Dr. Mike Mahon has been named the permanent CEO of Alberta Innovates, Digital Journal has learned. Details were confirmed in conversations during a gathering at Platform Calgary the evening before Inventures 2025 officially opens.
Mahon has served as interim CEO since July 2024. His appointment marks the end of a leadership search and comes as Alberta’s flagship innovation event returns to Calgary with renewed focus.
On Friday morning, Mahon will appear on stage with Alberta Innovates board chair Tony Williams for a fireside conversation about the organization’s direction (I’m moderating the conversation where we will delve into the future for Alberta Innovates).
“It is an honour to lead an organization with over a century of impact for Albertans,” said Mahon. “Like a head coach, I’m fortunate to work alongside an incredible team of talented individuals committed to delivering meaningful results for this province. Since last summer, I’ve engaged with countless innovators and leaders across Alberta, and I am excited about the tremendous opportunities ahead.”
Over the past year, Mahon led an internal review of Alberta Innovates’ programs, helped craft a new strategic plan, and played a central role in reshaping Inventures itself.
As previously reported in Digital Journal, this year’s Inventures is designed to feel more practical and more aligned with the current needs of Alberta’s innovation ecosystem.
The agenda is leaner, the tracks more focused, and the sessions built to spark crossover between sectors like AI, health systems, climate resilience, and digital creativity.
“It’s not just an event. It’s a signal of how the organization intends to work going forward,” said Nicole Shokoples, Vice President of Stakeholder Relations and Communications at Alberta Innovates.
Continuity, but with a mandate to move
Mahon steps into the role as Alberta’s tech sector shows steady growth, but also faces rising expectations.
According to ATB Financial, the industry contributed $13 billion to provincial GDP in 2023. Tech employment has grown nearly four times faster than the Alberta average since 2013, and venture capital investment has climbed from $227 million in 2019 to $698 million last year, with $140 million already raised in the first quarter of 2025.
Against that backdrop, Alberta Innovates is being tasked with more than strategy. It must help companies scale, connect with capital, and navigate increasingly complex technology and policy environments.
“As we considered candidates for the permanent CEO role, it became clear that Mike has earned the confidence of our employees and community partners alike,” said Williams. “His vision for the future and his proven leadership during a period of significant transformation make him the right person to continue to lead Alberta Innovates forward.”
An evolving platform for innovation
Inventures itself offers a window into that vision.
Beyond the mainstage, this year’s conference spills across the city with offsite events, founder meetups, and sector-specific programming led by partners.
From cleantech sessions hosted by Foresight to Deloitte’s Fast 50 reception and a downtown founder social, the conference is no longer confined to a single venue.
The approach mirrors what Alberta Innovates is aiming to become — a connector across sectors, communities, and stages of innovation.
“Inventures doesn’t belong to any one group,” said Shokoples. “It is designed to be a platform, increasingly shaped by the people and partners who choose to build around it.”
Mahon now leads that platform, with a mandate not just to support innovation, but to help it scale and stick in Alberta.
His fireside chat on Friday morning will offer attendees a closer look at how that mandate will be delivered — and how Alberta Innovates plans to keep building momentum after the conference ends.
Catch our conversation on Friday at 8:45 a.m.
Digital Journal is an official media partner of Inventures.
