Women in Tech trade mission to Silicon Valley: Montréal startups form business ties in the world's leading technology incubator

MONTRÉAL, May 7, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - The Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal and its team of Acclr experts took part in a trade mission to Silicon Valley, April 29 to May 3. During the trade mission, a delegation of 15 Montréal businesses and three Ubisoft Women in Tech ambassadors formed business ties with companies in the cradle of the global technology ecosystem. Participants also had a chance to visit tech giants such as Airbnb, Facebook and Netflix. This trade mission – the first with a delegation comprised mainly of women – was part of the Ubisoft Women in Tech initiative, created to inspire more women to consider the many careers in the tech sector.

Talent and expertise with an international reputation
"The tech sector plays a key role in the city's growth and economic prosperity," said Michel Leblanc, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal. "The Montréal ecosystem has a pool of talent and leading expertise that enable it to aspire to be one of the top centres for innovation. To get there, we need to follow the example of the best and develop our international networks. The trade mission, which was part of the Ubisoft Women in Tech initiative, was an exceptional showcase for participating startups to demonstrate their know-how, draw inspiration from industry giants and form invaluable international ties."

A chance to promote the place of women in the tech sector 
"Montréal is one of the most technically creative ecosystems in North America, and Ubisoft is proud to be part of it," said Francis Baillet, vice-president, corporate affairs, at Ubisoft. "Women are clearly still underrepresented in this key sector of our economy. With this trade mission, we want to draw attention to inspiring female role models in this industry and mobilize players around a global movement to promote the place of women in tech. This recent trade mission reminds us of the importance of pursuing your passions, thinking big and going international."

The trade mission gave Ubisoft Women in Tech ambassadors as well as participating startups the chance to attend the Women of Silicon Valley event. The event, in its third year, is the world's largest gathering of women in tech.

The following organizations participated in the trade mission:

1. National Bank of Canada
2. BRIDGR
3. Calixa
4. Circo de Bakuza
5. National Research Council of Canada
6. GHGSat Inc.
7. Gradiant AI
8. Mylo Financial Technologies
9. MySmartJourney
10. Osedea
11. Saccade Analytics
12. Scavengers Studio
13. Stefanka Tech
14. The Wallrus
15. Ubisoft

Nine of these companies were selected through a call for applications for the "Women in Tech" special package to have all expenses paid for the trade mission.

About the trade mission to Silicon Valley
The trade mission to Silicon Valley, led by the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal in partnership with Ubisoft, was presented by the Ministère de l'Économie et de l'Innovation. The trade mission was made possible through the cooperation of CN and the participation of the Offices jeunesse internationaux du Québec, Montréal International and our official carrier, Air Canada.

About the Ubisoft Women in Tech initiative
Ubisoft Women in Tech is an initiative to inspire and encourage young women to explore career opportunities in the tech sector. Jointly developed by Ubisoft Montréal and the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, this initiative is presented by the Ministère de l'Économie et de l'Innovation in cooperation with CN and the participation of the Ministère du Travail, de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale.

About the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal (CCMM)
With a network of over 7,000 members, the CCMM is active on two fronts: being the voice of the Montréal business community and delivering specialized services to businesses and their representatives. With its finger on the pulse of current events, it acts on issues that are decisive for the prosperity of the city's businesses. With the support of the Acclr experts, the CCMM's goal is to accelerate the creation and growth of businesses of all sizes, at home and around the world.

About Acclr – Business Services
Through its Acclr brand, the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal delivers services for the creation and growth of businesses of all sizes: business development, international trade, business intelligence, financing, labour and francization. No matter what business information companies are looking for, the CCMM's Acclr experts have the best resources and tools to find it.

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Twitter: @chambremontreal
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SOURCE Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal

Source: Julie Serero, Advisor, Media Relations, Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, Tel.: [phone], ext. 4042, [email protected]