INNOVATE™ Alberta

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

“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...

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...

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...

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...

GPRIN is the Innovation Network serving northwestern Alberta innovators and entrepreneurs. We offer resources, knowledge, and connections to develop, validate, manufacture, market and launch innovations into the marketplace. The innovation ecosystem in Alberta is expansive and GPRIN has access to resources and expertise in a wide variety of areas, in...

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...

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 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...

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...

A CENTURY-OLD BUILDING IS GETTING A WHOLE LOT SMARTER, THANKS TO SOME INNOVATIONS DRIVEN BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA. The 101-year-old dentistry and pharmacy centre is one of the first buildings you see when you come onto the University of Alberta’s North Campus. Right now, the...

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...

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...

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...

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...