News
Toronto Diversity Strengthens the “Cockroach Nest”
A study by the BBC says that while Dubai has 83% of its population hailing from abroad, Toronto has a far wider spread of nationalities – 230 in all. Why Diversity Matters, a report by management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. reveals a strong correlation between diversity and financial success: companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have above average returns.
May 25, 2016Tech Investors and Founders Identify Bankable Technologies
Entrepreneur and author Seth Godin’s comment from more than a decade ago, which addresses what’s now generally referred to as “disruption,” resonates among entrepreneurs more than ever. To address this, we asked each of our launch week interviewees what technology is going to be the most bankable in the next few years?
May 24, 2016What IBM’s Watson Thinks of HBO’s Game of Thrones Characters
We coded a scraper and extracted from Wikiquote the dialogue of several main Game of Thrones characters. We then unleashed Watson’s Tone Analyzer — a tool for understanding the emotional impact of text — to assess five core emotions, as well as overall emotional stability, confidence, and agreeableness.
May 20, 2016“Silicon Forest” Attracts Talent from the Mother of all Tech Ecosystems
Portland’s affordability is major factor behind the growth experienced in the high tech sector, and resulting increased salaries are contributing back to the city’s wealth. And this benefits the U.S. Pacific Northwest as a whole. As an indication of the trend, the region’s talent pool grew 28 percent between 2010 and 2013, compared to 20.8 percent in Silicon Valley.
May 19, 2016Funding & Talent Dominate Twitter Talk Around Techvibes
Techvibes hosts a semi-annual event called Techfest, which underscores the importance of hiring in the startup space. The networking event attracts more than 1,000 attendees and culminates in a series of 2-minute pitches by CEOs, founders and tech executives meant to attract the best employees.
May 18, 2016Choosing the Wrong Accelerator Can Get You Nowhere Fast
Accelerators can put startups on a fast track towards growth-stage success, but founders shouldn’t be tempted to apply to a program simply on the basis of acceptance chances. Geography, funding, office space, and mentorship availability are all important, and there are still other factors to keep in mind.
May 18, 2016Demand for Fintech Innovation Creates Cooperation Ecosystems
Financial institutions are wrestling with the competitive implications of fintech. A recent PwC report says 20% of their business is at risk by 2020, so many are already partnering with more nimble, innovative startups. Funding of fintech startups last year reached $12.2 billion.
May 17, 2016/newsrooms Launches TechPORTFOLIO to Cover Economic Value of Startup Ecosystems
TechPORTFOLIO will use IBM Cloud and cognitive technologies, including data and machine learning, as part of its journalistic approach to deliver insights relevant to the companies, startups and governments involved in the global startup ecosystem.
May 16, 2016How Much is Cognitive Technology Helping the Raptors?
While it’s tough to gauge Watson’s impact on the current season, the platform is likely learning much as it analyzes players on and off the court. Whatever the case, fans should expect the big data addition to play a bigger role in the Raptors’ strategy going forward.
May 10, 2016Investors Weigh in on Programming Language Choice
Startups should consider their comfort level with the language, where the market is going and if the language they choose is the best one to reach their goals. While VCs usually don’t try to change decisions around programming languages, the way programs are written could affect investment decisions.
May 5, 2016Smart Cities Take Root in Canada as Apps Learn to Improve Services
The drive to make cities smart provides more than just faster answers to questions about municipal services. It gives entrepreneurs who respond to the demand the opportunity to create solutions that can be commercialized, which ultimately builds the depth and breadth of startup ecosystems.
April 15, 2016Toronto has the Entrepreneurs. Imagine If It Had the Cash.
Cities outside of the world’s largest VC concentrations need to innovate to create conduits that tap these hubs. The C100’s Venture North event in Toronto addresses this problem. The C100 runs programs, including Venture North, which aim to do this by connecting Canadian entrepreneurs with compatriots active in Silicon Valley to foster partnership and investment.
March 31, 2016Startup Conversation in Social Media Follows The Money To India
Optimism over economic reforms by India’s Narendra Modi give the world’s second most populous country a big presence in social media chatter worldwide.
March 31, 2016Toronto is a Fintech Testing Ground, says MaRS Innovation Lead
The way we borrow, save and invest money will never be the same thanks to a surge in financial technology (fintech) companies driving a digital revolution in the financial services sector.
March 31, 2016EU Struggles to Unlock Value of a Digital Single Market
The European Commission recently passed the halfway mark in a plan to help revitalize the region’s economy by allowing freer digital trade, an initiative the executive body claims could unleash €415 billion ($466.9 billion) in economic growth through streaming, online shopping, and cloud computing by the end of this decade.
March 31, 2016