Opening Reception Day 1
Guests were welcomed into Ada's own Toronto headquarters for an opening reception designed to showcase the company's home base to staff from across North America. The Toronto-centric theme was felt immediately, from the signature cocktails to the clever food stations. Attendees explored culinary nods to iconic city neighborhoods, finding stations like the "Greek Town Grill" and a "Little Italy," which encouraged mingling and a sense of local discovery. The main "wow" moment of the evening was found in the office's working booths, which had been transformed into interactive phone booths. Stepping inside, guests picked up a receiver and found themselves in direct conversation with Ada's Voice AI, answering personal prompts about their favorite travel destinations. The true magic was revealed moments later, as these AI-gathered details were relayed to live human poets who crafted custom, heartfelt poems on the spot. This powerful activation became the talk of the evening, perfectly illustrating Ada's core mission of blending powerful AI with genuine "human heart" and personal connection. Aside from a brief welcome from the CEO, the evening was dedicated to this social, interactive experience, setting a perfectly relaxed and engaging tone for the days to come.
Arrival Experience Day 2
Guests arrived at 100 Queens Quay, a modern and very public lakeshore building, where they were greeted by friendly Ada staff acting as wayfinders in branded shirts and holding distinct lollipop signs who pushed attendees from all public entry points directly up to the dedicated third-floor conference space. This personal touch made the transition from public to private seamless.
At the registration desk, guests received their unique custom badges, which not only had their names but also their job titles and home cities, serving as an immediate, built-in icebreaker. The check-in process was frictionless, with the on-site team fully prepared to print new badges for any last-minute additions, ensuring no guest felt overlooked.
After checking in, guests entered the main foyer, which was purposefully designed for networking. A healthy "brain food" breakfast was served, setting an energetic and focused tone for the day of learning ahead. To ensure a smooth flow, the food and beverage options were clearly displayed on two large, branded pillars in the center of the room, preventing bottlenecks and guiding attendees.
Conference Plenary & Round Tables
After breakfast, everyone moved into the main plenary room. The space itself felt clean and cool, and the seating was a strategic mix of comfortable lounge furniture and traditional theater-style rows, allowing guests to choose their preferred way to engage. The day officially kicked off with a welcome message from the CEO.
Following the opening plenary and a quick coffee break, the energy shifted to a highly collaborative and fast-paced block of round tables. Guests were divided into groups and rotated through four different boardrooms for 20-minute, instructor-led sessions. These were active working sessions, not passive lectures. Each room was fully equipped with large LED walls for presentations, whiteboards for live brainstorming, and notebooks and pens at every seat. Guests could feel the hands-on collaboration. The event team ensured a premium experience by resetting and tidying each room between the four rotations, so every group entered a fresh, prepared space with fresh water, ready for the next wave of ideas.
Lunch
For lunch, attendees were invited out onto the beautiful terrace to take full advantage of the lovely day. The menu was a vibrant and diverse spread of food stations designed to cater to all tastes and dietary needs, including a hummus bar, fresh poke bowls, sliders, and a taco station. This setup encouraged movement and mingling. While guests explored the stations, servers continuously passed canapés; a thoughtful strategy that ensured attendees could start eating and networking immediately, rather than getting "hangry" in a line. The undisputed highlight was the Horatio Bar, a special activation with one of Ada's clients. This branded propeller station served lovely barista-made cappuccinos and espressos, drawing long, happy lineups throughout the entire lunch break.
Marketplace
The interactive Ada Marketplace, which launched during the lunch hour. This was a brilliant gamification of the traditional swag experience. Guests received a passport and were encouraged to visit booths hosted by Ada's own clients, like Yeti, Roots, and Goodfood. The goal wasn't just a stamp-grab; it was to have a genuine conversation with the client partner. Stamps could also be earned at "Ask Ada" booths for internal product knowledge. Once a guest's passport was full [totaling 425 points], they were invited to shop at a stylish, fully-merchandised swag store. Even with limited inventory [like only 96 Yetis], the shelves were expertly staged to look full and abundant. The grand prize was a highly-coveted customized Roots crew neck, but everyone left a winner, as client Loop provided high-quality earplugs for all 300 attendees.
Afternoon Workshops & Closing Session
After the high energy of the lunch and marketplace, guests were re-focused for the final block of content. They rotated through one last round of the intensive workshops in the boardrooms, diving back into collaborative problem-slowing. A final afternoon break, complete with fresh signage and snacks in the foyer, helped recharge everyone for the home stretch. The day's official programming concluded back in the main plenary room, first with an engaging panel discussion and then a final, synthesizing closing message from the CEO. The energy in the room was palpable; despite a long, content-rich day, the team was left feeling visibly pumped and happy and aligned on the company's message.
Evening Reception
To celebrate the successful conclusion of the summit, guests were invited to stay for an evening reception, moving back out onto the scenic patio. This final gathering perfectly tied back to the Toronto-centric theme from Day 1. A live musical duo, Meloponics, created a cool, relaxed busker vibe with just a keyboard and guitar. It was the perfect counterpoint to the day's high-tech, structured sessions. With drinks and passed canapés in hand, attendees were able to decompress, connect with colleagues on a purely social level, and enjoy the city view, ending the two-day experience on a high note.
