Welcome TECHSTOCK Exhibitor: OpenGate

General

1. What is your innovation story?

Our founders, Susan Nelson and Gordan Case, have a long multi-generational history of community service and philanthropy. They have a passion for building special places, and wanted to create even more contribution by building Calgary’s first Smart City space, called TwinHillsTM on SE 17th Ave. OpenGate strives for creative and innovate practices in its design and development and an approach that achieves the Five Bottom LineTM Principles (Environmental, Social, Wellness, Technological and Economic) to achieve a Class A commercial, industrial, retail and mixed-use town within our city.

Our site contains some of Alberta’s fastest broadband, and 8-mile access to downtown Calgary. As a result, TwinHills is also well situated to be one of Calgary’s new locations for future Silicon Valley satellite offices, and Calgary’s tech start-up industry. TwinHills has already begun winning a number of prestigious awards based on its LEED-ND design, 5 Bottom Line Principles and innovate approach to supporting individuals at all stages, wages and ages.

2. Do you follow a sustainable development agenda (for people, planet and prosperity) in your company / business?

We believe that a win-win can be created for people, industry and the environment. Through wise building practices and innovative approaches, we can support the needs of individuals, our community and Calgary, as well as industry leaders and start-up companies. By providing a demonstration site, we hope to continue production and implementation of innovative products and services, while ensuring sustainability for people, prosperity and the planet.

3. If your enterprise could have a global application, what is your vision for transforming the planet?

We have founded a non-profit name TechVivo.org, and make its mandate to capture, synthesize and leverage global technology innovations for increased liveability and reliable connectivity in water, energy, communications, transportation, security and building infrastructure at a community level. Through the intelligent exchange of sophisticated technology, we hope to demonstrate that partnership between industry and government, start-ups and global organizations, as well as environmental and urban organizations, we are able to find more sustainable practices that can be replicated in other geographies. Our desire is to start changing how we live in our environment in Calgary, and propagate our success internationally.

To learn more about OpenGate, visit them at TECHSTOCK 2017!