How Canadian Small Businesses Are Using AI to Level Up
Artificial intelligence isn’t just for tech giants or coders anymore; it’s officially landed in the hands of Canada’s small business community. To kick off Small Business Month, Pier Five teamed up with HP Canada to launch The AI Studio in Toronto—a one-of-a-kind, hands-on workshop designed to show founders what happens when creativity meets cutting-edge technology.
The goal? To help Canadian small business owners discover how AI and HP’s Next Gen AI PCs can make their lives easier.
Hosted in the heart of the city, The AI Studio brought together 20 entrepreneurs and founders from across industries—hospitality, fashion, media, tech, wellness, and beyond—for a full day of learning, connection, and collaboration. It wasn’t your typical tech talk or keynote marathon. Every detail of the event was intentionally built around real challenges gathered through a pre-event survey. The result: sessions that were personal, relevant, and immediately actionable for the people shaping Canada’s creative economy.
“The AI Studio was built to inspire small business owners to explore how AI can work for them,” said Pier Five. “Partnering with HP was a natural fit because we share the same goal: empowering Canada’s small business community with the right tools to grow and thrive.”
The day unfolded through two core sessions reflecting the dual life of every entrepreneur: operations and creativity. The morning tackled productivity—how AI can automate workflows, streamline admin chaos, and give back the one thing founders never have enough of: time. The afternoon flipped the script, diving into how AI can help with brand storytelling, content creation, and marketing strategy. For founders juggling a dozen hats, it was an inside look at how to work smarter, not harder.
Leading the technology side was HP Commercial Category Business Manager Towen Chrea, who showcased the power of HP’s Next Gen AI PCs in real time. These aren’t just faster laptops—they’re adaptive tools designed to anticipate workflow needs and make creative work feel almost intuitive. Whether it’s building smarter marketing briefs, designing visuals, or tightening cybersecurity with on-device tools, the takeaway was clear: AI isn’t a future concept anymore—it’s the present advantage.
“We’re still at the beginning of the AI revolution, but small business owners who lean in now will be the ones leading tomorrow,” Pier Five shared. “AI and HP’s Next Gen AI PCs give founders the superpower of time.”
And while the technology stole the spotlight, the energy in the room came from the connections. Between sessions, founders swapped insights, shared stories, and even took part in professional portrait sessions to elevate their personal brands—because let’s be real, entrepreneurs are their own best marketing campaigns. Everyone left with co-branded Pier Five x HP Canada merch, a few new contacts, and a new sense of what’s possible.
“Entrepreneurs who attended are already implementing AI into their businesses—building smart agents to manage operations, designing AI-powered marketing briefs, and improving their cybersecurity,” said Pier Five. “The momentum is real.”
That ripple effect matters. Canada’s 1.1 million small businesses make up 98% of the country’s total businesses and employ six out of ten Canadians in the private sector. A third of those are women-led, while immigrant-led SMEs now make up 31%—driving nearly three-quarters of all SME export growth since 2017. It’s a vibrant, diverse community that fuels Canada’s innovation engine—and initiatives like The AI Studio are helping them future-proof that success.
As Small Business Month wraps, Pier Five says the mission continues. “At Pier Five, we believe in giving small business owners the same access to innovation as big companies,” they said. “HP’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurs through their Next Gen AI PCs made this collaboration a perfect match.”
The AI Studio was a glimpse at how Canadian entrepreneurs can use technology to level the playing field, reclaim their time, and focus on what they love most: building ideas that matter.
“This is such an exciting time to be a founder,” Pier Five added. “AI is opening doors for creativity, efficiency, and connection that didn’t exist even a year ago. We’re embracing it with open arms.”
