Join us to hear from thought leaders and innovators as they share their journeys moving innovation to impact.

entrepreneurship@UBC Immersion Week will take place September 27-29 across UBC Point Grey and Robson Square (and online) packed with keynotes, panels, workshops, our Impact Showcase and more!

Plan your adventure using our agenda below, being updated in real time and RSVP today.

Monday, September 26 at UBC Robson Square and online

 

Time 

Session Type

Topic 

Speakers

5:00-      8:00PMPitch 

Climate Impact Pitch Presented by Alacrity and entrepreneurship@UBC

Sponsored by Boast AI

See here
Tuesday September 27 at UBC Robson Square and online

 

Time  

Session Type

Topic

Speakers

9:00-9:45AM

Doors open at 7:45 am

Conference Kick Off

UBC Robson Square Theatre and online via livestream

Opening Remarks

MCs and Special Guests

Speakers

Dr. Sean Lumb, Interim Managing Director, entrepreneurship@UBC

Elder Roberta Price, Member of the Coast Salish peoples, elder adviser and research partner at University of British Columbia  

9:45-10:00AM

Welcome Remarks

UBC Robson Square Theatre and online via livestream

UBC’s Most Notable Innovations - How have we been making an Impact?

Speaker:

Dr. Santa Ono, President and Vice-Chancellor, UBC

10:00 - 10:45 AM

Keynote Fireside Chat

UBC Robson Square Theatre and online via livestream

Building a Movement

At its core, Tru Earth is a movement to eradicate plastic from household products. In the North American laundry detergent sector alone, 700 million plastic jugs end up in landfills and oceans each year! And that is just laundry! Tru Earth has founded the #truearthmovement that is led by their Tru ChangeMakers! They continue to spread the word about the changes they've made to lower their own carbon footprint. 

In this Fireside Chat, Brad Liski will share his philosophy that small changes or hinges, as Tru Earth calls them, can open big doors. Proving that one person can influence thousands of people in making simple, sustainable changes.


 

Speaker:

Brad Liski, Co-Founder and CEO, Tru Earth

Moderator: Dr. Shannon Bard, Entrepreneur in Residence and Climate Venture Studio Lead, entrepreneurship@UBC

10:45 - 11:00 AM  Networking Break 

11:00 -  11:45 AM

UBC Robson Square Theatre and online via livestream

The Entrepreneurial Journey on Repeat

Not once, but twice, these entrepreneurs have made their visions come to life. They took their entrepreneurial drive and change-making appetite into doing something completely different. Now they are delivering impactful solutions in areas they deeply care about. 


In this session our speakers will share some of the  transformative experiences that were key motivators in driving the social, economic or environmental impacts in their 2nd time around as Startup founders.

Speakers:

Nicola Claxton, Social Impact Serial Entrepreneur, Founder and CEO happy.path ventures inc. 

Valerie Song, Founder and CEO, AVA Technologies, Co-Founder, F3 Ventures

Jayesh Parmar, Former CEO, Picatic (exited to Eventbrite), Co-Founder, Gunkii

Moderator: Colin Weston; Co-Founder Startup Vancouver, tech entrepreneur, Partner, Event Asset Development and Experience Designer at REVIVER Sports Entertainment

11:45 - 1:15 PM Lunch and Networking Break 
12:00-1:00PM

Lunchtime Roundtable (Bring Your own Lunch)

Room C400 at UBC Robson Square

Climate Venture Studio Lunchtime Meetup

Come and connect with climate change-makers

Speakers:

Bethany Ladd, Co-founder, Carbin Minerals

Hosted by: Dr Shannon Bard, Climate Venture Studio Lead

1:15-2:00PM

Panel

UBC Robson Square Theatre and online via livestream

Growth Capital Through an Impact Landscape

 In this session our panelists will share their insights around scaling in a volatile climate and what impact frameworks companies need to consider when they are going for growth.


 

Speakers:

Leah Nguyen, CIO, InBC

Lise Birikundavyi, Managing Partner, BKR Capital

Travis Inlow, Director of Investments, Sitka Foundation

Geordan Hankinson, Partner, Renewal Funds

Moderator:Tiffany Hamilton, Entrepreneur in Residence, entrepreneurship@UBC

2:10 - 3:00PM

Panel

UBC Robson Square Theatre and online via livestream

Innovation and The Circular Economy

As the impact of climate change is accelerating globally, the need for immediate, scalable solutions has never been more imminent. Our relationship to the planet, how we feed our families and how we think of waste are all interconnected. Transformational solutions and shifting behaviours towards consumption and scarcity have never been more urgent!

