Municipalities offer a large, stable market for suppliers, but municipalities have specific procurement practices that include increased due diligence to ensure responsible use of tax revenue. Learning how to navigate this special relationship can be a game-changer for scaling companies.

Join this engaging and interactive workshop on how to get started working with municipalities as a mobility company. You’ll hear from companies who have successfully worked with municipalities to grow their business and how to begin your own journey. Resources will be provided to attendees on how to get started with local municipalities procurement processes.

If you are a start-up or scale up in the mobility space and you are considering municipalities as one of your target markets, come hear realistic and practical advice to getting started.

What you’ll learn:

• The three core strategies for building lasting municipal relationships
• How to identify internal champions who can advocate for your innovation
• Why municipalities need to de-risk technology adoption—and how to support them
• Actionable advice for navigating public procurement processes
• Real stories from founders who’ve successfully scaled by working with municipalities

Who should attend:

This workshop is ideal for transportation, mobility, and smart infrastructure startups who are:

• Exploring municipalities as a target market
• Struggling to navigate local procurement
• Looking to scale through public sector partnerships

Meet the speakers:

Rob McCann, President | Hamilton Innovation Centre
Rob McCann is the President of the Hamilton Technology Centre (HTC) and an entrepreneur. He built his business experience with two successful bootstrapped companies that were subsequently acquired, the second by Canada’s largest cable operator. He continues to support carriers, cable systems, municipalities, and network service providers in Canada and the US while supporting the small business that call the HTC their home.

HTC originally opened its doors in 1993 as the City of Hamilton’s small business and technology incubator. The street upon which it was built was subsequently aptly named “Innovation Drive”. Over the years, HTC supported and produced local technology success stories. In September 2017, HTC was privatized under Rob’s leadership, launched a new brand identity, and has emerged as a private innovation hub striving to foster the development of technology companies by providing space and community to new and accelerating companies who choose the Hamilton area.

Rob has been an inaugural board member of The Intelligent Community Forum Canada, participated as a member of Advisory Committees for Seneca and Mohawk Colleges in Ontario, served as a Director with the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers Ontario Chapter, a contributor to the CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee, and a frequent keynote speaker at industry events and trade shows. Rob’s active projects include work with ICF recognized Intelligent Communities on broadband strategy, providing technical insight to municipal and First Nations broadband networks, and participating as a Board Member for the Healthy Youth Network. He holds degrees in Mathematics from the University of Waterloo and Economics from McMaster University.

Alby Bocanegra, Head of Government Engagement & Strategic Partnerships | Ecosystem Informatics Inc.
Alby Bocanegra is a visionary leader at the intersection of urban technology and public-private partnerships, driving innovation in global smart cities. As Head of Government & Strategic Partnerships at Ecosystems Informatics Inc., Alby leads efforts to prioritize air quality in urban development, pushing for healthier and more sustainable cities worldwide. His commitment to making air quality top of mind for city leaders reflects his broader mission to enhance urban living through technology and strategic collaboration. Formerly New York City’s Chief Technology Officer and Mastercard’s VP of Global City and Tech Partnerships, Alby has a proven track record of pioneering smart city transformations. At Mastercard, he scaled the City Possible network to 335+ cities, and launched the 24-Hour Cities Network, empowering governments to improve night-time economies. His leadership in New York City also led to the development of what would later be known as the NYC Internet Master plan, co-founding of the Cities Coalition for Digital Rights, a global movement advocating for digital equity and privacy across more than 50 cities, and countless innovative community-based technology projects across all 5 boroughs serving more than 8 million residents. Alby’s expertise has earned him past roles as an Advisory Board Member on Digital Twins for the World Economic Forum and as “Futurist in Residence” at the Smart Cities Council, where he curated global discussions on urban tech challenges. Through his consultancy, The Urban Futurist Inc., he has led transformative partnerships between global governments in Africa, Europe, South America, Asia, Oceana, North America and the private sector. Most recently, Alby served as Strategic Advisor at the Charter Cities Institute, advancing governance models and partnerships to accelerate economic growth in Africa’s emerging cities.

Stephanie Holko, Director, Strategic Partnerships & Growth | Innovation Factory and CITM
Stephanie Holko serves as the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Growth at Innovation Factory, and the Director of the Centre for Integrated Transportation and Mobility, and OVIN-funded Regional Technology Development Site. Prior to joining Innovation Factory, