INNOVATE™ Alberta

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...

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...

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...

The founder’s father was raised in a one-room home in the country side of a small town in Ethiopia that is unknown to most people. Tin roof, mudded walls. The founder’s mother from another town where education wasn’t supposed to be the path for women. His parents didn’t have access...

EvolutionVN is the home of a proprietary piece of exercise equipment, the Evolution Training System. As their flagship product, the Evolution is a compact, versatile, and functional piece of equipment that makes exercise and rehabilitation more practical, effective, and sustainable. It was designed to fit any space and to have...

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 Edmonton Regional Innovation Network (ERIN) is a coalition of organisations in the Edmonton region that helps entrepreneurs start and grow innovative businesses. The ERIN aims to create a Regional Innovation Network that is accessible, inclusive of diverse thoughts and ways of doing, and meets the needs of the innovation...

PLATFORM CALGARY BRINGS TOGETHER THE RESOURCES OF CALGARY’S TECH ECOSYSTEM TO HELP STARTUPS LAUNCH AND GROW AT EVERY STEP OF THEIR JOURNEY – FROM IDEATION THROUGH TO SCALE. Calgary has what it takes to be a global innovation hub: affordability, liveability, high levels of investable wealth, and a population that...

In an era marked by record heat events, unprecedented rainfalls, and the alarming melting of Antarctic ice, the urgency to address climate change has never been more palpable. Observing these changes raises a critical question: can we act quickly enough to mitigate their impact? Undoubtedly, this is the most significant...

FINANCING PARADIGM SHIFTSA paradigm shift is a revolutionary and disruptive change in the human experience. Inverted Ventures is a single family office of investors with a passion for technology that radically improves the human experience. We invest in founders with visions for the future that will lead to fundamental changes...

When Wunmi Adekanmbi first stepped into the Alberta tech scene out of sheer curiosity in 2019, she had no idea what awaited her. To her pleasant surprise, she discovered a vibrant and innovative community governed by a social contract of giving first, with a strong support system and valuable industry...

About CivicWorksCivicWorks is a specialized planning and design firm built on the promise of community. We bring progressive projects to life with urban-minded change for a more inclusive and resilient future. CivicWorks focuses on bringing progressive and visionary projects to life through thoughtful planning and compelling narrative. Our process brings...

As the pace of change accelerates, innovation becomes essential for organizations to adapt and maintain a competitive edge. Motiv, an award-winning digital innovation firm and venture builder, guides its partners through their innovation journey. With a mission to generate new value through digital innovation, Motiv works with its partners to...

SolarSteam’s purpose is to decarbonize the highest emitting and hardest to abate heavy industry segments. The problem that SolarSteam addresses is the elephant in the energy room – industrial heat. Globally, thermal energy requirements constitute close to 50% of total GHG emissions. In Alberta approximately 2⁄3 of GHG emissions come...

KPMG in Canada is proud to have been serving clients in Alberta for over 100 years. Today, they have one of the largest professional services firms in the province, providing Audit, Tax, and Advisory services to public and private businesses. Their depth and diversity of experience and local presence are...

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...

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...

The Wood Buffalo Regional Innovation Network (WBRIN) was born of a need to connect business support organizations in Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo to each other, as well as entrepreneurs in the region and Alberta. It is a network of six organizations in Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo, who occupy the roles...

Mitacs helps organizations reach their commercial goals, fund innovation, and create employment opportunities that promote economic growth and productivity and improve quality of life for Canadians. Mitacs’s work is supported by generous funding from the Government of Quebec and the Government of Canada. Since its foundation in 1999, Mitacs has...

At the height of the energy boom, Wild + Pine was created to help restore, reclaim, and conserve some of Alberta’s most challenging and remote landscapes across the industry. Something they do well, but regenerating Canada’s great boreal forest isn’t for the faint of heart. Today, Wild + Pine develops...

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...

University Innovation Quarter (UIQ) is a 76-acres destination that is currently being revitalized to become a world-class innovation district. Imagine UIQ as a driving force for the future of innovation in Calgary. The outcome is unmatched. A dense destination where research and discoveries are made and talent clusters. A place...

“When I started The Agency in 2009 as a boutique firm servicing the tech sector in Calgary, I heard the same thing over and over: What tech sector?” — Arleigh Vasconcellos, CEO/Founder, The Agency Communications Inc Calgary is one of the fastest growing tech centres in North America, and The...

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...