 

In this session we will explore some of the exciting innovations we are seeing in agricultural sustainability and food security - right here in our own backyard. We will hear about new ways of thinking about food security, what solutions are resonating with today’s consumer and what could the future of agriculture really look like? 

Speakers:

Marc Wandler, Co-Founder and CEO, Susgrainable

Sang Lê, Co-Founder, Peko Produce

Curtis Wong,  Director of Partnerships, Trendi

Dr. Anubhav Pratap-Singh, Endowed Professor in Food and Beverage Innovation,
Faculty of Land and Food Systems, UBC

Moderator:Sarah Applebaum, Partner, Pangaea Venture

3:00 - 4:00PMUBC Robson Square Theatre FoyerImpact Showcase Exhibition & Networking BreakMeet the ventures 
4:00 - 4:45PM 

Panel 

UBC Robson Square Theatre and online via livestream

Leading with Your Values Towards a Change-making Pathway

There are many avenues one can take to make an impact, whether it be within your local community, academic institutions or as an entrepreneur. But one thing that striving to change power dynamics and systems have in common: leading with your values. 

 

In this session, leaders from different backgrounds, disciplines and perspectives, will share their approaches to change-making, some of their most challenging and rewarding moments and how they see a future rooted in impact.


 

Speakers:

Ky Sargeant, DEI Consultant - Ky Sargeant Consulting
 

Brianna Blaney, Co-Founder and CEO, Pocketed

Patrice Mousseau, Founder and CEO, Satya Organic Skin Care

Moderator: Andrea Lloyd, Associate Director, engagement, entrepreneurship@UBC

4:45 - 5:00PM

Closing Remarks

UBC Robson Square Theatre and online via livestream

Day 1: Closing RemarksEvent MCs
5:30-8:00PM

Networking Social: in Partnership with McMillan Law 

Room 1900 at UBC Robson Square

Live Entertainment

Music Performance by:

Tom Urban, Entrepreneur in Residence, entrepreneurship@UBC

 MJ Araujo, Creative Specialist, entrepreneurship@UBC

With a comedy performance by Ky SargeantDEI Consultant - Ky Sargeant Consulting
 

Wednesday, September 28 UBC Robson Square and online

 

Time

Session Type

Topic

Speakers

9:30 - 9:45 AM

Doors open at 8:30 am

UBC Robson Square Theatre and online via livestreamOpening Remarks 
9:45 - 9:55 AMUBC Robson Square Theatre and online via livestreamWelcome Remarks

Speaker: 

Tomica Divic, VP, Operations at Innovate BC

10:00 - 10:45 AM

Keynote Fireside Chat

UBC Robson Square Theatre and online via livestream

Maintaining your Values and Vision as a Social Entrepreneur in Late Capitalism


Madeleine Shaw has been a social entrepreneur for almost three decades, having founded multiple for-profit, non-profit and charitable ventures. Her recent book, The Greater Good: Social Entrepreneurship for Everyday People Who Want to Change the World, is part memoir, part practical tips and part bracing call to action for anyone who has ever felt the desire to create impact.

Speaker:

Madeleine Shaw, author, The Greater Good/ Co-Founder and Director of Partnerships and Impact, Aisle (formerly LunaPads)

10:45 - 11:00 AM Networking Break  
11:00 - 12:00 PM

Panel (Session Sponsor: Blankslate Partners)

UBC Robson Square Theatre and online via livestream

Building and Retaining Diverse and Sustainable Teams

2022 has quickly shifted from the great resignation to the great termination. Whether you are looking to grow your team, or you are looking at a career transition, this session will explore trends and opportunities around how we value, nurture and empower our human capital.


 

Speakers:

Mong Dang; Director Analytics Engineering, Aritzia/Board of Directors, Chic Geek

Annika Reinhardt, Co-Founder, Talent Collective

Dr. Nima Ziraknejad, Founder and CEO, NZ Technologies

Moderator: Izzie Egan, CEO, Blankslate Partners

12:00 - 1:15 PM Lunch and Networking Break 
12:00 - 1:00 PM

Lunchtime Roundtable (Bring Your own Lunch)

UBC Robson Square in room C400

Human Health Venture Studio Lunchtime Meetup

Come and connect with a thriving human health community

Hosted by: Jonathan Jafari, Human Health Venture Studio Lead

*more speakers to come*

1:15 - 2:30 PM 

Interactive Workshop

Online via Zoom and broadcasted to the UBC Robson Square Theatre for an in-person experience

ZOOM Link here 

Unconventional Speaking Tips to Capture the Hearts and Minds of Your Audience

This is not your average “public speaking” workshop. Delve deep into the inner world of your audience by understanding the neuroscience of communication coupled with a new twist on an ancient storytelling framework. Walk away with simple strategies for getting others to lean in and listen, enabling your message to have a lasting impact on their lives.

