The State of the Nation is part of the official opening of the first Annual Toronto Technology Week and offers a unique platform for active participation with our industry experts who will help paint a picture of the current and future landscape of Toronto’s technology industry from a local and global perspective. This session is part of the Opening Ceremonies for the first Annual Toronto Tech Week which will be officially kicked off with Mayor David Miller.
Bring lots of business cards to networking with other industry leaders and enjoy a continental breakfast.
Keynote Presenter: Mia Wedgbury – Toronto Technopolis: New Ways of Promoting Our Technology Sector
As Torontonians, we’re known around the world for many things: our culture, our arts, our internationally flavoured community. What many people don’t realize is that Toronto is also the third largest hub for technology on the continent. Despite the fact that Toronto has consistently outpaced other North American cities, our city has been the tech world’s best kept secret. But people are catching on.
Internet technologies have inspired a new generation of entrepreneurs based in Toronto. Software, new media, and information and communications technology all have a strong (and growing) foothold in our city. At the same time, we keep losing talent and headquarters to the United States. How can we use this renewed sense of community to strengthen Toronto as a premier technology hub in North America?
Mia Wedgbury will discuss how we can promote our technology sector to the world and find new ways to foster entrepreneurship, research, and business culture in our own backyard.
Speakers / Panelists:
Mia Wedgbury, President, High Road Communications – As High Road’s President, Mia leads the firm with more than 18 years of pubbackyard.Speakerserience. She has directed global brand positioning programs, handled crisis communications, managed international product launches, and developed strategic public relations programs for emerging players and industry leaders.(full bio)
As President of Workopolis, Patrick Sullivan is responsible for the vision and business strategy behind Workopolis, Canada’s leading provider of recruitment and job-search solutions including workopolis.com, Canada’s Biggest Job Site, workopolisCampus.com, Canada’s biggest job site for students and recent graduates and CorporateWorks, the applicant tracking system that puts the power and functionality of workopolis.com behind corporate career sites. Patrick also provides advice to jobseekers and employers on Canada’s favourite career television show, Workopolis TV, which is seen three evenings a week on Report on Business Television. (full bio)
Joaquin Alvarado is the Founding Director of the Institute for Next Generation Internet at San Francisco State University. The Institute focuses on technology, policy and community development in the Next Generation Internet environment. He also continues a life long commitment to independent media production through his role as President of the Board for the Bay Area Video Coalition and leading role on the City of San Francisco Digital Media Advisory Committee. Mr. Alvarado is also is an award winning Chicano filmmaker and holds a B.A. in Chicano Studies from UC Berkeley and an MFA from the UCLA School of Theatre, Film, and Television. He is the co-author of Contemporary Chicana and Chicano Art, Vol. I & II., Bilingual Review Press-2002. (full bio)
Format: Keynote Speaker & Panelists
Where: Metro Convention Center (South Building) – Toronto, Canada
When: Monday, May 28th, 2007
8:30 – Registration, Networking, Continental Breakfast
8:30 – 8:45 – Opening Ceremonies
8:45 – 9:00 – Welcome to Toronto – Mayor David Miller
9:15 – 9:40 – “Global Investment Trends and Toronto’s Competitive Positioning in the ICT Sector” – Mike Williams
9:40 – 11:30 – State of the Nation
** Interested in bring your clients or team members of 4 or more – contact us for discount rates.
*** 5% cancellation fee will be applied with minimum 48 hours notice
Sponsors:
Media Sponsors:
I am disgusted with your commercial….from Vancouver to Sable Island N.S.
Last I checked, Newfoundland and Labrador was part of Cananda. Please check your map.
Thanks
We’re a technology organization and we’re on Twitter
Saskatchewan Research Council – @SRCnews
I don\’t usually agree with this type of thing but you are right. Thanks.
Really interesting stuff. Thanks for the update. I just added you to my Google News Reader.
Hello Dave,
I just wanted to clarify something in your post. Talkster has not been sold to Rebtel. Rather, Talkster has made a strategic decision to focus on our messaging platform “talki” and Rebtel has acquired our Free World Dialing user base. Our large base of loyal users now have the benefit of continued and expanded free calling along with the opportunity to make cheap calls anywhere in the world. As part of our deal and in recognition of the value of our users, they are being offered $5 in free calling credit when they deposit $10 on their Rebtel account. All anyone has to do is to go to http://www.talkster.com to sign up or use voucher code “talkster” on Rebtel’s site.
Thanks,
James Wanless
Talkster COO
Interesting story, but I don’t see this working for either Toshiba or Yellow Pages. The last time I thought of the phone directory is when it thumped onto my front porch, and I walked it straight to my black box for recycling. I wonder if there’s any data on how many white or yellow pages are actually retained after delivery?
I’m thinking there’s an interesting difference between directories and catalogues. We still get catalogues at our house, and those are always kept. I think the difference is the ability to flip pages in the catalogue in an attempt to inspire an idea, while directories are cruise-missile targeted to find me THIS number.
Why flip directory pages in the age of search engines? And, for that matter, why use some desktop widget when you have a web browser? I’d be dropping this widget from my laptop instantly, I think.
Hi Dave,
Communications MECA is on Twitter @mecapr
http://twitter.com/mecapr
The truth is Google is afraid of the Canadian user.
As a American who lives, travels, works and visits Canada regularly I am very disappointed to not have access to a Canadian number and am working hard with “other” companies to ensure Google gets paid back for it’s arrogant California attitude!!
I can’t see it either…
It’s probably a matter of copyright and laws. It will come to Canada for sure. Just wait a little bit. It takes time to submit the project to CRTC, for exemple, and them to accreditate Google to launch it.
Remember Satellite Radio, iPhones, etc..
Although this is a sponsored event (I’m often cautious about being a tool for branding and marketing) Iäm glad to see that LG is reaching out in new and creative ways.
Thank you for this post, now ill go on this blog often and check for new articles.
Thanks a lot for the hints. Especially the event about marketing optimization is interesting. Hopefully i can participate.
Good consolidation/preso of stats, Dave. While the stats are interesting, I think top-line participation data misses the point entirely. How many companies or brands are using social platforms specifically to drive business performance — far less than just happen to be using them and learning as they go. More firms want a Facebook fan page or Twitter account than actually arrive at those activations to solve specific business problems. How many of these Fortune-100 firms align social initiatives to a balanced scorecard, or other performance management framework? The clients I talk to don’t even know how to pro forma ROI – let along plan a specific, tactical social experience.
You can go on AdAge and learn about retail, package goods and entertainment brands that have grown more relationships, or sold more product, online – ROI / proof of business success using social platforms. But in other verticals, like pharma or B2B – where a 15% off sale or Lady Gaga enforcement don’t mean squat, success is hard to find. In general, I’d like to see more coverage of social media success by vertical, not stats pertaining to how many companies have active social media programs. Participation is not proof of strategic alignment, stakeholder best interest, or business success.
Iam truly looking forward to look at the oscars in a few days. All the big stars at the red carpet, and really the girls in their shine trough dresses
. The movie Avatar will be the biggest winner i think…
Insurance for my mobile phone? Absolutely. It’s especially important with the popularity of smartphones, which can range between $500-1000 price. I currently insure my Nokia N97 but through my wireless provider. Although it is not cheap at $7 per month and $150 deductible. But I’ve already broke my phone once and it’s a $700 price range. http://bt.io/EcIg