The Waterloo Innovation Summit is taking place this week as top business leaders, academics and policy makers gather to find out what drives leading innovation ecosystems.

Global tech leaders will join others at the University of Waterloo and Communitech in downtown Kitchener for the sold-out summit from Sept. 16 to 18.

 

Keynote speakers include:

  • Silicon Valley entrepreneur and author Steve Blank
  • Economist and author Mariana Mazzucato
  • Tech strategist, entrepreneur and author Salim Ismail

Communitech and the University of Waterloo are teaming up to present discussions on everything from governments making big bets on science to the shifting roles of the public and private sectors and what entrepreneurs really need to succeed. 

The Tannery building

The Tannery Building in Kitchener, home to tech companies such as Desire2Learn and Google, as well as Communitech.

The summit begins with a tour of Waterloo region's innovation ecosystem with stops that include the University of Waterloo campus and the Faculty of Engineering, Wilfrid Laurier University, the David Johnston Research + Technology Park, the Accelerator Centre, OpenText, the Communitech Hub, Velocity Garage, Desire2Learn, Google, and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics.

The keynotes, firesides chats, and panel sessions will take place over two days at the main summit locations. Sessions on Thurs. Sept. 17 will take place at the University of Waterloo’s Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre and Friday’s sessions will take place at the Communitech Hub.

Follow along with the hashtag #WINS2015.