Founder Fridays: Remote Work Revolution Author Chat
2021-06-04 12:00 - 2021-06-21 13:00 (America/Edmonton) | Virtual Online
June 4 : Fireside chat with Tsedal Neeley, author of Remote Work Revolution : How to Work From Anywhere Founder Fridays is a series of fireside chats with authors of books that are typically held on the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month, the initiative is based on the success of a fireside chat with Ian Hathaway (Brad Feld’s co-author on their latest book) that had 300+ participants and gave away 100 copies of The Startup Community Way to attendees from across Alberta.
Each month you can register for either or both of two sessions:
A fireside chat with an author where the last 15 minutes is a Q & A session with the participants and a link is provided so those from Alberta can request a free copy of the author’s book.
Table discussions held two weeks later (sometimes with, sometimes without the author) to discuss the different ways the content from the fireside chat and the author’s book can be applied to Alberta’s Startup Community.
Founder Fridays are designed to support Alberta’s entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, ecosystem builders and service providers by:

Upskilling entrepreneurs, mentors, ecosystem builders and service providers
Developing entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship support in and around post-secondary institutions
Helping startups grow faster and develop the expertise and traction required to attract capital
Increasing the volume of startups and the velocity at which they progress through the Startup Commons stages

Working with existing entrepreneurship support organizations to expand their mentor network Founder Fridays is a joint initiative of 150 Startups, Bow Valley College, Futurepreneur, Rainforest Alberta, and the Venture Mentoring Service of Alberta and are made possible by the generous support of Bow Valley College, RBC, The Hunter Family Foundation, Calgary Innovation Coalition, RINSA, and Women Entrepreneurs-in-STEM.
Past Sessions:
April 9 : Fireside chat with Cory Bray, author of Sales Playbooks: The Builders Toolkit April 23 : Roundtable discussion with Joseph Fung on how to apply the learnings from Cory’s fireside chat and book May 7 : Fireside chat with Vijay Govindarajan, author of The Three Box Solution Call or text Craig Elias (+1.403.874.2998) if you have any questions or suggestions for future authors and their books.

A New Type of Capitalism: Canadian Club of Toronto
2021-06-08 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual Online
All eyes are on social responsibility as the business community responds to the pandemic’s economic impacts. Canadian businesses — large and small — have stepped up to support each other and their communities during the pandemic. Leaders agree – those that prioritize community will ultimately be more sustainable, more resilient and better set up for long-term business growth. Join Canadian Club Toronto on June 8 for a discussion that will feature opening remarks from Guy Cormier, CEO of Desjardins Group, and a panel of business leaders including Jenn Harper, Founder of Indigenous-owned beauty brand Cheekbone Beauty and Kayla Isabelle, CEO of StartUp Canada – both who have a unique perspective on “doing good through business”, and supporting their communities and other entrepreneurs along the way. The panel will be moderated by David Skok, Editor in Chief of The Logic, Canada’s innovation economy news outlet. Join us in this exciting, important discussion.
This event is free of charge thanks to our sponsor. You will receive the access link on the morning of the event.

Biography
Guy Cormier
President and CEO, Desjardins Group
Guy Cormier was 26 years old when joined the world of cooperatives and started working at Desjardins Group. He became the president and CEO in 2016, and is completely transforming the organization with his member- and client-focused vision.
He’s a leader who puts innovation, people and communities first. These values are key to his goal to make Desjardins everyone’s #1 choice.
That’s why he created the GoodSpark Fund to support different community projects.
Guy is also actively involved in engaging youth. He became the first sponsor of Academos, an organization that helps young people reach their full potential by connecting them with professionals in the workforce. He also supports shared prosperity, sustainable economic development and building a more open and inclusive society.
Kayla Isabelle
CEO, StartUp Canada
Kayla Isabelle is the CEO of Startup Canada, the national rallying community supporting and giving a voice to Canada’s 3.5 million entrepreneurs. Kayla has dedicated her career to supporting entrepreneurs, both in Canada and internationally. An advocate for women in leadership, Kayla is also the host of the Startup Women Podcast focused on providing resources to women entrepreneurs across Canada.
Kayla is the Board Chair of the Innovators and Entrepreneurs Foundation, President of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Ottawa Chapter, and a former Board Member of the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS). With a passion for mentorship, Kayla runs the IABC Members Connect Mentorship program, is a Carleton University Network Mentor, and Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO) Career Mentor. Kayla has also worked as a Coach at the World Skills Employment Centre for newcomers to Canada, and as a Volunteer with the Darkness into Light Suicide Prevention initiative.
Jenn Harper
Founder and CEO, Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics INC.
An award-winning social entrepreneur, Jenn Harper is the founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics INC. Cheekbone Beauty is a digitally native direct to consumer brand with a mission to help Indigenous youth see themselves in a beauty brand while using the concept of a circular economy in the brands ethos and in developing their latest line of products. Creating a new segment in the beauty industry – Sustainable Socially Conscious Beauty
Jenn Harper has been making a name for herself in the beauty industry for a number of years but has been gaining popularity quickly after being on the hit CBC show, Dragons Den. Cheekbone Beauty is helping Indigenous youth see themselves in a beauty brand.
In addition to Cheekbone’s mission, she strives to educate as many people as possible about the Residential School System and the effects it has had on my family and friends through decades of generational trauma. She speaks regularly to university, college and high school students about social entrepreneurship, empathy and the history of her First Nations family. She has also been invited to speak to various entrepreneur groups, women in business associations, Apple Canada and First Nations organizations.
David Skok
Founder and Editor-in-Chief, The Logic
Before founding The Logic in 2018, David Skok was the associate editor and head of editorial strategy at the Toronto Star. He has also served as the managing editor and vice-president of digital for the Boston Globe, and as the co-creator and director of digital for Global News. David is a leading thinker on digital transformation who co-published a seminal paper on disruption in the news industry with the Harvard Business School professor Clayton M. Christensen. David sits on the advisory board for the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University and has served as a juror for the Pulitzer Prizes in journalism.

