Forbes article: Why The Next Billion-Dollar Tech Firm Will Be Born In Canada


Forbes article: Why The Next Billion-Dollar Tech Firm Will Be Born In Canada



https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2018/02/22/why-the-next-billion-dollar-tech-firm-will-be-born-in-canada/#1faee5eb36b8



I recently came across this article and thought it would be interesting to share. The article presents an argument for Canada leading the way for the "next" tech firm. 

The article begins by talking about Amazon's search for new headquarters, with all of the potential cities scattered throughout America's tech hubs. All except Toronto. And Toronto appears to be a top contender. The reason? Canada doubling down on a commitment to support tech industries and paving the way for tech to lead Canada's future economy. Part of this initiative recognizes that people are an essential component to the fast moving, constantly changing, innovating tech industry. 

As the Trump administration creates barriers for immigration, tech industries struggle to obtain the world's top talent. In the highly competitive tech industry, this creates a challenge to compete with other global cities that are striving towards tech-friendly environments. At the same time, Canada has been actively working to create easier ways for immigrants with valuable skills to work and contribute to the Canadian economy. 

Overall, I thought this article presented some interesting points that align with last week's theme of policy and practices. By now, it should be clear that innovation and technology driven industries rely on policy to support their development. 

What do you think of this article, do you agree or have some points to add that you think are relevant?  




Comments

  1. Tiana Oakley4 March 2018 at 15:06


    I do believe that Toronto is one of the top contenders for Amazon's new headquarters. Where a business is situated contributes to its growth and success as they begin to adopt the brand of and values that a city possesses. Canada’s government has promised to invest in the tech industry, particularly high-tech startups as they contribute to the growth of the country’s economy. I also agree with the statement that Trump’s administration has made it harder for startups to succeed as a result of the increase in barriers. Therefore, the United States has become an unattractive place to thrive in the tech industry as a result of their restrictions on immigration policies and globalization.

    Therefore, Canada has become more inclusive and innovative by placing attention and investment on youth and tech education while America has become more single-minded and closed off. The success of an economy and new ventures do rely on policies that will support their continued innovation. Within policies that reflect and support a business’s blueprint, a company would not be successful in reaching a broad audience and getting a response from the public.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unknown20 March 2018 at 15:14

      I agree. I can also understand where you are coming from when you suggest that "America has become more single-minded and closed off" with difficult policies making it harder to move forward with a increasingly global thinking, tech industry.

      Your comments about "Canada becoming more innovative by placing attention and investment on youth and tech education" made me think of a couple facts I have come by over the past few days, regarding Kitchener Waterloo, which support the efforts of Kitchener/Waterloo striving to become a recognized tech community and thus also support your claims that Canada has become more innovative in this process:

      1. Kitchener/Waterloo has a lower median age than the rest of Canada(1)

      2. The University of Waterloo has one of the fastest growing international student populations and is a recognized STEM University in Canada(2)

      3. Waterloo Region has the highest rate of "start-ups" in the world, outside of Silicon Valley(3)


      References:

      (1)
      News, CBC. "K-W Has Younger Demographic than National Average: 2016 Census." CBCnews. May 03, 2017. Accessed March 20, 2018. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/kitchener-waterloo-cambridge-census-younger-demographic-1.4097847.

      (2)
      Koulikova, Valeria. "International Students from Asia Filling More Seats at UW." The Seattle Globalist. March 05, 2013. Accessed March 20, 2018. http://www.seattleglobalist.com/2013/03/05/international-students-from-asia-at-uw/10885.

      (3)
      Henry, Zoë. "Why Waterloo, Ontario, Is the Silicon Valley of Canada." Inc.com. Accessed March 20, 2018. https://www.inc.com/zoe-henry/waterloo-startup-hot-spot.html.



      Delete

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