ABCtech #184 16SEP13 Report – ABCtech Subscriber Survey – 2013

Summary ABCtech Subscriber Survey – 2013

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ABOUT YOU

Association/ NGO	25	11%
Business/industry	118	52%
Policy/government	24	11%
Research/academia	26	12%
Other	32	14%

TOTAL 225

BRAND

2. Action: “Commercializing emerging technologies” – conducting events bridging academia/research, business/industry and policy/government (59% Agree)

1	24	11%
2	23	11%
3	39	19%
4	73	35%
5	50	24% Strongly agree

3. Advocate: “Diversifying Alberta’s economy through technology” – creating wealth and sustainability (62% Agree)

1	26	12%
2	22	10%
3	32	15%
4	80	38%
5	50	24% Strongly agree

4. Community: “A network of networks” – developing special interest groups for commercializing emerging technologies (55% Agree)

1	19	9%
2	19	9%
3	56	27%
4	75	36%
5	40	19% Strongly agree

5. Insight: “Assessing the status and impact of emerging technologies” – and their socio-economic implications (42% Agree)

1	31	15%
2	32	15%
3	58	28%
4	60	29%
5	28	13% Strongly agree

6. Communications: “Educating the public about innovation” – targeting emerging technologies and impediments to their commercialization (47% Agree)

1	25	12%
2	39	19%
3	48	23%
4	61	29%
5	37	18% Strongly agree

PRINCIPLES

7. Technologies of interest should be “inclusive” – not “exclusive” (74% Agree)

1	11	5%
2	12	6%
3	31	15%
4	72	34%
5	83	40% Strongly agree

8. Focus on “emerging technologies” and advancing their “commercialization” (79% Agree)

1	5	2%
2	9	4%
3	30	14%
4	86	41%
5	81	38% Strongly agree

9. Develop a constituency of “individual” subscribers and paying members – not corporations or government (32% Agree)

1	33	16%
2	38	18%
3	70	34%
4	40	19%
5	27	13% Strongly agree

10. Focus on “industry” development and associated issues – not to compete with established businesses or government services (62% Agree)

1	17	8%
2	13	6%
3	50	24%
4	80	39%
5	47	23% Strongly agree

11. “Independence” is fundamental to effective advocacy – no compromising, hence “financing” through members, projects including secondments, and patrons. (52% Agree)

