Powered by Elevate, CIX Honours Canada's Leading Financial Innovator for Record-Breaking Year of Growth and Product Innovation

CEO Mike Katchen to Participate in Keynote Fireside Chat at CIX Summit on March 25 in Toronto

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / February 19, 2026 / Elevate has announced that Wealthsimple has been named the 2026 CIX Innovator of the Year, recognizing the Toronto-based fintech company's exceptional performance and transformative impact on Canada's financial services landscape over the past year. The honour comes following a pivotal year in which Wealthsimple doubled its assets under administration to over $100 billion, secured a landmark $750 million equity financing round at a post-money valuation of $10 billion, and launched groundbreaking products that are reshaping how Canadians save, invest, and manage their money.

Wealthsimple CEO and Co-founder Mike Katchen will accept the award and take the stage at CIX Summit on March 25, 2026 at the Design Exchange in Toronto, joining 600+ investors, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders from across North America's technology ecosystem.

Selected by the CIX Advisory Board and presented by the National Angel Capital Organization (NACO), this prestigious award recognizes companies that have profoundly disrupted and transformed their industries, with past recipients including Shopify, Wattpad, Clio, and Lightspeed.

"Wealthsimple exemplifies the bold innovation and execution that the CIX Innovator of the Year award celebrates," said Lisa Zarzeczny, CEO of Elevate. "Their commitment to using technology to democratize access to sophisticated financial tools is exactly the kind of innovation Canada needs more of. We're thrilled to honour their achievements and hear from Mike at CIX Summit about how they're continuing to push boundaries in an industry ripe for disruption."

A Year of Unprecedented Growth and Innovation

The CIX Innovator of the Year honour recognizes companies that are not only achieving commercial success but fundamentally changing their industries.

In 2025, Wealthsimple cemented its position as a disruptive force in Canadian financial services with a series of major milestones:

Record Growth: Assets under administration doubled from $50 billion to over $100 billion, with the company adding more than 650,000 new clients and serving over 3 million Canadians

Major Funding Round: Raised $750 million in equity financing at a $10 billion post-money valuation in October 2025, enabling the company to scale from a position of strength while maintaining profitability

Product Innovation Leadership: Became the first platform in Canada to offer 24/5 trading for U.S. stocks; launched sophisticated trading tools, including margin accounts and expanded options strategies; introduced a highly-anticipated credit card

Strategic Acquisitions: Acquired investment research platform Fey and wealth management platform Plenty, strengthening its comprehensive financial services ecosystem

Market Impact: Captured 35% of all First Home Savings Accounts opened in Canada and became one of the top three institutions in the country for net deposits

Join Mike Katchen at CIX Summit 2026

CIX Summit, taking place March 25, 2026 at the Design Exchange in downtown Toronto, is Canada's premier investment summit and startup awards program. This year's Summit features curated startup presentations, keynotes and panels with industry-leading executives including Katchen, 1:1 Meeting Exchanges with access to 80 North American investors, and curated networking opportunities.

The one-day program includes:

Meeting Exchanges: Over 450 one-on-one meeting opportunities between founders and investors

Investor Forum: Exclusive gathering of North American VCs and LPs for off-the-record conversations

Founder Forum: Practical guidance on seed fundraising, cap table structuring, non-dilutive capital strategies, and more

CIX Startup Award Presentations: Fourteen exceptional Canadian startups that received the 2026 CIX Startup Awards will present to investors and industry leaders

Secure your Early Bird tickets before February 26, 2026 at CIXSummit.com

CIX Summit is made possible by its Gold Sponsors: TMX; National Angel Capital Organization (NACO), Silver Sponsors: DMZ; MarTechDo, and Bronze Sponsors: IDEaS; Invest Hong Kong; National Bank; Orchard Benefits; University of Toronto; Global Affairs Canada, Canada Revenue Agency; Capital Canada; OddBee; Islands; AccessWire. With support from the Government of Canada.

About Elevate
Elevate is a Canadian non-profit that unites world-class innovators to catalyze transformation in the Canadian tech ecosystem. Through year-round programs and events, including the annual Elevate Festival and CIX Summit, Elevate places a spotlight on Canadian innovation, facilitates global connections with startups and investors, and inspires Canadians to embrace a go-for-gold mentality to help shape the future of the Canadian innovation economy. Elevate has hosted global icons such as First Lady & Author Michelle Obama, Businesswoman & TV personality Martha Stewart, CEO of OpenAI Sam Altman, Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, and U.S. Vice President Al Gore, each of whom has inspired millions of people. Learn more at Elevate.ca.

Media can apply for a CIX Summit media pass and access more photos by visiting https://cixsummit.com/press-room
Media contact: Alison Uttley, Associate Director, Marketing and Communications for Elevate, alison@elevate.ca

SOURCE: Elevate