TechAlliance appoints new members to an accomplished Board of Directors
Global innovation begins with the right people, teams, and support for entrepreneurs to dream big and scale successfully. Focused on amplifying an innovation economy that supports Made-in-Ontario entrepreneurship, attracts talent and capital, and fosters a vibrant technology community, TechAlliance announces four new innovators to join its accomplished Board of Directors.
Each adding their own unique lens to the Board as entrepreneurs, Christine Haas, Ian Haase, Brian Maxfield, and Asha Parekh are highly respected business leaders and known pathfinders, bringing further collaborative impact and diversity supporting TechAlliance’s vision to empower world-class ventures and fuel growth in Canada’s innovation economy.
“By adding prestigious members to our Board, we continue to align ourselves with diversity and regional representation” shares Keith Murray, Chair of the Board. “It is our priority to invest in Southwestern Ontario’s vibrant technology sector through a Board that reflects economy-driving business. The last two years have seen transformation unlike any other, with an abundance of community leaders supporting the strategic evolution of TechAlliance as an organization, focused on founders, tech talent, and industry leaders.”
The Board of Directors reflects and fosters innovators, including Ontario’s most promising startups and fastest growing tech companies. “This Board executes a strategic plan that prioritizes access, innovation and opportunity” says Christina Fox, CEO of TechAlliance of Southwestern Ontario. “Welcoming new innovation leaders to our Board of Directors, each bringing their unmatched passion and expertise to the Board, we continue to navigate a dynamic period rich with opportunity as a vital resource to founders and their teams through every stage of the entrepreneurial journey.”
Christine Haas – Co-Founder & President at Renix Inc.
Creating a revolutionary system for liquid purification, Renix Inc. has a long-term goal of delivering industrial purification systems with innovative technology. As an entrepreneur, Christine Haas focuses on innovations critical to addressing challenges like climate change, water management, and food security. Focusing on diverse representation of key tech verticals across the region, including #CleanTech and #HardTech, Haas represents a new voice on the Board.
“Hard technology is a really important industry for London and Southwestern Ontario, because it brings different opportunities in terms of job creation and economic development. I hope to help TechAlliance expand the types and sizes of businesses that they bring value to, and provide a different perspective that includes manufacturing and equipment”. – Christine Haas
Ian Haase – Serial Entrepreneur, Co-Founder of Motif Labs
With a MSc and an Ivey MBA under his belt, Ian Haase co-founded Motif Labs in 2017, expanding the company to 70 employees and garnering national recognition for Motif’s innovative work in Cannabis extraction. Haase also works closely with a number of other entrepreneurs in the region and maintains a teaching role at the Ivey School of Business, mentoring the next generation of young entrepreneurs. His focus on new-age innovation brings an excited entrepreneurial eye to the innovators and game-changers that TechAlliance supports.
“TechAlliance is taking great strides to engage the entire tech community, and with so many high potential ventures coming through the door, I am honoured to get more engaged with this fantastic organization and entrepreneurs in Southwestern Ontario. It is important to highlight our region as an innovative place to start and grow a company”. – Ian Haase
Brian Maxfield – President of ODEA
An educator and life-long learner at his core, Brian Maxfield through ODEA (Online & Digital Education Academy) is tapping into his biggest strengths – providing educational tools through innovative learning models to re-engage today’s students in active education participation. ODEA developed leading technology that engages learners through gamification, digital interaction, and world-class production. As a professor at Lambton College and serial entrepreneur, Maxfield brings an educational mindset to the Board with a passion for #EdTech and a focus on tech talent.
“Having worked extensively in education, I understand the importance of the technology and business education that TechAlliance provides. I aim to represent Sarnia-Lambton tech talent, entrepreneurs and the ecosystem because there are so many innovative, expressive, and impressive tech ventures in the area”. – Brian Maxfield
Dr. Asha Parekh – Co-founder & CEO of Front Line Medical Technologies
Located in the heart of Southwestern Ontario’s #MedHealth and life sciences cluster, Front Line Medical Technologies Inc. creates novel devices for patients in critical need. With a passion for life saving innovations and #HealthTech revolution, Asha Parekh applies her engineering principles to advance in solving health care problems, focusing on medical devices and commercialization of new technologies. Asha’s intellectual property and healthcare focus will continue to enhance the deep expertise of the Board.
“Having been through the stages from ideation to commercialization, I feel that I can bring a variety of different valuable perspectives to the table. As the innovation environment continues to evolve in and around London, I believe that being part of the fast-paced environment can help to prepare our next generations of innovators and entrepreneurs.” – Dr. Asha Parekh
The four new members join the current Board of Directors:
Keith Murray (Chair), VP, Operations at Autoverify
Konrad Konnerth (Vice-Chair), Owner at Konnexio
Chris Dowding (Treasurer), Partner at MNP
David Brebner, CFO & Co-founder at Mobials Inc.
Peter Dillon, Partner at Siskinds
Brennon D’Souza, Founder at DIBZ
Anna Foat, Director, Global Digital Transformation at Sunlife Financial
Heather Macpherson, Founder & CEO at The Minery Ltd.
Michael Schmalz, President at Digital Extremes
David Strucke, Chief Executive Officer at Media Sonar Technologies
