Vancouver is home to many talented young people who are passionately innovative. Vancouver’s first Young Innovators Crawl will celebrate and promote the young people who are working hard to take our city to the next level. Recently the City of Vancouver was named one of the 18 most innovative cities in the world by Business Insider. Vancouver is often recognized on an international scale, and is known for its local start-up scene, engaging festivals, and explosive arts and cultural events. But there is more we can do to support our innovation ecosystem.
The Young Innovators Crawl is open to all innovators 30 and under, whether they are leading their own organization, or are promoted by someone who wants to champion their younger protégé. To be featured on the Crawl, innovators must be willing to open their doors to the public, share their work, and animate their space in a DIY fashion that showcases their uniqueness!
This lively and interactive journey will travel through the creative hubs of the city exploring studios, workshops, installations, dialogues, and
exhibits. The Crawl will take place on Sunday, 19 Oct 2014, 12:00 – 6 PM and will visit innovation hubs in Mount Pleasant, The Flats, Gastown, Chinatown, Railtown. Young innovators who live outside the crawl or do not have a space that can be accessed will be provided space at SFU’s Vancouver campuses (500 Granville, 515 West Hastings) or in the Woodward’s Atrium. Participating in and attending the crawl is free.
The route and hub spaces will be animated by public art, food trucks, music and pop-up activities, and there will be an after party at a secret location. The public will be encouraged to attend, and will have access to an interactive map and smart phone app for Crawl stops. Key stops on the crawl will be highlighted and will feature special events at set times, ensuring that larger groups will come together.
A key outcome of the crawl will be our research into mapping and tracking the innovation ecosystem and allowing the young innovators themselves to share with us the challenges and opportunities they experience. Their input and efforts will inform recommendations for policies to create positive change, helping us support them better.
Extensive outreach related to the Crawl has been conducted with the support of event partners RADIUS, the Vancouver Economic Commission, a number of SFU department and faculties. Many of Metro Vancouver’s young innovators have expressed excitement for the event.
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