Global Connections Program

The Cause

Each year Collision provides 1000s of innovators, technology companies and entrepreneurs the opportunity to meet with investors, customers, and supporters. This is the premiere technology conference in North America, and we have seen that innovators and entrepreneurs make deals and gain traction at this event. However, there is a cost, and most underrepresented founders cannot afford to attend a conference of this magnitude and bring their idea to the global stage. Therefore, we need support of Edmonton’s corporate community.

Edmonton Unlimited is funded by the City of Edmonton, we provide programs, supports, and services to Edmonton’s innovation community as well as promoting Edmonton as a global innovation capital. We cannot use our funds to directly provide stipends and grants to innovators to attend conferences. The Global Connections program is intended to be a multi-year program, funded by corporate support, that will allow us to provide stipends to innovators to attend conferences each year. A community grant from Field Law would be our kick off.

Edmonton Unlimited proposes the following:
o Fund 5 innovator founders to attend Collision June 26 – 29, 2023
o Provide wrap around supports to those founders including
o Pitch Training
o Setting Up B2B and Investor Meetings
o Local Networking and Mentoring with previous attendees of Collision
o Networking Event hosted by Innovate Edmonton at Collision for investors and supporters for our local innovators.
o Follow up showcase in Edmonton to the corporate and innovation community about their experience at Collision
o Follow up support and access to expertise to help them with next steps resulting from Collision attendance including legal and accounting support from our partners.

Who Will it Benefit?

We support equity, diversity and inclusion and innovators of all stripes, at all stages of growth. Innovators and entrepreneurs across Edmonton need access to global funders and opportunities. This is especially true of those who traditionally do not have access to the capital that allows them to reach out to these opportunities including women, indigenous, BIPOC and other founders. Entrepreneurs in the technology space have often identified that they need to participate in opportunities such as Collision Tech Conference in Toronto and many others globally. These events provide the opportunity to promote product and service visions to global investors, partners, and customers. Innovate Edmonton wants to support more founders in accessing these opportunities.