New Westminster – The City of New Westminster is pleased to announce Innovation Week – a series of events taking place February 24 – March 3, 2017 that will showcase New Westminster’s increasing role as a regional centre for research, technology and innovation as well as provide opportunities to learn, showcase and experience innovation in action.
“We’re excited to host Innovation Week and shine a spotlight on New Westminster as a city that encourages and welcomes progress and new ideas – a city where innovation happens,” said Mayor Jonathan Coté. “The City was recently recognized as a global Smart21 city by the Intelligent Community Forum for our efforts on a broad array of innovative initiatives. The packaging of all these event offerings into an innovation themed “week” is a natural fit.”
Innovation Week features a number of events that allow businesses, investors and community members alike to engage, such as the New Westminster Business and Tech Meetup, the VANTEC Pitch Circuit, BRINK at the New Media Gallery, New West PechaKucha Volume 14, and Digital Days – a creative industry conference. Hack Our City, the Innovation Forum, and the Leadership Dinner round out the week’s activities.
Hack Our City (February 25 & 26), sponsored by Amazon, is a two-day celebration of using data and technology to help solve real world problems that will take over City Hall, including drop-in hands on activities for kids, a tech bar, open data hack-a-thon, idea generation, and workshops on a variety of topics.
The Innovation Forum (February 28), sponsored by Vancity Credit Union and jointly hosted by Public Services and Procurement Canada and the City of New Westminster, is a free day-long exchange of ideas and information to assist startups and tech companies find the path to private and public funding, learn how to sell to government, and network featuring the following speakers:
- Mayor Jonathan Coté, City of New Westminster
- Mike Walkinshaw, CEO of TIMIA Capital
- Jill Earthy, Chief Growth Officer, FrontFundr
- William Azaroff, Executive Lead, Member Experience and Community Engagement at Vancity Credit Union + Board Chair at Modo Co-op
The Regional Mayors’ Leadership Dinner (March 2), offered in partnership with the New Westminster Chamber of Commerce and the City of New Westminster, features some of our region’s most influential mayors in a panel discussion on innovation in our communities and an incredible dining experience at Anvil Centre. Confirmed are New Westminster Mayor Jonathan Coté, Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan, Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore, Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart, Maple Ridge Mayor Nicole Read, and Dr. Peter Payne, President & CEO of Health Tech Innovation Foundation: Innovation Boulevard Corp, Surrey.
"Our Leadership dinner presents an incredible opportunity to have access to numerous municipal representatives in one place,” said Lizz Kelly, CEO of the New Westminster Chamber of Commerce. “We are thrilled to be able to bring together such an esteemed panel and at such a great venue, too.”
A full listing and details of all events are available on the City’s website at www.newwestcity.ca/innovatenw.
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Contacts:
Ruby Campbell
Intergovernmental and Community Partnerships Manager
604-515-3821 or