The Ontopical by Sovra Seed To Exit Story

Building a successful company is one challenge. Navigating a successful exit is another.

For this Seed to Exit session, InterGen is bringing together founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders for a candid conversation on what it takes to build toward acquisition — from early strategic decisions to the realities of the transaction process and what happens after the deal closes.

This discussion will feature Clayton Feick, former CEO of Ontopical, who led the Calgary-based AI company through its acquisition by SOVRA, a KKR-backed GovTech platform. The conversation will be facilitated by Michael Grantmyre, Partner at Osler, who advised on the transaction, and will also include Arden Tse, an early Ontopical investor from Accelerate Funds, who will bring in the investor perspective on building toward exit.

Discussion themes will include:

The long road from founding to exit and how to sustain momentum

• How leadership needs evolve as companies scale
• Navigating CEO transitions and building trust during leadership change
• Knowing when to step back so the company can grow
• Maintaining strong founder–CEO relationships through transition
• The broader impact successful exits can have on the local innovation ecosystem

Designed for founders, operators, and investors, this session offers a practical look at how companies position themselves for meaningful outcomes — and what leaders should be thinking about long before a deal is on the table.