COVID-19 has fundamentally changed the way residents live, work and play in Canadian communities. More importantly, the months since the onset of the pandemic have also put a spotlight on longstanding social issues, particularly with respect to racism and achieving equality, opportunity and fairness for Indigenous communities, black Canadians and other visible minorities, including the growing number of international newcomers choosing to come to Atlantic Canada. From cultural appreciation to ensuring all residents have full access to service delivery and adequate housing and can integrate and contribute fully to our communities and economy, these issues are and will remain of fundamental importance to Atlantic Canada’s future, and a key challenge to getting our economies back up and running. The problem - for 25+ years, while there have been some notable successes, most diversity & inclusion initiatives have driven next to no change.  From one-and-done unconscious bias trainings, to the sharing of personal stories to diverse hiring panels, these strategies have allowed organizations to signal their dedication to change without fully comprehending the realities of both social and systemic oppression.  How are these approaches scaleable or measurable?  We measure everything of value in our organizations because we need to know that our efforts are meaningful and drive value.  Where is the ROI in these initiatives? With this in in mind, Venn Innovation and the Community Solutions Network is hosting a three hour virtual “Collision Day” to bring together some of Atlantic Canada’s most innovative business and community programs together so we can leverage their learnings and build on their successes and identify new solutions […]

Our first of 2 Pre-Summit build up and networking events with guest speaker and discussion of the up-coming Atlantic Technology Summit. Stay tuned for more details   Learn More

Join the Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Cape Breton Partnership for a luncheon event with Cape Breton University President, David Dingwall. “This is not just a building. This is an anchor to assist the community in reaching its goal of growing the population of Cape Breton Island.” - David Dingwall. President Dingwall will speak about the Centre for Discovery and Innovation and the ways in which you can help to create a prosperous future for Cape Breton Island. For more information about the Centre for Discovery and Innovation, please visit: www.innovateourfuture.ca For this event, all COVID-19 protocols will be strictly followed based on the Province of Nova Scotia's public health and safety protocols. All attendees will be required to wear a mask unless they are seated at their table. Register

The second of 2 Pre-Summit build up and networking events with guest speaker and discussion of the up-coming Atlantic Technology Summit. Stay tuned for more details   Register

Accelerate your journey to market with a Lunch & Learn presented by Innovative Solutions Canada, the Emera ideaHUB and Volta Gear. Accelerate your journey to market! As the single largest purchaser of Canadian goods and services, the Government of Canada has a unique opportunity to support the growth of Canadian innovators and entrepreneurs. Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) is a government program that helps innovators by funding R&D and testing prototypes in real-life settings. ISC has two streams with a combined funding of over $140 million dedicated to Canadian innovators who want to start, grow, and get to market. Innovators keep their IP and departments get their hands on cutting-edge products and services. Challenge Stream: If your business has a solutions to one of our challenges, you could get up to $1.15M in funding to prove your concept and build your prototype. Browse our open challenges here! Testing Stream: If you have a late-stage, pre-commercial innovation, you could have the opportunity to land a sale and get it tested with the Government of Canada! Join us for a presentation and Q&A to learn about ISC’s funding opportunities! Register