Nicole Shokoples didn’t plan to change careers when she went to Inventures in 2024.
She had Googled “tech conference Calgary,” saw one was happening the next week, and with her parents available to watch her child, decided to attend.
Standing outside a session, checking her app, she struck up a conversation with someone who turned out to be Alberta Innovates’ board chair.
Weeks later, she joined the organization, and now she’s helping reshape the very event that opened that door.
Shokoples is now Alberta Innovates’ Vice President of Stakeholder Relations and Communications, a role that shifted her from a primarily internal-facing position to one that regularly connects with partners and leaders across the innovation community.
That shift came with perspective.
“I came to this role that was very external,” she says. “Through Inventures I’ve had hundreds of conversations with people. The passion and determination, people who come from other countries to land here, move their businesses here, work here. Everybody is trying to row in the same direction and they’re really open to it.”
That spirit of openness and practical, sometimes unexpected connection is at the core of Inventures 2025.
For Calgarians who know the event well, this year’s edition won’t feel like a reinvention. But it will feel sharper, more intentional, and more aligned with where Alberta’s innovation ecosystem is trying to go.
Building the future by bringing people together
Inventures returns May 21-23, 2025 at Calgary’s BMO Centre with a noticeably more focused structure.
This year’s agenda is built around five thematic tracks that aim to spark crossover thinking rather than keep people in industry silos.
Topics include energy and health system transformation, emerging technologies like AI and quantum, infrastructure and climate resilience, digital creativity, and startup growth.
Organizers have slimmed down the session count to avoid the overload some attendees experienced last year. In its place is a range of formats, from spark talks and workshops to roundtables and multi-speaker panels, all shaped by the nature of the content and the kinds of conversations it deserves.
“You’ll see fewer sessions, but more intention in how they’re built,” Shokoples says.
Speakers this year include national CEOs, researchers, and investors, with many drawn from Alberta Innovates’ network and external partners like Deloitte’s Fast 50 and the Council of Canadian Innovators. The A100 will also bring its signature Roundtable Advising Sessions to Inventures, giving Alberta-based tech entrepreneurs one-on-one access to experienced founders and investors for confidential, candid advice.
“Inventures has always been a powerful gathering point for Alberta’s innovation community,” says Shokoples. “What is different this year is the number of national leaders who are choosing to be here. People who may have historically flown over Calgary are now stopping in because they see real value in participating.”
Inventures this year is also shaped by a broader focus from Alberta Innovates on partnerships, commercialization, and ecosystem building. The event is designed to reflect those priorities and offer a space where they can be put into practice.It’s not just an event. It’s a signal of how the organization intends to work going forward.
“This year we are placing more emphasis on the strength of the community around us,” says Shokoples. “That has shaped how we built the event.”
A more connected, citywide experience
The shift isn’t just in tone and content — Inventures is deliberately expanding its footprint across Calgary.
In addition to programming at the BMO Centre, the event includes a growing slate of offsite activations.
Among the partner-led events this year are the returning Health Innovators Rendezvous, a reception tied to Deloitte’s Fast 50 program, and a founder-focused gathering hosted by Goodlawyer and StartupTnT.
Groups like Foresight and InnoTech Alberta are also expected to host sector-specific conversations around agtech, cleantech, and innovation collaboration. Additional meetups and informal socials are expected throughout the week, including in neighbourhoods like the Beltline and along 17th Avenue.
“We wanted to get people out into Calgary,” says Shokoples. “There’s something powerful about blending the formal and informal and giving space for others to activate around us.”
That decision reflects a bigger idea. Inventures doesn’t belong to any one group. It is designed to be a platform, increasingly shaped by the people and partners who choose to build around it.
For Shokoples, that shared ownership isn’t theoretical. It’s personal.
“The scale of what we have going on is unbelievable,” she says. “That’s one of the best parts of being in this organization — seeing the impact we can make as an agency of government, and how that actually moves things forward. You start to see the line from what we support to what changes.”
This year, Inventures isn’t aiming for flash. It’s focused on being practical and relevant for the people doing the work — building companies, shaping policy, and making decisions. For those returning, the value will be in who shows up and what conversations happen next.
Digital Journal is an official media partner of Inventures 2025. Explore the full Inventures agenda here and get your tickets here. Use code: Digital_Journal_20 to receive 20% off a regular conference pass, which includes full access to all regular programming, as well as food and beverage throughout the event.
This article was created with the assistance of AI. Learn more about our AI ethics policy here.