1	14	7%
2	24	11%
3	62	30%
4	70	33%
5	39	19% Strongly agree

IMPROVEMENT

1. Provide an investment portal for the average investor to buy shares in emerging technology. Provide the opportunity to market new technology.
2. ABCTech does nothing for me but waste my time.
3. As patent lawyers, our clients are a mix of local and international, corporations and research institutes. They are fully engaged in R&D and have solid commercialization strategies which were usually in place pre-research and which evolved throughout the research. Our struggles are not with our client’s abilities to research and commercialize successfully (they are extremely successful on their own), but with developing and maintaining our own lawyer’s qualifications and skills for this area. Few law firms in Alberta are doing well on that front, and frankly the standard of IP legal services in Alberta is quite low (with a few individual exceptions, where lawyers are investing in US courses etc.). Hiring from other provinces is not usually successful (they leave), and after investing in the lawyer’s education and training through US courses etc., we tend to experience a brain drain as the lawyers can move east to service multinational IP clientele in larger IP firms with greater satisfaction. Thus, ABCtech doesn’t currently seem relevant to our own needs except to provide networking opportunities with potential clients at your events.
4. I’ve only recently heard about ABCtech and don’t have an opinion on the above matters. Good luck.
5. Provide more information on a regular basis if what is going on and what needs to be done.
6. I get too many emails from ABCtech, and they seem spammy.
7. This may seem like a small thing, but the lack of good design made me question to competence of the organization until I met Perry and realized it was for real. I would also advise focus — ABCtech does so many different things, I’m not sure what the one thing it wants to do is.
8. At one time, we used to meet at the Royal Glenora Club and I had a sense of what ABC was about. Now I have no idea.
9. Bridge the gap further between entrepreneur’s and academics by using research councils more effectively to help industry by functioning as a catalyst for growth and intelligence for future prosperity, happiness and balance.
   1. Do this by providing one on one shadowing and knowledge transfer to bring newcomers up to speed as quickly asap.
   2. Mentor and provide cash and tax, business incentives for business to take on more risk and assist government and agencies
   3. Validate research and data before making it mainstream
   4. More focus on the rights of aboriginals and focus on immigration so the process is clear to all
   5. Multi user steering committee’s led by successful businessman and govt to ensure effective governance to the industry and marketplace.
10. We need to merge the special interest groups (all who have a role) under a single Technology umbrella. Get real, we need to speak with one voice – under which special interest groups should operate. One main technology group in Alberta. One membership, (like the Chamber of Commerce) so please put away petty principles and get focused on the big picture.
11. Focus on technologies that are closer to realization or in the process of industrial application.
12. Schedule a single conference each year at the same time each year titled: ABCTech Include multiple streams representing each emerging technology. Do not schedule separate conferences for each emerging technology. eg. Analytics
13. Stay the course and engage your Directors – give them more public profile.
14. Raise ABCTech’s profile as providing an independent perspective (honest broker) when it comes to emerging technologies Claimming “diversification through technology” is too broad and general. Within this claim I almost never see anything that falls within our mandate (industrial scale GHG reduction/greening) and yet we are dedicated to commercialization of innovative technologies. We are on the mailing list but almost never see anything that relates to this area. Even discussion of “clean-tech” seems to be exclusively small scale, consumer or commercial, non-industrial technologies.
15. There seems to be insufficient focus on leveraging existing industrial activities in the province. (Diversification into adjacent fields as opposed to completely separate areas.)
16. Get more active. We have already squandered out world class status in hazardous disposal, hospital design, and may lose out in large project management.
17. Quit looking at the shiny baubles and meet peoples’ needs for the needs of life – clean water, working plumbing, health, and the like.
18. I am a member due to my association with some of the key founders. From what I understand about ABCtech, I think it serves a useful purpose for those involved in the technological industry in its many facets. However, most of the topics are not high priority or of great interest to me. I wonder if after eight years there is any way of measuring whether the society has helped to “Diversify Alberta’s economy through technology” — a lofty vision — hence appropriate as a vision!
19. Concrete results are unclear to me. I am struck that numerous opportunities are provided for networking, partnership building, learning about emerging technologies, etc. There may be more of an individual sense of achievement rather than achievements at an industry / provincial level.
20. I attend the Friday seances at the Chateau. Questions have been posed to seek prioritization; I consider all to be important.
21. Doing a great job with limited resources! Thanks.
22. Explain even more to government why they should be supportive
23. More business involvement, less academia
24. More evening or breakfast guest speaker events with networking opportunities, monthly or quarterly, e.g. Royal Glenora.
25. More attention on fewer issues (e.g. a rifle vs. shotgun approach). Core messages from ABCTech may be too abstract or too far out to commercialize. There are some big gaps to be addressed in “meat and potatoes” productivity initiatives.
26. A campaign to improve productivity through innovation and innovate technology would go a long way to strengthen our economy.
27. Narrow down – create niche areas driven by engaged interest groups:
    1. Define what constitute emerging technologies
    2. Sift through what is worthy technologies to focus on and build on the ones that will be most likely to succeed.
    3. Startups must be mentored and matched
    4. The established unthreatened ones could act as mentors
    5. Innovation – showcase
    6. Involve, engage, include the stakeholders –from grassroots to established institutions.
    7. Define your target consumers/users — know how to serve their needs.

There is a big shift in Alberta Government in this area. “Calgary” innovates…….

