ABCtech #85 20-FEB-17 Think Family – Growing together

ABCtech #85 20-FEB-17 Think “Family” – Growing together

Monday in Alberta is special as every year we take a break and celebrate “family” – those around us who care about us and who we care about. When I think of family, there are many that I care about and care about me: they are at home, the office, the club, from school, even on-line, past and present.

Family” has been adapting to social changes: fewer children and nesting longer, a multi-family and muli-cultural presence. Family is also adapting to the ever-present impact of technology: in the kitchen and appliances, the car and garage, the home office and community. Not just in labour-saving machines, but now as aides and companions for automating decision making. Technology has become more than a family aide, it has become a partner in all that families do. That relationship has become core to our mission.

At ABCtech, we think about you as practically family. You are in our thoughts, part of an extension of our being. Some of you – now over 13,000, are young and striving entrepreneurs, others have been there and moved on, and still others play a supportive role as researchers and mentors, policy influencers and economic/business developers. Many are futurists, envisioning what we might become. All are affected by technology.  We think of you as part of our family. That word “family” conveys a lot more than terms like alliance, council, community, network, ecosystem. “Family” conveys care, sharing, development  That is what families do.

Over the last 10 years, I’ve noticed that you celebrate coming together, that you openly share your pain and dreams, frustrations and successes. And that you share our vision, believing that we together in all our diversity are “creating a new – more resilient Alberta”. We are practically like family – caring about and helping each other develop, realizing a vision. I am inspired every day to hear your new ideas, and even more to witness the birth of an idea as a new enterprise – an innovation.

We at ABCtech take seriously our commitment to know you, to understand your striving and challenges, as entrepreneurs AND as others in a supportive role. You see us a couple of times a year in March and September when we ask you about the resilience of Alberta enterprise and the effectiveness of the associated programs and services – Alberta’s “innovation ecosystem”. You also see us when we call you together for an event, or through our communications about technology and their impact. You are top of mind.

We too – as a family of volunteers, realize that we must adapt to change and for you, we must grow and extend ourselves to more than just advocacy – monitoring, networking, communicating.

As you may have read, we have grown: adding members, contacts, and recently several technology industry associations as allainces. Our family of volunteers is growing bigger and better able to extend itself for ensuring you get the help you need when you need it. As entrepreneurs, help in navigating and surviving the “valley of death” and beyond. As supporters, help in the delivery of products and services that exceed expectations. In the coming months you will hear more about what we together as family can do. Here are some of our initiatives underway:

• Improving access to capital for Alberta’s technology-based enterprises by introducing an ABCtech specialty credit union.
• Engaging thousands of Alberta youth in an exercise to imagine and design the Alberta they wish to inherit. Follow-up is to share their insights at a fall Conference this year and internationally next year.
• Establishing a transmedia foundation for educating those here and abroad about Alberta enterprise and innovation.
• Extending our global reach by establishing knowledge exchange channels with Europe, Asia and the US. And formalizing our presence in Calgary and rural Alberta.
• Transforming our signature summer BBQ -“Moonlight in the Meadows”,  into an all-industry public networking event.
• Mapping out together how Alberta’s ICT industry can help position Alberta as a global innovator in the application of emerging technologies in clean energy, precision health, and machine intelligence to name a few, and finally …
• Conducting a sustainability campaign for ensuring that ABCtech can continue to grow and support our family – all of us, in “Creating the new – more resilient Alberta!”

As is appropriate, if we consider ourselves as family, then we must consider and do all we can to address your needs at all stages of the life of your enterprise. This is a big task given your diversity and various personas: striving entrepreneurs and their supporters, established corporations and futurists. But change is our life-blood, and it is important to me that your needs are met. So we are also making changes in the way we operate and by introdicing programs and new services. You may have noticed the transition since our birthing in 2005. I promise you, you will see even more this year. We want you to know we care – as family, for each and every one of you!

Happy Family Day from us to you.

– Perry Kinkaide, CEO & Transitions Coordinator

Alberta Council of Technologies Society                                                             FAMILY YOU-TUBE