Innovate Conference wants to get Toronto youth engaged with AI and VR trends

On August 13th, The Knowledge Society (TKS), a Toronto-based innovation program for youth ages 13 to 17, will host the Innovate Conference.

Taking place at the Corus Entertainment Complex, Innovate will bring together 500 Canadian students who are interested in learning how to find and solve critical problems facing society today.

The conference will give attendees the chance to hear from senior government officials, CEOs, and tech investors about the latest trends in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, genetic engineering, financial markets, Internet of Things, robotics and venture capital.

“We need to encourage students to start creating the world they want to live in.”

“We have seen the power of youth first-hand at TKS, and believe that they are vastly underestimated,” said Navid Nathoo, co-founder and executive director at TKS. “The best way to predict the future is to create it, and we need to encourage students to start creating the world they want to live in.”

TKS said that while the conference is fully subsidized to remove any financial barriers for attendees, students must apply in order to attend. Applications will be assessed based on students’ desire to learn and initiative to find and solve problems.

“We are thrilled that Toronto has been chosen to host Innovate,” said councillor Michelle Holland, Toronto’s first Advocate for the Innovation Economy. “This is exactly the kind of initiative we want to see as we work to champion the growth of Toronto’s technology and knowledge sector. Ultimately, youth will be the ones to build our cities and grow our economy.”

Earlier this year, TKS purchased a 6,000+ square feet, multi-level space in Toronto as part of its mission to encourage young people to think like an entrepreneur. The program runs in Calgary, San Francisco, and Toronto.

Interested applicants have until June 30th to apply.

This article was originally published on BetaKit.