We're looking for UK based digital tech companies looking to expand into the Canadian and USA markets...

Global Innovation Partners along with our Canadian clients are looking for UK companies to attend the Metabridge in Kelowna Canada in June.  

We are looking for senior UK based entrepreneurs and CEO’s who work in the digital and online sectors and who are now ready to expand their business activity into the North American markets.

Last year we had 14 businesses including 2 from the UK along with the financial times alongside 20 investors, senior tech types and business owners from Silicon Valley.

Notably we had Alison Rosenthal (employee number 25 of Facebook), who’d just exited as Head of Mobile. We also had Sam Odio the guy responsible for photo recognition software who sold it to Facebook. He spoke about how to build and sell your business and IP to a Silicon Valley giant and come out on top.

There were also many others there from the likes of investment houses such as C100 and Goldman Sachs as well as software and senior internet business people from Silicon Valley from Disney, HP, Microsoft, Xomo; all willing to pass their knowledge and contacts on to attending delegates.

The event is designed to help digital and internet businesses expand and grow into the USA and Canadian markets. In total, we’re looking to identify around 5-10 businesses from the UK over the next few weeks who will be there alongside 2 UK VIP tech industry speakers. (Details being confirmed)

See more at the website here: http://www.metabridge.ca/annual-retreat/june-2012/2012-vips/ and here http://globalinnovationpartners.posterous.com/andy-curtis-metabridge
and here http://globalinnovationpartners.posterous.com/a-great-piece-from-the-financial-times-25th-j
If you need any further details feel free to drop us an email to andy@globalinnovationpartners.com

Andy will be speaking at the IEDC Spring Conference in St Louis, Missouri

Andy is speaking on Tuesday 12th June at 11am - 12:30pm at the "Targeting the Digital Arts: Media, Gaming and Entertainment Industries" session.
For more information see the IEDC conference website: http://www.iedconline.org/DrivingInnovation/index.html

Here's our article for Area Development online; "The Foreign Investors’ United States Location Strategy Perspective", written by Gene...

The_Foreign_Investors’_United_States_Location_Strategy_Perspective_|_Area_Development_Online.pdf

The UK Government has announced it's plans for Innovation driven economic development...

11-1387-innovation-and-research-strategy-for-growth.pdf

Managing Partner Gene Deprez awarded the 2011 IEDC Chairmans award for Excellence in Economic Development...

The award was presented by the International Economic Development Council Chair, Dennis Coleman during the Recognition Dinner held at IEDC's Annual Conference Sept 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina.  
The dinner attracted a record crowd of participants of around 500 people, including Matt Erskine the USA Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development and Chief Operating Officer of the US Economic Development Administration.

In accepting the award Gene talked about the importance of relationships developed in his many years of involvement in IEDC and the economic development profession and acknowledged key people among the audience who were at the beginning of his career and several who are important recent colleagues.

You can see more info on IEDC here: http://www.iedconline.org

Andy's presentation from the "Developing Successful International Partnerships" panel session at IEDC, September 2011...

IEDC_Andy_Curtis_140911_blog_version.pdf

Gene's presentation from "Reorganizing the Regions for the New Normal" panel session at IEDC, September 2011...

IEDCCharlotteDePrezNewNormal091611_blog_version.pdf

Gene DePrez and Andy Curtis will be speaking at the IEDC Annual Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina...

We're both speaking on the 20th September...
Gene is speaking at the "Reorganizing the Regions for the New Normal" session. 10:30am - 12:30pm
Andy is speaking at the "Developing Successful International Partnerships" session. 2:15 - 2:45pm
For more information see the IEDC conference website: http://www.iedconline.org/annualconference

Here's a video overview of the excellent Metabridge investment and networking event in Kelowna, Canada June 2011. Economic Development best practice at large...

@metabridge #kelowna @Invest_Kelowna @andyc172

www.globalinnovationpartners.com

The Thinking Digital Conference...

The Thinking Digital Conference in 90 Seconds from Thinking Digital on Vimeo.


We're huge advocates of The Thinking Digital Conference and also the organising team at Codeworks and we've been attending every year since the very first event. This year I was in the audience and Gene watched online from New Jersey, both watching live and able to exchange views and comments via twitter and email... 

The exchange of best practice and the sharing in knowledge of emerging technologies and business sectors makes this is one of the best conferences in the world for many; especially economic developers.

www.globalinnovationpartners.com

Gene DePrez : I was honored to be invited to present my insights on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to the President's Jobs and Competitiveness Council in Washington earlier this month. Here is an outline of my remarks.

DePrezPresentationtoJobsCouncil0711[1].pdf

Here's a great piece in the Financial Times 25th June 2011 by @MikeSouthon relating to some of the work we've been doing with our Canadian clients in British Columbia....

A_New-Look_Enterprise_Zone_020711.pdf

Gene DePrez / Andy Curtis : Here's our keynote presentation from the International Economic Development Council conference in June 2011...

IEDCIndyDePrezTomorrow'sIndustriesKeynote060511.pdf