INNOVATE™ Alberta

At Plug and Play we believe that innovation should be open to anyone, anywhere. Plug and Play is building the leading innovation platform in the world focused on bringing Fortune 1000 corporations, innovative technology startups, and institutional investors together to develop and implement the technologies of tomorrow. Our innovation platform...

Trido Energy Services, a Centurion Group company is a renewable energy technology company focused on reducing methane emissions to help clients reach carbon-reduction targets and support the energy industry on its journey toward a decarbonized future. To date, Trido has supported more than 40 clients to reduce CO2e emissions by...

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...

LEADERSHIP. COLLABORATION. CAPITAL. IT’S HOW WE’RE TURNING ENERGY TRANSITION INTO A MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY.Avatar was born from the simple premise that solutions to the complex challenges of climate change and energy transition must come from within the energy industry. By working inside incumbent heavy industry, Avatar Innovations unlocks industry validated solutions...

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...

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...

Buoyancy Works is a Calgary, Alberta-based wellness tech and behavioural insights company that empowers employment agencies to scale their impact through technology-enabled behaviour change techniques. The Buoyancy platform helps organizations scale programs, measure engagement, and support their clients through the emotional and motivational challenges of the job search. Buoyancy’s tools...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

The Regional Innovation Network of Southern Alberta (RINSA) was formed in 2011 as a collaborative partnership between Alberta Innovates with Economic Development Lethbridge/ Tecconnect, Lethbridge College, and the University of Lethbridge. Through trusted relationship building and a commitment to serving rural/remote and under-represented groups, RINSA has expanded to 14 members....

Guru SEO Services, based in Red Deer, Alberta is a digital marketing agency that aims to provide comprehensive marketing, web, SEO, and advertising services. The agency was founded by Jesse Tutt, who describes himself as a “Serial Entrepreneur” and has helped many businesses over the years stand out in the...

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...

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...

In a world where nearly 40% of produced food goes to waste, Knead Technologies has emerged as a trailblazer, revolutionizing the fight against food waste (Parfitt et al., 2021, p. 6). With their innovative logistics solutions, this software development company is redefining how food rescue organizations operate worldwide. By seamlessly...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 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...