Canadian Innovation Ecosystem: Alberta – Brazil Opportunities

Invest Alberta
Invest Alberta engages the world and provides high-end tailored support to companies, investors, and major new projects. With team members strategically positioned in key markets around the world, Invest Alberta works to break down barriers so businesses can start up, scale up, and succeed without limits. Since 2020, Invest Alberta has supported the commitment of nearly $20 billion in investment that created more than 25,000 new high-value jobs for Albertans.

Edmonton Global
The purpose of Edmonton Global is to radically transform and grow the economy of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. We are a not-for-profit corporation founded by 14 municipalities that make up the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. Our focus is attracting foreign investment, helping regional businesses trade with the world, enhancing our region’s global competitiveness, and bringing our region together with a unified voice to attract the attention and interest of investors the world over.

Jeff Bell
Director, Research & Business Intelligence

Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo Economic Development & Tourism
Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo Economic Development & Tourism (FMWBEDT) is a wholly owned, arm’s-length entity of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, governed by an independent board of directors and managed by an entrepreneurial, customer-centric team. FMWBEDT’s focus is on creating new wealth for the region, measured as economic impact. FMWBEDT is responsible for growing and promoting investment into the region, supporting the growth of startups and existing businesses in the region, and generating tourism and visitation to the region. Our team works in concert with a number of organizations inside and outside the region to boost Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo’s reputation and strengthen our region’s competitiveness in the national and global economy.

A.Craig Warden
Program Manager, Business & Investment Attraction

University of Alberta
The University of Alberta in Edmonton is one of Canada’s top teaching and research universities, with an international reputation for excellence across the humanities, sciences, creative arts, business, engineering, and health sciences. Home to more than 38,000 students and 15,000 faculty and staff, the university has an annual budget of $1.9 billion and attracts more than $500 million in sponsored research revenue. The U of A offers close to 900 rigorous undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs in 18 faculties on five campuses-including one rural and one francophone campus. The university has more than 275,000 alumni worldwide. The university and its people remain dedicated to the promise made in 1908 by founding president Henry Marshall Tory that knowledge shall be used for “uplifting the whole people.”

Dr. David Bressler
Associate Dean, College of Natural Applied Sciences – Office of Research

Cristian Gonzalez-Paez
Associate Director, Partnerships
Strategic Partnerships Office

Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation
Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation (API) is an industry-led not-for-profit organization that provides life sciences and health technology development capacity for innovative companies to commercially produce their intellectual property within Canada. Since its inception 6 years ago, it has grown to over 65 staff and a network of post-secondary research labs working with many small and multinational clients and has supported 43 spin-off companies. API also operates a growing network of over 100,000 square feet of lab and company incubation space.

Julianna Weber
Director, Clinical Affairs

Fernanda Talarico
Intern – Junior Biostatistician

The Chamber of Commerce Brazil-Canada (CCBC) is an independent and non-profit organization founded in 1973. For nearly 50 years, it has been an important liaison, bringing together companies, public & private institutions, and individuals from various areas in both countries.

With over 70 employees and nearly 200 members, CCBC’s extensive network of relationships and long-standing expertise are the basis of strong trade promotion work in the Brazilian and Canadian markets, including exports, imports and investments, as well as cultural and technological exchange.

The organization has a busy agenda of events, trade missions, content publications and offers a rich ecosystem for Brazilian and Canadian companies to interact.

Patrícia Garcia da Rosa
Western Canada Director, CCBC
Co-Chair, BCCC

Paulo de Castro Reis
Chief Officer for Institutional Relations & Business Affairs