Connecting Calgary’s innovation ecosystem: Insights from Ian Macdonald of KPMG

Ian Macdonald of KPMG (left) sits down with Digital Journal’s Chris Hogg at #InnovationWeekYYC.

“My ask of everyone here in Calgary, Alberta and across the prairies is get involved, get engaged.”

Speaking with Digital Journal at Launch Party during Innovation Week YYC, Ian Macdonald, Business Innovation Leader at KPMG Canada, shared his passion for fostering Calgary’s innovation ecosystem. 

Known as a “super connector” by many in the ecosystem, Macdonald emphasized the importance of collaboration, community engagement, and bridging gaps between startups, scaleups, and established businesses to drive economic growth.

Calgary’s strengths and opportunities for growth

When assessing Calgary’s innovation ecosystem, Macdonald praised its rapid progress. 

“I think we are the envy of a number of cities right now,” he noted. “We’re obviously ranked as the fastest growing tech ecosystem in North America, as per the CBRE’s recent report.”

Macdonald highlighted the $8.1 billion in economic impact brought to the city over the past five years but underscored that there’s room for improvement.

“How do we find a way to cross and bridge that gap? Part of my role at KPMG through our high-growth ventures team is to find ways to create collisions between early-stage and scaling companies and our corporate clients in the community.”

Macdonald pointed to cleantech, agtech, and proptech as industries rapidly shaping Calgary’s future. He singled out ResVR, the winner of the People’s Choice Award at Launch Party, as an example of innovation in proptech.

“ResVR is helping home builders and buyers purchase their homes faster, a better process and for builders to actually sell upgrades even faster, too.”

For Macdonald, meaningful community engagement is about supporting others without expecting anything in return. 

“Go into it genuinely wanting to help other people, and you’ll see over time that it will come back in spades,” he shared.

Macdonald ended the conversation with a call to action for Calgary’s business and innovation community:

“Come to events like this, Launch Party, go to a pitch event and see companies that are showcasing their product. Go to your teams within your company, and ask the questions [like] how can we innovate? And what are the solutions that are in the market, right here in our own backyard?”

Want to hear more about Ian Macdonald’s insights on driving innovation, bridging gaps, and how Calgary can hit its next growth inflection point? Watch the full interview below.

Click below to watch the video and explore the future of Calgary’s innovation ecosystem.

This article was created with the assistance of AI. Learn more about our AI ethics policy here.