Download this worksheet for the workshop


Additional registration: RSVP

Speaker:

Kim Carpenter, People at the Center

2:40 - 3:30 PM

Panel 

UBC Robson Square Theatre and online via livestream

Centre for Community Engaged Learning: Educating for Failure: Lessons shared from university creators and impact risk-takers

Innovative solutions to ill-defined, complex, and shared societal challenges require multiple perspectives. The confidence and skills to tackle and diagnose complex multi-faceted challenges are not typically innate. University is a time to create opportunities for students and educators to take supported risks and fail safely in an effort to build skills.

In this session students, alumni and educators from the Community Centre for Engaged Learning will share their journeys and approaches to navigating complex systems and the outcomes and key lessons learned along the way.
 

Speakers

Dr. Michelle StackAssociate Professor, Educational Studies, UBC

Njamba Koffi, Manager, Grants and Community Initiatives, Vancouver Foundation

Abul Bashar Rahman, Founder, Next1

Moderator: Susan Grossman, Director, UBC Centre for Community Engaged Learning

 

3:30 - 3:40 PM  Networking Break  
3:45 - 4:30 PM

Panel 

UBC Robson Square Theatre and online via livestream

Looking through the Gender Lens at Human Health

Women make up ~50% of the population, but only ~4% of the funding for research and development goes to women-specific conditions.  A recent study in the US found that three-quarters of the cases where a disease primarily impacts one gender the funding pattern favours males.   In Canada, only 1.2% of Canada’s Research Chairs are in women’s health.   There has been increasing interest in creating and funding companies dedicated to developing products for women’s health concerns. There is an urgent need for dedicated networks of financial and technical experts to help ventures in this space successfully develop robust business models supporting go-to-market strategies. 

In this panel we will discuss how ventures in this space are bringing their products to the women who need them and the need for additional research and translation resources for Women's health.
 

Speakers:

Zeba Khan, Founder and Director of Free Periods Canada

Dr. Lori Brotto, Executive Director, Women's Research Health Institute and Professor, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, UBC

Thealzel Lee, Founder, Director and President at eFund (VANTEC Entrepreneurs Fund VCC Inc) and General Partner with Archangel Phoenix Fire

Candice Taguibao, Digital Health Research Manager, Women’s Health Research Institute

Moderator: Jon Jafari, Human Health Studio Lead

4:35 - 5:20 PM

Panel (Session Sponsor: VEF)

UBC Robson Square Theatre and online via livestream

Impact Frameworks for Early Stage Financing

What you need to know if you are raising early-stage capital in today’s world. In this session, panelists will discuss the frameworks they use to evaluate early stage impact-led Startups: What are investors really looking for? What are the metrics that matter?  How can you recession-proof your venture? Can you have impact and be profitable?

Speakers:

Kenndal  McCardle, Principal, Pender Ventures

Hilary Kilgour, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, TheVenture.Fund

Ka-Hay Law, Investment Director, TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good

Moderator: Ally Bharmal, Partner, Fasken Law

5:30 - 5:35 PM Day 2: Closing Remarks 
5:30 - 7:30 PM

Networking Social: VEF and Friends 

Room 1900 at UBC Robson Square

This month’s VEF event is happening in collaboration with EIW. Join us for some networking with investors, entrepreneurs and ecosystem partners. 

 

Thursday, September 29 at UBC Point Grey and online

 

Time

Session Type

Topic 

Speakers

9:00 - 9:15 AM

Doors open at 8:00 am

Opening Remarks

UBC Point Grey in the Graham Lee Innovation Centre and online via Zoom 

Welcome Remarks 
9:15 - 10:00 AM 

Keynote Fireside Chat

UBC Point Grey in the Graham Lee Innovation Centre and online via Zoom

Failing to Win  author and serial entrepreneur Mike Quinn shares his story of co-founding Zoona, one of Africa's earliest fintechs that processed $2.5 billion dollars of transactions for 3 million underserved consumers.

 

But a crucial funding round fell apart and things didn’t go as planned. Hear Mike’s story of wins, failures and some of the most unforgettable lessons learned along the way.


