North Forge

🚨 LIMITED SPACE LEFT! 🚨 Don’t miss your chance to attend Advancing Equity in Tech—a powerful conversation with our incredible panelists, who bring expertise, lived experience, and actionable insights to the table. Hosted by Joelle Foster, President & CEO, North Forge 🔹 Karolya Hutniak Vargscarr, Regional Director Manitoba, NPower Canada 🔹 Gazheek Sinclair, Indigenous Tech Leader & Educator 🔹 Hannah Fogel, P.Eng., CTO, TerraWave Radar Solutions 🔹 Kristin Keller, Senior Product Manager, Skip Moderated by Dana Driedger, CM, Director of Marketing & Strategic Initiatives, North Forge 📅 March 6, 2025 3-5PM | 📍 Skip Office - 4th Floor 242 Hargrave Secure your spot now before it’s too late! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gE-AsfAs #TechEquity #DiversityInTech #InclusiveInnovation

🚀 Join us for an Inspiring Event of Innovation and Equity in Tech! 🌍💡 This International Women’s Day, we’re bringing together trailblazers, changemakers, and industry leaders to discuss the future of technology and the importance of equity in innovation. ✨ “Advancing Equity in Tech” 📅 March 6, 2025, 3PM - 5PM | 📍 Skip Office - 4th Floor 242 Hargrave 🎤 Panel discussion + networking opportunity Presented by Skip in partnership with Manitoba Innovates and North Forge, this event will feature an insightful panel (to be announced soon!) on breaking barriers, fostering inclusive workplaces, and driving meaningful change in the tech industry. 👥 Connect with professionals, share experiences, and build valuable relationships that strengthen our tech community. Let’s celebrate progress, inspire action, and empower the next generation of innovators together! 🌟 🔗 REGISTER NOW, SPACE IS LIMITED https://lnkd.in/gE-AsfAs #InternationalWomensDay #WomenInTech #EquityInInnovation #DiversityInTech #IWD2025 #Networking #TechCommunity Andrea Aiello Andrea Aiello Joelle Foster Lisa Sawatzky (McFarland) Kelly Fournel Paul Keefe Paul Card Jack Winram Corinne Gusnoski Kiirsten May Katy Gray Katie Derksen Lasha Glennie Rosalie Harms Emile Morrissette EMILI Tracey Maconachie Carly Edmundson Tracey L. Epp, K.C Nermin Sa'd Cara Kennedy Cara Dveris Diana Axelrod, CPA, CA, CBV Dan Blair Chris Schmidt Dan Belhassen Karolya Hutniak Vargscarr Hannah Pratt, MPNL Hannah Fogel, P.Eng. Gazheek Sinclair Whitney Morgan (Moir) Grace Gyolai Jenna Hnatishin Teena L. Devon Lapointe Dana Driedger, CM Marney Stapley

🎉 What an incredible day at the 2025 North Forge IP Summit! 🚀 Innovators, startups, and industry leaders from Manitoba, Saskatchewan & beyond came together to explore the future of intellectual property. From insightful sessions to invaluable networking, the energy was palpable. A massive thank you the hardworking North Forge Staff, all attendees, and everyone else who made this event a success: Event Emcee - Margaux Miller 🎤 Keynote Speaker - Jeff Ward Panelists - Kevin Danner, Marnie Courage, Dan Patriarca & Yvan Guy Larocque Moderator - Dana Driedger, CM Guests of Honour - Minister Mike Moroz, Mayor Scott Gillingham, Elder Gamma Shingoose & Clifford Spence We thank ElevateIP for being the presenting sponsor of this conference. Together, we're empowering the next wave of innovation! Stay tuned for more exciting events and opportunities with North Forge, including the Manitoba Tech Awards tonight! Let's continue to innovate and elevate! 💡🔝 #NorthForge #IPSummit2025 #Innovation #ElevateIP #ManitobaTechWeek #TechWeekMB

It was a privilege to co-host the Virtual Pan-Canadian Roundtable on Innovation & Trade Resilience alongside Dave Lisk on behalf of the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) and the National Research Council Canada / Conseil national de recherches Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) 🇨🇦 With the possibility of new US-Canada tariffs on the horizon and shifting global trade dynamics, it’s essential for Canada’s innovation organizations to come together to assess potential impacts, explore strategic responses, and identify ways to leverage innovation supports effectively. This roundtable brought together leaders from across the country, including representatives from Innovate BC, Alberta Innovates, Innovation Saskatchewan, North Forge, Québec Tech, Springboard Atlantic Inc., and techNL to discuss how tariffs and countermeasures could influence our innovation ecosystems and broader economic landscape. Our discussions focused on: • The potential impact of trade disruptions on innovation ecosystems across provinces • Emerging sector-specific risks • Opportunities to strengthen resilience through collaboration, policy development, and strategic partnerships What stood out to me was the shared focus on proactive collaboration. Conversations around procurement strategies, adopting new technologies, and coordinated economic stimulus measures highlighted the potential for collaborative action to help safeguard Canada’s innovation economy. Thank you to all the participants for your valuable insights and contributions. The ideas shared during this roundtable will help guide future discussions and actions as we work toward strengthening Canada’s innovation landscape. This conversation is just the start, and we look forward to working together! Peter Cowan Mark Summers Brent Sukenik, CPA, CA Joelle Foster Richard Chenier Daryl Genge Florian Villaumé ICD.D Kelsey Sultana Josée Pharand, P.Eng. Laural Porth-Jones Greg Gordon Alicia Pereira Joelle Monje, MI #Innovation #TradeResilience #USCanadaTrade #CanadianInnovation #OCI #NRCIRAP #EconomicResilience

