INNOVATE™ Alberta

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...

BUILDING ON SUCCESSIn 2021, the Government of Canada embarked on a new approach to economic development in the West. To better recognize the unique economic drivers of the Prairies and British Columbia, the department known as Western Economic Diversification (WD) evolved into two departments. On August 6, 2021, Prairies Economic...

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...

Globally, healthcare is being disrupted, akin to the disruption we witnessed in media and transportation, and digital health is leading the charge. While Canada lags its peers in health outcomes and health system performance, Alberta’s areas of strength – artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and immersive technologies – can be...

That’s the motto of Startup TNT. An organization that fosters community, connection, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the tech ecosystem while raising millions of dollars for local startups from local investors. Through a range of engaging events and programs, Startup TNT aims to empower entrepreneurs, connect new and seasoned investors with...

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...

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...

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...

Canada’s population is growing older. In 2019, the population of seniors 65-years of age and older was almost one-fifth of the overall population, and by 2040 the population of seniors is predicted to reach one-fourth of the overall population, with over one-third of seniors having two or more chronic diseases.1...

If you love video games, you may have thought about making one. So, what’s stopping you? Ten years ago, the answer likely would have been the industry itself. Video games were typically produced only by studios with enough capital to house the entire game creation pipeline. And that pipeline was...

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...

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...

We know that women approach job applications differently than men do. They are far less likely to apply for positions that are more senior than the one they’re in currently, whereas men are less concerned by that. Still, recruiters and hiring managers are comfortable accepting “women aren’t applying” as a...

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...

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....

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...

Unprecedented supply chain insight, foresight and oversight.Since 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’s vision is...

We are the innovation engine for UCalgary, one of the top research universities in Canada. We support existing business models while nurturing innovative and disruptive thinking through a plethora of services such as providing IP/patent support for University of Calgary (UCalgary) faculty, managing an investment fund, managing unique facilities for...

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...

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 several industries around the world by turning complex data into easily understandable and actionable information. We enable...

Our company was established in 1986 during a difficult recession. Grit, determination, and an unwavering pursuit to reimagine what is possible, has gotten us to where we are today. Our ability to consider our role as a company, as leaders, and as a team in relation to the industries we...

In a galaxy far, far away but closer than you may think lived a company called Start Me Up PR. Landing in YYC first — because even extraterrestrials love the mountains — to invade the local and global tech scene, they set off to support emerging-founders, the investors who help...

The Calgary Innovation Coalition (CIC) is striving to create a healthy, inclusive, globally recognized innovation ecosystem supporting thriving ventures in the Calgary region. To accelerate the venture’s journey we leverage the connectivity, experience, and knowledge of our member network to identify and address ecosystem needs, enhance connections, and enable venture...

ABOUTW21C is a research and innovation centre based in the University of Calgary’s O’Brien Institute for Public Health in the Cumming School of Medicine and the Calgary Zone of Alberta Health Services (AHS). W21C conducts research to improve health services and systems to Make Care Better. OUR HISTORYW21C was created...