NewCos are leading innovators representing multiple industries
TORONTO, Aug. 21, 2017 /CNW/ - NewCo, a revolutionary concept that identifies, celebrates, and connects the engines of positive change in society, is thrilled to announce its 2017 participants.
The brainchild of Wired magazine co-founder and media and tech entrepreneur John Battelle, NewCo represents a radical departure from the traditional conference format. Rather than learning in a conventional, theatre-style setting, festival attendees visit companies of their choice throughout an urban setting. Attendees learn about the companies first-hand from leaders and CEOs, right inside the offices where they work.
"Given the immense success of last year's Canadian debut, we are thrilled to grow the event for its second year in Toronto," says Battelle. "In 2016, 38 host companies participated, allowing over 800 guests to select from an impressive roster of places to visit and learn from."
The two-day NewCo Toronto Festival, occurring on September 13 and 14, is being produced by Canadian ad agency Cossette, NewCo's Affiliate Partner and Producer in Canada. Cossette is a national marketing communications agency and among the largest in Canada. NewCo's Feature Event Partner is the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and The City of Toronto returns as Festival Sponsor.
"In addition to giving companies in Toronto the opportunity to tell their stories and connect them with others, we feel extremely passionate about promoting the growing number of innovative organizations in this country," says Brett Marchand, President and CEO of Cossette and its parent company Vision7 International. "We also very much believe in the philosophy behind the NewCo concept, as envisioned by its founder John Battelle – which is to provide a platform for innovative and entrepreneurial companies that are on a mission to bring about positive change in their communities."
NewCos are organizations that are redefining the world for the better. They can be involved in any aspect of society and any industry from culture to the arts, technology or the scientific community. Some of this year's 46 participants include: Airbnb, FreshBooks, G Adventures, Google, MARS Discovery District, Ritual, Shopify, SickKids, Wattpad, Wealthsimple and YouTube Space.
"We are thrilled to return for our second year at NewCo," says Allen Lau, CEO and co-founder of Wattpad. "NewCo Toronto allows us to connect with engaged attendees right in the comforts of our own building and city. The diversity of Toronto is a great source of talent and cultural understanding. There is no other city that I could see Wattpad calling home."
NewCo will take place on day three of the inaugural Elevate Toronto festival, a grassroots initiative that empowers the technology community to shape the festival so that a breadth of startups and corporate innovators can showcase their work. Led by entrepreneur Razor Suleman, Elevate Toronto's co-founder and CEO, the new festival will showcase Toronto's thriving tech ecosystem while promoting Toronto internationally as a world class destination for innovation, startups, talent and investment.
NewCo applicants were reviewed by a diverse panel of cultural and business leaders, including: Brett Marchand, President and CEO of Cossette and Vision7 International; John Ruffolo, CEO, Omers Ventures; Bruce Poon Tip, Founder G Adventures; and Laura Buhler, Executive Director C100; Razor Suleman, co-founder and CEO, Elevate Toronto; Salim Teja, Executive Vice President, Ventures at MaRS; Valerie Swatkow, Executive Vice President Corporate Development, Cossette.
Those interested in attending NewCo Toronto can purchase festival tickets via: tor.newco.co/schedule/
About NewCo:
Launched in 2012 in San Francisco, NewCo is a global media brand that connects people with businesses on a mission.
NewCo holds annual festivals in over 20 cities across the world that encourage participants to "Get out to get in." They have the focus of a business conference, the feel of a music festival, and the model of an artist open studio: NewCo Festivals take participants out of ballrooms and directly into the companies that are changing capitalism as we know it. Participants choose which organizations they want to explore and then gather inside the company's home office, experiencing firsthand how these inspiring organizations are transforming industries and driving the shift towards purpose-driven business.
NewCo Shift is a multi-channel media property with a central home on Medium, three email newsletters, video interviews with thought leaders and much more. The brainchild of six-time media and tech entrepreneur John Battelle, NewCo Shift (Shift.NewCo.co) is defining a new approach to business journalism, featuring notable writers and thinkers on a range of topics impacting global business today. This February, NewCo will hold the second Shift Forum, a discussion on capitalism at a crossroads. Apply to be a delegate at forum.newco.co.
About Cossette:
Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency offering a full range of cutting-edge communications services. Cossette is a community of specialized talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers.
Cossette was named Agency of the Year by Strategy Magazine, is a Platinum-Level Aon Hewitt Best Employer, and is on Ad Age Magazine's list of Best Places to Work. The agency has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver and Chicago, and has been making strides to become a major player amongst global agencies. To learn more, visit cossette.com.
About Elevate Toronto:
Elevate Toronto is a collaboration between 17 technology organizations which came together to create a three day festival. It aims to be a world-class innovation festival where the globe comes to Toronto to discover, connect, and be inspired by the individuals shaping what's next. Elevate Toronto is a non-profit organization led by TechToronto, MaRS, #movethedial, OneEleven, Cossette Communications and the Spotlight Awards, in partnership with the City of Toronto
Related Links:
NewCo website
John Battelle Explains the NewCo Experience
Cossette website
Elevate Toronto website
SOURCE NewCo Toronto
[email protected], 416-967-8895
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