Google’s Jared Cohen, Brent Bushnell to Headline #BCTECH Summit

December 7, 2017

Jared Cohen, the CEO of Google’s tech incubator, and experimental entertainment leader Brent Bushnell are headlining the 2018 #BCTECH Summit, the largest technology conference in Western Canada.

Cohen founded Google Ideas in 2010, a New York City-based think tank. Under Cohen’s leadership, the Google branch expanded into an incubator called Jigsaw, where Cohen serves as CEO. A former advisor to two Secretaries of State and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Cohen leads Jigsaw’s team of engineers, research scientists, product managers and policy experts in understanding how technology can remedy global safety challenges, from online harassment to violent extremism.

While Cohen’s team is developing technological solutions, Brent Bushnell is applying emerging technology to transform social amusement. As the founder of Two Bit Circus, Bushnell is using virtual reality, mixed reality and augmented reality to engineer entertainment, combining physical and digital playgrounds. Both keynote speakers will take the stage at the third annual #BCTECH Summit from May 14 to 16, 2018.

“This event is the largest showcase of innovation in B.C. and gives the world a glimpse of the cutting-edge, made-in-B.C. technologies that are pushing the boundaries of innovation and creating solutions for the world’s most challenging problems,” said Carl Anderson, CEO of the BC Innovation Council.

Highlighting the province’s homegrown technology successes, the summit will feature over 150 speakers and is expected to draw more than 6,000 attendees.

“The 2018 #BCTECH Summit will place ground-breaking B.C. companies and entrepreneurs centre stage, showcasing new and exciting opportunities for learning, working and investing right here in British Columbia’s thriving tech sector,” said Bruce Ralston, B.C.’s minister of jobs, trade and technology.

“This year, I’m especially excited to welcome approximately 2,000 B.C. students as they consider tech careers that will set the course for tomorrow’s innovation economy.”

Although more than 10,000 technology companies call B.C. home, Vancouver has become Canada’s hub for mixed-reality. The city recently saw Microsoft doubling down on the west coast city’s 3D technology ecosystem by expanding its workforce and investing in local computer science programs. The B.C. Tech Cube also recently opened, helping both consumers and businesses connect around the sector.