Connection is said to be at the heart of the greatest opportunities we experience in our lifetime, and in many ways, we are the most connected we have ever been in the history of civilization itself.

Connection is a tool that’s able to make our entire planet feel sometimes like a little village, and it’s something that has become one of the most important functions in my career as an Economic Developer.

As part the WEtech Alliance official strategic plan, we adopted “Strengthening our ecosystem” as part of our priorities. We know that collaboration is multiplication and finding opportunities to practice that is a big part of our day-to-day jobs. Our region can at times feel more like an island than a peninsula, and so we must work to help our local ventures tell their stories on a wider scale.

The 401 corridor is a path lined with opportunity; from Waterloo, with its incredible concentration of entrepreneurship and tech; to Toronto, home to the largest market in Canada. When we first heard about the Elevate festival coming to the GTA from September 23^rd to the 26th, we knew we wanted to not just get involved, but to be present for what is quickly shaping up to be the largest entrepreneurship event in the country. With speakers like Michelle Obama and Chris Hadfield, and some of the biggest names in Tech from around the globe taking the stage over the weeks long celebration of all things business in the great white north.

Along with our partners at Windsor Essex Economic Development Corporation, we’ve created the opportunity for seven local ventures to attend and experience the festival firsthand, a number we hope to grow in coming years.

Meet your 2019 #YQG #CKONT Elevate Delegation:

The Industrial Innovation Network – Creating Canada’s first virtual factory, this Startup will assist manufacturers in finding partners to take on over-flow and excess work

Beaux App – A soon to launch connectivity app that allows you to find beauty services to help you prepare for any big event, no matter where you are!

Coulters Software – an agency turned innovative Startup working on incredible products to make our borders more efficient, our farms more water conservation conscious, and our cities smarter through AI and Machine learning.

HaggleFree– A newly launched platform working with dealerships to deliver hot leads, and with consumers to cut down on the over 18 hours on average spent looking for a new vehicle.

Mobistream – Secure enterprise software that makes the business of managing people, approving requests, and engaging with employees not just a breeze, but a pleasure

SafeSipper – This science based startup makes it possible for you to detect microbes in your drinking water, and test for safety in 3 easy steps. It’s the camper or vacationers dream come true.

DataRealm inc. – When the team at DataRealm isn’t working with the worlds biggest automakers to turn their data into intelligence, they are working on developing leading edge tech using Augmented and Virtual reality. With one consistent goal in mind, DataRealm ensures that every decision made by their clients is a smart one.

Over the course of the week, these companies will get to witness pitches by top entrepreneurs from across the country, meet and greet with investors and fund managers representing billions of dollars, and connect with leaders from around the globe.

None of this would be possible without the team at Elevate, who have made it their mandate to create opportunity for companies across the country to take part in this festival. Leadership everywhere is realizing that the best innovation comes through diversity and inclusion, and we cannot wait to show off the competitive advantage that comes from growing global in Windsor-Essex, where Canada begins.

Follow-along with the @WEtechAlliance social channels to get updates, see pictures and take the journey along with our amazing attendees!

For more information on the Elevate Festival 2019 visit elevate.ca.