From Skip to Neo to Tech Thursday: creating spaces that matter for Alberta's tech leaders

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What happens when a talent acquisition strategy evolves into a national movement connecting Canada's fragmented tech ecosystems? Philippe Burns, recently named one of Calgary's top innovators in Avenue Magazine, reveals the remarkable journey behind Tech Thursday—a grassroots event series that's become the beating heart of Alberta's innovation community.

From its humble beginnings as a Neo Financial recruitment initiative to its current status as an independent company hosting 175+ events with over 20,000 attendees, Tech Thursday represents a masterclass in community-building. The secret? Creating casual environments where meaningful connections happen organically, without the forced networking that plagues so many tech events.

Burns introduces us to the "flywheel effect"—the powerful cycle where successful tech companies spawn new ventures, creating self-reinforcing momentum that transforms entire regions. This pattern, witnessed in innovation hotspots worldwide, is emerging in Alberta's ecosystem, with Neo Financial (itself a Skip the Dishes offshoot) now catalyzing numerous startups.

Most compelling is Tech Thursday's mission to dissolve boundaries between traditionally isolated Canadian tech communities. Their expansion to Edmonton and Ottawa aims to facilitate crucial cross-city relationships between investors, founders, and talent. As Burns explains, "We're adding more cities, but we're also connecting investors, founders, maybe their first engineering hire between these cities as well, so we can build a stronger Canadian-wide tech hub."

For founders and community builders alike, this candid conversation offers invaluable insights into balancing ambition with authenticity, quantity with quality, and hype with genuine value. Ready to contribute to Alberta's innovation flywheel? Reach out to Philippe directly on LinkedIn with your ideas for speakers, topics, or feedback.

Shift by Alberta Innovates focuses on the people, businesses and organizations that are contributing to Alberta's strong tech ecosystem.