VANCOUVER (miningweekly.com) – Tech mogul Joi Ito will deliver a keynote address at the #DisruptMining finale on March 4, during the annual Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) Conference, in Toronto.
A director of the MIT Media Lab and professor of the Practice of Media, Arts and Sciences at MIT, Ito is an entrepreneur, venture capitalist and a visiting professor of law from practice at the Harvard Law School. He was an early investor in Twitter, Flickr and Kickstarter and is among the world's foremost visionary thinkers on technology.
In his talk, the head of the MIT Media Lab will skip future predictions and instead share new approaches to creating in the moment: to build quickly and improve constantly, without waiting for permission or for proof that you have the right idea. This kind of bottom-up innovation is seen in the most fascinating, futuristic projects emerging today and, according to Ito, it starts with being open and alert to what's going on around you right now.
"Don't be a futurist," he suggests: "be a 'now-ist'."
Meanwhile, several sponsors have teamed up with lead sponsor Goldcorp to host the event. KPMG is slated to co-host the #DisruptMining event.
Automation control system Hard-Line has also signed on as the #DISRUPTOR sponsor of #DisruptMining. It earned a semi-finalist spot in the 2017 innovation expo. Being involved in the challenge accelerated the company's innovative technology, leading to a partnership with Goldcorp and the deployment of autonomous and semi-autonomous technology at several of its mines.
Other major sponsors include productivity partner for the mining, infrastructure and natural resources industries Epiroc, which develops and provides cutting-edge technology for innovative drill rigs, rock excavation and construction equipment.
IBM Canada is also partnering with Goldcorp to accelerate geological exploration powered by advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, machine-learning and the cloud, enabling geologists to identify and predict patterns and geological models with more certainty, which leads to increased accuracy in defining gold mineralisation.
Further, mining equipment, tools and system solutions supplier Sandvik Mining & Rock Technology; cobalt explorer ePower Metals; engineering, equipment and solutions provider FLSmidth; banking, financial, advisory, investment and funds management services provider Macquarie Group; Microsoft Canada; safety and productivity solutions provider Newtrax; Rockwell Automation; chemicals provider The Chemours Company; and Export Development Canada are also sponsors for the event.
Now in its second year, #DisruptMining is an innovation accelerator designed to encourage new technologies and ideas to solve some of the biggest opportunities and challenges in mining.
More than 100 entries were received for #DisruptMining 2018, representing completely new ideas and disruptive technologies that will benefit the entire mining industry. Semi-finalists and finalists will be notified by Monday.
On March 4, the three #DisruptMining finalists will pitch their competing ideas at the live "shark-tank" style gala in front of a panel of industry titans. They will have the opportunity to negotiate for up to C$1-million in investment for a proof of concept at one of Goldcorp's mines or direct investment in the winning technologies. All proceeds from the #DisruptMining finale event will be invested in the future of the mining industry through innovation-focused scholarships.