Venn Innovation

📢 SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT

Brad Wasson, MSc, is cofounder of Business Bridge Inc., a New Brunswick management consulting company, and is a cofounder and COO of NeuroAI Inc., an AI startup that has developed an agentic AI platform for caregivers of children with Autism and for clinicians in Canadian healthcare institutions.

Previously, Brad served as an Executive Partner with Gartner, advising executives on mission-critical priorities through actionable insights, decision frameworks, and performance tools. Brad was Chief Digital Innovation Officer at NB Power for more than four years, leading the IT organization, building an innovation team and solutions, and leading digital-platform initiatives.

✨ We're thrilled to have Brad join us as a guest speaker at our upcoming event with Wallace McCain Institute - Rethinking Business in the AI Era. This panel discussion is going to be a great one!

🎟️ Get your tickets while there's still space 🎟️
📅 August 20 l 2-4PM I Moncton, NB
🔗 https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/rethinking-business-in-the-ai-era-tickets-1994587200008

One of the most common pitfalls is falling in love with a solution before confirming the problem. A strong idea is rooted in a clear, urgent need – not just a clever concept.

The clearer and more specific you can be, the stronger your foundation becomes. Broad or vague problems often lead to weak value propositions.

That level of clarity opens the door to meaningful validation and prioritizes assumptions based on value (to the business) vs. risk (likelihood of failure).

Keep reading 👉 👉

From Idea to Evidence: How Early-Stage Startups Can Validate What Matters — Venn Innovation Every startup begins with an idea – but not every idea becomes a viable business. The difference is rarely passion or effort. More often, it comes down to validation: understanding whether your idea solves a real problem for a real market. 

📢 SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT

Florin Filip is Special Advisor for Innovation, Creativity, and Organizational Transformation at Université de Moncton. With 30+ years of experience, he helps businesses, governments, and institutions navigate complexity, foster innovation, and turn bold ideas into practical outcomes. His work sits at the intersection of strategy, creativity, leadership, and emerging technologies.

He strengthens organizations' capacity to innovate by combining human-centered approaches - Design Thinking, strategic planning, change management, business model innovation, journey mapping, and leadership development - with deep expertise in AI (including Generative AI), Blockchain, Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), and Robotic Process Automation (RPA).

A frequent keynote speaker and facilitator, Florin has contributed to conferences, executive forums, and innovation initiatives across Canada and internationally, focusing on the relationship between technology, human potential, and the future of organizations.

✨ Florin will be join our panel and share his insights at our upcoming event with Wallace McCain Institute - WMI: Rethinking Business in the AI Era.

You don't want to miss this one.

📅 August 20 l 2-4PM I Moncton, NB
🔗 https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/rethinking-business-in-the-ai-era-tickets-1994587200008

Every startup begins with an idea – but not every idea becomes a viable business. The difference is rarely passion or effort. More often, it comes down to validation: understanding whether your idea solves a real problem for a real market.

Where do you start? What counts as proof? And how do you avoid wasting time building something no one wants?

Let's dive in.

From Idea to Evidence: How Early-Stage Startups Can Validate What Matters — Venn Innovation Every startup begins with an idea – but not every idea becomes a viable business. The difference is rarely passion or effort. More often, it comes down to validation: understanding whether your idea solves a real problem for a real market. 

How is your organization navigating the AI era?
Is your team ready for the shifts AI is driving across strategy, operations, and customer experience?
Are you making intentional choices about when – and how – to adopt AI?

In partnership with Wallace McCain Institute - WMI, we are running a session with internationally recognized innovation strategist Alexander Manu, exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping business, leadership, and customer expectations.

‼️ Early bird ends tonight at midnight!

📅 August 20 l 2-4PM I Moncton, NB
🔗 Tickets:

Rethinking Business in the AI Era ✨AI adoption, Organizational Readiness & Leadership in Business✨

📢 SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT

Alex Manu is an internationally recognized innovation strategist, author, and educator who helps organizations navigate uncertainty, anticipate change, and build businesses that remain relevant in a rapidly evolving world. A faculty member at OCAD University and trusted advisor to global organizations, Alex has spent more than three decades working with business leaders to rethink strategy, unlock new opportunities, and prepare for the future of work.

Known for challenging conventional thinking, Alex brings a practical and thought provoking perspective on innovation, digital transformation, and the leadership required to adapt in an era of AI. His work focuses on helping leaders move beyond technology adoption to create organizations that are resilient, purpose-driven, and positioned for long-term growth.

✨ Alex will be delivering the keynote at our upcoming event with Wallace McCain Institute - WMI: Rethinking Business in the AI Era.

You don't want to miss this one.

📅 August 20 l 2-4PM I Moncton, NB
🔗 https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/rethinking-business-in-the-ai-era-tickets-1994587200008

Where does your AI adoption and organizational readiness stand?

If the question sends you into an instant panic - you're not behind.

Join Venn Innovation and Wallace McCain Institute - WMI for an afternoon with internationally recognized innovation strategist Alex Manu, exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping business, leadership, and customer expectations.

As organizations face increasing pressure to adapt, this session will challenge leaders to move beyond simply adopting AI and instead rethink how they create and deliver value in a rapidly evolving world.

Get your ticket: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/rethinking-business-in-the-ai-era-tickets-1994587200008

August 20 l 2-4PM I Moncton, NB

Rethinking Business in the AI Era ✨AI adoption, Organizational Readiness & Leadership in Business✨

Venn's Shannon McMackin, wins International Innovation Award

The Technology Councils of North America (TECNA) held their annual summer conference recently, during which they held the 8th annual TECNA Innovation Awards. The Innovation Awards recognize exceptional work by TECNA member teams in support of their members, clients and communities. The Talent Pipeline & Workforce: Upskilling and Professional Development category recognizes individuals and teams that have developed innovative workforce and talent pipeline initiatives in their region, state or province for training, re-training, apprenticeships, job portals, mentoring and coding.

This year, Shannon McMackin was recognized as a category winner for the development and delivery of our TechConnect Southeast Program. Such a wonderful acknowledgement by peer organizations from across Canada and the United States, and testimony to the impact this program, now into just its second year, is already having in our community.