YYC DataCon

?35 minutes is a short time but happy to have hosted the panel on Harnessing Data for Social Impact at YYC DataCon last Saturday! I’m not a data person but this session made me wonder how much good one could use the data for! 35 minutes is indeed a short time for this huge topic so we split the session in to 3 segments: 1. Data Strategy 2. Data Approach 3. Data Measurement. To summarize the panelists (minus the technicalities), ??Know who you are going to include in the data and what is the need to do so? ?? Ensure representation of the community you are going to use the data for. ??Have a clear focus on why you are doing it so you can use the data for the right program. ??Build Diligently ??If you fail, try again. Start from scratch and create your own credible data. Sometimes the data we have can only take us so far. But how do you go from there? ??Observe and adapt. Build with the present for the future. Thanks to the amazing panelists Oliver Hankinson Dennis Agbegha, BSc, MSc. and Pedro Porto Alegre for their insights. Pedro has shared more insights on the same in his recent post on LinkedIn as well. Congratulations to YYC Data Society and Josh Rainbow for a successful YYC DataCon 2025!

This past Saturday, I was treated to some incredibly insightful talks that sparked a lot of engaging discussions at YYC DataCon : Scott Poulin's perspective on the interplay between agentic platforms and data ecosystems was mind-blowing. He easily broke down the key components of a successful integration into language that was easy to understand, opening my eyes to the future of AI interaction. ?? Tashina Jackson 's deep dive into blockchain technology was both informative and inspiring, and sparked a new interest in decentralized finance (DeFi). ???? And Mike Morley's take on evolving AI augmentation, drawing parallels to the evolution of e-bikes, was a brilliant and relatable analogy! ???? It's amazing to see the level of expertise and innovation within our community. These events are invaluable for learning and networking. ???? A massive thank you to Josh Rainbow for partnering with the Computing Alliance of Mount Royal University! ?? Your partnership and support strengthens the community and allows for the opportunity to attend events such as these. And thank you for organizing DataCon! ?? It was a brilliant event. ?? Looking forward to more events like this in the future! #MRU #TechEvents #AI #Blockchain #AgenticPlatforms #Networking #Community #YYCDataCon

AI is full of promise — but also full of hidden costs, risks, and failures when implemented without a plan. At YYC DataCon 2025, Kelly Cherniwchan, CEO of Chata.ai, shared a wake-up call for companies eager to jump into AI. An NFL team reportedly burned through a full year’s budget in just one month because they underestimated the costs of generative AI. And that’s just one example. Without the right safeguards, AI-generated errors can quickly spiral, creating compliance challenges and unexpected costs — especially in regulated industries. Cherniwchan laid out how decision-makers can avoid these costly mistakes and ensure AI investments actually deliver, including: ?? Understanding the true cost of AI, from training to maintenance ?? Implementing AI governance to avoid legal and compliance pitfalls ?? Using checkpoints to stop hallucinations from spiraling ?? Exploring emerging AI architectures beyond GenAI Before you dive in, ask yourself: What problem am I really trying to solve, and is AI the best way to solve it? Read the full story by David Potter on Digital Journal here ?? https://lnkd.in/gSADvvn9 -- Want more innovation news in your inbox? ?? Subscribe to the Digital Journal newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gT-y69vE

The Conference, get shit done king, Josh Rainbow, will give us a recap of YYC DataCon 2025 and Telling It Like It Is the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!! of the Future Summit 2025 in November Wednesday, Mar.9, 9.30am MST #abtech #entrepreneurs #startups Watch Live Linkedin - https://bit.ly/4hytzob Facebook - https://bit.ly/4hrkmhL YouTube - https://bit.ly/3C68BwL Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP Office Hours is Tues, Mar.11, 10am – 1pm. If you are looking for business, legal, growth advice and mental health support, please book an appointment – [email protected] Peer Guidance - Purpose Before Profit is a Fractional Business Team with 9 exits. We focus on Scale, Growth and People #yourenotalone https://bit.ly/3CgfHyX Founders Coffee is for #Entrepreneurs #Startups #smallbusiness. Come to #founderscoffee if you want to meet like-minded people every Tuesday at 7.30am at Red's Diner In Kensington

