Entrepreneur and venture capitalist Arlene Dickinson and Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas are joining the speaker lineup for the 2026 Energy Disruptors: UNITE summit, scheduled for Sept. 28 and 29 at Calgary's BMO Centre.
The two Calgary leaders are among the latest speakers announced for the event, which will bring together founders, investors, policymakers, executives, entrepreneurs and innovators for discussions on energy, technology, economic competitiveness, leadership and other forces shaping Canada and the world.
Calgary voices added to global lineup
Dickinson, founder and general partner of District Ventures Capital, will bring an entrepreneurship and investment perspective to discussions about innovation, leadership and building companies in a changing economic environment.
District Ventures Capital invests in companies in the food and beverage and health and wellness sectors. Dickinson is also a three-time bestselling author, philanthropist and longtime venture capitalist on CBC's Dragons' Den.
Her honours include induction into the Southern Alberta Business Hall of Fame and Marketing Hall of Legends, recognition in Canada's Most Powerful Women Top 100 Hall of Fame, and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond and Platinum Jubilee Awards.
Farkas, Calgary's 38th mayor, will provide a civic leadership perspective at the summit in the city where the event is being held.
Born and raised in East Calgary, Farkas was first elected to Calgary City Council in 2017. He later served as a non-profit director, community volunteer and CEO of the Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation before being elected mayor in 2025.
The announcement comes as Calgary undergoes growth and transformation, highlighting infrastructure, investment, affordability, talent and economic competitiveness as issues increasingly central to discussions involving cities.
“There is a reason this event is held in Calgary. Calgary has always been a city built by people willing to take risks, solve hard problems and think bigger about what’s possible,” said Graeme Edge, Co-Founder & CEO of Energy Disruptors: UNITE. “Arlene and Mayor Farkas represent two different parts of that story: one through entrepreneurship, investment and building companies, and the other through civic leadership and building a city. We’re incredibly proud to welcome both of them to the UNITE stage in their hometown.”
Atwood, Cameron and Cowen among featured speakers
Dickinson and Farkas join a previously announced group of speakers that includes Canadian author and public intellectual Margaret Atwood, former United Kingdom prime minister Lord David Cameron and economist and public intellectual Tyler Cowen.
Atwood's work has explored technology, power, democracy, human behaviour, environmental stewardship and societal change, according to the release.
Cameron is expected to address issues including economic uncertainty, political polarization, energy security, competitiveness and national unity based on his experience as a former British prime minister.
Cowen's work focuses on innovation, artificial intelligence, productivity and economic growth, as well as the relationship between AI and access to abundant, reliable and affordable energy.
Energy and broader economic forces
Energy Disruptors: UNITE says its programming will examine energy alongside broader forces affecting economies and societies, including technology, geopolitics, entrepreneurship, public policy, infrastructure, human behaviour and leadership.
The summit is intended to explore how energy systems can be built to be resilient, competitive and secure while meeting the demands of a rapidly changing world.
The event is hosted in Calgary, which organizers describe as one of the world's significant energy capitals. The organization says the summit brings together speakers with differing views to examine developments affecting economies, industries and societies.
Full lineup of speakers can be found here.
Additional speakers and programming announcements are expected to be released in the coming weeks.