Welcome to the new MaRSDD.com
Today MaRS is launching much more than a new website. We have created a new online platform that enables MaRS to deliver on its mission of driving economic and social prosperity.
As our society is disrupted by increased globalization and technological change, we believe that entrepreneurship is the key to leading this change and building a better future. A future that includes greater access to quality healthcare, better ways of working & learning, and cleaner, more efficient ways of powering our homes and cities.
Streamlined tools and resources to help the enterprising become entrepreneurs
To get there, first and foremost, our new platform will help the enterprising become entrepreneurs. We have consolidated our online tools, learning resources and workshops into one searchable repository. And we have made it much easier to connect with MaRS services and the talent, customer & capital networks that we provide to high-impact ventures.
More stories about the entrepreneurs, technologies and communities driving innovation
Secondly, we know that people best connect to others in their community through content that is relevant to them. Our new web platform enables us to create and curate much more content than ever before, giving us the opportunity to share more stories about the entrepreneurs, new technologies and communities that are driving innovation not only at MaRS and throughout Canada, but globally.
New content themes aimed squarely at our future
As part of this plan, we will be rolling out a new stream of content in the coming weeks, grouped broadly along our three key, strategic themes of work & learning, energy and health. Throughout the series, we will be consulting innovation leaders in each of these spaces to find out what they think the future holds for us.
For example, we recently talked to the following three leaders and asked them about the future in their respective sectors:
Entrepreneur Ryan Porter, CEO & Co-Founder, Raise Your Flag discusses the future of work and learning, a world where the barriers between the two will be much lower.
Future of Work & Learning from MaRS Discovery District on Vimeo.
Perry Stoneman, Head of Sectors, Capgemini Group sees a world where individual households have much more control over both the consumption and production of energy, and where renewables have a greater role to play.
Future of Energy from MaRS Discovery District on Vimeo.
Lydia Lee, Senior VP and CIO, UHN, Toronto General Hospital talks about how healthcare will evolve outside of hospitals, and the importance of shareable data through an electronic health record.
Future of Health from MaRS Discovery District on Vimeo.
Cross-sector initiatives consolidated into one web platform
In addition to offering a resource for entrepreneurs and a destination for news, insights and stories about innovation, we have built a platform that works the way our organization does. Since our business is innovation, we have teams working across sectors on an ever-changing set of projects and initiatives. We have consolidated multiple websites into one platform where teams can manage their own content, and publish and share it centrally in our News & Insights section or into social channels.
In today’s online world of multiple devices, second and third screens, and social networks, we have built a fluid, flexible website that showcases top stories and shareable content. Our simple, diagrammatic design brings the content to the foreground, while making sure the navigation is clear and that pathways to relevant content and resources are apparent and coherent.
We look forward to engaging with even more entrepreneurs through our new platform and we welcome your feedback, as always.
In my view, the future is now a bit brighter.