Join us for a half-day event that will feature speakers exploring best practices in peer-to-peer networks, collaboration, programming, access to capital and the next steps for enhancing the innovation supports and environment in Northern Ontario. Our region has great stakeholders working hard to diversify our economy and grow innovative opportunities. We can build on our strengths, learn from other initiatives and come together to develop a unique and renowned pan-Northern ecosystem.
Thursday, February 10th
12:00 PM to 4:30 PM EST
FREE VIRTUAL
EVENT
To register for this event: Click Here
AGENDA
12:00 PM EST - Virtual Room Opens and Introduction
YOUR EVENT HOST AND MODERATOR
KYLE McCALL
Business Development and Commercialization Manager
Ontario Centre for Innovation (OCI)
12:15 PM EST - Ecosystem Building as a Team Sport
This session will explore the various ways that collaboration and partnership amongst peer organizations can help innovative companies and communities succeed. Avvey will share examples and lessons learned from her work in provincial, national, and international innovation networks.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
AVVEY PETERS
Chief Strategy Officer
Communitech
Avvey Peters is an innovation ecosystem strategist who excels at putting plans into action. As Chief Strategy Officer for Communitech, Avvey has led project teams to raise funds, develop strategy, create partnerships, and build innovation infrastructure. Avvey has also coached the leadership teams of a dozen innovation organizations, helping them to leverage collaboration as a tool for growth. In addition to her leadership roles in strategy development, advocacy, communications and media relations, Avvey has worked as a television news writer for a national Canadian broadcaster, and as the primary speechwriter and communications lead for the President of the University of Waterloo. She is one of the co-founders of Canada’s Tech Network, and received the inaugural SAAS NORTH STAR Award in 2021 for her long standing impact on Canada’s tech and innovation ecosystem.
1:00 PM EST - Forging the Future of Innovation in Rural: Stories from the Field
The digital economy is a $2T sector that accounts for 10% of the US economy, yet 97% of tech jobs are in just five metro areas, leaving many rural communities behind. In this presentation, Leah will share stories of rural leaders who are boldly shifting this narrative to forge a brighter future for their communities by focusing on home-growing their own digital startups and tech jobs.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
LEAH TAYLOR
Head of Digital Economic Development
Centre on Rural Innovation
As the Head of Digital Economic Development for the Center on Rural Innovation (CORI), Leah leads the Rural Innovation Initiative, a U.S. national program that provides technical assistance for rural communities to develop digital economic development strategies designed to home grow more startups and local tech jobs. Leah has always had a passion for working with local community leaders to create positive social and economic change from the bottom up. Throughout her career, she has had the honor of working with rural and urban communities across Canada, the United States, and Namibia. Before joining CORI, Leah managed the development and implementation of Indigenous youth entrepreneurship programs across Canada, lead a community-based veteran suicide study with 14 communities in the United States, worked on a variety of youth development initiatives, and was an adjunct professor of cultural anthropology at Augusta University. Leah grew up on a small farm in southern Ontario and immigrated to the U.S. in 2010, where she now lives in rural Vermont. She has a B.A. in international development studies from York University and an M.A. in globalization studies from McMaster University.
1:45 PM EST - The Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts!
Whatever problem you have - someone has already solved it!
While every business owner knows the importance of stepping away and working “on” your business rather than “In” your business, few actually have the discipline to do it. By connecting regularly with a group of trusted advisors from outside your business that will provide an objective perspective on your planning, practical solutions and wisdom for your growth strategies and hold you accountable on a regular basis, you will see a dramatic saving of time, energy and money. In Peer Power, Peggie explains the benefits of establishing a peer-to-peer networking group and provides practical guidance on how to establish an effective group in your region.
You will learn:
- What you can learn from your peers that you can’t learn anywhere else
- The process for an effective peer to peer round-table discussion
- How to identify the right peers for your group
- How to structure a peer to peer networking forum
- How to measure value and drive results
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
PEGGIE PELOSI
Executive Director
Innovators Alliance
Peggie Pelosi is the Executive Director of Innovators Alliance. Innovators Alliance is a peer-to-peer forum for Entrepreneurs, CEO’s and Intrapreneurs throughout Ontario. Peggie works with Members to ensure they have access to the tools and resources that can lead to profitable and sustainable business growth through innovation. Peggie is a seasoned professional speaker, entrepreneur and innovator having built 2 companies that have both been game-changers in their industry.
2:30 PM EST - Break
2:45 PM - Scaling Innovative Companies - Where is the money?
Scaling businesses need several things including a good idea, a large market, the right team, and the funds to build the team and enter new markets. How do entrepreneurs access that money beyond the government grants and traditional bank loans? Do they need to leave Northern Ontario to get to the money? Ian Lane from Northern Ontario Angels will talk about where they see the organization going in the future, how they support innovative entrepreneurs, and what is needed in the Northern to successfully scale more innovative companies. Joined by Don Duval of NORCAT who has successfully helped launch the Sudbury Catalyst fund a couple years ago. The Sudbury Catalyst Fund is a unique $5 million community-based fund established with the goal to accelerate the growth of scalable tech start-ups, and bring together a variety of partners and angel investors eager to support a diversified portfolio of high-growth companies. Join the discussion on how we engage and retain private investors and develop a robust investment environment in Northern Ontario.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
DON DUVAL
Chief Executive Officer
NORCAT
Don has spent more than two decades leading, growing and transforming organizations and businesses. A career innovator, he consistently identifies opportunities and addresses challenges to achieve meaningful and tangible results. Among Canada’s foremost thinkers on innovation, work and learning, and entrepreneurship, he works with multinational companies, tech start-ups, academic/research institutions governments and clients the world over.
Currently, Don defines the strategy and directs operations of NORCAT, a global, multi-faceted enterprise dedicated to advancing the dynamic and evolving needs of the new world of work and the innovation economy.
IAN LANE
Executive Director
Northern Ontario Angels
Ian Lane is delighted to be the new incoming Executive Director of the Northern Ontario Angels. With a diverse career, he is eager to continue fostering connections between entrepreneurs and Angel investors across Northern Ontario. Prior to moving back to Ontario, Ian was the Manager of Policy Development and Settlement in the Ministry of Innovation and Advanced Learning with the Government of Prince Edward Island. He was responsible for developing policies to attract and retain youth, newcomers, temporary foreign workers, and international students. This role allowed Ian to connect with local businesses and entrepreneurs in strategic innovation sectors to help grow the economy of PEI.
3:15 PM EST - Entrepreneurs Panel - What does it take to scale?
Some say our businesses fail to scale in Northern Ontario. Whether or not that is the case, this panel of entrepreneurs at various stages of growth have recognized the need to expand into new markets. Join us for this engaging session where 3 different Northern entrepreneurs share their stories, approaches ,and reflections on accessing markets in order to scale and what is needed do this successfully.
ABOUT THE ENTREPRENEURS
ERIC TRIBE
Retired
Previously CTO of Health eFX
Bio coming soon.
VINEET JOHNSON
President, Founder & CEO
iRegained
Bio coming soon.
BRENT SYLVESTER
President
Countermeasure Security Solutions
Bio coming soon.
3:45 PM EST - How We Refresh the North to Support Innovation
Session description coming soon.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
This session will be led by the Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre.