- Main Stage
How to Build AI Startups and Multi-Agent Platforms to Exit
About This Session
Deciding to build an AI startup is the first step on an exciting and very challenging journey. Dr. Abu-Hakima took the plunge more than two decades ago, stepping out of a government R&D lab at NRC where she was working on AI. Since then, she has co-founded three AI startups and achieved two successful exits — both leveraging well-engineered AI platforms capable of processing millions of messages for large financial, government, or entertainment customers.
Both exits targeted regulatory compliance: the first platform automatically analyzed outgoing enterprise email for securities violations (Sarbanes-Oxley, PIPEDA, HIPAA) and was acquired by Entrust; the second, an agent platform for facility safety (airports, schools, sports venues) from active shooter threats, was acquired by Genasys (NASDAQ). This session focuses on building AI startups and agent platforms to succeed.
Key Takeaways
1. How to build an agent-based AI platform for the real world and exit, based on two NASDAQ acquisitions
2. Leveraging agent-based AI examples from the startup portfolio
3. Lessons learned in acquiring international government and Fortune 100 customers
4. Why 92% of startups fail — and what the 8% who succeed do differently
Speakers
Dr. Suhayya (Sue) Abu-Hakima
Alstari
Dr. Sue Abu-Hakima is Co-Founder and CEO of Alstari Corporation, focusing on privacy, safety, and security in AI. She is a serial entrepreneur with award-winning international acclaim, holding 48 international patents related to AI, security, public safety, and messaging. A graduate of both McGill and Carleton Universities (Masters and PhD in AI), her first company,...
Track
- Main Stage
Date
November 5, 2026
Time
2:30 pm
–
3:15 pm
Room
Main Theatre