Hub Podcasts How to build a tech economy in an age of distrust
Feb 12, 2026
Brad Zumwalt, co-founder of Rainforest Alberta and energy-tech connector, and Jim Gibson, Calgary entrepreneur building local tech networks, chat about rebuilding trust from the ground up. They explore messy collisions that spark innovation, Calgary’s gaps in early-stage startups and capital, the fusion of energy and compute, and why bottom-up culture beats top-down planning.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Leverage Existing Industry Strengths
- Alberta's existing industries supply unique opportunities for tech.
- Startups should apply AI and compute to areas like energy, agriculture, and finance.
Universities Are One Engine Among Many
- Post-secondary institutions matter but are one cylinder in an eight-cylinder engine.
- Industry and mid-career founders supply the other critical engines for company creation.
Energy And Compute Are Converging
- Energy and compute are converging; compute is the new currency.
- This convergence creates overlapping opportunities between energy and tech sectors.