April Alignment – Refresh to Serve Alberta Entrepreneurs

Not only do “April showers bring May flowers” – but for government-funded innovation support initiatives, this period of April Alignment is a time to refresh to serve Alberta’s tech sector, sometimes under updated ministry mandates or adjusted budgets. What does this look like internally? Often there are changes in team personnel, team size, or program focus – and thus the standard Stages of Team Development are in play (forming, norming, storming, and performing). The secret to success? Don’t stop mid-way through the team development stages – go through the highs and lows to reach the end-point of understanding on how we can all work together to serve Alberta’s entrepreneurs.

Ecosystems have many elements and often need to pivot – and these annual changes can cause challenges in navigation. Just like entrepreneurial companies, in the continual search to sustainably address market needs – innovation system programs need to adjust to achieve new mandates and support new customers.

So what does this year look like? Some old, some new – with some good news that familiar programs like the Canada-Alberta Jobs Grant continue to be available to employers, to help employees and unemployed Albertans access training opportunities. This program is highly-rated by Alberta tech entrepreneurs – due to reliable application success and quick turnaround – and has allowed companies as small as 10 or less people to have a standard training budget.

As Technology Alberta considers how to help Alberta Entrepreneurs navigate – working with our partners we are considering ideas such as a “Tech Ecosystem 101” or “Annual Primer” in a form of a short You-Tube video or updated map. Would this be helpful to you or your company? Let us know, or provide other suggestions.

Thanks everyone – and looking forward to the May flowers!

Gail
Gail J. Powley, P.Eng
President, Technology Alberta