Dig In! to Calgary's Innovation Ecosystem
Tuesday, May 14 | 7 to 8:15 a.m.
UCalgary Downtown Campus (906 8 Avenue S.W.)
Free
In celebration of Canadian Innovation Week, you’re invited to explore the intricate ecosystem of innovation in the city of Calgary with innovators from your alumni community.
Delve into the realm of startups, scale-ups, digital health, and how entrepreneurial thinking can drive transformative solutions and economic growth in our region. You'll hear from alumni experts who are shaping the innovation landscape in Calgary with their resourcefulness, initiative and cross-disciplinary knowledge.
Don't miss this unique opportunity to learn from their experiences and insights, and perhaps how to start something yourself.
About the Speakers
Jennifer Jensen (she/her)
Executive director, Calgary Innovation Coalition
A native Calgarian, Jennifer Jensen, BA’06, MBA’22, has operated and sold two businesses, took her MBA program in entrepreneurship and innovation, is a community connector, and loves exploring possibilities. After completing her BA in political science, Jen opened her first business — a restaurant, in 2008. Falling in love with entrepreneurship and seeing an opportunity in the retail sector, she opened a clothing boutique a few years later. Combining a passion for sustainability and social enterprise, Jen saw a unique opportunity to partner with local non-profits and created a funding program called Consignment for a Cause, leading to the sale of the boutique in 2020. In her spare time, Jen thrives on continual learning opportunities and can be found taking courses, reading, practicing yoga, biking, or taking adventures with her rescue dog, Taco.
Angelo Nwigwe (he/him)
Senior advisor of business development, Mitacs
By leveraging his extensive expertise in the field of business development, Angelo Nwigwe, MBT’11, is pivotal in assisting organizations overcome their innovation challenges. His academic journey began at one of the oldest universities in the world — the University of Bologna in Italy — where he studied biomedical engineering before transitioning to biomedical sciences at the renowned University of Aberdeen in Scotland. He went on to earn a master's degree in biomedical technology from UCalgary. Based in Calgary for more than a decade, Angelo has made a significant impact in the local and national innovation ecosystem by helping hundreds of innovative organizations. Furthermore, he shares his knowledge as an instructor at Mount Royal University's Bissett School of Business teaching entrepreneurship and business planning. Committed to mentorship and young professionals, Angelo serves as a mentor for the Scholars Academy at the University of Calgary and the Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council, inspiring the next generation of innovators. Besides his professional role, he loves spending time with family, and is a jiu-jitsu practitioner and food enthusiast.
About the Moderator
Jaret Hargreaves (he/him)
Product advisor, PeerX.ai
Jaret Hargreaves, BSc’00, BSc’04, MSc’08, is an innovation ecosystem advocate and experienced product-management professional with more than a decade of experience working with startups and scale-ups. A career-long focus in digital health has provided him with the perspective and processes to build effective solutions for clinicians and patients to improve health outcomes. He is founder and past president of Product Calgary, has served on multiple community association boards, and acts as an expert advisor in numerous local programs including Platform Calgary, Innovate Calgary and SPARK Alberta. Jaret is a three-time alum, with undergraduate degrees in biochemistry and computer science, and an MSc in biomedical engineering. He also serves on the UCalgary Alumni Association’s Board of Directors.
About Dig In!
The UCalgary Alumni Dig In! series lets you dig in to timely and compelling topics. Join us for unique and interactive discussions examining current events, issues and trends.
About the Location
UCalgary Downtown Campus is located at 906 8 Ave. S.W.
Find information on parking and transportation. Please note that downtown street parking is free before 9 a.m.
The UCalgary Downtown Campus has accessible elevators, as well as a gender-neutral washroom on the first floor.
Alumni programs are made possible through the generous support of UCalgary Alumni Association Partners TD Insurance and Manulife.