Building a Winning Team for your Startup & Finding the Right Co-founders
2021-06-08 17:00 - 18:00 | Virtual Online
Summary
entrepreneurship@UBC’s Community Town Hall series brings us together to share announcements, gain insights from industry leaders and network across our ecosystem.
Building a winning team and finding the right co-founders is critical to the success of your startup. Attracting talent that is diverse across backgrounds and skill sets, forward thinking and adds to your culture are key milestones in your journey that can make or break your venture.
Yet, as early-stage founders and business people, how do you begin to identify the gaps in your team, hire the right talent and bring on co-founders who align with and strengthen your vision?
Details
Join us June 8th as we hear from three entrepreneurs from our community who will share their journeys building a winning team, finding their co-founders and attracting game changing talent. We are thrilled to be welcoming Akshay Gupta, CEO & Founder at Bit Happier Inc and mentor with entrepreneurship@UBC, Amielle Lake, CCO of HATCH alumni CarboNet (and former Entrepreneur in Residence with entrepreneurship@UBC!), and Zack Eberwein, Co-founder and CEO of HATCH alumni Stoko, moderated by our CORE Venture Activator, Fraser Pogue.
Plus, meet our newest cohort of UBC Sauder Venture Development Specialists who will be joining us this summer and hear from our venture community themselves on their recent accomplishments and milestones!
During this event you will:

Hear from our star-studded panel of Entrepreneurs on their experience building winning teams, attracting talent to their startup and how they found the right co-founders

Meet our newest cohort of UBC Sauder Venture Development Specialists

Find out what’s coming down the pipeline for ventures and share your recent news/accomplishments with the community. Are you hiring?
Connect with like-minded entrepreneurs and innovators.

Meet our Featured Panelists
Akshay Gupta, CEO & Founder at Bit Happier Inc.
As an Entrepreneur with a Master of Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation, I have years of experience with proven competence in Design Thinking, Product Development, Risk Assessment, Customer Engagement, Agile Development, Business Development and Business Transformation within the financial industry, consulting and startup industry; I can link corporate vision to the delivery of desired results through people empowerment and the effective use of resources, processes, and technologies. I have learned first-hand the impact of technology in the business world. Driven by my passion for learning more about technology, I went back to school to pursue my Master of Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation (a graduate business degree specializing in tech startups) from Saint Mary’s University in Canada. In school, I stumbled upon new emerging technologies, and ever since, I have been committed to identifying and implementing innovative solutions around the world. Because of my passion for new technologies, I have achieved my IBM Blockchain Foundation Developer certification. I am also a recipient of the “Durland Innovation Award” for a Blockchain application. I also hold an honours degree in Business Economics from the University of Delhi and a multitude of Design Thinking certifications. I am currently on a mission to change 1 billion lives through my mental health/ behavioural thinking company — Bit Happier Inc.
Amielle Lake, Chief Commercial Officer of CarboNet
Amielle Lake founded Tagga, marketing technology platform, in 2008 after working in marketing and corporate communications in the finance industry. In February 2017, Tagga was acquired by Campaign Monitor. In 2018, Amielle co-founded the Women’s Equity lab, a women’s investment group focused on developing the next generation of women shareholders. The organization is now in its third year with chapters in Victoria, Vancouver and the Okanagan. In 2019, Amielle joined Dr. Michael Carlson, Barry Yates and Bill Schonbrun to effectively found and commercialize CarboNet. CarboNet is a clean technology company that has developed a unique chemistry to treat industrial wastewater. The company’s mission is to end the issue of contaminated water. A lofty mission to be sure, but Amielle is a firm believer in doing well and doing good. As CarboNet’s Chief Commercial Officer, Amielle is working with industry to recycle their wastewater and lessen their reliance on freshwater. Amielle is passionate about entrepreneurship and an advocate for women in business. She holds an MBA and is also a published author.
Zack Eberwein, Co-founder and Chief Executive Office of Stoko
Zack is an entrepreneur and mechanical engineer who chose to write his own story, founding Stoko in 2017 with two of his closest friends. Stoko has redefined how athletes overcome injuries by introducing an entirely new category of supportive apparel. By incorporating adjustable medical-grade bracing seamlessly into everyday athletic clothing, the Stoko team has created an entirely new method of joint support, eliminating the need to wear traditional braces altogether. Personally, Zack is a strong believer in the importance of building meaningful relationships with others, fostering a strong company culture, and living with a growth mindset. He consistently strives to create positive change in the world and inspire others to do the same; starting with Stoko’s community of athletes.
Format

Welcome!

Meet our Venture Development Specialists

Venture announcements (submit yours in the RSVP!)
Featured panel on building a winning team and finding the right co-founders

Who should attend
This event is for entrepreneurship@UBC’s community of ventures from Phases 1-4/HATCH, Entrepreneurs in Residence (EiRs), Mentors, and the UBC community at large.
Session information
Zoom information will be available via your registration confirmation email. As well, it will be on the online event page. Attendees will also be sent the Zoom link and password to their registered email in advance of the session.
About entrepreneurship@UBC
entrepreneurship@UBC propels UBC innovations out into the world through venture creation, providing UBC students, researchers, faculty members, alumni and staff with the resources, networks, and funding they need to succeed.
As one of the world’s top 40 research universities with 80,000 students, faculty and staff and over $650M annual research funding, UBC has long been a catalyst for innovation. Part of the Innovation UBC network, entrepreneurship@UBC supports UBC ventures and entrepreneurs to generate social and economic impacts in B.C. and around the world. To date, entrepreneurship@UBC has worked with over 561 ventures who have raised more than $1.39 billion in funding, generated more than $116 million in revenue and hired more than 989 employees, stimulating the economic and social landscape of B.C. while building anchor companies that have a global impact.
Visit our website entrepreneurship.ubc.ca to learn more

LWOL: Accelerating Commercialization of AI
2021-06-09 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Online
Join us at Lunch Without Lunch every Wednesday to hear about the players, events, and news that are making our innovation ecosystem thrive. This weekly meeting is a regular check on the pulse of the community, open to people of any age, wage, or stage of company.
June 9– This week we will be joined by Crys Vanier, Executive Director at ISAIC. Find out how ISAIC helps to accelerate business adoption and commercialization of AI across Western Canada through a culture of trust.

