If Canada wants to be a leading creative innovation economy, we need to figure out how we can connect, build on, and propel the collective talent of our human capital…not only in Canada but around the world. After all, today's currency is the currency of ideas.
So what if we could align our global human capital in a way that focuses on imagining solutions to the world’s biggest and emerging challenges (e.g. conflict, cancer, green energy)?
The rapid rate of change and exponential growth in data and technology forces everyone, in every sector, and in every country to continuously rethink the status quo and explore what is possible.
For Canada, our global and domestic success are interdependent; this is why national innovation is so important to our future. Disruptive innovation happens when we collide across borders, sectors, perspectives, and ideas in new and unexpected ways.
If we want to focus on global solutions, what better framework than the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda. These 17 goals were endorsed in 2015 by 193 countries and aim to mobilize citizens, businesses, organizations and governments in support of People, Planet, Peace, Prosperity and Partnerships. They also serve as a common lexicon and framework for alignment that can ignite global progress and innovation.
Whether addressing poverty, life under water, industry, innovation, decent work, or strong institutions, to achieve results against these goals, we need a global effort. The scope and scale if this global vision is unprecedented, so how can we meaningfully align our efforts and track our progress?
The rise of social media has given the people of the world a voice. Yet the true potential of these tools has yet to be unleashed. Imagine if our kids preferred to follow, engage, and develop solutions with scientists, public servants, CEOs, engineers, academics, and NGOs the way they do the sports stars, celebrities, and YouTubers today.
To truly up our game we need to marshal ‘challenge media’ in a way that catalyzes moonshot dialogue, real-time policy debate, co-creation, and joint-action. If you can, imagine Facebook meets IDEO, E-Harmony meets Kickstarter, Global Citizen meets LinkedIn, and Google meets Twitter.
What should we call this reimagined ‘challenge media’ platform? For now, I call it “Jammin’”, as in “Hey we are jammin’ solutions on oceans, come join us”. This match-making and docking platform will allow interested actors to issue challenges aligned with the SDG framework and to contribute their ideas, knowledge, and expertise to finding solutions and seizing opportunity. People of any age, from any country and any discipline can can access, contribute and learn from the global conversations and initiatives accessible on the Jammin' platform.
“Jammin’” will allow the formal and informal economies around the world to interact across borders and across sectors in a way that facilitates real-time action-oriented partnerships. It will create a demand driven economic and social development ecosystem that has the potential to reverse the decades old donor dependency model and that can empower the smallest and least likely players. It will also enable a new way to engage, empower and educate the next generation to innovate, co-create and build the future they want.
Canada has the opportunity to lead a global vision that would see all people dreaming bigger and exploring a moonshot future while aligning with the SDGs. This vision includes seeing the SDGs as powerful innovation engines and organizing principles that can help stakeholders co-create and leapfrog their progress across traditional borders. To drive this vision we need to take risks and be bold with our national ambition while bringing more Canada to the world.
We, as Canada’s emerging cross-sector leaders, are ready to roll-up our sleeves, get creative, dream big, co-create, innovate…and we are ready to do it with you. Join us and let's get Jammin'.
Written by: Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, Co-Founder, Awesome Eh?