INNOVATION X CREATIVITY

Join us for our final CreativeMornings Winnipeg event of 2025. We will be meeting at 8am on Friday, December 19th at Launch Co-Working in the Exchange District -- and would love to see you there! 

Register here: Dec event registration

There's no better way to wrap up this year and prepare for the next than by exploring our global monthly theme of INNOVATION with our speaker, Joelle Foster. 

OUR GLOBAL CREATIVEMORNINGS MONTHLY THEME:

Our theme for December is INNOVATION. It was chosen by our Isfahan chapter in Iran and illustrated by Nazanin Emamieh.

Innovation rarely arrives in a limousine. It shows up as a question or a pet peeve. A hunch that the default setting could be better. An inability to accept the status quo.

Innovation is risky and rebellious. It means breaking the routine and reimagining the familiar. It treats uncertainty as an invitation instead of a barrier. Innovation doesn’t take a genius, it just requires curiosity and willingness to try. And try again.

The world needs more tinkerers, experimenters, and fixers. People who believe change is possible and start with whatever they have. Then don’t stop until they’ve made something new or better.

Creativity asks, “what if?” Innovation replies, “here’s how.”

MEET OUR SPEAKER: Joelle Foster

Joelle Foster, co-founder and President/CEO of North Forge, has over two decades of experience supporting entrepreneurs across Canada. She co-founded the Women's Equity Lab (WEL) MB to increase the number of women angel investors and developed North Forge’s four-stage digital Founders Program, driving a 300% growth in tech-enabled and advanced manufacturing companies in Manitoba. Joelle also established the Angel Network (2021), Global Entrepreneur Initiative (2023), and Women in Innovation Lab (WiLab, 2023). Under her leadership, North Forge won two Diversity and Inclusion awards in 2024. 

Previously, Joelle served as Executive Director of the University of Calgary’s Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking and as a Director for Futurpreneur Canada, where her efforts led to the launch of over 325 businesses in Manitoba, including notable startups like Skip the Dishes and Callia Flowers. Joelle has recently been appointed as a national board director for the Canada Foundation for Innovation, a government-led non-profit that gives over a billion dollars toward research initiatives.

OUR EVENT AGENDA: 

** What to expect at a CM Winnipeg event (besides inspiration and fun)**

8:00am Arrival and check in -- grab a coffee, a breakfast treat and make a new friend (or just smile at someone while making a cool nametag)

8:25am Refill coffee and settle in for a great event!

8:30am Welcome to CreativeMornings and listen to our featured local performer

8:45am Audience engagement ("Raise Your Hand If") and community creative engagement activities -- introvert approved

9:00am Intro of Headliner (speaker)

9:30am Wrap up and exchange contact info with your new friend!

We aim to have the event wrapped up by no later than 9:45am.