Building Connections That Matter: Resiin CEO Helen Kontozopoulos Shares Founder Journey at Cultivator's Startup Summit in Regina

Source: The Cultivator - Regina, Canada

The energy was electric at Cultivator's recent Startup Summit, where our founder and CEO Helen Kontozopoulos led an engaging Ask-Me-Anything (AMA) session in the exclusive Founder Loft. The intimate setting provided the perfect backdrop for Helen to share her wealth of experience and insights with fellow entrepreneurs.

Drawing from her journey of building and scaling multiple startups, Helen offered candid perspectives on the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship. Her story of growing ODAIA from inception to a 100-person, Series B funded AI company resonated deeply with founders in attendance. Now, as she builds Resiin, Helen continues to push boundaries in how technology can enhance professional relationships and community building.

What makes Helen's mentorship particularly valuable is her unique blend of experiences. As an Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto's Department of Computer Science, she has guided countless students through the startup journey, helping them transform innovative ideas into successful ventures. Her commitment to nurturing innovation extends across multiple prestigious programs - she serves as a mentor at Intel Ignite in the UK, The Firehood - Women in Tech Funding group, Utest at the University of Toronto, and YSpace at York University, dedicating herself to nurturing early-stage startups and inspiring the next generation of innovators. This combination of academic insight, real-world entrepreneurial experience, and extensive mentorship allows her to offer practical, actionable advice to founders at every stage.

Over lunch, founders had the opportunity to engage in curated one-on-one meetings, creating the kind of meaningful connections that can transform early-stage companies. Helen's session emphasized the importance of building authentic relationships in the startup ecosystem – a philosophy that aligns perfectly with our mission at Resiin.

The Startup Summit exemplified what makes the founder community special: the willingness to share experiences, learn from each other, and build connections that extend far beyond a single event. As Helen often says, it's these genuine relationships that form the foundation of successful entrepreneurship.