Podcast

August 31, 2021

Episode #51: The Brief: Innovation in Canada with Jim Balsillie, former Chairman & Co-CEO of Research in Motion (Blackberry); Co-Founder & Chair of the Council of Canadian Innovators

“In the mid-late 1970s, intangibles was 17% of the S&P 500. Now, it is over 91% and climbing.”

Over the past few decades, we’ve seen a new kind of economy emerge—one that has been borne out of and continue to be driven by innovation and digital transformation.

As our global economy continues to shift its focus from the tangible assets (machinery, equipment, etc.) to those more intangible (ideas, intellectual property, etc.), governments and policy makers around the world have put significant effort in developing plans, frameworks, and investments into harnessing and commercializing the ideas, insights, and intelligence of its people to provide the world with solutions to some of its biggest challenges.

So, as the focus on innovation intensifies and countries are ramping up their support of innovation-focus strategies, how well does Canada’s approach stack up?

As the former CEO of Research in Motion (Blackberry) to now leading several organizations solely focused on developing and supporting a strong innovation culture within Canada, Jim Balsillie knows a thing or two about innovation.

On the episode, Balsillie joins host Adam Legge to break down innovation—what it is and what it isn’t—and how Canada can whip its innovation program into shape and become a major player in a world of intangibles.

In this episode:

  • Innovation vs. invention and technology
  • Shift from a tangible economy to an intangible one
  • Canada’s policy environment for innovation
  • Marketplace frameworks
  • Intellectual property and privacy
  • Competition and anti-trust

Resources mentioned:

About The Brief

In this series, co-hosts Scott Crockatt and Brittany Brander explore the big challenges we face as Albertans; celebrate stories of growth, innovation, and prosperity; and discover bold ideas to make life better for Albertans.

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