Collisions YYC

In this episode, learn about the risks and opportunities of AI with Ian Hargreaves, Data Science Fellow at ATB Financial. His role is to advise ATB Financial and its data science teams to think about how AI can solve problems for its own business and its clients. As we collectively take part in the world’s biggest AI experiment by using tools like ChatGPT or Midjourney, it’s critical to take a strategic view and think through this technology’s regulatory, ethical, and even legal aspects. Ian will help you consider important questions and understand what they can mean for your business operations.Change can be scary when uncertainties are plentiful. Ian helps address these fears in organizations by helping senior leadership teams have open conversations about emerging technology to voice their concerns and explore opportunities. This episode will help you with many of the key insights Ian shares with his clients. Ian also shares how your organization will keep its competitive edge by having an open mind and flexibility of thought, including the need for senior leaders to advocate for change and push bold ideas forward. Luckily, with Alberta’s entrepreneurial spirit, Ian showcases many of the success stories in our province and what he’s seeing in the province that excites him.

In this episode, learn how Lauren pivoted her career goals from becoming a therapist to working with robots, thanks to a fateful conversation with a professor during her Master’s studies. Now, Lauren is the Academic Chair for Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence at the School for Advanced Digital Technology at SAIT. She articulates the requirement to get students familiar with tech to ensure they are career-ready and dives deep into the impact of AI on society and people. This episode will get you informed about the intersection of communication, culture, technology and practice, and what the future of technology interactions could look like.You don’t need to be an engineer or programmer to contribute to the future of technology, and Lauren proves that. Her background in communications brings a unique perspective to AI, including how it affects humans, the problem of bias, and the possibility of widening socio-economic gaps due to uneven access to high-speed internet and technology, even here in Canada. Lauren explores the need for a balanced approach that considers every angle and shares her thoughts on how we can embrace the opportunities of AI and automation without losing our humanity in the process.

In this episode, learn about the Alberta Cancer Foundation from its CEO, Wendy Beauchesne. Wendy’s career spans decades in health, deploying hundreds of millions of capital into transformational campaigns, and she’s thrilled to bring her expertise to her CEO role. Wendy shares the optimistic stories of how the Alberta Cancer Foundation supports Albertans across the province in the face of a cancer diagnosis and some of the positive changes to the expected quality of life, thanks to innovative research. You’ll gain clarity on ACF’s role in the province, how to spur innovation and commercialization in non-profits, and why Wendy believes non-profits shouldn’t be treated differently than any other business.A cancer diagnosis can make time stand still - and the fight against it is emotionally and physically taxing. However, cancer can also be financially burdensome - often costing thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses, such as lost time at work or hospital parking costs during treatment. Wendy explains how the Alberta Cancer Foundation taps into the philanthropic spirit of Alberta to deliver $1.5M to offset these burdens, while also investing donations into accelerating innovative cancer treatments. This inspiring episode will show you there is no limit to what we can achieve through collaboration, generosity and an innovative approach.

In this episode, Geri Greenall, CFO of Spartan Delta Corp. and EPAC board member, shares her insights on how the energy industry can showcase its positive impact on communities. Geri is leading an initiative to encourage energy companies to partner with Classroom Champions and provide financial support to drive positive change in the rural classrooms where energy workers live and raise their families. By forming local partnerships, the energy industry proactively addresses negative perceptions and demonstrates its commitment to sustainable development and community well-being. The Energize Communities campaign aims to shape a more positive narrative around the industry's efforts to give back to the communities they serve. Explore Geri's leadership and the industry's efforts to promote sustainable development and community well-being through local partnerships and education initiatives.Proactivity beats out reactivity every time - whether in shaping the narrative of an entire industry or getting ahead of trauma to ensure all kids are set up for future success. While these two topics might seem unrelated, Geri helps you understand how big players in the energy sector are putting millions of dollars into contributing to local communities. If you’re curious about storytelling, public relations and impacting your business or industry, this episode is a must-listen!

In this episode, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Givesome, Jay Whitelaw, explains the power of being allowed to see the real difference generosity and giving can make. Jay shares the a-ha moment he experienced while teaching in Namibia that helped him realize what’s missing from the generosity journey - seeing the impact. He explains how generosity can be crucial to employee and customer engagement and the ins and outs of the Givesome platform, including the advanced metrics and data that companies receive to report back to employees, partners and others to demonstrate tangible outcomes from giving.If you give to charities, you might wonder what your donation actually resulted in achieving. Givesome aims to reduce that while moving more people towards generosity as table stakes in daily life. Jay details building a non-profit and how to remain true to your north star, even if outside pressures try to box you in. With a focus on the donor first, Givesome is uniquely positioned to transform philanthropy for individuals and businesses while contributing to causes that can positively impact our communities. This episode is certain to inspire you to examine the other side of any equation to find opportunities.

