This Year’s Host – The University of Calgary

The University of Calgary, located in Calgary, Alberta is a leader in entrepreneurship and innovation. The university’s vision is to be Canada’s most entrepreneurial university located in an enterprising city – a global intellectual and economic hub and destination of choice for entrepreneurs and innovators. Calgary is a deeply entrepreneurial city that has long been an economic engine of Canada, providing an ideal inspiration for the 2023 CCSBE conference. The University of Calgary’s approach to entrepreneurship is based on a ‘virtuous cycle’ model – a chain of events that reinforce themselves through a positive feedback loop, supported by a robust ecosystem.

The Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking is a key part of the UCalgary entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem. Its Embedded Certificate in Entrepreneurial Thinking provides undergraduate students with opportunities to engage in entrepreneurial thinking regardless of their degree program. It is complemented by a 6- month early-stage entrepreneurship program with funding, coaches and mentors, and Map the System (an interdisciplinary global challenge that requires participants to use systems-thinking to demonstrate deep understanding of pressing social or environmental issues). The Hunter Hub’s $12.4m Experience Ventures program has provided 6,295 entrepreneurial thinking placements nationwide.

The University of Calgary excels in entrepreneurship education, including the number of entrepreneurship course offerings and experiential learning opportunities. In 2020, UCalgary offered 44 courses in innovation and entrepreneurship, with 3,150 student course registrations. The university ranked #1 in Canada and 25th in the world by Times Higher Education’s Young University Rankings 2019: Golden Age. Entrepreneurial thinking has positively impacted UCalgary’s decision making and governance structures. The Haskayne School of Business offers an Entrepreneurship and Innovation Option to equip students with the fundamental skills of entrepreneurial thinking that will allow them to become successful, real world innovators.

CCSBE’s annual conference focuses on diverse and inclusive approaches to advancing entrepreneurship and driving economic and social recovery across sectors and countries – and adopts a comparative and international perspective in addressing topics related to entrepreneurship, innovation and technology.

Researchers, educators, entrepreneurs, administrators, students, policy makers and all interested in advancing entrepreneurship and small business are invited to participate in this great gathering.