1. THe organizations have grown but I just heard of a big push on accountability. While we can hope it is a big order I would think that someone ABC still needs to be an intuitive communicator. THe good news you exist for broadcast. THis is and always will have to be independent of Government.
2. ABC tech needs a wider province-wide reach. ABCtech needs to increase its public profile and form MOU’s with other organizations with similar mandates and focuses.
3. You could write better survey questions, for a start. The grammar in the BRAND is so poor as to render the question unanswerable. You should probably disregard my responses, anyway. I only took the survey because I was bombarded by requests to do so and I was curious to know what www.abctech.ca was. I may have signed up as a member at some point in the past, but I obviously have never returned to the site. I had no I idea who you were.
4. Since I am in Ottawa and not in the region, I’m interested in info available electronically, particularly as it relates to any technology issues and opportunities with China.
5. More opportunities for Startup growth. I own a start-up company so our challenge is always financing and growing our audience.
6. All of the AB Tech Events sound interesting but never quite relevant enough. Or maybe I haven’t paid enough attention. Possibly working together with/ advertising through Start up Edmonton or Tech Edmonton would get the word out more.
7. Figure out how to connect synergistic partners, i.e., most people are not good at networking, sales and marketing, so they are usually going it alone, and don’t know how to connect with other individuals/companies/groups for collaboration, joint-venturing or partnering. Can ABCtech figure a way to link people/parties with similar agendas that may be more successful working as a team, rather than individuals and potentially even competitors. I have the greatest app ever. Check Nobody shares knowledge better than this. There isn’t an app that gives users more control over their digital assets than this one. But it goes ignored EVERYWHERE I get banned at video forums and techie forums alike. Their advertizers don’t like this truth. http://www.telusplanet.net/public/stonedan Cheers Doug Pederson AKA SpectateSwamp
8. Your educational events and networking socials, are keeping some key technological advancements in the forefront of the public eye. I think this is important and wish you continuing success in your efforts.
9. Communicate better You are doing a great job. Very content.
10. Need to clarify its purpose and relationship to other associations in Alberta, Provide a curated set of information resources with a regular digest available electronically (through subscription?) and a searchable archives.
11. Sponsor “local’ events once or twice a year that bring members and interested parties together – rather like the Innovate Calgary Tech Showcase event?
12. Actively assist companies in finding markets, programs and human resources Volunteer work and roles, for those who are not eligible to be board members, should have some recognizable benefit to attract their support.
13. Focus more on sustainable clean energy technology. Our first concern should be the environment as without it the rest is meaningless.
14. Be more open to what is happening or has happened in other parts of the world. Explain what the achievements to date have been.
15. It seems that ABCtech has moved move to data acquisition and data handling over the past several years, I believe there should be more emphasis on products of a physical nature that have application to a wider market
16. Be a source of expert opinions.
17. Identify strategy with respect to trends, technology needs get results.
18. Better online information and opinion linkages. To enable the communication to flow between like communities of interest.
19. Have more presentations from those actually doing or trying to do the nuts and bolts of innovation and commercialization. So far this is a one-horse province and without oil development we’re just a patch of northern ground trying to grow a ‘twig or fig’. Not a lot of long term diversification that bases the economy – transitional technologies would be highest priority in my mind. Resource availability and competency in developing or innovating and commercializing new technology trends, maybe this could be next survey including university/ MBA’s/ and already existing technology companies & their employees…
20. Events and initiatives should be more attractive the industry and professional associations. Some of the events attract students and professionals in their early career stages (what is good), but when trying to position advanced technology in the industry and pursue its commercialization, it would be beneficial to have more participation from both decision and policy makers in public and private organizations within industries are not limit options to Alberta.
21. When considering commercialization, market should be local and global.
22. I am not a member. I became aware of, and interested in ABCtech through Perry’s chats on the topic. I really don’t know much about ABCtech at all.