Innovating Geospatial Technologies
2021-06-10 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Online
Join us as we learn how TECTERRA can help take your business to the next level and develop your technology with support programs.

About this event

Join Jonathan Neufeld, CEO of TECTERRA, and three leaders in the Alberta Internet of Things ecosystem for a panel talk. The themes being discussed will span from what geospatial technology is, to how location data solves real-world problems in everyday society and its incorporation into the Internet of Things.
TECTERRA invests in small but growing companies developing geospatial technology with higher than average technical risk and solving problems for large or clearly defined markets in Alberta and beyond. TECTERRA’s BUILD program empowers Alberta businesses to accelerate and de-risk the development and commercialization of innovative geospatial technology with a non-dilutive, 0% interest loan.
Agenda:

12:00pm – Opening Remarks (Alberta IoT)
12:10pm – General Session
12:40pm – Breakout Sessions
1:00pm – Close

Why Attend:

Discover The BUILD Program: A TECTERRA program that provides funding for projects with budgets greater than $300,000 with TECTERRA providing funding of up to 50% of your development and commercialization costs, to a maximum of $500,000 per project.
You might be eligible to apply for the HIRE Program: If you are an Alberta start up or small company needing to hire highly-qualified business or technical personnel, you may qualify for a non-repayable grant equivalent to 50% of the position salary for the first year of employment, up to $50,000.
Ask program specific questions and learn what it takes to be considered for funding.

About TECTERRA:
TECTERRA is a geospatial technology innovation support centre that supports the Canadian development and commercialization of geomatics technologies. The first centre of its kind, TECTERRA works with industry, entrepreneurs, researchers, and government affiliates to enable the use of geospatial technologies in addressing local, national and global challenges.
This event is supported by Alberta IoT’s generous annual sponsors – Alberta Innovates, Aruba Networks, MNP, Rogers Communications, Avaya, Canadian Blockchain Consortium, Lenovo, Microsoft, PCL, Socium Law, Titan Logix Corp and Tridon Communications.

Meet the Speakers:

Jonathan Neufeld | CEO of TECTERRA
Jonathan Neufeld is a relationship-based leader, employing big-picture thinking and a proven ability to translate ideas into action. He is a veteran of the geospatial industry, including leading teams to deliver results – whether they are delivering programs to support SME technology development projects or collecting airborne data internationally. As a leader, he believes in the power of constructive disagreement, of fostering an open positive environment.
Jonathan joined TECTERRA in 2011 and in 2016 he was appointed Chief Executive Officer. He has received a B.Sc in Geomatics Engineering, from the University of Calgary, and an MBA through the Haskayne School of Business.
He is a father of three young children; an avid hiker, climber, and cyclist; and is passionate and unwaveringly optimistic about where technology will take us into the future.
Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn here.

Ellen Christopherson | CEO of clearGRID Robotics
Ellen Christopherson is the CEO of clearGRID. clearGRID is focused on radio-frequency-based data collection and analysis to solve business problems for utility companies. By using technology to replace manual activities with automation, Ellen is paving the way for significant change in the utility industry, one meter at a time.
Ellen Christopherson has started two successful companies, earned her private pilots license, and, after a BSc in Mechanical Engineering, completed her Master’s Degree in Sustainable Energy Technology in Holland.
Connect with Ellen on LinkedIn here.

Tom Groenland | CEO of mcThings
Tom Groenland started and operated a successful electronics manufacturing business serving companies in the medical, consumer, energy and communications sectors. Tom has extensive experience in advanced manufacturing processes and low-power hardware design. Tom also secured $2 Million in seed funding for the company.
Connect with Tom on LinkedIn here.
Wilson Howe | CEO and Co-founder of Symroc
The CEO and Co-founder of Symroc, Wilson Howe, is a highly skilled engineering and business management professional with a track record of success in developing and improving projects for industrial operations. Wilson has obtained significant industrial experience in Oil and Gas exploration, production, oil sands development, chemical/petrochemical and power industries. Wilson is a Professional Engineer registered with APEGA, a certified PMP and has received his MBA from the University of Alberta. Wilson currently serves on the board of TIES (The Immigrant Education Society). Wilson is also an original founder and a board member of the Alberta IOT association.
Connect with Ellen on LinkedIn here.

