“I thought it was going to be folk music,” Eric said. “But it’s so much more than that. The quality and types of music are fantastic.”
It was a match made in heaven, and Eric discussed the stepped the idea for a conference with his friend Toomas Treumuth, who took it to the Estonian Studies Centre. The plan received a thumbs-up and will go ahead with support from the Estonian Foundation of Canada and the Estonian Credit Union.
“We can learn a lot from Estonia, which is the most ‘eco-friendly’ country in Europe for technology start-ups,” he said. “Their digital government is an example to all of us, and is the way the world should be going.”
Canada is a world leader in this field, with advanced expertise in artificial intelligence, financial and block chain technology.
Joining Eric as presenters and interviewers at the conference will be Bruce Croxon, a well-known digital entrepreneur and partner in Round13 Capital and Amanda Kanwar, anchor of The Open and The Disruptors on the BNN Bloomberg network.
Eric explained that both countries are well-kept secrets from one another and there are many advantages to encouraging ties between the two. Estonian start-ups and established companies can grow their businesses with new investments. On the second day of the conference, those who work in e-government initiatives in Canada will be encouraged to come to learn about how to digitize public services.
“We are also encouraging young people with Estonian roots – particularly those who work in technology or are interested in it – to come and be a part of these events,” Eric said.
And, of course, the music will be incredible. Stay tuned for an announcement of the full lineup of musicians this summer, which will include a range of genres from ethno to classical to rock and electronic.
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By Karin Ivand, Toronto