The Innovation City Conference

I noticed on Mark MacLeod’s (a partner at Real Ventures) blog an announcement and description of The Innovation City conference on July 18th and 19th in Toronto. It’s being held in conjunction with the MaRS Discovery District. The conference looks great and Mark is on a panel titled The Startup Metropolis: How to catalyze new companies which fits nicely with many of the things I discuss in Startup Communities.

Great companies can be built anywhere, but they disproportionately emerge from certain cities, and indeed neighborhoods. What are the factors that promote an active start-up community in a given city? Why are some cities so much better at fostering a great ecosystem of startup companies? How can cities foster early, innovative ideas and products, and create a city export by taking them to scale in bigger markets?

I’m hopeful there are entrepreneurs at the conference and they shout from the rooftops that an active startup community must be led by entrepreneurs. Or at least I hope Mark makes that point.