On Saturday, April 29, 2006 Nicholas Yang, CEO of Hong Kong Cyberport presented at the Banff Centre, Canada for the Signing of the Partnership between Hong Kong Cyberport and The Banff Centre. Both Hong Kong Cyberport and the Banff Centre agreed partnering in areas of research and development, scientific and professional exchange, education and training, and in fostering technology and business partnerships.
Following the signing of the partnership agreement, an open house celebration was hosted by the Banff New Media Institute (BNMI) Accelerator Program. The goal of the partnership is to develop mutually beneficial opportunities for Hong Kong and Alberta new media companies.
Similar to the Hong Kong event, which gave Cyberport the chance to introduce The Banff Centre to their local new media companies, the Open House provided an opportunity for The Banff Centre to introduce Cyberport to Alberta new media companies. The event included signing of the partnership agreement between Hon Kong Cyberport and The Banff Centre; an overview of Cyberport by Nicholas Yang; an introduction of new partnership opportunities for the Alberta new media community by Susan Kennard, director/executive producer Banff New Media Institute (BNMI); and the welcoming remarks by Mary Hofstetter and Robert Lai, executive director, Alberta Innovation and Science. This was followed by the keynote address on business development between North America and Pacific Rim countries by Hal Josephson, president, Mediasense Inc. and a networking lunch.
Earlier this year, Mary Hofstetter, president & CEO of The Banff Centre, traveled to Hong Kong and together with Nicholas Yang, CEO, Hong Kong Cyberport, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that set the stage for long-term collaboration. The MOU created a framework to explore opportunities in the areas of research and development, scientific and professional exchange, education and training, and in fostering technology and business partnerships among small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the digital media sector in Alberta and across the Pacific.
About the Banff Centre
Creation. Innovation. Transformation. The Banff Centre is a catalyst for creativity and a globally respected post-secondary educational institution and conference facility. Banff Centre alumni create, produce, and perform works of art all over the world; lead our institutions, organizations, and businesses; and play significant roles in our cultural, social, intellectual, and economic well-being, and in the preservation of our environment. For almost 75 years, the Centre has developed potential and transformed careers. Our multi-disciplinary programs enable emerging and established individuals in the arts, sciences, business, and the environment to create and showcase new work, to push boundaries, to interact and share knowledge, and to develop new ideas and solutions for the present and the future.
About Alberta Innovation and Science
A department in the Government of Alberta, Alberta Innovation and Science consolidates government research, science and technology activities, working closely with industry, research organizations, and other levels of government to develop a unified focus to research in energy, information, and communications technology, and the life sciences including agriculture, bio-products, forestry, health and nutrition, platform technologies, sustainable resource management, and water research. The department is committed to building a critical mass of research excellence to create an environment that attracts skilled people and investment to the province, and provides the foundation for business growth, job creation, a sustainable economy, and a better quality of life for Albertans.
In addition to building research capacity, and attracting and retaining top researchers and other highly qualified people, the department supports initiatives focused on technology commercialization. These initiatives focus on connecting entrepreneurs to business mentors and investment capital, to help them develop ideas and research into viable products. These research and development investments build on Alberta’s strengths and help the province to develop a more competitive, knowledge-driven economy.