Build, Scale and Adopt Innovations in Automotive Technology
Future of Transportation and Mobility Series
Date: November 7, 2024 9:00AM-1:00PM
Location: Virtual Conference
Build, Scale and Adopt Innovations in Automotive Technology
FTMS hosted its 7th year with its exciting virtual conference, “Build, Scale and Adopt Innovations in Automotive Technology“!
Hosted by CITM (Centre for Integrated Transportation and Mobility) and Durham RTDS (Durham Regional Technology Development Site), this year’s conference was an electrifying exploration into Ontario’s automotive innovation landscape.
We heard insightful keynotes and listened to engaging panel discussions uncovering the driving force behind building, scaling, and adopting ground-breaking innovations in the heart of Canada’s automotive industry. From cutting-edge technology to sustainable solutions, this event uncovered the latest trends, connected guests with industry leaders, and accelerated the future of automotive innovation in Ontario.
About the Future of Transportation and Mobility Series
Held annually, The Future of Transportation and Mobility Event Series (FTMS) explores and promotes a variety of topics and solutions to accelerate the future of the connected and autonomous technology sector. The series — featuring a new theme each year — is designed to engage decision-makers, industry, government, innovators and academia in exploring opportunities for critical sectors of the economy and prepare for disruption in the transportation and mobility industries.
Your Must-Attend Event Here's Why:
- Expand your network and connect with innovators, influencers and decision-makers.
- Get a first-hand look at the latest ventures, sector headwinds, technology milestones, and key challenges and solutions around electrification.
- Gain access to key stakeholders within the electrified technology and smart transportation sectors.
Agenda
Thursday, November 7, 2024 | 9:00AM - 1:00PM (EST)
Join the opening remarks to kickstart your morning and lead us into our first Opening Keynote.
Attend the keynote presentation to explore cutting-edge innovations and the latest developments that are reshaping the future of mobility and transportation infrastructure.
Dr. Ali Emadi – Professor and Canada Excellence Research Chair Laureate, McMaster Automotive Resource Centre (MARC), McMaster University
As AI continues to revolutionize the automotive industry, our panelists will explore the exciting opportunities and address the concerns surrounding its implementation.
Our expert panel will delve into the multifaceted world of AI, dispelling common fears and highlighting the broad spectrum of its applications. From enhancing vehicle performance to improving safety and efficiency, AI offers immense potential. However, with these advancements come critical considerations around cybersecurity, governance, and ethics.
Learn how to navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities that lie ahead as we learn how AI is shaping the future of electrification.
Amir Sayegh – AVP, Data Advocacy and Product Analytics, Geotab
Niko Hammond – Vice President, Business Development, BlackBerry QNX
Ramzi Abdelmoula – Head of AI Strategy, General Motors Canada
Petrina Gentile (Moderator) – Automotive Journalist, The Globe and Mail
As large companies embark on the transition from internal combustion engines (ICE) and diesel vehicles to battery and fuel cell technologies, they encounter unique and complex obstacles.
Hear from panelists representing large companies at the forefront of this shift, as they share their insights and experiences in managing this transition. We’ll hear about the distinctive issues these organizations face, often more challenging due to their historical momentum and corporate dynamics.
This discussion offers a rare glimpse into the strategic approaches large corporations are taking to overcome these real-world challenges and the innovative solutions they rely on in their electrification journey.
Robert Weggaesser – Head of Strategy & Industrialization, PowerCo Canada Inc.
Brett McQueen – Director of Innovation, North America, Linamar
Brenda Hogan (Moderator) – Chief Investment Officer, Venture Ontario
With significant investments from the private sector fueling the momentum in this space, we are witnessing an unprecedented excitement around electrification. But the critical question remains: Are the benefits of this momentum reaching the founders who are driving these innovations?
Our panel of industry experts will explore whether this wave of investment and enthusiasm is translating into the support and interest that founders need. Are small-scale innovators reaping the benefits, or is the financial influx concentrated only on the big players?
