slogan
2011 in Review

2011 in Review

Posted by on Dec 22, 2011 in Blogs | 0 comments

As 2011 comes to a close, I wanted to re-cap the year with my family and friends, old and new. The theme of the year it seems was that of transition and development.

    • January 2011 – Spent New Years with Cyprian in Cuba – on New Years eve, our resort was set ablaze due to an accident with fireworks getting blown into trees and buildings with the windy evening
    • January 2011 – Visited Geneva for the first time to speak at the UNCTAD expert meeting on entrepreneurship policies on the importance of student-led enterprise initiatives as best practice in entrepreneurship education and promotion (Photo left with Andy Penaluna and Colin Jones)
    • April 2011 - Chaired the 2nd Annual iCUE Summit in London UK and reception with Minister Prisk, and facilitated workshops for the 2011 NACUE National Leaders Training Weekend and Awards
  • April 2011 – Supported John King and joined the Engentia Team
  • April 2011 – Left my post at Industry Canada
  • May 2011 – Embarked upon a new Journey in building Startup Canada (launching 2012)
  • June 2011 – Spring / Summer Performance Season for Ottawa Dance Fusion Troupe
  • July 2011 – Visited the UK to receive the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion (first Canadian and one of the youngest to do so) presented by Minister of State for Small Business, Mark Prisk and Minister of Business, Vince Cable, followed by a special reception at Buckingham Palace where I had the opportunity to meet Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip
  • August 2011 – Visited Vancouver for Startup Canada stakeholder meetings and to attend Grow 2011
  • September 2011 – Visited Saskatoon and Chaired Growing Saskatchewan’s Youth Entrepreneurship Panel (thanks to Lewis and Lisa)
  • September 2011 – Developed a horizontal policy round table on entrepreneurshipand innovation for policy directors across Ottawa
  • September 2011 – Launched the 2011-12 Ottawa Dance Fusion Season and held new company member auditions
  • September 2011 – Adopted our kitten Arlo (Mega-tron Sanchez a.k.a. Whiskers) from Jenna Nowak
  • October 2011 – Chaired the opening panel on Creating a Climate for Entrepreneurship at the Canadian Association of Business Incubators Conference
  • October 2011 – Re-launched iCUE as a re-branded organization, directed by Tobias Hug and thanks to our wonderful Benefactor David Moore
  • October 2011 – Became the proud Godmother of my nephew, Dante Ernest Machado
  • November 2011 – Conference Season: Attended and/or spoke at ACCT Canada Innovation 2011, NACO Angels Summit, CIX 2011, OCRI GEW Launch, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards etc.
  • November 2011 – Met the Minister of State for Small Business, the Honorable Maxime Bernier
  • November 2011 – Supported Stephen Daze with his new venture Agawa
  • November 2011 – Minister Prisk announces substantial support to NACUE to move into the further education sector
  • December 2011 – Met His Excellency, the Right Honourable Governor General, David Johnston, at Rideau Hall
  • December 2011 – Ottawa Dance Fusion Christmas Show at the University of Ottawa
Thank  you to everyone who has believed and supported me with Startup Canada from the onset. Over the last 8 months, we have achieved a great deal: 200 partners; 3,000 supporters; provincial ambassadors and steering committees nation-wide; a stellar governing board made up of serial entrepreneurs and investors; the support of key government officials, media and industry partners; and, a programme that can add significant value to Canadian entrepreneurs and the enterprise support community nation-wide.
I am also thrilled at what iCUE has achieved this year, particularly with the momentum across China, East Africa and Vietnam, as well as very proud of the progress that Marita has made with Robogals in Australia and across the world.
Looking forward to 2012, it is with mixed emotions that I succeed from my posts as Chair of the Board of Trustees of NACUE (to Prof. Alan Barrell) and Director of ODF (to Jessica Tremblay), as I prepare for the adventure of launching, building and growing Startup Canada.
Thank you to all my friends across the world and my family for your encouragement, support and love.
Wishing you all a happy, healthy and enterprising 2012.
Victoria

Facebook comments:

Leave a Reply