Sessions
- Opening Ceremony – May 31, 8:15 am
Laura Kilcrease is Chief Executive Officer of Alberta Innovates, and is the driving force behind Inventures. Born in London, England, Laura was recruited to Alberta in 2017 from Austin, Texas where she was instrumental in changing Austin’s economy from oil dependency to high-tech prosperity, rising to its status today as the #1 city for entrepreneurs to live and work in the United States. She is the founder of Triton Ventures, LP and was the founding executive director of the Austin Technology Incubator, one of the first of its kind in the US. Laura is a dedicated community builder, having served on various for-profit and nonprofit boards, including the Women’s Leadership Advisory Board of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and the Beyster Institute, among many others. She has been recognized for outstanding achievements, including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Austin Business Journal’s Profiles in Power Award, and the University of Texas McCombs School of Business Trailblazer Award. Laura is a Chartered Management Accountant and has an MBA from the University of Texas.