InterGen PowerPlays | Early Stage Boards with Shawn Abbott
2021-06-10 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual Online
Shawn co-founded Inovia Capital in 2007 alongside Chris Arsenault, after spending more than 25 years as a successful founder and global executive. He is passionate about coaching entrepreneurs through their personal journey and acts as a force in developing more effective governance across the entire Inovia portfolio. Shawn leverages his insights and best-practices from an extensive board experience — including the HR & Governance and Risk & Compliance committees of Shareworks formerly, Solium the leading global supplier of equity plan administration software. Shawn also serves as a director on the boards of Top Hat, WorkFusion, Bench, Tugboat Logic, and Olameter, and works closely with leadership at Vital, Symend and other portfolio companies. Shawn was also founding Chair of the Alberta 100 Tech Entrepreneurs (“A100”), the leading VC community organization in Alberta which drove the establishment of AccelerateAB and the AccelerateFund. In addition, he played an instrumental role in re-launching the Venture Capital Association of Alberta as Chair until 2019 and active Venture Mentoring Services mentor. Shawn continues to actively engage with CETAC-WEST as a Mentor. Shawn is also an active coach and charter member Alberta VMS, having engaged with numerous entrepreneurs through its team coaching methodology both in Calgary and through the Edmonton chapter led by fellow Inovian Ray Muzyka. Shawn is further connected to the community through service on Dean Meddings’ advisory board at the Cumming School of Medicine and is an Associate with CDL-Rockies (Creative Destruction Labs).
Prior to Inovia, Shawn was a pioneer in internet security as CTO, then President, of publicly-traded security powerhouse Rainbow Technologies, overseeing several hundred employees in nearly 20 countries, navigating a dozen M&A transactions and driving a category rollup which positioned the company for a half-billion dollar exit. He holds the first patent as an inventor of the USB key, multiple patents in online banking and biometric security, has published widely on topics of internet security, and is an accomplished public speaker. Shawn founded, built, then sold the AND Group, the defacto-standard encryption-based eCommerce platform that powered an entire generation of digital sales, and was instrumental in launching CD-ROMs.

Women in the New Economy: Crypto, Blockchain, NFTs
2021-06-10 13:00 - 15:00 | Virtual Online
Join the Canadian Blockchain Association for Women and ecosystem partners for an innovative virtual event

About this Event

Join the Canadian Blockchain Association for Women and ecosystem partners for an innovative virtual event that showcases the opportunities for women in the emerging digital economy of crypto, NFTs, tokens and blockchain technology.
Canada stands at the brink of an unprecedented technological shift that will change all aspects of our economy, and diversity is the key its success.
The Canadian Blockchain Association for Women is hosting an event designed to build awareness of the opportunities for women in the digital economy and demystify participation in emerging growth areas like crypto, NFTs, and blockchain finance.

MLOps World - Machine Learning In Production
2021-06-14 08:00 - 2021-06-17 17:00 | Virtual Online
Join us for a virtual event dedicated exclusively to ML in Production. 4 days – Join when you can – all recordings provided

From optimism to opportunity: PwC presents insights from the CEO Survey
2021-06-15 09:00 - 10:00 | Virtual Online
Coming out of a very turbulent year, CEOs in Alberta are feeling optimistic, with the majority anticipating immense growth in the next 12 months.
As vaccines roll out and certain markets begin to re-open, it’s arguable that an economic bounce-back was inevitable, but optimism doesn’t equal opportunity. Alberta leaders will need to use the energy of a rebounding economy to set priorities that will sustain growth beyond the bounce.
In this webinar, PwC’s thought leaders will share insights based on findings from their recent CEO Survey, which explores the views of 337 chief executives across the county. The comprehensive data highlights elements such as the importance of business transformations most reportedly, digital enhancements as a way for CEOs and businesses to prioritize reaching future growth goals.
Join us for this informative event and learn the top priorities executive leaders will be implementing in their business strategies to ensure this optimistic growth becomes a seized opportunity.
Please confirm your attendance by Monday, June 14th @ 4PM. This webinar event will be hosted via Zoom, and a unique link will be emailed to all registrants 12-24 hours prior to this event.
Reynold Tetzlaff, Alberta Region and Calgary Office Managing Partner, PwC Canada
Reynold is the Alberta Region and Calgary Office Managing Partner and was formerly PwC Canada’s National Energy Leader for 8 years. He has been with the firm for 26 years and serves a broad base of public and private clients. Reynold is also currently a member of the PwC Canada extended leadership team that is active in setting and implementing the overall strategy and digital transformation for PwC Canada.
In his capacity as Managing Partner, Reynold offers deep connections within the Calgary community. He is on the Board of SAIT, the Patrons Council for Unicef, the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business Advisory Council, the Alberta Securities Commission New Economy Advisory Committee, Forum Vice Chair of the 23rd World Petroleum Council, is active with United Way and coaches a variety of sports. He also recently received his FCA from CPA Alberta.
Steve Hollinger, Office Managing Partner, Edmonton, PwC Canada
Steve is currently the managing partner of our Edmonton office and previously served as the Edmonton assurance practice leader and human capital partner. He has spent the majority of his 25-year career with the firm providing audit and related services to our Edmonton based private and public company clients. He has a wealth of experience dealing with large and growing private and public organizations.
Steve joined PwC in 1996 after earning his BCom degree with distinction from the University of Alberta. He has instructed courses on financial reporting, auditing, internal controls and audit committee effectiveness for PwC staff and clients, and for the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Are your AI algorithms biased?
2021-06-16 11:00 - 12:00 | Virtual Online
Are your AI algorithms biased? What you don’t know can hurt you and others – join this important conversation on how to detect and mitigate bias

Description
Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems can have unintended consequences as humans transfer conscious or unconscious bias to AI applications when developing algorithms. In a discussion focused on empowering companies to appreciate how “what you don’t know can hurt you (and others)” our expert panel will explore strategies to find and address bias for organizations at different stages of the AI journey.

Wine Wednesday with John Stackhouse
2021-06-16 16:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Online
Wine Wednesday with John Stackhouse

Description
John Stackhouse is a nationally bestselling author and one of Canada’s leading voices on innovation and economic disruption. He is senior vice-president in the Office of the CEO at Royal Bank of Canada, leading the organization’s research and thought leadership on economic, technological and social change. Previously, he was editor-in-chief of the Globe and Mail and editor of Report on Business. He is a senior fellow at the C.D. Howe Institute and the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy and sits on the boards of Queen’s University, the Aga Khan Foundation of Canada and the Literary Review of Canada. His latest book, Planet Canada: How Our Expats Are Shaping the Future, explores the untapped resource of the millions of Canadians who don’t live here but exert their influence from afar.
Join Sandi Gilbert as she chats with John and learns more about his thoughts on how Canada can be a driving force on a global scale and serve as inspiration to a generation of Calgarians that are having trouble looking forward.

