BKonthescene

by Sally Warburton

This year’s collision tech conference was a special one as it was the last one in Toronto. Collision is moving next year May 2025 to  be in Vancouver and will be called Web Summit Vancouver.

Toronto Collision 2024 brought together over 30,000  of tech’s brightest minds from June 17 to 20. Attendees discovered more about the newest tech trends redefining industries.  They learned about the tech economy through tech global giants, start-ups, investors and media.

Collision Toronto was again an exciting event. Located at the Enercare Centre and Beanfield Centre on Exhibition grounds. Attendees heard important conversations about rapidly evolving industry trends, technologies, and innovations – to support digital change nationally and around the globe. Collision Toronto was yet again another exciting event. There were so many interesting booths, Fireside Chats and interesting speakers including sports athletes and prominent tech people.  Both CEO & Founder of Web Summit Paddy Cosgrave and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow spoke on the stage welcoming attendees and participants to this exciting event. Both explained the importance of technology to Toronto, to Canada and to the world which included everyone there. Collision Toronto included a 3-day schedule of events. A jam-packed full schedule.  The stages set up throughout the Enercare Center each had their own schedule. They included panel discussions, individual presentations and interview style presentations. Attendees were mesmerized by all the technological talks.  It was a challenge deciding which stage to attend – the presentations were all so exciting. There was  Women in Tech area, time to network one on one. Stage for Pitches. Booths to promote start-up businesses. Who attended? students, people in the tech industry, people who wanted to learn more about the tech industry and those looking for tech employees. Impact start-ups included sustainability Health and Wellness, Real Estate, Clean tech, Education, Robotics E-commerce and Retail, Home Health, Gaming, AI, Health Tech, Energy, Travel and Hospitality, Lifestyle and fashion, Biosciences. For a full list of presenters, special guest and topics, see collision.com 

The Collision app was amazing. It included a map, a daily schedule with details of each presentation and the ability to create your own schedule. It included connections to other attendees and presenters. And daily updates. It even included a section on job opportunities. Some of the big companies represented where KPMG, Intuit, the city of Brampton, DMZ, York Region, Capital One Canada to name just a few. A couple of the countries represented were the Netherlands Taiwan.

Food trucks were set up outside the Enercare Center for attendees to enjoy a diverse selection of foods and beverages. Both Monday and Tuesday offered attendees an opportunity to connect with other like-minded attendees at the Night Summit. Monday’s night Summit was held at the on site venue Grand Bazaar on the Exhibition Grounds. Tuesday’s nightSummit was held at Stackt at Bathurst just over the bridge, south of King Street West. Beautiful evening of refreshments, food, conversation and music. Plus much networking among the international guests.  Memorable evenings !

The Collision conference in Toronto was another great success. We all learned so much about the new trends in technology specifically through the pitches heard by new companies and through the booths and speaking to people from all over the world.  Although we’re sad that Collision will no longer be in Toronto we’re looking very much forward to the Web Summit Vancouver in May 2025.  And to those venturing to Europe there’s Web Summit Lisbon is November 2024!