CDMN Canada 3.0 2012 Attracts Delegation from Brazil
Realizing an objective announced by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff in August, 2011, the CDMN Canada 3.0 digital media forum will include a breakout stream customized for a delegation of more than 30 representatives from Brazil when the forum convenes here April 24-25, 2012 (tickets available). Brazil, the 6thlargest economy in the world, is interested in collaborating with Canada to expand the digital media forum concept to Brazil and enhance business opportunities between the two countries.
“We’re delighted to host this delegation from Brazil, a collaboration made possible through efforts of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada,” said Kevin Tuer, Managing Director of the Canadian Digital Media Network, the organization responsible for staging Canada’s premier digital media forum annually. “We’re looking forward to sharing the progress in digital media innovation achieved to date through the continuous process of Canada 3.0 forums and consultations, and also to discuss the work that remains to be done in making Canada a leader in digital media.”
Brazil’s participation was undertaken as part of Canada-Brazil initiatives under the bilateral Science, Technology and Innovation Agreement. Canadian and Brazilian partners from industry, academia and government are collaborating on joint research and development (R&D) projects, conferences and workshops like CDMN Canada 3.0, equipment loans and student exchanges.
The 4th annual CDMN Canada 3.0 digital media forum will bring together all sectors in industry, government, and academia to advance the adoption of digital media technologies in Canada. Given that this year’s agenda was built upon recommendations from a cross-Canada tour undertaken over the last six months, the event represents a broad spectrum of opinion on how Canada should advance its efforts to lead in an increasingly digital global economy.
“Brazil could have requested participation in any activity in Canada, and they chose the CDMN Canada 3.0 digital media forum which speaks volumes for the importance of this event to the digital media sector and Canada as a whole,” said Tom Jenkins, Chair of the CDMN Board and Executive Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer at OpenText. Jenkins will be a keynote speaker on the opening day of the forum.
Attention has been focused lately in Canada on the innovation gap, where there is a disconnect between generation of innovative ideas and ability to take those ideas to a commercial product. There will be many examples at Canada 3.0 of how programs deliberately executed can foster digital media innovation, Tuer said, including:
- Road to Banff: a pitch-off event featuring 100 startups from across Canada vying for endorsement and the opportunity for sponsorship to the Banff Venture Forum;
- Showcase of Communitech HYPERDRIVE: shining a light on a new tech incubation program to attract more investment to Canadian startups and speed time to market for innovative technology;
- The University of Waterloo’s REAP program: using breakthrough digital display technologies to create new commercially viable solutions involving undergraduate students innovating in a ‘living lab’
- An innovation stream led by Gerri Sinclair, Executive Director of the Masters of Digital Media Program at Northern Way campus in B.C., and Jim Milway, Executive Director of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the Rotman School of Management in Toronto, with a roster of other key speakers, addressing Canada’s innovation gap.
