As Toronto opens its doors this week to the international tech community for the Collision Conference, Canada takes centre stage in a global conversation on the future of technology.
Big societal topics and trends, including AI, sustainability, and life sciences are being pushed to the forefront by renowned speakers like Geoffrey Hinton, known as the “Godfather of AI.”
Despite the global attention and promising future, a recent survey conducted by Earnscliffe Strategies has uncovered a surprising lack of understanding among Canadians regarding their own domestic tech sector.
Despite hosting a conference of this scale and streams of mainstream media coverage spotlighting Canadian tech, including daily news tracking the evolution of tech giants like Neo Financial and Shopify, talent pipelines, venture funding, government policy and more, there’s a stark contrast between the public’s comprehension of the sector and its potential.
Earnscliffe’s study revealed that 52% of Canadians have little to no knowledge of what is meant by the term “tech sector.”
This knowledge gap is particularly noteworthy as Canadian tech holds the promise of diversifying Canada’s economy, fostering economic prosperity through innovation and knowledge economy jobs, and leveraging our strong AI, biotech, life sciences, SaaS, cleantech and fintech foundations to be global changemakers.
The study raises an important question: How will this knowledge gap impact the future of our tech sector?
“The Collision Conference brings Canada to the global forefront. And our study demonstrates the need to foster a deeper understanding of the tech sector among Canadians,” notes Megan Shay, Earnscliffe Principal and Communications Practice Lead.
According to Earnscliffe, there’s a need for a unified, jargon-free, easy-to-digest narrative around Canada’s tech sector.
“By fostering a unified approach and deepening the public’s understanding of the tech sector’s potential to create a better Canada, we can bring to life a strategy that inspires confidence, builds a sense of community and makes this promising sector more accessible,” stated Switchboard Founder Kathleen Reid.
As Canadian tech leaders gear up for a week of networking and learning, the narrative of Canada’s tech scene is set to evolve.
Amid global attention, the sector’s future hinges not only on innovation and networking within its ranks, but also on cultivating a shared vision that propels the Canadian tech sector forward.
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