Silvio Rotilli Filho – Co-Founder & CEO, Auper Motorcycles
Vivek Burhanpurkar – CEO, Cyberworks Robotics
Gina Succi – Co-Founder, Westhill Innovation
Homeira Afshar (Moderator) – Research and Insight Analyst, Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network
Join the keynote presentation to gain insights into the transformative advancements, challenges, and opportunities that will shape Canada’s role in the electric vehicle revolution.
Flavio Volpe – President, APMA – Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association
Close out the event with participating regional technology development sites.
Speakers
Ali Emadi
McMaster University
Dr. Ali Emadi is a Professor and Canada Excellence Research Chair Laureate at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He is also the holder of the Canada Research Chair in Transportation Electrification and Smart Mobility. He is the Founder, President, and CEO of Enedym Inc.—a McMaster University spin-off company. Before joining McMaster University, Dr. Emadi was the Harris Perlstein Endowed Chair Professor of Engineering and Director of the Electric Power and Power Electronics Center and Grainger Laboratories at Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Illinois. He is a fellow of the U.S. National Academy of Inventors (NAI) and has successfully transferred technology from his university research to industry. For the past 20 years, he has been leading many industry-university initiatives and has contributed significantly to numerous products commercialized by the industry. He is the principal author/coauthor of over 750 journal and conference papers as well as eight books.
Amir Sayegh
Geotab
With almost 25 years of experience, and a self-professed ‘reformed academic and serial dabbler’ Amir is the AVP of Data Advocacy, Privacy, and Product Analytics within the data and analytics team at Geotab, working with clients and partners to create value from their data using the power of Data Intelligence. Prior to Geotab, Amir was with TELUS and Deloitte where he held different consulting, strategy and product roles. Amir has a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from McMaster University.
Brenda M. Hogan
Venture Ontario
Chief Investment Officer, Venture Ontario
Brenda M. Hogan is the Chief Investment Officer at Venture Ontario and has over 15 years’ experience in strategy and execution in venture capital at the co-investment, fund of funds, and fund level investing. She oversees the private equity portfolio, with a focus on origination, execution and portfolio management. Brenda has managed assets across a variety of sectors including IT software and services, life sciences, and cleantech. Brenda has held senior roles in corporate development, finance, and strategic investing with Bell Canada, EY, the Business Development Bank of Canada, and a software start- up.
She sits on the Board of the Canadian Venture Capital Association, and Chairs the Membership Committee; and serves with the Institutional Limited Partners Association (ILPA) as a member of the Content Committee. Brenda served three terms on the Board of Women in Capital Markets, serving as Chair of the Governance Committee; was Co-Chair of Canadian Women in Private Equity (CWPE); is a past Chair of the Board and President of the Junior League of Toronto; and served on the Board of Governors at Dalhousie University and Chaired the Finance, Audit, Investment, and Risk Committee. Brenda holds an MBA in finance; is a graduate of the Institute of Corporate Directors SME Board Effectiveness Program; has completed the Private Capital Governance Program (Venture Capital Cohort); and has received leadership training from the Ivey School of Business.
Brett McQueen
Linamar Corporation
Director of Innovation, North America Linamar Corporation
Brett is the Director of Innovation at Linamar’s Innovation Hub (iHub) where he is leading Linamar’s Vision 2100 pursuits.
The iHub is discovering solutions to global problems by partnering with aspiring entrepreneurial start-ups to create a new future with products that are world leaders in technology, innovation & manufacturing. As part of the Innovation Team, he is identifying new products and technologies to position Linamar to serve key markets such as mobility, infrastructure, agriculture, MedTech, power & water.
Brett has held various roles at Linamar in Program Management & Engineering. He received his Master of Business Administration from Queen’s University.
Dan Ruby
Ontario Centre of Innovation
Dan Ruby re-joined OCI in 2023 as the Director of Sector and Regional Development for the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) at OCI. In his current role, Dan works with the Sector Managers and the OVIN ecosystem (the RDTS sites and demonstration zone) to help develop and manage projects on behalf of the OVIN R&D funding streams and drive the future of automotive and mobility in Ontario.
In 2016, Dan started at OCI (then OCE) as a Business Development Manager. In 2019, Dan joined the OVIN team as a Sector Manager for Automotive and Mobility Innovation.
