The Extraordinary Future Conference is Coming to Vancouver September 20, 2017

Buckle up, tech investors! The inaugural Extraordinary Future conference is officially coming to Vancouver on September 20. 
Hosted by Cambridge House at the Vancouver Convention Centre East, the theme of the conference is “the extraordinary future of science and life.”  In short, the conference will provide opportunities for investors to connect with companies in the Canadian technology industry and introduce private tech companies to public markets in Canada, Jay Martin, president of Cambridge House said.
In particular, speakers and companies at the conference will include those in a wide range of technology-related industries, including: artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented realty, the future of energy, blockchain, and health technology, to name a few.

On that note, the Investing News Network (INN) had the opportunity to speak with Martin about the upcoming conference and how it differs from other Cambridge House Conferences.
“A lot of people know us as a resource-based conference company,” he said, adding that many Vancouver investors have been going to its Toronto-based Cantech Investment conference, which is going into its fifth year. “We were waiting for the right time to bring that show to Vancouver, and that time’s absolutely right now.”
To find out more of what Martin had to say, watch the video here:

Below is the transcript of our interview. It has been edited for clarity and brevity.
INN: The Cambridge House is hosting the Extraordinary Futures conference on September 20 in Vancouver. How does this conference differ from the other Cambridge House conferences?

JM:  It’s focused on technology. A lot of people know us as a resource based conference company, but we’ve been hosting the Cantech Investment Conference in Toronto for five years now. We’re moving into our fifth year this year, and we’ve seen that audience grow. It’s become Canada’s largest technology investment conference, and we’ve seen the Vancouver audience that flies out for that show increase every year. So we were waiting for the right time to bring that show to Vancouver, and that time’s absolutely right now.
INN: What are your main goals for this conference?
JM: They’re twofold. We’ve got a great selection of tech in Canada, and our investor audience here in Vancouver wants access to those deals.
So, number one is to introduce Canadian tech to our investor population here in Vancouver.
The second is that we’ve got a very vibrant private tech community here in Vancouver, and the number one complaint that I hear from this sector is that it’s very difficult to raise capital in Vancouver, or in Canada in general. I don’t necessarily agree with that, I’ve got exposure to companies all across Canada in various industries and I see them raising cash and I know that if these private companies of high quality who are open to the conversation about listing on a public exchange, there’s lots of cash available for them.
So, the second goal is to introduce the private tech sector to the public markets in Canada.
INN: This event will showcase companies in technologies that focus on industries like artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, health technology, blockchain technology. What makes you excited about these kinds of technologies? 
JM: We picked our topics based on what the media is covering right now. Blockchain tech is making headlines every single day. The future of energy–we’re calling it the Energy of the 21st Century–again, making headlines every single day. Virtual and augmented reality is going to have a massive impact on our lives, and specifically my business as a conference promoter. Artificial intelligence–inherently exciting. These are industries that will directly impact our lives in the near future and that’s why we chose these.
INN: The event will also have a trade show and companies will have the opportunity to have presentation time in the investor breakout rooms. So how should investors approach companies that they’re interested in? 
JM: I would recommend they visit the main hall, listen to our keynote speakers. So we’re hosting panels in all of these seven topics: space exploration, the future of health tech, blockchain, etc. Get educated–find out where the opportunities are and where the risks are. Then visit the investor room. All the companies presenting, or exhibiting on the show floor, will be presenting in there as well. You can hear their 10 minute pitch, find companies that you like, and then go visit them in the trade show. The best part about these conferences is that you can actually meet with the management teams who are spending your money. It’s very important to do that.
INN: Finally, is there anything else that excited about or that investors should know about for the upcoming conference?
JM: We’ve got a great selection of companies. This is a very interactive show, so attendees–as per normal when they come to a Cambridge House conference–they can walk up and down the aisles and meet with a variety of companies, their management teams, and ideally find some great opportunities.
This show will be much more interactive than people have seen from us in the past, and what that means is you’ll have the opportunity to pop on some VR goggles, experience the products these companies are building because each company on the floor at Extraordinary Future is solving a different problem in a different way, or providing a different product for the market. There’s a ton of variety: everything from battery tech through gaming, and lots of interactive displays. Come for the day, it’s going to be fun, more than just investment advice and meetings. There’s a lot of products to engage in. I’m looking forward to that.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Jocelyn Aspa, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.