Collision is now in its sixth year and has become the crossroads for the world’s largest buyers and sellers of technology, alongside many of the world’s most disruptive emerging technology companies.
There will be hundreds of speakers, including tech luminaries like journalist and Recode co-founder Kara Swisher, Medium CEO and founder Ev Williams and Y Combinator’s CEO Michael Seibel, to name just a few. The conference will also feature at least 15 different tracks, from cleantech and health to fintech and SaaS.
The move to Toronto
Last year, during the Collision Conference in New Orleans, the creators of Collision announced that the conference will be moving to Toronto, Ontario, in 2019 and for the two following years.
The CollisionHQ Agenda has been released, and we are blown away by how many talks focus on philanthropy, impact, purpose, social responsibility, morality- love seeing this focus at such a major tech conference! sharetheupside) April 12, 2019
“At the very moment when some countries around the world seem to be shutting their borders when intolerance is on the rise, Toronto stands for diversity and inclusion,” said Paddy Cosgrave, founder, and CEO of the event and of Web Summit. He was referring to the actions of the Trump administration in denying visas to some international tech entrepreneurs at the New Orleans event.
However, Trump denying visas aside, Toronto has experienced a rebirth in the technology sector with more than 401,000 people in more than 18,000 tech companies — “outpacing that of New York City and San Francisco combined,” the Collision team says.
“Canada and Toronto have lived to some extent in the technology shadow of America… but that’s changing, and changing fast,” Cosgrave added. “There is such energy in the city, such an open, cosmopolitan, and global atmosphere.”
Startups the focus in Toronto
Startups that focus on everything from artificial intelligence to dating apps will be spotlighted at Collision 2019.
Vancouver-based Intuitive AI is a startup with a simple vision – to create a zero waste world. They have created an AI platform driven by sensors that empower spaces to be more sustainable. The platform makes real-time predictions to help users recycle more accurately so they can reduce the amount of waste being dumped into landfills and oceans.
Intuitive AI uses Sesame Street’s Oscar, the trash-loving grouch for the name of its platform using a camera and ultrasonic sensor to see a person approaching a trash can. The company’s algorithm then focuses on the items they have in their hand, predicts with very high accuracy what the piece of garbage is, and tells the person via a small screen the correct section of the bin to put it in.
Pick My Brain is an interesting Vancouver-based startup. It’s an online platform that helps you package and sell your time, knowledge and experience in new and creative ways on your own independent terms. The company was started by Maxine Cunningham an investment banker, turned economist, turned startup founder.
Basically, whatever you are knowledgeable in, you can use Pick My Brain to set up a customizable knowledge-based service template to suit your particular needs. You also have the power to set your own rates, rules, and availability. The PickMy Brain portfolio includes, financial advisors, interior decorators, a bitcoin educator and more.
