Abby Innovates: Connecting Minds, Sparking Ideas

The Abbotsford Innovation Network (AIN) invites you to join us for our inaugural event, "Abby Innovates: Connecting Minds, Sparking Ideas" This exciting evening is an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, hear from local experts, and learn about the latest innovation in the Valley and beyond. Join us as we kick off the AIN and strengthen a culture of creativity and innovation in Abbotsford. Program: 5:00pm - Doors open 5:30pm - Meet & greet officially starts 6:00pm - Expert keynote speaker : Dr. Jon Thomas (Director, Esposito Family Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, University of the Fraser Valley) 6?:20pm - World Café begins, guests rotate through tables and engage in discussions with different groups of people 7:20pm - Closing remarks and final networking opportunities 7:30pm - Event concludes A?bout Dr. Jon Thomas: Dr. Jon Thomas is the Director of the Esposito Family Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (EFCIE), and the BC Regional Innovation Chair in Canada-India Partnership Development at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV). He is an Associate Professor (Innovation & Entrepreneurship) at the UFV School of Business. Prior to joining UFV, Jon was a post-doctoral researcher and taught in the Technology MBA program at Simon Fraser University. He also held a Mitacs Elevate Post-doctoral fellowship funded by SFU Beedie and CDRD Ventures Inc. (UBC). Jon holds a PhD in Technology Management and Strategy from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, along with an MBA, and an undergraduate degree in Statistics. He received an AICTE National Doctoral Fellowship for his doctoral research on innovation in the biotechnology sector in India. (Source: UFV)