The AI Lab: Learn, Build and Break into Tech
Many people have ideas they want to explore, problems they want to solve, or projects they’ve thought about building—but rarely create the space to actually start working on them.
The AI Lab, hosted by Re-Defined during Toronto Tech Week, is a 5–6 hour collaborative innovation experience designed to help people take that first step.
Participants can either bring a problem or idea they are passionate about or choose from suggested themes and challenges provided during the event. Working in diverse teams that combine technical and non-technical perspectives, participants will move through the early stages of the innovation process: identifying a meaningful problem, exploring possible solutions, and beginning to build something around that idea.
The event begins with two skill-leveling workshops designed to ensure that both technical and non-technical participants feel confident using the tools available during the session.
Once teams are formed, participants will spend the core portion of the event working together to explore a problem, develop an idea, and begin building around it using AI tools and available resources. Mentors and professionals will be available throughout the session to support teams, answer questions, and guide them through the process.
The event concludes with a community showcase and networking session, where teams can share what they worked on, exchange feedback, and learn about the ideas others explored during the lab.
For many participants, this experience will serve as a first step toward turning an idea into something tangible—whether that becomes a portfolio project, a side project, or simply the beginning of a bigger idea.
At its core, the AI Lab is about creating the space, community, and encouragement people need to stop waiting and start building.
Agenda
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM | Check-In & Networking
11:30 AM – 11:50 AM | Welcome & Icebreaker
11:50 AM – 12:50 PM | Skill-Leveling Workshops.
12:50 PM – 1:10 PM | Team Formation & Break
1:10 PM – 4:10 PM | Collaborative Build Session
Teams work together to identify a problem, develop an idea, and begin building a solution using AI tools and available resources, with guidance from mentors and facilitators.
4:10 PM – 5:00 PM | Community Showcase & Networking
Participants walk around the room to explore what other teams built, share ideas, exchange feedback, and connect with others in the community.
5:00 PM onwards | Wrap Up & Pictures
Who This Event Is For
This event is designed for individuals interested in building with AI and exploring ideas in a collaborative environment, including:
Developers and technical professionals
Designers, operators, and product thinkers
Students and early-career professionals
Newcomers to Canada exploring opportunities in tech
Individuals from non-technical backgrounds curious about building with AI
Professionals exploring entrepreneurial ideas or side projects
Participants do not need to arrive with a fully formed idea—problem prompts and themes will also be provided during the event.
What Participants Leave With
By the end of the event, participants would have:
Taken the first step toward building something they care about
Worked with a team to develop an idea and start creating a real product or solution
Gained hands-on experience using modern AI tools
Built connections with collaborators, mentors, and other builders in the community
Participants leave with something tangible they can call their own:
a portfolio project,
the start of a side project, or
the early foundation of something they may continue building beyond the event.
Teams who wish to continue developing their ideas after the event may also receive support and opportunities to stay connected with the Re-Defined community.
About Hosts
Re-Defined is a global community empowering international students, newcomers, and early-career professionals to unlock opportunities in today’s evolving job market. Through events, mentorship, and skill/experience-building programs, Re-Defined has supported 50,000+ people. Our mission is simple: bridge the gap between potential and opportunity.
Toronto Tech Week is a citywide celebration of the people building what’s next. From May 25–29, 2026, founders, investors, and builders come together for hundreds of community-led events across Toronto, connecting tens of thousands of people around Canadian tech. Torontotechweek.com