Time

Jun 16, 2021 04:00 PM in Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Intelligent Grid Digital Transformation
2021-06-17 15:00 - 16:00 | Virtual Online
Join us as we learn from Peter Moser from HPE about Intelligent Grid Digital Transformation.

About this event

Digital transformation is not simple. It requires strategy, redesign of business models and processes, infrastructure, software, services, implementation, training, and ongoing support. HPE provides it all. Our portfolio spans cloud, security, IoT, mobility, and infrastructure. HPE Pointnext provides the expertise you need to achieve successful transformation.
Agenda:

3:00pm – Opening Remarks (Alberta IoT)
3:10pm – General Session
3:40pm – Breakout Sessions
4:00pm – Close

Why Attend:

Overcome poor capacity planning: Sometimes it can be difficult to identify the capacity you will need for your future digital efforts. Fortunately, HPE has agile solutions to increase your capacity planning in minutes.
Only pay for the services you use: HPE can help you transition to an IT as a service model and move towards composable infrastructure, reducing IT department complexity and lowering the total cost of ownership.
Make your infrastructure smarter: There’s no doubt that artificial intelligence is part of the future of digital business. HPE adds AI to data analytics and operational support so your infrastructure can effectively take care of itself.
Take advantage of the Internet of Things: HPE develops intelligent edge technology, Intelligent Spaces, and hybrid IT solutions to make businesses efficient, profitable, and competitive.We can assist you in transforming your business more quickly and easily than you ever thought possible.

Learn how you can use technology to transform your business more quickly and easily than you ever thought possible.
This event is presented by Long View Systems.
About HPE:
HPE is a global, edge-to-cloud Platform-as-a-Service company built to transform your business. How? By helping you connect, protect, analyze, and act on all your data and applications wherever they live, from edge to cloud, so you can turn insights into outcomes at the speed required to thrive in today’s complex world.
About Long View Systems:
Technology is our means, but your empowered workforce is our end. We support the world’s dynamic businesses by bringing agility, simplicity and insight to your people, so they can serve your clients. And we can do it because our offices are home to a team of the best and brightest business technologists from across the continent, united by a common mandate — we’re using technology to help the world work.

TNT Investment Summit
2021-06-17 16:00 - 20:00 | Virtual Online
At the TNT Investment Summit we’re raising at least $300,000 for local Edmonton and Calgary companies while also training new investors to become confident angels.
The eight-week process culminates in this final event, where we’ll hear from panel speakers, pitches from both top five companies, and of course the live announcement of at least two investments being made into a local startups!
Details and finalist companies to be updated closer to the date.
The after-party will be held on Discord, where you’ll have the chance to chat with the companies, investors, and folks from around the community. Grab a beverage and enjoy!

The Regulatory and Legal Implications of NFTs
2021-06-24 11:30 - 12:30
The Regulatory and Legal Implications of NFTs

About this event

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are a revolutionary way of commodifying intellectual property like art, videos and music and are causing a wave of transformation in financial markets. Skyrocketing prices for unique assets have led to an unprecedented interest in the issuance of tokens by companies – but regulatory and legal clarity will be essential in moving this emerging market forward.
Join the Canadian Blockchain Consortium’s Legal Committee to gain a deeper understanding of NFTs and their role in the growing digital asset universe, including regulatory challenges, legal implications and how business can stay compliant while benefiting from the NFT boom.

Alberta Business Awards of Distinction
2021-06-25 18:30 - 20:00
Event Information
The Alberta Business Awards of Distinction recognize businesses and organizations demonstrating outstanding achievements and contributions in their communities.
Join us virtually for our livestream event on Friday, June 25 when we will recognize this year’s finalists and announce our ABAD 2021 winners. The event will be emceed by Jennifer Crosby from Global Edmonton.
ABAD 2021 Virtual Event
Date: Friday, June 25, 2021
Start Time: 6:30 pm (doors open at 6 pm)
There is no cost to attend this year’s event but attendees are required to register in advance.

Click Here to Register

View Event Program

Valhalla Capital Amplify Live Pitch
2021-06-30 12:00 - 13:30 | Virtual Online
This monthly pitch series has been built out of lessons learned from 100 pitch events held live and on Zoom since 2016. Our goal for Amplify is to provide visibility for pitching startups from across the globe.
This Amplify Live Pitch will focus on entrepreneurial women from across the globe. We define women as anyone who identifies as such. This includes transgender women as well as all the different intersectionalities within womanhood.
When: Wednesday, June 30, 2021
11:00AM – 12:30PM PST | 2:00 – 3:30PM EST | 7:00 – 8:30PM GMT
Sponsored by: Pivot & Pilot

On June 30th, join us for our monthly Amplify Live Pitch, this time featuring all women-led companies!

What to expect:

Five startups that are either ready to launch or have recently launched will join us on the livestream stage.
They will have 3 minutes to pitch their startup and gain valuable feedback on their pitch structure and delivery from Volition’s pitch coaches.
As with our other pitch events, you can expect high-quality pitch tips and engagement–as the audience, we welcome you to share your thoughts and questions for the pitchers and pitch coaches.

