Despite its physical size, Canada is a very small market. However, this can be a strategic advantage. Speaking with INNOVATEwest ahead of the inaugural summit, VoPay CEO and Founder Hamed Arbabi explained his three-phase approach to turning Canada’s smaller market into a global launchpad.

Strategic communications isn’t just an executive or public relations move; a well-documented strategy can help the entire business grow. Sharing with INNOVATEwest, Bianca Ball—a Senior Consultant & Creative Strategist at Hill+Knowlton—explained the top five ways communications can grow your business.

Under the mantle of impact entrepreneurship is the fire of passionate individuals. However, passion alone is not enough; the greatest impact businesses are also financially healthy and leverage traditional go-to-market strategies where appropriate. Speaking with INNOVATEwest ahead of the inaugural summit, co-founder of impact investment fund Spring, Keith Ippel, shared his view of how impact entrepreneurship can build better businesses.

Studies routinely show that women build amazing companies that deliver for customers and shareholders. Yet women receive a tiny portion of VC funding. Groups like The Firehood aim to solve that problem by investing in women-led companies and helping build stronger connections for up-and-coming founders. Speaking with INNOVATEwest, co-founder Danielle Graham explained how the team structured The Firehood’s go-to-market to make it more inclusive—a process she wants other VCs to copy.

AI is going to “disrupt” this or “decimate” that. But what does that mean for the individual who is getting “disrupted” and “decimated” by AI? Speaking with INNOVATEwest about the human perspective, Kris Krug, founder of MØTLEYKRÜG Media, shared more about his secret recipe for thriving as a creator in the mid-21st century.

Vancouver’s unique mix of geography and traditional industry provides a clear path to becoming a global leader in creative tech industries. But getting there requires more than potential. Speaking with INNOVATEwest, Dan Burgar—co-founder and CEO of Frontier Collective—shared more about what he thinks is necessary to capture Vancouver’s innovation moment.