Exploring Inventures 2024: Unleashing Alberta's entrepreneurial spirit and innovation on a global stage

Inventures isn't just any conference; it's a global gathering that puts Alberta's incredible pool of resources and talent under the spotlight. Whether you're an entrepreneur itching to make waves, a startup on the brink of breakthrough, or an international company eyeing Alberta as your next big venture, you'll find that Inventures is the ultimate stage for forging business connections and showcasing the province as a hotbed for innovation and growth.

In our brief discussion Marlene Arana, the director of Inventures, paints a vivid picture of an event that transcends the typical conference bounds, promising a holistic experience that melds technology, business, entertainment, and a taste of Alberta culture.

If you're curious about what the future holds, from digital health to clean tech, or if you're an institution aiming to commercialize cutting-edge research, this episode is your invitation to explore the rich tapestry of opportunity that Inventures weaves. Prepare to be inspired and to create impactful connections, for Alberta's innovative spirit is ready to dazzle on the global stage, and Inventures 2024 is where it all happens.

Shift by Alberta Innovates focuses on the people, businesses and organizations that are contributing to Alberta's strong tech ecosystem.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hey friends, t-minus not too many days now. Inventures 2024 coming up May 29th to 31st is almost upon us. As behind the scenes work continues to create an excellent, outstanding global event for all participants, I thought it would be a good time to sit down with the person who's got their finger on the pulse of InVentures 2024. So sit back, settle in and welcome to Shift. Today's guest is Marleny Arana from Alberta Innovates and our Director of Adventures. Marleny, thank you very much for taking the time. How are you?

Speaker 2: 0:55

doing. Thanks, john, I really appreciate it.

Speaker 1: 0:57

It's always a pleasure to chat with you. Now, you know, when I think about adventures, I think about a lot of stuff. There's a lot of excitement. There's a lot of events, sessions, activities, networking opportunities, pitch sessions. Tell me a little bit about it from your perspective. What does adventures mean?

Speaker 2: 1:28

about creating impact for Alberta, creating B2B, b2c and showcasing the resources and talent that Alberta has to offer on a global scale. Whether you are a startup, an entrepreneur from a post-secondary institution or, let's say, you're from international waters and you're looking at information of should I set up in Alberta, Should I work within Alberta? What can Alberta do to help and collaborate on a global scale?

Speaker 1: 1:51

Wow, so so InVentures really is a global event, then it's. We're attracting a number of different people, a number of different attendees from across across the world. Can you give us a sense of what that might look like when someone's coming in from outside of the country?

Speaker 2: 2:21

Absolutely, and so we call that to medium delegations with startups or export ready companies and they're wanting to understand the Alberta ecosystem, whether it be setting up roots and scaling up their company from, let's say, australia or the European countries. They're actually looking at moving to Alberta or setting up roots in Alberta. So we need to share what's our tax law, what does business look like, what's the culture here, what's the lifestyle and what are their customers looking for, their potential new customers. So just really bridging the gap of what we have to offer and really providing a sort of concierge level of sharing knowledge with these international countries, of let's do business together, because Alberta is such a great place to live and to do business in.

Speaker 1: 3:14

Right Now, when you okay. So there's the international delegations that are coming in. When you think about who's coming in locally from across Alberta, from Grand Prairie to Edmonton, to, you know, wood Buffalo region, what can they expect?

Speaker 2: 3:29

with different objectives coming to inventors. So, for example, with our pilot project with the Future Innovators, where Alberta Innovates is investing in the future leaders of tomorrow and what that looks like is exposing our youth to what is potential within the future. And what is innovation? It could be entrepreneurialism, it could be in digital health or clean tech or clean energy. So that's one level of customer. Or let's say you have startups who just want to meet and network with other subject matter experts to understand how can I make my business successful. Or, let's say, post-secondary institutions that are looking at getting industry to adopting their research analysis or outcomes. So you have multiple players from the ecosystem working together on a new technology or solution. And then you have the innovators, or, you know, the curious ones who just want to see what this experience is about, what this smash up of technology, smes, entertainment, food and beverage in Calgary networking and just having fun so we can all make an impact together.

Speaker 1: 4:49

Now, and I love that you know when I think about, when I think about adventures, I think about sense making and wayfinding as well, you know, for the startups, the scale-ups, the students at the PSIs, the researchers and those innovators. There's so much going on in the ecosystem and I always think of InVentures as kind of that lattice that brings it all together, that gives people an opportunity to meet, you know, to network, to meet the regional innovation networks, meet their post-secondary institutes, meet, you know, the federal organizations that are helping out as well. So it's really quite an event. Now, if you were to think about your pitch for people to come to InVentures, how would you put it? You're on an elevator with a potential, one of those audiences you just mentioned and you've got the 30-second pitch.

Speaker 2: 5:38

You're putting me on the spot, but here comes my entrepreneurial spirit. If you are a creator or you're curious and want to understand what is occurring today within innovation, no matter what industry or vertical, come to InVentures to listen to great panelists, keynote speakers, musicians, technologists and companies and be part of this movement which is drawing up more innovation so we can create a bigger impact. Which looks like creating more jobs in Alberta. Which looks like supporting Alberta businesses or Canadian businesses in Alberta and, to wrap it up in a pretty bow, you'll have fun. Businesses in Alberta.

Speaker 1: 6:19

And to wrap it up in a pretty bow. You'll have fun. I love it. Talk to me just as before we end here but the importance of working together, to come together as kind of that rising tide for the province.

Speaker 2: 6:33

I think InVentures is another opportunity in which we can break down silos, whether it be from a municipal, provincial, even federal level or, let's say, organizations who have their mandate and they're really important mandates. Let's work together and share our knowledge and resources so we don't have to duplicate the work. You know they say many hands make light work. Let's mature our entrepreneurial ecosystem together by removing politics If there is politics out there or egos or personalities. We need to keep our eye on the North star, which is we are becoming such a tech hub in Alberta. How can we propel that movement even further? And the first step is let's work together.

Speaker 1: 7:16

You heard it here first, folks. So when you're at inventors May 29th to May 31st of this year, look for Marleny, pick her brain. I know she's. You're a lovely speaker, you've got great ideas and you're a real community builder, so that's really awesome. So thank you very much for your time. I appreciate it.

Speaker 2: 7:36

Thanks, john, it's been a pleasure.

Speaker 1: 7:40

We'll talk later. Shift can be found online at shiftalbertainnovatesca, or you can reach us via email at shift at albertainnovatesca. We can also be found on your favorite streaming service, so dive in and enjoy. Until next time, I'm John.