How should marketers approach their research projects? This was the lens I used to unpack how to devise a 'data strategy' for marketing projects at YYC DataCon this weekend. If strategy is the art and science of making choices, then any project you're tackling that involves data (likely, most of them!), you should have a clear idea of what you'll do versus not do. Here are some tips on how to get started: 1) Start with Market Understanding: Every project should begin with understanding the market and category. Data can help identify high-value segments worth over-investing in. 2) Data Manipulation & Limitations: While data is crucial, it can be manipulated to fit a narrative. To balance this, qualitative methods like focus groups and ethnography help gain deeper insights. 3) Limitations of Qualitative Research: Qualitative research, such as focus groups, doesn’t provide statistically representative samples. Insights from a small group (e.g., 10 people) cannot be extrapolated to a broader population reliably. 4) Statistical Confidence in Marketing: A statistically representative sample typically requires a 95% confidence level. For large populations (e.g., 40 million people), a sample size of around 400 is often sufficient. However, when segmenting into regions, additional samples are needed. 5) Data Strategy Approach: Rather than diving blindly into data, marketers should approach research with a clear hypothesis to test. Without this, efforts can become inefficient and costly. 6) Effective Research Techniques: Entering research with an open mind is critical. One useful technique in qualitative research is “playing dumb,” which encourages participants to explain concepts more thoroughly, revealing unexpected insights. 7) Balanced Marketing Approach: Successful marketing strategies integrate both quantitative (data-driven) and qualitative (human insights) research to make informed decisions. #marketing | #advertising | #research

The Conference, get shit done king, Josh Rainbow, will give us a recap of YYC DataCon 2025 and Telling It Like It Is the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!! of the Future Summit 2025 in November Wednesday, Mar.5, 9.30am MST #abtech #entrepreneurs #startups Watch Live Linkedin - https://bit.ly/4hytzob Facebook - https://bit.ly/4hrkmhL YouTube - https://bit.ly/3C68BwL Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP Office Hours is Tues, Mar.11, 10am – 1pm. If you are looking for business, legal, growth advice and mental health support, please book an appointment – [email protected] Peer Guidance - Purpose Before Profit is a Fractional Business Team with 9 exits. We focus on Scale, Growth and People #yourenotalone https://bit.ly/3CgfHyX Founders Coffee is for #Entrepreneurs #Startups #smallbusiness. Come to #founderscoffee if you want to meet like-minded people every Tuesday at 7.30am at Red's Diner In Kensington

This weekend, we hosted the biggest YYC DataCon yet - an incredible milestone for our community. From a virtual conference in 2021 to over 1,700 attendees at the BMO Center and Platform Calgary in just 4 years! All of this happened through grassroots, volunteer organizers that are building Calgary's tech ecosystem. If you want to get involved with the YYC Data Society then please reach out to me! Check the comments for a list of meetups and groups in our network. We're always looking for volunteers, speakers and mentors. Let's continue to grow together! #YYCDataCon2025, PyData Calgary, Untapped Energy, Women in AI Canada, Data for Good, Dama International, #CalgaryR

?? What an incredible experience at YYC DataCon 2025! ?? Cittabase was proud to be a part of Canada’s premier Data & AI conference at the BMO Centre in Calgary! Our booth was buzzing with insightful conversations, engaging discussions, and exciting opportunities to collaborate on the future of Data, AI, and Analytics. A huge shoutout to the YYC DataCon organizers for curating such a stellar event! ?? Your efforts in bringing together data leaders, AI innovators, and industry experts under one roof truly made this a must-attend conference for the data community. To everyone who visited our booth – thank you! ?? It was amazing to connect, share our expertise, and explore how Cittabase’s cutting-edge AI & Data solutions can help businesses drive smarter decisions. Special thanks to our friends from Qlik - Hayden Ng Peter Gorgenyi Harshita Agrawal ! Looking forward to more collaborations and innovations in the data and AI space! ??? YYC DataCon #YYCDataCon2025 #Data #AI #Analytics #Cittabase #Collaboration #WhereDataFuelsInnovation

YYC DataCon 2025 is a wrap! It was everything we hoped for and more, and we couldn’t have done it without you. THANK YOU!

AI careers aren’t just for data scientists. So why does it still feel that way? At YYC DataCon, Colleen Pound, Lauren Ridge, Anupama Das, and Stacey McLennan-Waldal tackled the biggest misconceptions about AI careers. One of the key takeaways? The real skill gap isn’t coding — it’s knowing how to apply AI to real business problems. AI adoption is rising, but hiring managers say the biggest challenge is finding AI-trained talent. Many assume AI jobs require deep technical expertise, yet AI is already reshaping roles in business, finance, healthcare, and beyond. Learn more ?? https://lnkd.in/gBZCq9cC -- Want more innovation news in your inbox? ?? Subscribe to the Digital Journal newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gT-y69vE