI for enhanced efficiency, starting in Kingston with a clear vision on how to expand beyond the Canadian borders. This venture is deeply rooted in her professional experiences and the lessons she has learned along the way.

Rathi’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is evident in her volunteer work with We Build a Dream and Her-Power council. These efforts are heavily influenced by her experiences growing up and her life as a newcomer to Canada. Rathi’s story is one of a relentless pursuit of excellence, consistently asking the right questions to incrementally improve the status quo. When the timing is right, she applies these principles to achieve breakthrough innovations. This approach was the foundation for conceptualizing, establishing and developing the vision for Uyir Engineering.