Sask Startup Social: A celebration of Saskatchewan tech

Part of our mission is to connect the local and global innovation and startup ecosystems. On Sept. 9, we did just that by bringing together Saskatchewan’s tech ecosystem for a night of networking and celebration at our Sask Startup Summit Startup Social.

Throughout the event, we heard from guest speakers and founder who not only capture but truly embody the entrepreneurial spirit of Saskatchewan. Bringing greetings at the event included Alana Ross, Member of the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly who brought greetings on behalf of Innovation Saskatchewan, Sandra Masters, Mayor of Regina, and Eric Dillon, CEO of Conexus Credit union.

“Our province is filled with talented people. People with big ideas, and a welcoming and encouraging tech community that’s supportive of our growth potential,” said Alana Ross.

“We have exactly what we need right here. We have incredibly talented founders, we have mentors who are really passionate about giving back to Saskatchewan, and we have investors who are willing to pool capital to fuel these startups,” said Eric Dillon.

For the main event, we welcomed three Cultivator company  – Serese Selanders (CEO + Founder, SolusGuard), Sam Dietrich (Director + Co-Founder, Prairie Robotics), and Mark Wolff (CEO, myComply) – to share their startup journeys including how they started, how it’s going and where it’s going.

Serese Selanders, CEO + Founder, SolusGuard

Sam Dietrich, Director + Co-Founder, Prairie Robotics

Mark Wolff, CEO, myComply

While each of their stories is different, the resilience and adversity showcased by each of these founders was a common theme throughout.

“One of the things we don’t always talk about are the long stretches in between where nothing’s happening. Where we are a little shaky and unsettled as to where things are going to go. Regardless of where you are in your journey, the one piece of advice I have for you is just keep going,” said Serese Selanders.

Saskatchewan’s tech ecosystem has grown tremendously over the past few. In 2013, founders were googling how to start a tech company. But now, “we have Cultivator, we have Conexus, we have Innovation Saskatchewan, we have Co.Labs. We have all these amazing organizations to support us,” said Selanders.

More 2021 Sask Startup Summit recaps HERE.