 

Speaker:

Mike Quinn author of Failing to Win, Co-founder and CEO of Boost, Co-founder, Zoona

Moderator:  William Johnson, Founder and GM, Vancouver Tech Journal

10:00 - 10:45 AM

Panel

UBC Point Grey in the Graham Lee Innovation Centre and online via Zoom

Career Pathing Journeys: Making an impact through Internships

Speakers:

Taylor Todd, Business Consultant, Yuk Yuk's

Lynn Jennifer Kulli, Executive Project Specialist, Nexii Building Solutions

Leily Farman, User Engagement Coordinator, Databricks

ModeratorMichele Wallcraft, Entrepreneur in Residence, entrepreneurship@UBC

10:45 - 11:00 AM Networking Break 
11:00 - 11:45 AM

Panel 

UBC Point Grey in the Graham Lee Innovation Centre and online via Zoom

Governance Frameworks for Impact

 What you need to know and how to implement effective governancein your corporate, non-profit or institutional board? In this session, panelists will share their insights and  frameworks for creating governance structures that will help ensure your purpose-led organization survives and thrives.



 

Speakers:

Christie Stephenson, Executive Director, Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics (Sauder)

Sonia Li Trottier, Director, Canada Climate Law Initiative

Kookai Chaimahawong, Impact Investor and ESG Partner, Upper Stage Capital, Venture Partner, The51

Pascal Spothelfer, Strategy and Management Advisor, Former President and CEO, Genome BC

11:45 - 1:15 PM Lunch & Networking Break 
12:00 - 1:00 PM

Lunchtime Roundtable (Bring Your own Lunch)

UBC Point Grey in the Graham Lee Innovation Centre 

Social Venture Studio Lunchtime Meetup

Come and connect with like-minded social entreprise entrepreneurs and change-makers 

Hosted by: Fraser Pogue, e@UBC CORE Venture Activator and Michele Wallcraft, e@UBC EiR
1:15 - 2:15 PM

Interactive Workshop

UBC Point Grey in the Graham Lee Innovation Centre 

Research-based Theatre Lab 

Research-based Theatre (RbT) is a qualitative, arts-based methodology that invites researchers, artists, educators, and participants to collectively translate and transform research phenomena into theatre. This approach makes use of applied drama and theatre strategies and, at its core, rests on two commitments: a) to honour and ethically explore the research context; and b) to engage and commit to the art form of theatre. This session explores key aspects of RbT and its invitation to bring stories of research to life through theatre.  
 
The Research-based Theatre Lab frequently collaborates with a range of interdisciplinary groups, such as Health Sciences, Education, Engineering, Nursing, to Social Work – each looking to expand and re-imagine their approaches to reaching diverse audiences. 

In this interactive workshop, we share short monologues illustrating RbT in practice and introductory drama-based exercises designed to inspire and invite collaboration. 

We will then speak about some of the projects we have been involved in with our partners and discuss learnings that emerged in these collaborative partnerships.

Additional Registration: RSVP

Facilitators: Christina Cook, Coordinator, UBC Research-based Theatre Lab, PhD Candidate, Counselling Psychology, Faculty of Education, UBC

Laen Hershler, Member, UBC Research-based Theatre Lab and PhD Candidate,
Language and Literacy Education, Faculty of Education, UBC

Simangele Mabena, Member, UBC Research-based Theatre Lab and PhD Candidate,
Language and Literacy Education, Faculty of Education, UBC

2:15 - 2:30 PM

Closing Remarks

UBC Point Grey in the Graham Lee Innovation Centre 

 

Day 3: Closing RemarksDr. Sean Lumb, Interim Managing Director, entrepreneurship@UBC
5:00 - 7:00 PM

Vancouver Tech Journal Special

Room 1900 at UBC Robson Square

#vtjtalks Trillion-dollar-tech stories with The New York Times’ Tripp Mickle

Please note: This event is happening at UBC Robson Square and requires separate registration. It is being organized by the Vancouver Tech Journal team. Register for this event here

Speaker:

Tripp Mickle, Journalist, The New York Times

Moderator:William Johnson

 

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We are located across UBC Point Grey and Robson Square Campus. Learn more about our locations

We acknowledge that the UBC Point Grey and Robson Square campuses are situated on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil- Waututh) Nations.

About us

entrepreneurship@UBC propels UBC innovations out into the world through venture creation, providing UBC students, researchers, faculty members, alumni and staff with the resources, networks, and funding they need to succeed.

We are a part of Innovation UBC in the Vice-President, Research and Innovation (VPRI) portfolio

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