In this episode, we chat about event management with Sheri Moore, Partner and Creative Director at Moore Carlyle Consulting & MCC Destination Management. Sheri is a self-proclaimed “event geek” and an original founder of the renowned mesh conference. After taking some time off, mesh is now bringing the conference to Western Canada, and Sheri gives us an inside look at what goes into planning an event of this magnitude.You’ll gain valuable insights from Sheri’s experience in the industry and come away with a better understanding of the ins and outs of event management. Whether you’re a seasoned event planner or just starting, tune in for an informative and engaging discussion on planning unforgettable events.Explore the power of smaller, more intimate settings when it comes to breaking past personal barriers and exposing yourself to new people, ideas, concepts, businesses, and conversations. Sheri Moore has a wealth of experience in event planning and a unique perspective on Western Canada, having grown up in Eastern Canada. She shares her insights on building a conference that curates the best possible experience for speakers and attendees and what questions and rules you should consider when doing so. Throughout the conversation, Sheri’s optimistic outlook on the DNA of Calgary shines through as she shares how this city is comfortable doing interesting things by breaking, disrupting, and transforming.

In this episode, hear from ViVent Bioprocesses Co-Founders Troy Temple and Griffin Smith, who share their valuable experience of building their start-up with the support of Avatar Innovations. Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner, their insights and advice will resonate with you. They discuss everything from understanding your intention in building a business or product to the need to have multiple horses in the race.This enlightening conversation provides valuable guidance on navigating the start-up journey, including building a cohesive team and fostering a positive company culture. You’ll also gain insights into iterating your solutions and how joining an accelerator or incubator can provide invaluable perspectives and support. This episode will leave you feeling inspired and better equipped to take on the exciting challenges of the start-up world.Entrepreneurship isn’t for the faint of heart; as Troy and Griffin explain, it’s a constant flux between disillusion and illusion, excitement and fear. Even though it is difficult, it is incredibly rewarding to set your own course and inspire others to come along on the journey. Troy and Griffin walk you through their experience with the Avatar Innovations Program and demonstrate how they went from multiple ideas around reducing methane emissions to one solution using microorganisms to solve the problem. Not only will you have a deeper understanding and appreciation of sustainability goals, you’ll also be inspired to explore the right partners who can help you achieve your business and growth goals.

In this episode, dive into the cutting-edge ways that Thin Air Labs supports Alberta’s thriving innovation ecosystem. It’s no secret that our province needs a tailored approach that isn’t simply a replica of the Bay Area or Toronto. We’re joined by Andrew Browne, Partner and Funding Catalyst Lead at Thin Air Labs, to shed some light on this topic.Andrew’s background as an entrepreneur and funding expert gives him a unique perspective, and he explains how Thin Air Labs is shaking up the traditional fund development roadmap. Rather than following the status quo, they’ve built their own parameters to identify the most promising founders, companies, and big ideas worth investing in. And once they’ve found them, Thin Air Labs provides a complete 360 package to help these businesses scale significantly.Discover Thin Air Labs’ innovative approach, the challenges of fostering a thriving innovation ecosystem in Alberta, and how we can continue to support and uplift our local entrepreneurs.Canadian-built companies have an arsenal of tools at their disposal to help them scale and grow, but many founders aren’t aware of them. Andrew and the Thin Air Labs team help them identify and apply for federal, provincial and municipal grants, as well as a suite of additional services that will help them do everything from de-risking ideas and productization to accelerating growth and scale. Tune in for a master class on scaling your ideas from someone who has been on both sides of the trenches. Andrew also shares his thoughts on why Alberta is uniquely positioned to solve hard problems, learn fast and grow our ecosystem to compete globally.

In this episode, you’ll be reminded about the joys of recess and play with PlayCity Founder & CEO, Hafiz Mitha. After exiting a role and moving back to Calgary, Hafiz stared at tennis courts outside of his condo day after day, pining for a partner to play with. But he didn’t know anyone and felt some anxiety about showing up and standing around, hoping someone might play tennis with him. Around the same time, dating apps were incredibly popular, which sparked Hafiz’s idea - instead of matching someone for a romantic date, why couldn’t you match someone who shares the same activity interests, skill level, and availability as yourself? After that a-ha moment, PlayCity was born.A great idea needs a great team to bring it to life, and Hafiz was able to get an introduction to the right developers who took payment in equity due to their love of sports and passion for the problem PlayCity is solving. Despite quick user uptake, the team noticed users weren’t matching and had to iterate their app to reduce barriers to connection. This episode will demonstrate how to take an idea to a product, including tips on building a team, testing your idea, the benefits of accelerator programs, and the never-ending inspiration experienced by entrepreneurs who create multiple companies. No matter what problem you’re experiencing, this episode will inspire you to get out there and solve it (or get outside, play, and forget your problems for a little while).

In this episode, learn how four friends in a basement created a business based on the idea that sustainability should be easier, not harder. Alex Todorovic, CEO of Arbor, explains how they leverage first-party and shared data to help companies map out their supply chain and emissions so they can greet changing regulations with a game plan to be compliant. Alex will help you understand the complex realities of environmental management through the lens of data, particularly in our globally connected world, where choices Canadian businesses make can have a real impact in the least developed nations. With many aggressive environmental mandates coming into effect in Europe, Arbor knows it’s just a matter of time before global adoption will be required, and it’s better to get ahead than scramble to catch up. Find out how Arbor automated lifecycle assessments, meaning companies can access emissions data within minutes instead of years. Alex also touches on data trustworthiness and how being sustainable or making money is no longer a choice - both are attainable and, quite frankly, table stakes for our shared future.