Canada’s Governor General Explores Innovation and Entrepreneurship at MATTER and 1871
David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, toured Chicago’s new healthcare technology incubator MATTER on Tuesday and participated in a roundtable discussion at 1871 about the local innovation ecosystem.
The visit to MATTER and 1871 was part of the Governor General’s five-day visit to the Midwest to learn about the area’s innovation and education initiatives.
The discussion Tuesday, led by MATTER CEO Steven Collens and 1871 CEO Howard Tullman, focused on efforts to support entrepreneurship and innovation in the Midwest and the potential impact this effort could have in Canada.
MATTER is Chicago’s healthcare technology incubator for next-generation health IT, medical device, diagnostics and biopharma companies. 1871 is Chicago’s entrepreneurial hub for digital startups.
“It is an honor to welcome Governor General Johnston as the first head of state to visit MATTER,” said Steven Collens, CEO of MATTER. “We hope this visit is a model for continued collaborations across the global economy.”
“International connections are a critical resource for new businesses, and we are committed to fostering globally-focused opportunities for our members,” said 1871 CEO Howard A. Tullman. “We are excited to welcome Ambassador Heyman and the Governor General to 1871 today, and look forward to continuing our collaboration with the Canadian technology and entrepreneurial communities.”
MATTER, a not-for-profit organization, was developed by a team of entrepreneurs and industry leaders with support from the state of Illinois. MATTER began as a project of ChicagoNEXT, Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s council on technology and innovation, part of World Business Chicago.
About MATTER
MATTER is a community of healthcare entrepreneurs and industry leaders working together in a shared space to individually and collectively fuel the future of healthcare innovation. MATTER’s mission is to proactively connect and promote collaboration among entrepreneurs, scientists, physicians and industry partners to bring next-generation products and services to market that improve quality of care and save lives. For more information, visit http://matter.health and follow @MATTERhealth.