Alberta Trade and Investment Mission to California

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On June 27 to 29, 2007, the Province of Alberta led a trade and investment mission to Palo Alto, California, to participate in activities organized in conjunction with San Francisco Canadian Consulate, an Enhanced Representation Initiative (ERI)* partner.

The mission brought together venture capitalists, business leaders and Canadian expatriates in California to take a serious look at investment in Western Canada’s emerging technology sector.  In particular, Western Canada’s research excellence and commercialization capacity in areas such as nanotechnology and information and communications technology were highlighted during a series business information meetings, tours and networking events.

The Honourable Rona Ambrose, President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification joined the Honourable Doug Horner, Minister of Alberta Advanced Education and Technology, and other mission participants to increase awareness and collaboration between innovators and investors on both sides of the border.  Angel and venture capital investment opportunities in Alberta, and in Western Canada in general, were another focus.

Other participants included senior Western Economic Diversification Canada and Alberta Advanced Education and Technology officials; the University of Alberta; the University of Calgary; Calgary Technologies Inc.; TRLabs; Calgary Economic Development; the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation and Alberta Ingenuity.

Objective:

To become familiar with individuals and organizations successful in the
San Francisco area in company research and development, accessing risk capital and in technology commercialization that could serve as useful models for Alberta, and to attract investment and interest in Western Canada. 

Activities:

Tour of the Plug and Play Technology Centre – a business incubator and home to 97 cutting-edge start-ups, including two Canadian firms.

• Consul General Stakeholder Dinner with 15 key representatives of the technology sector in Silicon Valley.
• Nanotechnology Stakeholder Luncheon and Panel Discussion at SRI International – where Minister Ambrose, addressing an audience of close to 200, spoke on Canada’s Science & Technology Strategy.
• Meeting with the CEO of SRI International.
• A special Canada Day evening celebration, hosted jointly by the governments of Alberta and Canada for about 300 guests that included Alberta alumni and expatriates.
• A meeting with the CEO of ASTIA (Women in Technology), the only U.S. organization mandated to promote women-owned and -led technology companies.
• Venture Capital Stakeholder Luncheon organized by the Alberta California Venture Channel, a non-profit organization to promote cross-border opportunities and benefits.
• Tours of IBM’s Almaden Research Center, HP Labs, and Sun Microsystems.

Results:

The Government of Alberta’s eighth mission to California, the event has proven itself a powerful learning and partnership-building opportunity.

• The first mission to California with a federal minister participating, it combined the impact of the two governments working in concert and made a strong impression with California venture capitalists, business leaders and Canadian expatriates, the target audience for investing in Western Canada.

*The Enhanced Representative Initiative (ERI) is a cooperative partnership of the departments of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, Industry Canada, and Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, as well as the National Research Council, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Canada Economic Development for the Regions of Quebec and Western Economic Diversification Canada.  Launched in 2003, ERI is a five-year program mandated to strengthen Canada's capacity to advocate its interests in vital economic, political and security matters and to develop innovative strategic partnerships in emerging U.S. economic power centres. For more information on ERI, visit the website.