Virtual Production CoLab 2.0, imagination came to life—literally! ✨ Thanks to an awesome collaboration between New Media Manitoba and the North Forge FabLab, we laser-cut the components for a stunning fox puppet, which played a starring role in one of the CoLab films shot. 🎥🔥 From digital design to tangible artistry, this is a perfect example of how technology and storytelling can merge to create something truly magical. 💡💛 Big shoutout to the teams who made this happen! Government of Manitoba Government of Canada On Screen Manitoba #FilmProduction #VFX #SubtractiveManufacturing #HandsOnLearning

North Forge was excited to participate in and sponsor the 2025 International Day of Women and Girls in STEM celebration at Holy Cross School, which included the inspiring Girls in STEM Symposium organized by Anju Bajaj Ph.D The event was attended by Honorable Ministers Nahanni Fontaine and Renée Cable, who proclaimed February 11, 2025, as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. North Forge proudly sponsored the panelist gifts, which were made at our FabLab, showcasing the incredible creativity of Manitoban artists. Over 400 young students passionate about STEM had the opportunity to listen to the experiences and journeys of female leaders in STEM from across Manitoba. It was a powerful moment connecting the present to the future in our shared efforts to build a brighter future for Canada. This event also served as a prelude to The Bison Regional Science Fair, which North Forge proudly sponsors, where young innovators can showcase their groundbreaking ideas. We are thrilled to support the next generation of STEM leaders and contribute to creating an inclusive future for women and girls in science. Joelle Foster Nermin Sa'd Grace Gyolai Agnes Luo #NorthForge #FabLab #WomenInSTEM #GirlsInSTEM #Innovation #NextGeneration #STEMEducation #CommunityImpact #BisonRegionalScienceFair 

✨ WiLab x ElevateIP Lunch & Learn – An Info-Packed Session on IP Protection! ✨ Thank you to everyone who joined us for the WiLab x ElevateIP Lunch & Learn! We were honored to have Silvia de Sousa, Ingrid Ruiz, and Kendall (Dell) Dyck from Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP lead this session, sharing insights on intellectual property essentials. They covered key strategies for protecting IP, understanding terms of use, and navigating data privacy—equipping attendees with new tools to tackle the legal landscape with more confidence. 🌟 Special shoutout to Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP for sponsoring the event and for their unwavering support of startups and entrepreneurs! 💡Did you miss this session? Check our website to find upcoming North Forge events related to IP protection and other topics relevant to startups! https://lnkd.in/guVQgPC7 #WiLab #ElevateIP #WomenEntrepreneurs #Startups #IntellectualProperty #BusinessLaw #Entrepreneurship

⭐ Unlock Government Funding: A Practical Guide for Small Businesses ⭐ Struggling to navigate the world of government grants and funding? Join us for a workshop designed to demystify the process and help you navigate the financial support that your business needs to grow! This is a WiLab workshop, but it’s open to anyone who supports women and gender diverse entrepreneurs. 📅 Date: February 20 ⏰ Time: 6:00–8:00 PM CT 📍 Location: 100 Innovation Dr, MPR 1 (or join virtually!) The session will be led by Tracey Maconachie, President of 321 Tipping Point Consulting. Tracey has over 35 years of experience bridging private industry and government sectors: By the end of this workshop, participants will: ✔️ Gain clarity on government funding opportunities. ✔️Learn tips to craft stronger grant applications. ✔️Understand how to strategically integrate funding into their business roadmap for sustainable growth. ✔️Leave with actionable insights to guide future funding efforts. Attend this workshop and walk away with practical tips and stronger confidence to secure funding for your business. 👉 Register here to secure your spot: https://lnkd.in/gHZedZUZ #WiLab #GovernmentFunding #SMEs #womeninbusiness #northforge

Roundtable Discussion: Key Trends, Updates & Strategies for Success in Canada’s Start-Up Visa Program (2025) Join us for an exclusive webinar exploring the latest developments, anticipated trends, and key strategies for success in Canada’s Start-Up Visa (SUV) program. Whether you're a start-up founder, investor, or immigration professional, this session will provide valuable insights into the evolving landscape of Canadian immigration and how to position yourself for success.   What We’ll Cover:   ✅ Trends for 2025: What’s ahead for the Start-Up Visa program and how to prepare ✅ IRCC’s Upcoming Regulations: Key policy updates and their potential impact ✅ Case Processing Updates: SUV permanent residence and work permit trends, including new open work permit policies ✅ Spousal Work Permits & Immigration Policy Changes: What recent updates mean for applicants and their families ✅ Best Practices for Landing in Canada: Insights from recent trends to help founders and teams settle successfully ✅ Lessons from Recent Case Law: Key takeaways from important rulings and how they affect future applications ✅ Strategies for Success: How to strengthen your application, avoid common pitfalls, and accelerate your immigration journey   📅 Date & Time: Feb 13th ,9:30-11:00 (CST) 📍 Location: Online (Register Now!)   Gain expert guidance and actionable strategies to navigate the Start-Up Visa process in 2025. Register today! https://lnkd.in/g9WZ4y2r #StartupVisa #Entrepreneurship #CanadianTech #Innovation #DreamBig #immigration #immigratetocanada

Join Dana Driedger, CM, Director of Strategic Initiatives & Marketing at North Forge, as she moderates today’s Tech Thursday: Research & Partnering for Advanced Manufacturing panel. This discussion will dive into collaboration, innovation, and the future of advanced manufacturing. 🚨 Reminder: Today is the LAST DAY to submit your nominations for the Manitoba Tech Awards! Don’t miss your chance to recognize the outstanding innovators shaping Manitoba’s tech landscape.