Big data analytics spawns huge event
An upcoming conference on the growing technology field of big data analytics is itself so big, it will be staged simultaneously in Calgary and Edmonton, and video streamed on the Web.
Although it’s the third consecutive year that Alberta Council of Technologies, or ABCTech, has staged a high-tech conference in the province, this one’s unique, says Perry Kinkaide, founder and past president of the organization that supports emerging technology-based companies throughout Western Canada.
“We’ve got the tiger by the tail here,” he enthuses. “It’s never been done before.”
“It” is a comprehensive, multimedia, multi-venue and ultimately global look at important tech topics related to big data analytics: that’s the enormous amount of digital information we — individuals, private companies, public institutions — generate every day, and it’s our ability to harness powerful cloud-based computing systems to analyze and draw conclusions from all that data.
“Analytics has emerged as ‘the next big thing’,” Kinkaide says.
“Applications are being developed daily to aid and automate decision-making, and the implications are profound for health care, education, commerce and logistics, transportation and construction. And they are finding their way into environmental monitoring and the management of precious resources.”
That’s big all right, so a growing interest and broad participation from various industries and professions in this year’s ABCTech conference is driving scheduled events in Calgary and Edmonton, May 13 to 15.
Keynote speakers and panel presentations in both cities will look at a wide-ar-
We’ve got the tiger by the tail here PERRY KINKAIDE
ray of Alberta applications and commercialization issues for big data analytics across business and industry, education and research, as well as government and the public sector.
Hosts for the Analytics, Big Data and the Cloud II conference include the Alberta Council of Technologies, Athabasca University, CIO Association of Canada, Alberta School of Business and University of Calgary.
Conference organizers are planning a special live webcast of key events at the Conference, distributed to both cities and beyond; the coverage will also be archived for later use.
“We’re building a multimedia legacy with web TV interviews and coverage of keynote speeches,” Kinkaide described.
As the data storage and processing industry morphs into a service and as the market for analytics grows, he says, shared information and insights will be invaluable.
Kinkaide’s own extensive background in business, investment, consulting and public service assistant deputy minister with the Alberta government ultimately led him to directly support technology-based innovation in Western Canada through the Alberta Council of Technologies, and at this latest high-tech conference.
“We want to create a culture here, an environment that says ‘This is the space’ to pursue these opportunities. Alberta is creative, innovative, resourceful and supportive of new ways for people and business enterprises to manage activity, make decisions, and connect to a growing global marketplace.”
Innovative technology support organizations like ABCTech have identified well over 100 young entrepreneurs in Alberta’s analytics industry, many expected at the conference.
Kinkaide says he’s inspired by their entrepreneurial talent and revolutionary potential to develop applications for aiding and automating human decision-making. “They are our source of innovation and enterprise. “