Winter ‘19 Emerging Technologies Conference

As technology becomes increasingly important in our everyday lives, understanding its uses and applications in different fields becomes indispensable. Held at Ryerson University’s Ted Rogers School of Management in the heart of Toronto, the 2019 winter conference was titled “Emerging Technologies.” Featuring workshops, speakers, and activities, this conference integrated the fields of AI, Fintech, and Blockchain with the future of business.

“I feel that I could use this in everyday life, and as it is growing more in popularity, it’ll be much more relevant to the future.”

Attendees were given an incredible opportunity to network and talk with like-minded peers. In an energetic atmosphere, many new connections were formed between these young and determined individuals. The first keynote speaker, Roberto Sanabria from York University, talked about his experiences and how technology led him to founding Cryptoducation, a consulting company that teaches and advises businesses and individuals on how to incorporate blockchain into their company. Based on his extensive knowledge and past experiences, he gave valuable insights and advice for students aspiring to become young entrepreneurs.  

“Today’s event was really informative and I got a lot of new information based on the new things learned. For example, privacy. A lot of different outcomes can come from these technologies and it’s really interesting to think about what we can do with this new information and how the world is changing with emerging technologies.”

Then, attendees learned about three different topics while engaging in a roundtable discussion and workshop. They listened to three keynote speakers talk about their experiences in the field. While the founder, of IG Liaison, Catherine spoke about privacy on the internet, many individuals became cognisant of the extent of their “internet footprint.” Eric, an IBM employee, spoke about his work with the company and offered insight of working with one of the biggest companies in the industry. Laura B and Laura M, the entrepreneurs that established Culture Vibes, spoke about their entrepreneurship and career paths, exemplifying that one’s passion and determination can lead to one’s success.

“I think it taught me a lot on what I wanted to know and some extra information. Like, I didn’t know what Blockchain or Fintech was...I think I learned a lot more and developed an interest in what they talked about today. I’m definitely going to go home and do my own research about it.

After an exciting lunch and networking session, participants were able to do a coding activity with Chainsafe that targeted Fintech and applications of technology in business. Concluding the day with a speaker panel, attendees were able to gain insight on future career paths, entrepreneurship, as well as the emerging technologies within the fields of business.

With an exciting lineup of keynote speakers who closed many gaps of information, students were able to engage in interesting talks amongst peers with similar interests. The Emerging Technologies  Conference expanded particpants’ horizons through engaging workshops, and consequently, developing the business minds of Toronto’s future. A huge thank you goes out to our two incredible event partners in TOhacks and Blockchain Ryerson who helped make the day a success!