Established in 2022, the Social Innovation Hub (SIH) is a membership program by Innovate Calgary that offers mentorship, resources, space and events for innovators, entrepreneurs and other forward-thinking leaders.
“We’re trying to create a culture of solving problems through innovation by cultivating a community of innovators and providing resources to those who want to be impact-centred entrepreneurs,” says Jerome Morgan, associate director of SIH. “We’re hoping that the research and best practices coming out of the University of Calgary and other institutions are being championed into the ecosystem and that the social challenges and problems that don’t get much attention get the attention they need so that we can all work together to move the needle on them.”
The hub has been building support for innovators for the last three years, and now it’s ready to share the impressive impact its innovators have had on the city. On March 20, SIH released its Report to Community to showcase the companies, entrepreneurs and thought-leaders solving city- and country-wide issues.
Ensuring inclusivity
When creating the hub, the team took an inclusive approach, knowing that racialized communities, women and innovators from rural areas face barriers to entry into tech innovation. “There was an opportunity to unlock that ingenuity and support folks here,” says Morgan.
Another key factor to the hub was supporting impact-oriented academics and students, as a lot of research for social solutions is happening in universities. In just three years, SIH has supported over 40 academic innovators, 100 BIPOC founders, 40 non-profits and 250 ventures. And it has engaged hundreds of social innovators and 200 students through various social impact initiatives.
With dedicated spaces for research and creative production, access to expert advisors and mentorship, and a strong network of industry connections, SIH members have created solutions for social issues like food insecurity, clean energy, housing, barriers to employment access, addiction challenges and much more. Members have gathered the resources, funding and knowledge to leverage AI and create tech platforms to tackle these challenges.
With the report, SIH wants to shed light on the incredible things happening in Calgary in hopes of inspiring other aspiring founders and entrepreneurs to continue the momentum.
Meeting the moment
As Calgary grows — both as a city and an innovative ecosystem — it’s a pivotal time to strategically build and grow through data-informed decisions and innovative approaches to ensure a prosperous future for all.
The impact report celebrates Calgary’s innovative advances and calls for more innovators to help shape Calgary as it grows.
“It’s an opportunity for us to explore what has worked, what is working, and how we can pivot to meet the moment around what’s currently occurring,” says Morgan. “We want to inspire folks to think bigger and more strategically around the type of city we want to build, the type of companies we want to attract and the type of communities we want to live in. This is the opportunity for us to look at it full circle and bring different types of players together.”
The impact report highlights the trials and successes of Calgary leaders, case studies and SIH investments to remind the public that impact-driven ventures create important opportunities for Calgarians and support the city’s economy.
“We’re really about creating better communities through impact-oriented business and better communities through social innovation. This helps foster the type of environment folks want to live, learn and grow in,” affirms Morgan. “We’re contributing to Calgary being a great place to live, work and play.”
To read the Social Innovation Hub’s Report to Community, visit innovatecalgary.com.
Become a member today at innovatecalgary.com/social-innovation.
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