LIVESTREAM STARTS @ 11:00 AM PST | 2:00PM EST | 7:00PM GMT
LENGTH: 90 minutes..
Interested in Pitching? Pitch spots for this event is for companies that are…

majority women-owned and/or a majority of the executive team is made up of women. A woman is anyone who identifies as such. This includes transgender women as well as all the different intersectionalities within womanhood.
ready to launch or have recently launched
building an investor or competition pitch (or similar)
looking for brand awareness and amplification

Pitch applications will be accepted until 10PM PST June 16th: https://thisisvolition.typeform.com/to/CvOnQRsh
Who’s on the panel?

Melanie Ewan: Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Volition (host)
Shea Harty: Serial Impact Entrepreneur
Anne Cocquyt: Founder and CEO of the GUILD

Innovation Rodeo: Investor Readiness
2021-07-12 08:00 - 2021-07-16 17:00 | Virtual Online
This year is the 6th annual Innovation Rodeo, it is virtual, GIVES AWAY ALL THE REGISTRATION FEES from the event, and has:

Fundraising Panels where some of Canada’s most successful entreprenuers share how to raise non-dilutive, angel and VC funding.
Innovation Challenges that give away $6,000 in cash prizes to participants
Five different pitch competitions that award a total of $25,000 to first time student entrepreneurs and all the ticket proceeds to new technical founders

The Innovation Rodeo is made for problem solvers, innovators, entrepreneurs, change makers, investors and ecoysystem builders!
Each day is designed to solve the most common problems encountered when creating, starting, growing and exiting a company.

Monday is for anyone looking to create products and services people want and features Bob Moesta – the pioneer of the revolutionary Jobs To Be Done framework – and Canada’s own Katelyn Bourgoin.
Tuesday is for anyone looking to raise non-dilutive funding easier and features a panel of successful entrepreneurs who will share stories of how they raised their non-dilutive funding, an Innovation Challenge, and a pitch competition.
Wednesday is for anyone looking to raise money from angel investors sooner or get into an accelerator, and has a panel of successful entrepreneurs who will share their stories of how they raised money from angel investors, an Innovation Challenge, and a pitch competition.
Thursday is for anyone looking to raise funds from a Venture Capital firm faster and features a panel of successful entrepreneurs who will share their experience raising money from VC’s, an Innovation Challenge, and a pitch competition.
Friday is for anyone looking to have a successful exit and features a keynote speaker and two pitch competitions.

Throughout the week participants will learn of new tools, exchange ideas, and share connections while developing the relationships, skills, and confidence needed to create and commercialize ideas faster.
You can purchase day tickets or a discounted week pass.
Tickets are FREE FOR STUDENTS and start at $15 for startups and $20 for scaleups and everyone else.

Brand DNA: Build, focus, and strengthen your brand with BrandJitsu
2021-07-15 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual Online
Brand DNA: Build, focus, and strengthen your brand with BrandJitsu
Thursday, July 15, 2021 | 2:00 PM | WEBINAR
Before the pandemic, businesses in Canada had an 11% success rate—and while we’re still waiting to learn the fate of many businesses we also saw an unprecedented rise in new business starts. Add to this perfect storm the rise of automation, AI, and machine learning and we’re seeing more and more people starting new businesses.
It’s really competitive out here, so how do you stand out? How do you ensure consistent brand experience? And how do you even find your Brand DNA, let alone put it to work?
Speaker: Michael Dargie, BrandJitsu™

Valhalla Speed Networking for Founders, Investors & Forward Thinkers
2021-07-20 16:30 - 18:00 | Virtual Online
Valhalla Private Capital is getting ready for their next networking event!
COMMUNITY PARTY!
FOUNDERS, FUNDERS, & FORWARD THINKERS
Join VAlhalla for an evening of networking with a wide range of investors, entrepreneurs, and community leaders throughout BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan!
You will be paired with someone every few minutes!

Great Alberta Pitch Marathon 2021
2021-08-19 09:00 - 18:00 | Virtual Online
100+ companies. 9 hours. A “show-and-tell” marathon that showcases Alberta startups across all sectors and stages to a friendly audience.

About this event

An Alberta-wide event that provides hands-on pitching experience and exposure and peer-to-peer support for startups across all stages and sectors. There are no prizes, no awards, no judges. Just entrepreneurs pitching to the community, showing off their innovations and seeing how members of the audience may be able to help them grow.
The event will be hosted on a massive Zoom call. Companies will be showcasing their accomplishments and asking for support to solve their next challenges (~3 min per company). Each sector block will be co-hosted by one of our community partners. The audience is encouraged to provide feedback, recommendations, and referrals.
Block off 6:00–9:00pm for in-person afterparties in Edmonton and Calgary! Locations TBC.
Check out our website for more info: greatalbertapitchmarathon.com
Companies, apply to pitch here!
=====
Startups/Entrepreneurs – this is an opportunity to practise your pitch, get your startup in front of your community, gain exposure or get advice on how to move your business forward.
Investors/VCs/service providers/supporters – this is your chance to scout new or emerging companies from across the province and offer support.
Everyone – you’re helping create a community of peer-to-peer support for our amazing Alberta startups!

Founder Fridays
2021-09-10 16:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Online
Fireside Chats for Founders, Mentors, & Investors
Fireside chat with Gabrielle Dolan, author of Magnetic Stories who joins us from Melbourne, Australia.

Women in Machine Learning & Data Science
2021-09-22 08:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Online
We are pleased to announce the creation of the Edmonton chapter of WiMLDS. We aim to create a welcoming space for everybody, particularly women and gender minorities, to talk and learn about ML and DS.
WiMLDS’s mission is to support and promote women and gender minorities who are practicing, studying or are interested in the fields of machine learning and data science. We create opportunities for members to engage in technical and professional conversations in a positive, supportive environment by hosting talks, technical workshops, networking events and hackathons. We are inclusive to anyone who supports our cause regardless of gender identity or technical background. However, in support of our mission, priority for certain events and opportunities will be given to women and gender minority members.
Our Code of Conduct ( https://github.com/WiMLDS/starter-kit/wiki/Code-of-conduct ) is available online and applies to all our spaces, both online and off.
• Follow @Edmonton_WiMLDS (https://twitter.com/WiMLDS_Edmonton) on Twitter for Edmonton WiMLDS news or visit http://wimlds.org to learn about our chapters in other cities.
• Women & gender minorities are invited to join the global WiMLDS Slack group by sending an email to slack@wimlds.org.

