A #vibrant #democracy #thrives on #dialogue and #civil #society #engagement. Recognizing this, the Innovator Network of Canada (Inc.) is conducting a series of town halls to build the critical mass needed for change.
The first town hall at OneEleven, led by Benjamin Bergen, President at the Council of Canadian Innovators | Conseil canadien des innovateurs brought together technology leaders and startup ecosystem partners.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
💡 National Strategy and Collective Action: Benjamin Bergen emphasized the necessity of a national strategy and collective action to build an innovation economy. He rightly pointed out that an effective policy framework requires not only political will but also the collaboration of entrepreneurs, industrial leaders, and civil society. This holistic approach ensures that all stakeholders are aligned and committed towards a common goal!
💡 Ownership and IP Protection in the Digital Age: Allen Lau, a Canadian tech leader and a Venture Capitalist, underscored the crucial need for policy shifts focusing on #ownership and #IP protection in the #global #digital #economies. He provided an enlightening perspective that our national policies must adapt in light of the global transition from an industrial to a digital economy. Job creation was the key resource for economic prosperity in an industrial economy. However, in the digital economy, ownership and IP are critical for a business's contribution to the national economy. Emerging policies for the innovation economy should focus on keeping business ownership and control of IP within the country's domain to contribute to national prosperity truly.
The Panel discussion and conversations highlighted the complexities of building an innovation economy and the need for a multifaceted approach that addresses both strategic and practical considerations. The key lessons learned include:
🎯 The importance of developing a national innovation strategy that is inclusive of all stakeholders!
🎯 There is a need for policy adaptations to protect ownership and IP in the digital economy.
🎯 The significance of collective action in driving sustainable economic growth.
The evening was enriched by interactions with emerging young entrepreneurs like Disha Nayak; Laura Gabor; startup ecosystem builders Susy M., Bianca Bharti, Tehmina A Chaudhry, Suvid Ajmera, Gaurav Bansal, Karen Bozynski, Landon Gardner, Jeffrey Khater, and Kate Tomen. It was a pleasure meeting with Yusuf Baykal BOZKURT, Pankaj Makkar, and Aashima Asthana. These discussions provided valuable insights and underscored the importance of continuous dialogue and collaboration. We are committed to the same mission—working towards a more prosperous Canada.
Thank you to our team at TiE Toronto, for your support so that we can make these events happen, Sikand Khetan, CFA, Shaun Andrady, Sunil Chandarana, and Neal Chandarana!
TiE Toronto| Vijay Thomas| Mahendra Naik | Kanchan Kumar| Jey Narayanan Sokkappan
