Driving dynamic growth and success for Waterloo Region Technology Companies

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Driving dynamic growth and success for Waterloo
Region Technology Companies
Building a successful tech community
I am a believer in momentum. Lance Armstrong
(1971 -) Cyclist Seven-time Tour de France
champion Cancer survivor
Rocco Fondacaro, PhD
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Tech Matters!

• Revenues 130 billion
• Employment 565,900
• GDP (2004) 57.0 billion
• Share of GDP 5.4
• RD (2004 Intentions) 5.2 billion
• Share of private sector RD 40

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But so much more potential

• With both tech companies and the impact of tech
  on other industries.
• Tech can drive success of other industries!

tech matters
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Tech is back!

• Its a real industry this time.
• Real business models and sustainable companies.
• Growth at all levels, deal flow up, money
  flowing
• People are starting to realize the importance of
  tech and innovation economy to our future
  success.
• Canada is an economic powerhouse, but driven by
  resource and sunset industries
• Canada has everything it takes to compete on the
  global stage - world class diversified science,
  skilled human capital, global reach
• Its only through our ability to commercialize
  technology and turn ideas into business that
  well prosper.

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• In a world of global competition, sources of
  competitive advantage are becoming increasingly
  localized true competitive advantage is found
  within our communities."
• Michael Porter

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Many examples

• Allegheny Conference 1944
• RTP -- 1957
• Communitarianism -- Amitai Etzioni
• Smart Communities and Smart Cities San Diego
• Richard Florida
• More cluster crap than you can stomach!

All with same message

• Communities that take control of their own
  destiny succeed.
• Not about government solving our problems
• You need to be strategic and intentional yes
  Virginia, there is a science and an art to this
  stuff.

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This is where we come inOrganization as
rallying-point!

• Bring leadership and understanding to the issues
  that face the community
• Focus on establishing the right environment to
  support business creation and commercialization
  (ecosystem)
• Understand and deliver programs that support
  growing and established companies
• Create a framework that brings partners together
  particularly business, government, non-profit,
  universities, professional service firms to
  support common goals and avoid overlap/duplication
  

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Waterloo Region

• Entrepreneurial track record
• History of reinventing itself as economic shifts
  have occurred
• Tech A 45-year Overnight Success Story
• Tech The next chapter

Globe and Mail Waterloo Region is the model for
Canada
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Waterloo
Guelph
Kitchener
Cambridge
More than 400 tech firms in Waterloo Region
employing over 25,000 people!
Source WR Tech Sector Report, 2005
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Waterloo Region Tech Sector
Diversity in Technology
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What do we know?

• Our tech companies are independent,
  entrepreneurial and home-grown
• 80 are headquartered in Waterloo Region
• 52 of company leaders are alumni of local
  academic institutions.
• 70 of leaders are founders of their company and
  31 of these are serial entrepreneurs.
• Its all about growth
• Tech leaders project revenue growth of 25.
• 80 are hiring and 50 expect to expand by 20 or
  more.
• We invest in innovation
• Companies invest on average 24 of their revenue
  in RD.
• 59 intend on increasing their RD investment
  over the next three years.
• 40 of the companies hold technology patents
  totaling 1,457 current plus 274 pending patents.
• We believe the Waterloo Region is the best place
  to start and grow tech companies in Canada!
• Leaders cite quality of life, access to skilled
  students, prosperous regional economic growth and
  the strong culture of entrepreneurship as key
  benefits for locating their company in WRG.

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Communitech

• Our vision
• Waterloo Region is recognized as a Tier-One tech
  cluster in North America!
• Our mission
• We help tech companies grow and succeed.
• --------------------------------------------------
  -------------------------------------
• Nine years old
• Founded by tech leaders who believed they could
  build a successful tech industry here in Waterloo
  Region
• Recognized the need for a rallying-point
• Evolved to keep pace with industry

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Our approach

• Building programs that support our mission
• Bringing new ideas -- in
• Taking the tech community -- out (building a
  buzz)
• Strengthening collaboration and the network
• Lead on key issues accelerator center, biotech
• Connect
• Talent recruitment strategy
• Money VC and private equity relationships
• Building capability Peer2Peer groups,
  conferences, seminars
• Promote tech companies, tech cluster and
  interests

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What that means

• We research what makes start-ups successful and
  avail that to entrepreneurs
• We work closely with tech companies to discover
  their greatest obstacles and opportunities as
  they begin to commercialize and export
• We look at the common needs of tech companies at
  all levels of enterprise to develop effective
  programming for ongoing issues, including
  recruitment, workforce development, and
  promotion.