2021 BANFF HERSTORY COMPETITION
2021-09-22 08:00 - 2021-09-24 17:00 | Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
HerStory is a story-telling competition that invites women and women-identifying entrepreneurs to tell a panel of champions from various industries who they are, how they came to their idea and why investing in them will bring innovation, value and impact: both to their industry and to the future of more equitable access to Canadian capital.
Studies have shown what women entrepreneurs and investors have known for decades: traditional pitch competitions consistently fail women. HerStory is quite literally flipping the script. By leading with narrative and encouraging a relatable, honest and intuitively woman-centred approach to information, connection and business building, we’re challenging the traditional pitch model and spurring innovation. HerStory amplifies a diversity of voices and connects modern entrepreneurs with appropriate investors, increasing the likelihood of women accessing pathways to success.
The submission deadline for the 2021 Banff HerStory Competition has been extended to Friday, August 13, 2021 at 11:59 PM Mountain Time.
APPLY NOW
Applications for Inventures Startup Pitch are now closed. To be notified when the application for Inventures 2022 goes live, please click here.
When
September 25, 2021
Where
Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
Banff, Canada
Thank you to our HerStory partners, Thin Air Labs
FAQ FOR 2021 BANFF HERSTORY COMPETITION
Who is eligible to participate?
Startups must be founded or co-founded by a woman-identifying person. All presenters at HerStory must identify as a woman to participate.
Curious about what sectors should apply for HerStory? Here are a few that inspire us:

The Future is Femtech

Innovating our Food Systems

Everything Enterprise

Direct to Consumer & Fintech

How will startups be selected?
Startups will be selected from the pool of applicants with consideration given to each applicant’s creativity, potential, traction, and team/people.
From all those who apply, a list of 30 entrepreneurs curated by Inventures and The51 will be selected to compete. The top chosen startup(s) will receive a $51,000 investment from investor champions (investment is subject to the due diligence process conducted by the investor champion).
When will I be notified if I am selected to participate?
2021 Banff HerStory Competition participants will be notified of their selection in mid August of 2021.
Who should I contact if I have additional questions regarding HerStory Banff?
Please contact Inventures Startup Pitch Manager Philip Cogley at philip@adeointeractive.com.
The submission deadline for the 2021 Banff HerStory Competition has been extended to Friday, August 13, 2021 at 11:59 PM Mountain Time.

INVENTURES 2021
2021-09-22 08:00 - 2021-09-24 17:00 | Calgary Telus Convention Centre
WELCOME TO INVENTURES 2021
INVENTURES THE LIVE EXPERIENCE IS BACK!
Prepare to get your creative adrenaline surging. Inventures Live is the must-attend event of 2021. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet the people who are shaping, disrupting and re-imagining the world, live and in person.
THREE INCREDIBLE DAYS OF DISCOVERY
Inventures brings the best and brightest together for three days of learning, inspiration and creative collisions. From rousing keynotes and expert panels, to startup pitch competitions and informal networking opportunities, Inventures is more than a great conference filled with great programming, it’s an opportunity to build networks, strike deals and launch creative ideas into overdrive!
GLOBAL INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Rub elbows with angels, VCs and corporate investors from around the world.
THRILLING STARTUP PITCH EVENTS
Witness exciting pitch competitions where qualifying innovators vie for cash, expert feedback and investor connections.
NETWORKING GALORE
Take advantage of plenty of opportunities to socialize, share and network with thought leaders and like-minded change makers from around the world.
YOUR TICKET TO THE FUTURE IS ONLY $199
Order your all-access Inventures 2021 pass today before they’re gone! Capacity is limited, so get a move on.
GET TIX

Startup Best Practices with Phil Libin, and Silicon Valley Founder Institute Accelerator
2021-09-22 11:00 - 12:30 | Virtual Online
Waterloo Startup Founder 101
On this special event, you can see debut presentations from the newest portfolio companies from the Founder Institute accelerator, as well as a Keynote Talk from Phil Libin; Co-founder & CEO of mmhmm (a fast-growing video tools company with over $140M in funding) and All Turtles (an Artificial Intelligence startup studio), and Co-Founder/ Former CEO of Evernote. Don’t miss this opportunity to see exciting pre-seed startups and learn from a top global startup expert.
This is an interactive, live online event. To access the event, RSVP at https://fi.co/startupwebinar/7709
About the Speaker: Phil Libin
Phil Libin is a co-founder and the CEO of mmhmm (a fast-growing video tools company with over $140M in funding), and All Turtles (an Artificial Intelligence startup studio). He is also the co-founder and former CEO of the global productivity tool Evernote, which created an epic transformation in workflow and has redefined the way individuals and teams work today. A sought-after leader on innovation, Libin provides audiences with an engaging look at what it takes to reinvent productivity at global scale. His investment focus is generally on using technology to enhance humanity, productivity, and business globally.
This is an interactive, live online event.

