Dx3, Canada's largest conference and trade show focused on digital marketing, advertising, tech and retail, takes place on March 8-9 in Toronto. Early bird tickets are available until Friday, January 27. This year’s theme is 'Experience Digital', with a focus on building better consumer experiences, startups, and an innovation challenge we discussed earlier this month.

Attendees are encouraged to network and form new business relationships, creating exceptional value for everyone involved. Startups will be a key focus for 2017. "We want to boost that community. A lot of startups are innovative and there’s so much growth happening, a lot of enterprises can also benefit from them,” says event spokesperson Eric Mercer.

It’s the sixth year that Dx3 has held its popular Toronto conference, and one of this year’s Dx3 keynote speakers is Warren Tomlin — IBM’s Chief Innovation Officer. The conference features a variety of attractions, such as engaging thought leadership speakers (such as Doug Stephens, aka ‘Retail Prophet’, David’s Tea co-founder David Segal, and others), interactive VR showrooms, a tech spotlight with journalist Amber Mac, and PayPal’s startup zones.

Startups will be a key focus, with Dx3 hosting the Canadian Retail Innovation Challenge — six Canadian startups will pitch before a Dx3 audience, and two winners will be able to debut their tech at Yorkdale Shopping Centre (or another mall owned by Oxford Properties Group). As well, winners will have the opportunity pitch in front of the Retail Council of Canada’s board of directors, which includes the heads of some of the country’s top retailers.

Dx3 launched the Innovation Challenge after identifying the trend towards online retailers opening brick-and-mortar stores (such as Warby Parker, Frank + Oak and Indochino). Mr. Mercer said “these innovative companies are starting online and moving to bricks-and-mortar, and bringing their interesting technology and ways that they’re engaging consumers into the store,” going on to say, “In chatting with Oxford Properties and Retail Council of Canada, it’s something people can get behind. Wouldn’t it be great to boost the community in startups in Canada who are trying to change the future of retail and try to help them?”

We’ve partnered with Dx3 for this year’s event, recognizing its exceptional educational and networking opportunities. Early bird passes are available until January 27. Startups looking to apply for the Retail Innovation Challenge have until then to apply, as well.

*Partner content. To work with Retail Insider, contact craig@retail-insider.com.