Dan’s prior roles in Economic Development include Manager of Business Development and Investment for the Regional Municipality of Durham, Economic Development Manager for the City of Vaughan, and Managing Business Consultant for the York Small Business Enterprise Centre.
Dan has also started a not-for-profit organization and founded four for-profit companies in his career and he holds an Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto.
Flavio Volpe
APMA
President of APMA
Flavio Volpe, a Member of the Order of Canada, is an internationally recognized leader of Canada’s automotive industry. As president of the APMA since 2014, he led the effort to increase regional content in the USMCA negotiations and mobilized the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic to produce lifesaving medical goods. He spearheaded Project Arrow, an all-Canadian, zero-emissions autonomous demonstration concept car, and is a sought-after voice in global media and global halls of power. Recognized as industry leader of the year by Automotive News, Flavio has been included in the Maclean’s “Power List”, the Hill Times Most Influential People in Government and Politics, Foreign Policy and many others.
Gina Succi
Westhill Innovation
Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of Westhill Innovation
Gina Succi is a co-Founder of Westhill Innovation which was founded in 2008 as an innovative industrial panel manufacturer. In 2018, Gina was instrumental in the rebranding of Westhill as a mobile solar integration technology company. She led the technical team in leveraging the company’s composites expertise with integration of state-of-the-art solar, battery and power distribution systems to offer a differentiated solution in mobile energy systems.
Prior to Westhill Innovation, for the past twenty years, Gina Succi’s focus has been on product development and commercialization in the steel manufacturing, logistics, mining, construction, and energy industries. She is the former Director of Major Projects (Soundwall Division) at Armtec LP, a global infrastructure and construction materials company, which was acquired by Brookfield Asset Management in 2015. Gina also served as Senior Global Product Manager (Barges) for Weir Minerals, a division of The Weir Group plc, providing mining logistics services. Additionally, she was Director of Sales (Steel & Rail) at Carego Holdings, Inc., a full-service provider for the movement, storage, and re-organization of heavy industrial products.
Earlier in her career, Gina was a Manager in the Laminate Construction Products Division of Dofasco, a Hamilton-based steel company, now a subsidiary of ArcelorMittal S.A., the world’s largest integrated steel producer. Gina holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Civil & Structural Engineering from McMaster University and is a member of Professional Engineers Ontario. She serves on the McMaster Engineering Dean’s Advisory Board and the Advanced Manufacturing Consortium Board of Directors. Gina is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.
Homeira Afshar
Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network
Research & Insight Analyst at Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network
Homeira is the Research and Insight Analyst at Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), the Government of Ontario’s flagship initiative on the future of automotive and mobility. With ten years of experience in the mining sector, she has conducted research on decarbonization initiatives and policies in Canadian steel industry and reaching net-zero goals in the mining and Electric Vehicle sectors. With a background in Mechanical Engineering, she received her Master of Global Affairs from the Munk School of Public Policy & Global Affairs. Her current focus is on the new initiatives in the Electric and Autonomous vehicles, in Ontario, Canada and globally.
Niko Hammond
BlackBerry QNX
Niko Hammond is the Vice President, Business Development. In this role, Niko is focused on QNX’s, vehicle-to-cloud automotive solutions, as well as spearheading strategic co-development partnerships with leading companies from across the technology and automotive sectors. Niko has been with BlackBerry for more than a decade and has held several roles covering Corporate Strategy and Strategic Partnerships, among others. Niko graduated from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com), Business & Operations Management and has a strong background spanning strategic partnerships, strategy execution, M&A integration, program management, and business development.
Petrina Gentile
The Globe and Mail
Automotive Journalist, The Globe and Mail
Petrina Gentile is an award-winning automotive journalist — one of the few women who cover cars in Canada. Petrina has been writing for The Globe and Mail’s Drive section since 2004, reporting on new vehicle debuts, the transition to electric vehicles, smart mobility solutions, and the latest automotive technology. She appears regularly covering the automotive beat on CTV NewsChannel, CHCH TV, BNN Bloomberg, and CP24. Before that, she produced 18 seasons of the national TV show Car/Business with Jeremy Cato and Michael Vaughan, which was broadcast weekly on CTV and BNN Bloomberg. She has written several non-fiction books for kids including “Big Trucks, Big Wheels,” “Dirt Movers,” and “The Ballet School.” Before focusing on cars, she was a news writer at CTV and a producer at BNN Bloomberg. She has a Master of Journalism (MJ) from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours English – Rhetoric and Professional Writing and Applied Studies – Co-operative Program) from the University of Waterloo.
