Proven tech leader returns to accelerate outcomes that keep Canadians
healthy, address climate change, and drive economic productivity
January 24, 2023, Vancouver, B.C. – Having already played a vital role in the development of
the Digital Technology Supercluster, proven tech leader Edoardo De Martin is rejoining the
recently renamed organization as its first-ever Chief Development Officer.
“As we near our fifth anniversary, our new identity as the Digital Global Innovation Cluster
(Digital) reflects the global scope of our mission to build world-leading digital solutions to some
of the planet’s biggest problems through co-investment, cross-sector collaboration, and digital
talent development,” said CEO Sue Paish. “Now that we have cemented and validated our
game-changing model for advancing digital tech, and with Edo returning to lead our strategic
direction, we are accelerating the application and reach of our model, and partnering with a
wider range of companies and organizations.”
Having served as Co-Chair of Digital’s Board from 2018 to 2021, De Martin possesses a
profound understanding of the independent consortia’s vision, purpose and mission. “My 20-plus
years in the global innovation ecosystem have taught me that game-changing technological
progress takes patience, hard work, dedication, and stable and predictable resources,” De
Martin said. “Building a new and productive model for tech development here in Canada would
have been a historic undertaking even without the intervention of an unprecedented pandemic.
But after rising to the many challenges of COVID-19, Digital has emerged stronger than ever.”
De Martin said he is particularly impressed by the responsiveness and flexibility of Digital’s
partnership-fuelled training programs, which are on track to graduate more than 7,000
Canadians by 2024. Designed to help businesses of all types and sizes develop the capacity for
digital transformation, these programs include Digital Innovation & Leadership (DIAL), which
after its 2022 launch had already enrolled over 250 participants, with employment rates topping
95 percent; and the Canadian Tech Talent Accelerator (CTTA), which since launching in 2021
has enrolled 1,442 unemployed and underemployed youth from rural and remote communities
across Canada, with more than 80 percent of graduates securing employment or enrolling in
further education.
“When I completed my term with the Board in 2021, I felt confident that the organization was on
track to realize its transformative potential,” De Martin said. “And I was right: Having closely
followed its programs since then, I know the time has come to rededicate myself to turning this potential into tech-driven outcomes that keep Canadians healthy, address climate change, and drive economic productivity.”
Previously, De Martin held various leadership positions, including interim CEO, at B.C.-based
agtech company CubicFarms; served as General Manager of the Microsoft Vancouver
Development Centre, which he grew from 300 to 1,700 team members; and led the delivery of
Need for Speed Underground, a top-selling video game worldwide, for Vancouver-based
Electronic Arts. He also serves on the boards of Innovate BC, the Greater Vancouver Board of
Trade, the Richmond Hospital Foundation, and LlamaZOO Interactive Inc.
“Edoardo’s skill and experience in building productive teams and shaping ecosystems has been
at the heart of his more than two decades in technology,” Paish said. “He is a passionate
advocate of Canada’s tech sector, and the team is proud and excited to working alongside Edo
again.”
About the Digital Global Innovation Cluster
The Digital Global Innovation Cluster (“Digital”), formerly known as the Digital Technology
Supercluster, is driving Canada’s growth and prosperity through global leadership in digital
innovation. Digital is building a better Canada by growing Canadian businesses, creating a
digitally skilled workforce and positively impacting lives across our country. We accelerate the
development and adoption of digital technologies that keep Canadians healthy, address climate
change and drive economic productivity. Through a powerful combination of co-investment,
cross-sector collaboration, IP creation and digital talent development, we unlock the potential of
Canadians to lead and succeed in the digital world. For more information, visit:
https://www.digitalsupercluster.ca/
Media Contact
Leann Yutuc
778-895-5271
leann@switchboardpr.com