Workshop Series with Bob Chamberlin - October 2023

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As part of entrepreneurship@ubc’s continued reconciliation efforts, we are collaborating in partnership with Bob Chamberlin, Former Chief Councilor, Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis First Nation and former Vice-President, Union of BC Indian Chiefs, to engage in the opportunities for co-creation of climate solutions and/or social innovations with First Nations and the ways in which the venture community can contribute to reconciliation.

Building off this conversation, for the second year in a row, entrepreneurship@ubc will be hosting a series of 4 workshops presented by Bob Chamberlin and facilitated by Dr. Shannon Bard, Lead Climate Venture Studio for both ventures and researchers.  Through these active working sessions, ventures and researchers will develop an engagement strategy with First Nations communities to pilot their climate solution technology and/or social innovation in their territories. Bob Chamberlin has decades of experience not only as a leader in his own community, but on a broader scale in connecting the needs of First Nation communities with innovative solutions. 

This year as an example of urgency and demand to resolve challenges for Indigenous communities, Chamberlin’s workshops will discuss the use case of the aquaculture transition in reference to BC’s upcoming ban on open net fish farms to protect wild salmon populations and habitat.  Many of these farms are located in remote coastal locations and employees include members from the local Indigenous communities.  This ban creates an urgent need to develop innovative solutions to provide alternative sources of economic development and novel job creation in these communities. Of particular importance are development of innovative solutions that address climate crisis and environmental sustainability (renewable energy, clean drinking water, resilient housing, food security, habitat and wildlife health, wildfire resilience) and social issues (language retention, improved health, etc.) whose resolution strengthens Indigenous land sovereignty. Workshop topics will include: First Nation Engagement 101, how to approach co-development of solutions through customer discovery design and co-exploration of the problem, identifying partner First Nation communities, and innovative business model and financing. 

Please note that applying ventures and researchers focus do not have to be aquaculture related; any eligible venture or researcher seeking to engage First Nations to co-develop and pilot climate solutions or social innovations is highly encouraged to apply. Application deadline is September 14th at 12pm (Noon) PST.

APPLY NOW

For accepted teams, four mandatory workshops will take place over the course of October: 

• October 3rd, 9:00 - 11:30 am PST
• October 10th, 9:00 - 11:30 am PST
• October 24th, 9:00 - 11:30 am PST
• October 31st, 9:00 - 11:30 am PST

Where:

This workshop series will take place online via Zoom.

Venture or Researcher Qualifications:

• Venture or researcher solution addresses an environmental or social challenge 
• First Nation communities could be partners in your venture problem or solution 
• Available to attend all four workshops