Inventures 2019 is underway, offering a comprehensive program for entrepreneurs and innovators, June 5-7 in Calgary, Alberta.

With more than 200 speakers, the business and innovation conference features leaders who have helped startups prosper and thrive around the world. Inventures is a global innovation experience hosted by Alberta Innovates to bring together the brightest ideas in data, digital and other emerging technologies that are transforming economies, industries and communities across the globe.

“Inventures is like a master class for pathblazers,” says Alberta Innovates CEO Laura Kilcrease. “We’re reaching across the globe and bringing seasoned entrepreneurs and investors together with local startups and innovators. The creative energy this generates and the doors it opens will fuel our next wave of successful ventures.”

“Alberta’s venture ecosystem has unique strengths that the world is starting to recognize, including in clean technology,” says Jason Switzer, Executive Director of the Alberta Clean Technology Alliance. “Inventures is a great opportunity for Alberta innovators to connect with people who move ideas to prototypes, people who finance great ideas, and people who know how to enter new markets.”

Attendees will hear from successful entrepreneurs, leaders who commercialized new technology, angel investors, venture capital executives, and others who are breaking down barriers.

Success leaders:

• Patrick Lor, Managing Partner at Panache Ventures, a seed-stage venture capital firm that will invest in over 100 Canadian startups over the next three years.

• Sheelpa Patel, who created and launched ‘INFINITI LAB’ for Infiniti Motor Company. The accelerator programme connected Smart Cities & IoT startups with the expertise of the Nissan/Renault/Mitsubishi Alliance.

• Scott Ford, who leads global operations for Techstars across the entire entrepreneurial journey.

• Emma Weston, CEO and a co-founder of AgriDigital, one of Australia’s leading emerging agtech and fintech companies.

• Anil Pereira, a veteran Silicon Valley executive and entrepreneur who serves as a senior advisor or board member to a number of high-growth companies including Blueshift, Partnerize, and Tynker.

• Kristina Milke, the President of Valhalla Angels, one of Canada's most active angel investing groups, Co-Founder with Valhalla Private Capital, and managing partner with Sprout Fund, an early stage tech investment fund.

Keynote speakers:

Dr. Temple Grandin, global expert in livestock behaviour and autism advocate, is the lead keynote speaker to kick off Inventure$ 2019. Dr. Grandin is a best-selling author and a pioneer in improving the handling and welfare of livestock. Her ground-breaking work has become the industry standard for livestock facilities, grazing behaviour and animal welfare practices. Dr. Grandin is also a passionate autism advocate, shaped by personal experience and for which she credits her professional achievements.

"Dr. Grandin’s world-renowned work offers insight not only for the agricultural industry, but all industries and sectors. Her inspiring story is one that will make us all strive to be more courageous, more determined and more innovative in our own ventures," says Kilcrease.

Another featured keynote speaker at this year's event is Michele Romanow, a prolific angel investor and panellist on CBC’s Dragon’s Den. Romanow started five companies before her 33rd birthday and is co-founder of Clearbanc, which gave entrepreneurs more than $100 million in funding in 2018. She is the only Canadian on Forbes’ ‘Millennial on a Mission’ list.

An additional headline speaker is Dr. Daniel Kraft, a world-renowned health system innovator and entrepreneur who offers insight on the role of technology in revolutionizing healthcare. Dr. Kraft is a visionary and advocate for the convergence of technology in healthcare. His expertise spans biotech, exponentials, medicine and neuroscience. He also serves as Faculty Chair for Medicine at Singularity University. He has explored breakthrough discoveries around 3D printing and organ regeneration, point-of-care lab-on-a-chip diagnostics and new gene-based therapies.

"Innovators and investors should be looking to the super-convergence of technology which is enabling the reimagination of medicine across the care continuum," says Kilcrease. "From the blending of wearables, low cost genomics, to A.I., robotics and V.R. – technology is catalyzing a revolution that can dramatically improve prevention, diagnosis and therapy and reduce healthcare costs."

Dr. Kraft has multiple scientific publications and medical device, immunology and stem cell related patents through faculty positions with Stanford University School of Medicine and as clinical faculty for the pediatric bone marrow transplantation service at University of California San Francisco. He is the founder of a platform for personalized, data-driven medication called IntelliMedicine­, where a 3D printer designs pills that adapt to our individual needs.