Having been postponed due to the pandemic, the eighth annual Atlantic Venture Forum will now be held as an online event on Oct. 28 and 29.

Calgary-based Critical Path Group, which stages the forum for startups and investors, had considered waiting until next spring to hold its next in-person event. But given the uncertainty about how long the pandemic will last, the company has decided to proceed with a virtual event this year.

The group is still working out the details of the conference, but it hopes to attract a broad range of companies to present, and has already signed up several investment groups to attend the event.

“The intention will be to focus on the companies that are actively fundraising,” said Critical Path Principal and Founder Marc Elrick in an interview. “Whereas at the beginning of the year, our program focus was on a relatively small number of presenting companies, I think now we’re going to swap it around and try to provide a platform for more companies.”

The presenting companies will be broken into four groups: information technology; cleantech; healthcare and life sciences; and ocean technology. As well as presenting to “a virtual roomful” of people online, the organizers are working on a system that will allow for one-on-one meetings between founders and investors.

Elrick added the group still plans to have keynote speakers at the event, possibly with more and shorter keynote addresses.

Companies interested at presenting at the virtual event can apply here. Applications close Sept. 14.