Indigenous tech leaders talk progress at #CollisionConf and “long way to go”

On National Indigenous Peoples Day, a number of leaders took to the Collision stages to talk about the growth of the Indigenous tech ecosystem, reconciliation and the challenges that remain.

Jacqueline Jennings, Venture Capital Partner at Raven Indigenous Capital Partners, participated in a panel on the main stage of Collision alongside Bobbie Racette, Founder and CEO of Virtual Gurus; Sheila North, former Grand Chief of the Bunibonibee Cree Nation of MKO; and Willow Fiddler, Globe and Mail reporter.

Jennings called the main stage panel, focused on how Indigenous innovation powers technology, the first of its kind in Collision history, and argued that it would be difficult to find another conference to do so. likewise.

“People who are ready to come first are the engine of our innovation.”

We are proud to have @JacquelineDJenn, @TheSheilaNorth and @Bobbie_Racette participate in the first day of #CollisionConf 2022 to mark National Indigenous Peoples Day of Canada! pic.twitter.com/L1pFXrmKGB

— Collision Conference (@CollisionHQ) June 21, 2022

The Raven Capital investor and his fellow panelists highlighted the important role Indigenous communities have played in innovation for generations. Racette noted that while Indigenous peoples have been less represented in the Canadian tech space, Indigenous ancestors have always been leaders of change.

“Our ancestors really laid the groundwork for us,” Racette said.

Racette represents the first Indigenous woman in Canadian tech to close out a Series A round after earning C$8.4 million in March.

For his part, Jennings represents Raven Capital, which is one of the few, if not the only, venture capital funds directed and focused on Aboriginal people.

The group pointed to the increase in the number of Indigenous startups in recent years (such as Virtual Gurus), with Racette noting that about 20 Indigenous startups were present at Collision. They also spoke of the challenges that remain, ranging from limited educational resources to a lack of basic necessities on reserves, which can limit the ability of Indigenous communities to even engage in entrepreneurship.

With the report from the National Center for Truth and Reconciliation specifically calling on companies to change and review their hiring practices, North noted that there is still a long way to go to create equal opportunity. Jeff Ward, founder and CEO of North and Animikii Indigenous Technology, called for changes in hiring practices that could be more inclusive of Indigenous people. Examples include extended bereavement care or allowing employees to choose their holidays.

Racette also noted the importance of representation and people seeing other people who look like them. Her motto, she said, is “inspire one and you will inspire a nation”.

While all of the speakers shared a positive outlook, they were also united in emphasizing the need for the broader business and technology community to invest, hire and support Indigenous peoples and entrepreneurs.

“We must continue to understand how we all became who we are because it takes all of us to create a better future for all of us,” North said.