Building an innovation muscle from North America to support Fujitsu’s global portfolio is no small feat, but that is what Nicholas Lee and Fujitsu is doing from Canada. Speaking with INNOVATEwest, Nicholas shared a peek behind the curtain at how the company’s Vancouver-based innovation team structures its operations.

From times of antiquity to modern technology, we often marvel at the results of great design. But we forget that design is more than visual beauty—it’s a mindset that applies to innovative business building. Edita Hadravska knows this well, being in design for her whole career and currently as Head of Product and Brand Creative for publicly-listed eyewear company KITS. Speaking with INNOVATEwest, Edita shared her framework for design thinking.

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.