Enable U Forum Offers "How-to" Advice to Energize and Enhance High-Tech
Sector

Waterloo Region - Organizations working to build strong high-tech sectors in their communities will converge on Waterloo Region next week for Enable U -- a forum to share tactics and tools needed to grow and nurture a strong tech sector. The event, slated for March 23 and 24 at The Waterloo Inn and Conference Centre, has attracted a sold-out audience of 90 people interested in hearing from experts from Canada and the U.S. on topics that can have an immediate impact on high-tech business.

"Waterloo Region has established a reputation for being Canada's best place to start and grow tech companies, and Enable U is about sharing the learning and collectively strategizing on how to deliver tech company success," said Iain Klugman, President and CEO of Communitech, the organization that represents more than 700 Waterloo Region tech companies.

Klugman explained that Communitech gets many inquiries from other organizations across Canada and throughout North America and Europe looking for the "secret sauce" as to why tech is thriving in Waterloo Region. Enable U was designed to provide this information in a workshop format.

"This is like a 'tech ecosystem MBA' for anyone focused on building a successful technology cluster," Klugman said. "Hopefully everyone will feel as though they've gained skills, information and contacts relevant to supporting tech organizations of all shapes and sizes."

Enable U has two main themes: Ecosystem Strategy and Tactical Outcomes, intended to offer high-impact value on ideas for increasing prosperity and a culture supportive of high-tech in the community. A select group of speakers have been drawn from tech community organizations in Connecticut, Illinois, and Pennsylvania as well as from organizations in Ontario and British Columbia.

Sponsored by Communitech, The Accelerator Centre, MaRS Discovery District, the National Research Council's Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP), and the Technology Councils of North America (TECNA), Enable U attendance is free of charge to ensure that even emerging tech community organizations are able to participate.