I will be attending the Global Connect conference at MaRS next week, December 6th-8th. A global network of innovation and commercialization policy types and community leaders, this should be an interesting gathering for a policy nerd like me. Their vision:

Bring the benefits of globalization to regional technology entrepreneurs and local economies.

I am hoping to learn something about what is going on in vibrant innovation and technology clusters in the rest of the world and hope to begin some conversations and establish some connections between emerging (and recently funded) angel networks and the TorCamp community, i.e. Graham's rich people and nerds. Within the ICT Toronto framework, it has been well recognized that innovative small startup companies and the talent that drives them are an important part of the future success of the technology cluster in the Toronto region. However, there has been relatively little progress on this front, and it is up to the communities of practice (entrepreneurs, technologists and investors) to develop these missing links. Government can bring the horses to water, but it can't make them drink.

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