Ramzi Abdelmoula
General Motors Canada
Head of AI Strategy of General Motors Canada
Ramzi Abdelmoula is an experienced leader in AI strategy and product management, currently serving as the Head of AI Strategy at General Motors Canada. With a robust background in AI and machine learning, Ramzi specializes in driving product innovation and aligning AI strategies with business goals to enhance efficiency and profitability. His expertise spans engineering, manufacturing, sales, marketing, and customer care & aftersales, where he has led transformative AI-driven initiatives that have significantly improved operational outcomes and achieved strategic objectives.
Robert Weggaesser
PowerCo Canada Inc.
Robert Weggaesser is currently the Head of Strategy and Industrialization of PowerCo Gigafactory St. Thomas. Volkswagen Group is investing $7B which represents the single largest automotive-related investment in Canadian history, and the Group’s first-ever battery cell factory in North America. He is responsible for overseeing the gigafactory’s ramp-up during its initial phase.
Robert is a German citizen who is fluent in English and moved with his family to Canada in August 2023. He holds a Diploma of Business Informatics degree with a specialization in Strategic Company Controlling from University of Technology Chemnitz. He has international experience as Chief Financial Officer of Shanghai Volkswagen Powertrain Ltd. (China) where he led together with the CEO the company through its most severe crisis during the COVID pandemic securing viability and future investments.
Prior to that he worked as Head of Finance of the engine plant of Volkswagen Saxony (Germany) and stabilized the company as one of the most profitable plants for the division Volkswagen Group Components. Most recently he led as Head of Controlling and Accounting in PowerCo SE (Germany) to create the Finance organization from scratch and ramp-up operations directly supporting the Group Chief Financial Officer.
Robert is married and has four children.
Silvio Rotilli Filho
Auper Motorcycles
Ph.D, Co-Founder and CEO of Auper Motorcycles
Silvio is the Co-Founder and CEO of Auper Motorcycles, a company shaping the future of urban mobility with electric motorcycles engineered for safety, security, and exceptional performance. With over 15 years of experience in the tech and automotive industries and a PhD in electric vehicles, Silvio is committed to advancing sustainable transportation solutions and creating lasting, positive change. His passion for innovation and purpose-driven leadership drives Auper’s mission to not only redefine the two-wheel industry but also to inspire, empower, and improve the quality of life for riders in developing countries by making transportation safer and more accessible.
Vivek Burhanpurkar
Cyberworks Robotics
CEO of Cyberworks Robotics
Vivek is one of the founding pioneers of the field of autonomous mobility. He is credited with writing the world’s first academic thesis paper on indoor autonomous navigation for dynamic unknown environments while at the University of Toronto in 1984. He also published some of the earliest scientific research papers on the topic in peer reviewed SME and IEEE journals and international conferences. The Financial Post, Globe and Mail and the New York Times (Mar 7 1990 issue) credited him in feature-articles with founding the world’s first industrial autonomous mobile robotics company with global sales across Asia Pacific and EU. He also served as a Managing Director of CRS Robotics, a TSX traded tech company with over 300 engineers in Toronto and Stuttgart. He was responsible for expanding CRS into the Asia and the Asia Pacific region. Vivek currently serves as founder and CEO of Cyberworks Robotics, a globally leading provider of breakthrough autonomous self-driving technology for third party industrial products ranging from People Movers to Floor Scrubbers in partnerships with global corporations including Linamar, Sumitomo, Bosch and others.
Virtual Conference
The FTMS virtual conference featured a thought-provoking keynote, and several engaging panel discussions featuring industry leaders and innovators! Plus, participating regional technology development sites to network with!
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