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Great support enabling growth

• Accelerator Center
• UW Research Tech Park
• CBET
• Schlegel Centre
• Professional Service firms
• Great Partners with Chambers and CTT Inc
• Government pro-business/innovation
• Strong cultural community

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Program highlights

• Communication programs
• Workforce development programs
• Industry education programs
• Entrepreneurial venture support programs
• Special events
• Public Policy Advocacy

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Making Connections.

• eblast
• Dynamic Website
• Making Magic in Waterloo Region Report
• Waterloo Region Tech Directory
• Annual Listening Survey
• State of the Industry Report
• Quick Facts for Provincial and Federal Government
• Presentations and speaking engagements
• Local, national and international press releases

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Communication programs

• Its about
• Connecting the tech community
• Taking the Waterloo Region
• on the road!

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Talent Recruitment Initiative

• Portal Strategy
• Alumni Strategy
• Media Strategy
• Recruiting Events

• Establishment of Recruitment Council
• Digital Moose Recruitment event in Silicon Valley
  June 2005
• Extensive national media coverage on ROBTV, CBC,
  CTV, The Globe and Mail, The National Post, and
  tremendous radio coverage

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Peer2Peer Groups

• Small groups (10-15)
• Monthly meetings
• People with similar job responsibilities
• People meet to network, share and learn
• The Benefits
• Heighten personal level of expertise
• Share knowledge and experiences
• Discuss issues and opportunities
• Establish a local support network

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Peer 2 Peer Groups

• Industry leaders
• CEO, CIO/CTO
• Organizational Leadership Council
• Directors of Manufacturing Operations
• Technical professionals
• K-W Information Technology (KWITers)
• Managers of Software Development
• Software Developers
• Manufacturing Engineering
• Groups for Business Professionals
• HRNet
• Finance Professionals
• Business Development and Senior Sales
• Strategic Marketing
• Product Managers
• Product Managers
• Project Managers
• Executive Assistants

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Industry education programs

• Titan Corporate Partner Speaker Series
• - TechWorking Breakfasts
• - Business and Technology Luncheon Forum
• How to Go Public Series
• Tech Legal and Tech Finance Clinics
• Government Relations Program
• Chapter Series

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Public Policy Advocacy

• Infrastructure/Real Estate (Research Technology
  Park)
• Commercialization Program Funding Waterloo
  Region Guelph
• Human Capital Initiatives
• Identify key issues to Tech Sector
• Establish committee of the Board
• Leverage relationships with ITAC, OCRI, and MaRS
• Build GR capacity at enterprise level GR
  Peer2Peer group meet quarterly
• Employer Health Tax
• Property Tax
• Employment Standards Act

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Entrepreneurial Venture Support Program

• Business Advisory Services
• One-on-one consulting services to help you
  establish and grow your business.
• Investment Readiness
• Review your business plan to make sure you're
  presenting your investment opportunity in a way
  that maximizes your chances of success.
• WatStart -- www.watstart.com
• Very-early-stage entrepreneurs gets a chance to
  meet each other and learn from each other's
  experiences.
• Communitech-WatStart Startup Entrepreneur Peer 2
  Peer Group
• Monthly meetings for entrepreneurs that draw upon
  the combined resources of Communitech and
  WatStart.
• ViaTech
• Monthly meetings where selected entrepreneurs --
  at no cost -- present their business and the
  issues they're facing and receive feedback and
  advice from a panel of local experts.
• Coaches Network
• Designed to provide entrepreneurs with access to
  people in the community who have "been there,
  done that.

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Special events

• Entrepreneur Week
• Annual General Meeting
• CEO Dinner
• Spring Leadership Conference
• Golf Tournament
• New and Renewing Member Breakfasts
• Special Recruiting Events

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Thank you!