INNOVATE™ Alberta

Hello Debt Relief!With innovation all around, a new idea can pop up anywhere, even in rock solid places like the company savings plan. “I’ve been in financial services my whole career,” says Marmot Benefits Founder, John Kenny, “I learned early on that personal debt can be the single biggest obstacle...

Alright stop! Collaborate and listen! We hit the tech industry with a brand new intention! What is something you see all the time? Is it companies focusing on iteration, always eager to jump directly into the development of neat, new technology? (A desire to explore the Great Unknown – to...

In Canada, it is common to see layers of support for life sciences companies up to and including the incubator stage, right before commercialization occurs. But support drops off drastically when companies are ready to commercialize and take their most significant risks and leaps. It takes capital and multiple fundraising...

Uniting diverse companies, individuals, and organizations from across the national innovation ecosystem, the Canadian Blockchain Consortium is the country’s advocate for the blockchain technology and cryptocurrency sector. The Consortium was launched in 2016 as the Alberta Blockchain Consortium by the late energy and technology pioneer Suzanne West, who had a...

Launched in 2022, Calgary Tech Journal (CTJ) strives to provide the most complete coverage of Calgary’s innovation ecosystem. CTJ builds and supports the local community, delivering the top tech and innovation stories and can’t miss links from around YYC, twice a week. Its articles and newsletters not only cover breaking...

There is an economic transformation underway in Alberta and Creative Destruction Lab – Rockies (“CDL-Rockies”) is playing an important role in that transformation. CDL-Rockies is focused on accelerating the commercial potential of the next generation of promising science- and technology-based ventures across a variety of sectors, including energy and agriculture....

In the broad and often nebulous world of innovation, one company in Alberta aims to change how we think about innovation with its unique approach: Unbounded Thinking. With a mission to transform ‘innovation’ from a vague buzzword into a scientific discipline, the team at Unbounded Thinking brings a refreshing perspective...

Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo, AB – In 2019, a visionary entrepreneur by the name of Julieta Miranda embarked on a mission to solve a pressing challenge faced by parents everywhere: juggling work and personal commitments while ensuring their children safely reach school and extracurricular activities. This is how Kid Drop...

SYSTEMATIC INNOVATIONHow does one create lasting change? For over twenty-five years, Technology North Corporation has been answering this question where it can, whenever it can, with its team of dedicated consultants and industry experts. Established at the dawn of a groundbreaking era in 1998, the internet epoch, where the world...

Jiva is an independent training and consulting organization focused on the energy and infrastructure industries. Jiva has a unique differentiator in the knowledge-transfer services it offers: Jiva has developed a process that marries technical expertise and educational theory with a deep knowledge of effective communication and robust project management through...

Have you ever thought about the difference between being future proof or future fit? InceptionU co-founders Margo Purcell and Greg Hart certainly have. In fact, the two Calgary professionals have built a business around it. InceptionU is a place of meaningful learning where individuals, businesses and organizations go to learn...

THE HISTORY OF THE HUNTER HUB FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL THINKINGThe Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking was founded in 2017 with a $40 million donation from the Hunter Family Foundation, marking one of the largest donations in the University of Calgary’s history. The Hunter Hub’s purpose is to spread entrepreneurial thinking throughout...

NanosTech, born from the innovative crucible of the University of Calgary, exemplifies the transformative potential of ground-breaking catalytic research. In 2021, it found a new home under the umbrella of Vorsana Environmental Inc., further cementing its position as a catalyst for change within the nanocatalyst and catalyst technologies landscape. NanosTech...

It began as a lightbulb moment during the pandemic, when Earthware Reusables Inc. founder, John MacInnes, was moved to do something about the waste he and his family generated during a typical takeout meal. It has now turned into a worldwide first, in reusable systems. No stranger to entrepreneurship, having...

Creating Connected Supply NetworksSince 2017, Routeique® has developed industry-leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) products, IoT hardware, and apps for businesses in the supply chain space. “We’re building solutions to problems that have traditionally been difficult to solve,” says CEO Mike Allan. Routeique tools enable companies of all...

A CHANGE FOR THE SMALLER.Micro, in fact. Rapidly decreasing technology costs, combined with digital innovations such as artificial intelligence, data and analytics, cloud computing, SaaS, and the Internet of Things, are disrupting our existing business and operating models. This means that Alberta’s emerging-technology sector is primed to be a catalyst...

The Centres for Manufacturing and Energy Innovation collaborate with business and industry clients to help them reach their goals. “Every innovation starts with a challenge, but that challenge is not always coming up with a new idea. Sometimes the biggest challenge entrepreneurs face is overcoming barriers to accessing the technology...

VISION: We’re enabling a world where the systems are so effective and smart that problems are identified and solved before you even know they exist. And if you ever need to contact support, an artificial intelligent assistant will do it for you, making life easier for everyone. The ‘Uber’ of...

Wayne Karpoff, CEO of Willowglen Systems, and his team of Scada rock stars are making innovative improvements to the rail transportation and energy industries. “We reimagined SCADA to meet the needs of the future. And it all started here in Alberta.” — Wayne Karpoff, CEO at Willowglen Systems. Innovation is...

APEX Alberta is Southeast Alberta’s Regional Innovation Network. Nestled in the southern corner of the province, Southeast Alberta is a rural region known for agriculture, energy, defence, and manufacturing. Southeast Alberta’s Regional Innovation Network spans from Special Areas in the north to the County of Newell and Municipal District of...

RAINFOREST ALBERTA IS ROOTED IN AN ANALOGYAlthough the cold, dry climate of Alberta might not seem to have much in common with the Rainforest, our innovation ecosystem sure does. This connection is explored in the book: “The Rainforest: The Secret to Building the Next Silicon Valley” by Greg Horowitt and...

When Renee Matsalla and Christa Hill first met, they were on the team that would scale a Calgary-based tech startup to global heights. The two women formed an immediate connection through their passion for Product Management and problem-solving, yet in those early days on the team of Benevity — a...

Delivering enterprise-class digital experiences, VizworX is an advanced software solutions services company. Leveraging the latest in augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, complex data visualization, web and mobile technologies and techniques, VizworX supports numerous industries around the world by turning complex data into easily understandable and actionable information. We enable...

Bow Valley College has been an access college since 1965, earning a reputation for fast-paced programs that quickly respond to the practical needs of adult students and our economy. On May 16, 2023, the College launched a new Digital Strategy, which outlines how technology will enhance the student experience, improve...