Entrepreneurship@UBC Immersion Week
2021-09-27 08:00 - 2021-10-01 17:00 | Virtual Online
Join entrepreneurship@UBC for our 2nd annual entrepreneurship@UBC Immersion Week (EIW) online September 27th to October 1st.
This week-long event will cross 3 tracks of content and includes keynote speakers, insightful panels, roundtable discussions and interactive “Ask me Anything” (AMA) sessions. While all sessions will be online, we are aiming to host a few “in-person” networking events in line with government and university health and safety protocols.
The views presented by guest panelists in this event are their own and do not necessarily reflect UBC’s views.
How it works
Zoom information will be sent to registrants each morning of the event as well as shared on our Eventbrite online event page. For more information on who is speaking and when, visit our event website. Questions? Get in touch at communications@entrepreneurship.ubc.ca
>>> Visit our event website >>>
Use the hashtag #EIW2021 to get the latest information on the event and follow us on socials @UBCentrepreneur.

Meet the Alumni of the Founders Institute
2021-09-29 17:00 - 19:00 | Virtual Online
Alumni of the Founder Institute pre-seed startup accelerator have raised nearly $1 billion in funding, and are building some of the world’s fastest growing technology businesses. As the next Waterloo-Toronto cohort gets ready to start, join us for this private Zoom Meeting with the Local Leaders and various program Alumni. Learn the tips and tricks to building a startup in Waterloo-Toronto, and ask the alumni about their experience in the FI program.
❯ Guest Speakers include:
– Laura Bryce (Co-Founder & CMO, loopt)
– Sunil Sharma (Managing Director, Techstars Toronto, Founder Institute Toronto)
– Jordan Jocius (Director, Founder Institute Waterloo-Toronto)
❯ Who should Attend?
– Anyone interested in joining a startup accelerator
– Anyone who has an idea for a startup or a growing company
– Anyone interested in meeting Waterloo-Toronto entrepreneurs and advisors
❯❯ This is a live, interactive online event, so be sure to RSVP at https://fi.co/e/253004/meetup to receive the Zoom URL to join us live!

Founder Fridays Bob Moesta
2021-10-01 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Online
Fireside Chats for Founders, Mentors, Investors with Authors
Oct. 1: Fireside chat with Bob Moesta, author of Demand Side Sales
Founder Fridays is a series of fireside chats with authors of books that are typically held on the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month, the initiative is based on the success of a fireside chat with Ian Hathaway (Brad Feld’s co-author on their latest book) that had 300+ participants and gave away 100 copies of The Startup Community Way to attendees from across Alberta.
​Each month you can register for either or both of two sessions:

​A fireside chat with an author where the last 15 minutes is a Q & A session with the participants and a link is provided so those from Alberta can request a free copy of the author’s book.
​Table discussions held two weeks later (sometimes with, sometimes without the author) to discuss the different ways the content from the fireside chat and the author’s book can be applied to Alberta’s startup community and tech ecosystem

​Founder Fridays are designed to support Alberta’s entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, ecosystem builders and service providers by:

​Upskilling entrepreneurs, mentors, ecosystem builders and service providers
​Developing entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship support in and around post-secondary institutions
​Helping startups grow faster and develop the expertise and traction required to attract capital
​Increasing the volume of startups and the velocity at which they progress through the Startup Commons stages
​Working with existing entrepreneurship support organizations to expand their mentor network

​Founder Fridays is a joint initiative of 150 Startups, Bow Valley College, Futurepreneur, Rainforest Alberta, and the Venture Mentoring Service of Alberta and are made possible by the generous support of Bow Valley College, RBC, The Hunter Family Foundation, Alberta Innovates, Calgary Innovation Coalition, RINSA, and Women Entrepreneurs-in-STEM.

21st annual New Ventures BC Competition Awards
2021-10-04 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual Online
Join us online for the 21st annual New Ventures BC Competition Awards, presented by Innovate BC!

We’ve narrowed the field from 200+ competitors to just 10 finalists.
See who’s taking home over $250,000 in cash and prizes at this year’s New Ventures BC Competition Awards, presented by Innovate BC!
Aside from the usual top prizes, we have some exciting new awards this year, including the $10,000 Social Impact prize, a $10,000 Woman-led Venture prize, and the $7,000 Luminaries “Diamond in the Rough” prize. All this, plus a community-nominated Alumni Impact award.
Event details:
The 21st Annual Awards will be streamed to you, live, from Vancouver. We look forward to having you join us online, from wherever you are!

Monday, October 4, 2021 | 5:00pm – 6:30pm
Live stream link will be sent to all registrants October 1
Tickets are free with option to donate

All proceeds from donated tickets will go to the First Nations Technology Council’s Digital Equity Fund.

REGISTER

* By registering for our events you have agreed to have your email included in our newsletters (you can unsubscribe anytime) and waive rights to any photos/videos taken at the in person and online event.

Behind every great AI, there’s a great Human
2021-10-05 18:00 - 20:00 | Virtual Online
Calgary UX is happy to welcome Ruth Kikin-Gil, Responsible AI strategist, Senior Designer at Microsoft.
About the event:
Behind every great AI, there’s a great Human
How to design AI products responsibly, and why that matters
Responsible AI is a human-centered approach to developing, designing, and deploying AI and ML products. It’s principled, Collaborative, proactive and contextual and it is critical that we all start practicing it now. The talk will explain why it is important, and clarify when to practice it, why should designers care, and what can you do to start tomorrow.
About the speaker:
Ruth Kikin-Gil is a design strategist that leads the Responsible AI practices for Microsoft’s Security, Compliance, and Management (SCM) organization and a co-creator of the Guidelines for Human-AI interaction. In addition, she teaches design at the Human Centered Design and Engineering (HCDE) department in the University of Washington, Seattle. Her career focuses on product innovation across devices, input methods and platforms, including designing future experiences for Office, creating future scenarios an incubation lab, and working on a strategy team. Prior to Microsoft she founded a design agency, worked in startups and as a consultant. She is a Bezalel academy of Art and design Alumna and earned her Interaction Design degree from Interaction Design Institute Ivrea (IDII) in Italy.
More about Ruth:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthkikingil/
