February 20, 2017
On March 14th and 15th, the #BCTECH Summit will take over the Vancouver Convention Centre and Genome BC is getting excited to be part of the largest tech conference in the province.
This is an opportunity not only to bring together BC’s vibrant and innovative tech community but also the convergence of traditional industries, business leaders, government and academia that are now adopting tech in all facets of their businesses and programs.
The #BCTECH Summit features a cross-sector of industries, but what is particularly exciting to see is how genomic technologies are having an impact across a variety of sectors. Here are just some of the highlights:
The Next Frontier: Connected, Precision Healthcare
From prevention to detection, diagnosis and treatment, precision health guided by genomics and technology is forever changing life as we know it. Innovation is shaping our future continuum of care.
A vibrant and growing industry, BC’s health and life sciences sector is recognized as a leader in many areas from clinical research, medical devices, drug development and regenerative medicine.
“The Next Frontier: Connected, Precision Healthcare” will discuss how technology has impacted this sector, BC’s role at the forefront and what the future looks like for this sector. What will hospitals look like in the future? What does it mean to move towards a patient-centred health model? Speakers will include industry leaders and representatives from UBC, IBM, STEMCELL, as well as Merck, to name a few, and paired with inspirational patient stories demonstrating the critical importance of precision medicine in our future.
Technology and the Social Fabric of our Food Systems: Transforming and Diversifying Agricultural Models
Food is at the core of our social fabric and we need our food systems to be efficient, productive, sustainable and safe. BC’s agri-food sector is one of the most diverse in North America with more than 20,000 farms and 1,800 food processing firms in the province. Our innovative technology sector is developing new methods to increase diversity, sustainability, productivity and market growth in the face of climate change and population growth.
“Technology and the Social Fabric of our Food Systems: Transforming and Diversifying Agricultural Models” will dive deep into the innovation, the challenges and the opportunities in agriculture. This jam-packed session will bring together leaders in the industry with representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Bioenterprise Corporation, Defyrus Inc. and Queens University who will discuss topics like the trends and demands of driving agri-technology innovation, the expectations of today’s consumer on sustainable agriculture, and the role of genomics in the industry. Delegates interested in this stream should not miss the Marketplace floor with the Biosphere and Greenhouse featuring #BCTECH in action.
Clean Technologies: Transforming Business, the Economy and the Environment
Our world requires sustainable solutions now to meet challenges with managing energy, waste, water, systemic environmental management, transportation and more. This requires a global mindset with local action – and backed up by technology and innovation to find new ways to make our environment a priority.
BC’s cleantech sector is strong and growing with more than 200 cleantech firms in the province. “CleanTech: Transforming Business, the Economy and the Environment,” sponsored by Vancity, will feature local and global leaders sharing best practices and challenges and who will discuss why innovation in this area is imperative.
The cleantech stream at the #BCTECH Summit will feature leaders including keynote Deb Frodl, Executive Director of GE Ecomagination who will discuss what we need to continue to aim big in order to transform our economy. Plus, a look at how partnerships are enabling more ideas into the marketplace with provincial and federal representatives and industry leaders discussing the benefits and barriers. And finally a look at the rising tech stars including Dark Vision, Saltworks, Neurio showcasing their innovative technology in rapid-fire presentations.
Clean Resource: Stories of Action, Innovation and Cool Science
Natural resources are fundamental to BC’s economy and we are globally recognized for climate leadership, innovative forestry practices, end-to-end mining, overall improved environmental performance and the production and development of the technology to improve processes, efficiency and productivity.
Technology is transforming these traditional industries. Innovative thinking, genomics, science and technology are delivering clean products and services, but what does it take to find new ways to bring products to market efficiently and drive growth while respectfully protecting and enhancing our environment? “Clean Resource: Stories of Action, Innovation and Cool Science” will feature many case studies from industry leaders including representatives from the Canfor, Forest Product Association of Canada, Rio Tinto, Geoscience BC, to name a few.
Learn more about the #BCTECH Summit at www.bctechsummit.ca.