23. Create advocacy channels for various Alberta entrepreneurs and their inventions to attract angel investors from other parts of the world.
24. I think ABCtech is doing a good job. Thank you.
25. Perhaps have a monthly session with speakers within ABCtech, govt., university, etc. to discuss their experiences with commercialization. It would be useful to have different industries featured in different months. Have a job fair day to link students to technology industries or a “dragons den approach for potential new start-ups (a means of linking investors to actual companies).
26. Needs more substance to the interactions within the organization and not just solely communication based.
27. I would like to see ABC move more aggressively into advocating to all levels of government on behalf of small and start-up Technology groups.
28. We need leadership on issues of common interest.
29. The greatest challenge for technology companies in Alberta is finding their market. ANYTHING you can do to assist our small advanced technology sector in understanding what markets are, where they are, and what value their technology might add is non-trivial, but it should be a focus of groups like ABCtech.
30. Adding value is important to our very bright, very small, very technology focused technology industry.
31. Publications that help the average Albertan understand your work. Perhaps a monthly publication generally available that speaks to technology in general and what is happening in Alberta specifically. More media relations to bring stories to the general public.
32. Share your successes so Albertans can get some sense of how they might get involved. I’m not even sure what ABCtech is? I have a small technology start up that has been around for 8 years and I’ve never heard of ABCtech? What is it?
33. ABCtech needs to be completely revamped. If that isn’t feasible it should be scrapped. I assume this is why the survey is being circulated, but “bring about clarity to the tech industry audience as to position in the ABCtech has in the tech community culture and the value your organization provides.” This is not evident.
34. To perhaps, if possible:
    1. Sponsor or initiate more conferences related to ‘Super-Tech’ resources and businesses in the Calgary, (i.e.: Southern Alberta) region of this great Province.
    2. If possible – include such Technology Incubators and Commericialization – Entrepeneurs – Innovators: from such groups as the CCAT and Calgary Technologies and like NGO’s.
    3. Include other artistic organizations, like the CPO and/or other Calgary/Southern Alberta based Artistic/Science based projects to potentially involve and invigorate ‘Arts & Science’ in this great Province of Alberta. – Sincerely, Ian D.R.W. Evans.
35. Not much
36. Work to increase public awareness of the importance to diversify Alberta’s economy.
37. I am not sure ABCtech has done a good job establishing its brand and value within Alberta. News is often international and not relevant to Alberta companies and there are no current events showing on the ABCtech website that are driving interest. I am considering dropping my newsletter link as I currently find little value.
38. Become more of a tech advocate to the Alberta government so that locally developed or manufactured novel technologies are adopted more readily by government agencies such as AHS.
39. Don’t have any ideas.
40. Build alliances with existing organization and associations and coordinate the efforts and what is being offered.
41. Educate academics more about commercializing their research through ABCtech more clearly show upcoming events. Somehow I always see the event, after it occurred!
42. The Moonlight in the Meadows this year (2013) didn’t work. There weren’t enough participants with booths and there weren’t enough people. Not sure why as you promoted it, but there must be a lot of pre-event promotion too to sponsors, those presenting, those with displays. Not sure what part of it caused it not to come together.
43. I think ABCtech may consider looking at ideas such as commissioning special reports, and enlisting other third-party organizations (market research, strategic services consultants) under the guidance and direction of ABCtech leaders, to create special reports in the areas that ABCtech members wish to create reports on. That would entail securing funding (from members or elsewhere), whereby we can maintain our independence, and we could report findings at conferences. Funding perhaps could be established via members crowd-sourcing. better design for the communications. It’s poor in it’s design and very scattered – hard to navigate and the information isn’t organized well. Roadmaps
44. More focus on tech industry strategic development in Alberta, identification and supporting organizations achieve best practices so they are able to commercialize innovations effectively and compete with other jurisdictions across all technology sectors not just with an energy/resources focus which is predominates just about everything else in Alberta, driving out other innovations and business to other more supportive environments.
45. Keep up the good work.
46. ABCtech is too “Edmonton-centric.” Offer more activities in the Calgary area.

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