It’s time for that annual collision of folks geared up to move Calgary’s tech ecosystem forward, as Innovation Week 2024 is set to launch.
Innovation Week YYC kicks off Nov. 13 and runs through Nov. 21. More than 80 events will bring together startups, scaleups, tech experts, and those looking for an entry point into the growing local tech scene.
The events are focused on the Platform Calgary Innovation Centre, and President and CEO Terry Rock said their name is a metaphor for the work they’re trying to do with events like this to expand the local tech scene.
“As a general rule, we need to build an innovation economy to drive future prosperity, and the more momentum we can build behind it, the easier we can make it for these people, or building these companies to attract capital, to find talent, to build customers, and more people looking in their own backyard for that,” Rock told LWC.
“That’s the win for us.”
The kickoff event on Wednesday, presented by the University of Calgary will bring together Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek, Alberta Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish, Terry Rock, UCalgary VP of Research William Ghali, Alberta Innovates board chair Tony Williams and Joella Almeida, CEO and co-founder of MedEssist.
The nine-day event includes practical training, presentations, and a startup studio set up in a trade-show-style event in the multi-purpose area. Here’s a full Innovation Week calendar of events that are open to the public.
The programming covers a wide range of tech-related content, including talent conversations – finding your dream job in tech – and leadership, culture building, and even diving into grant streams to lift local startups off the ground.
It also includes a massive Google Developer Group event, with top Google experts both locally and from abroad providing hands-on sessions on AI, plus cloud, mobile and web development. That’s an ideal tie-in for DevFestYYC, which brings together members of Calgary’s development community to network and build their skills.
Telling the tech story
Rock said that events like Innovation Week YYC provide a conduit to continue the momentum built up thus far in Calgary’s tech scene. He said that Calgary is competing nationally as one of the top tech cities in Canada.
Hosting industry weeks like this one broaden the reach of one of Calgary’s fastest growing industries.
“We want Calgarians to meet these people behind this and to understand that this is a really important part of economy,” he said.
“It’s emerging, it’s exciting, and there’s ways for them to get involved.”
Rock said that Calgary’s tech community is bigger than even the people inside it know. He said when they look at their butterfly collection of company logos it’s surprising how many tech companies call Calgary home.
While it’s an incubator for attracting capital, talent and customers, Rock said it’s also starting to develop a community side, too. Particularly one that gives back.
This year, as a part of the Innovation Week YYC, they’re launching the Spam Cup, which is an event to drive awareness and support for the Calgary Food Bank and food security in the city.
“It’s all about an industry that is not just creating jobs, but it is an important part of the whole city it’s giving back to what it means to live in Calgary,” Rock said.
“We find that that building that sort of pride in that sense of identity for people, makes it a stickier place, it makes people want to work here, come and visit and they’re increasing the enthusiasm as we are trying to recruit more resources here.”
