What is NBTC?
The National Business and Technology Conference (NBTC) is a prestigious annual conference run by Nspire that brings together top students, CEOs and experienced entrepreneurs in an exclusive two-day conference that includes inspirational keynotes, valuable networking events and competitions. Our delegates, speakers, sponsors and executives are all from diverse academic and geographic backgrounds, but have one thing in common – a passion for innovation.
Canadian youth are a dynamic group of well-educated, creative and hard working young leaders who come from every corner of the world. They are excited about contributing to an ever-changing world, are passionate and interested in what they are doing and curious about learning of the many opportunities available to them. NBTC is a manifestation of a culture of opportunity and innovation that connects, empowers and inspires youth in real time.
NBTC ’12 Overview
In the past we’ve had renowned speakers and leaders speak at NBTC, and some of our past Entrepreneurship Competition winners have been so successful that they come back to sponsor us. However, this year’s conference is without a doubt our best one yet.
Keynotes and Speakers
NBTC strives to bring forth leading innovators and disrupters in different industries who can share their wealth of knowledge and their incredible journeys. Our four outstanding keynotes speak to this goal.
Eric Gales, President of Microsoft Canada, @microsoftcanada
Eric Gales has over two decades of experience in the IT industry, which he entered straight out of high school without a bachelor’s or MBA degree. He is responsible for all elements of Microsoft Canada’s business. Always seeking change and improvement, Eric has worked with Microsoft customers and partners to enable for translation and integration of software solutions that allow them to thrive and better compete. A passionate and strategic leader, Eric consistently strives for change and has motivated his employees to become agents of change themselves.
Jordan Banks, Managing Director of Facebook Canada, @Jordan_Banks
A previous Canada’s “Top 40 under 40” honouree, Jordan Banks manages Facebook’s commercial operations in the 18 million strong Canadian market. He is accredited with building the eBay brand and community in Canada and is heavily involved in non-profit organizations and charity movements including “A Million Tweets to Remember” (Alzheimer’s research), C100 and the Next36 (technology and entrepreneurship).
Michael Serbinis, CEO of Kobo, @mserbinis
Queen’s graduate Michael Serbinis founded DocSpace and sold it later to Critical Path for $580 million. As the president of Indigo Books and Music’s digital venture Kobo, he has transformed this Canadian startup into an international eReaders community that has not only allowed for Indigo’s adaptation to the emergence of digital media, but has also pushed the boundaries of and set new standards for this up-and-coming market.
Peter Aceto, President and CEO of ING DIRECT Canada, @ceo_ingdirect
Peter Aceto, a UWO graduate, was a founding member of the senior leadership team when ING DIRECT began in Canada more than a decade ago. Peter’s exceptional executive role in the company is complemented by his active philanthropic involvement in the community in organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, the ING DIRECT Kids Foundation and many more. He also writes regularly on the ING DIRECT blog.
We also have a fantastic lineup of workshops and speakers designed to highlight what’s happening in Biztech today. Brian Wong, founder and CEO of kiip.me, and called the “youngest person to ever receive funding by a venture capital firm” by Techcrunch and The Wall Street Journal, will be talking about Gamification. Fabian Pfortmüller, Chairman and founder of Sandbox, which is the leading global community of extraordinary young achievers under 30, will share five myths about entrepreneurship. Finally, Tom Rand, who’s behind the greenest hotel in North America, Planet Traveler, will be talking about Clean Tech. And that’s just a sample of what NBTC ’12 has to offer.
Competitions
KPMG Entrepreneurship Competition
NBTC 2012 invites all aspiring young entrepreneurs to compete in our premier Entrepreneurship Competition. This is your chance to compete and network with entrepreneurs across North America, and have your business plans looked at and critiqued by a panel of successful and knowledgeable professionals. You also get to network with the competition judges, patent firms, VC and angel firms, incubators, and local startups throughout the conference.
Prizes:
$30,000 worth of advisory services from MaRS
Sabeta IP Patent Award, $6,000 in patent services from Sabeta IP for one team chosen by Sabeta IP
$5,000 cash prize, sponsored by KPMG
Half-day of advice and consultation on SR&ED and other tax incentive matters for the winning team, by KPMG
Exclusive coverage in The Globe and Mail for the winning team
Deloitte Consulting Case Competition
Consulting case competitions have been called the varsity sport of business students – they are incredibly competitive and simultaneously rewarding, building your skills as you tackle real-life scenarios and present realistic solutions. NBTC 2012 is excited to announce this year’s Consulting Case Competition, exclusively sponsored and judged by Deloitte & Touche LLP. This competition provides a valuable hands-on experience for participants and an opportunity for them to connect with experienced consultants, to enhance their knowledge of this field and to develop relevant skill sets.
Prize:
A cash prize of $2,000, sponsored by Deloitte
Why you should check out NBTC ’12 and the Nspire Innovation Network
NBTC helps students see beyond their degree, beyond their program and beyond their social circle. Attendees get access to unparalleled opportunities, like the chance to connect with top CEOs and business professionals at the NBTC Wine Reception; network with recruiting representatives from some of the top companies in technology, consulting, finance and more; and engage with the next generation of innovators and learn the tips, tricks and secrets of how our world-class speakers became the great successes they are and how you can do the same!
It has once been said that “Some people dream of great accomplishments, while others stay awake and do them.” If you’re serious about making an impact with your life, then your experience at NBTC will not disappoint.
WHERE
South Building, MTCC, 255 Front St. W, Toronto
WHEN
The 12th annual National Business and Technology Conference will be held in downtown Toronto on March 23-24, 2012.
To register for the conference, compete in the competitions and learn more about NBTC ’12, please visit our website at http://nbtc.nspire.org.
Contributed by:
Tina Yazdi (Director of Marketing) and the NBTC ’12 Team
tina.yazdi@nspire.org
http://nbtc.nspire.org
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