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CANADIAN INDUSTRY ONLINE - DECEMBER 2011
What is Communitech?
Communitech is a not-for-profit organization that supports technology
companies in Waterloo Region and promotes the area as a technoogy cluster.
Communitech’s programs and events connect professionals, share ideas, and
strengthen companies.
The organization also champions innovation and collaboration on a
provincial and national level. The newly-built Communitech Hub is a unique
digital media ecosystem and one of many commercialization facilities that
make up the Canadian Digital Media Network (CDMN).
I
ain Klugman, President and CEO of Communitech, on why
Canadian entrepreneurialism is the key to innovation
“I took this job with Communitech because there is a need in Canada to promote
entrepreneurism. Communitech is doing everything we can to help people who are trying
to innovate.
On the enterprise side—what we’re doing here is about collaboration. It’s a win-win
relationship. The strategic enterprise partners benefit from a strong start-up
community. At Communitech, we are trying to engineer those kinds of relationships.
The critical thing Communitech is trying to do: normalize entrepreneurship. It’s a valid
career choice. Entrepreneurship is never accepting things as being perfect—that’s how we
operate at Communitech, and how we coach clients.”
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COMPETITION leads to INNOVATION leads to PRODUCTIVITY”
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Tom Jenkins
Communitech’s CEO and President, Iain Klugman, is the recipient of
the Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network (ORION) 2011
Leadership Award.
Iain Klugman’s 20-year career in marketing and technology
management has made him one of Canada’s foremost experts in
innovation and commercialization. Since coming to Waterloo Region
to lead Communitech as President and CEO, Mr. Klugman has joined
his commitment to supporting technology businesses on the front lines
with a sophisticated understanding of building successful regional
economies.
Under his leadership, Communitech pioneered Canada’s frst execu-
tive-in-residence program at a not-for-proft organization; launched a youth outreach strategy
to engage more than 20,000 secondary students in science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics; left no stone unturned in the quest for talent to fll more than 2,000 open posi-
tions in the Region’s technology sector; launched a national digital media network; and built
The Communitech Hub – a $100 million strategy dedicated to the growth and success of
digital media and ICT companies in Ontario.
Today, Communitech works with more than 700 tech companies representing over $22 billion
in revenue – all in a community of just 500,000 people – a community now widely
acknowledged as Canada’s leading tech cluster.
ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP
: Entrepreneurship is about people who are
willing to take risks and have a big idea, they want to build something significant.
Entrepreneurs are the types of people who view the world and try to explain and solve
the problems they encounter. Entrepreneurism is a shift in mindset. Innovation is the
same thing. Innovation starts with a constant question of how things could be done
better, and competition is usually the key driver of innovation.“
ON INNOVATION
: Innovation is about taking calculated risk and being
willing to be fired any day. Unless you think like that, you will be disrupted by your
competitors. You need to disrupt yourself before someone does.”
ON COMPETITIVENESS
: There is complacency and a conservatism in
Canada. Companies become fearful, they make some money and they don’t want to try
for more—they are thinking about how they can make $1 million, but not $1 billion.”
ON MENTORSHIP
: One of the important things we do at Communitech is
offer coaching for new entrepreneurs. Coachability is better than mentorship. A coach
will tell you what you need to do better, give you pointers on your strategy, but a
coach never steps on the ice. At Communitech, we can help you in many ways but
we’re not running your business.”
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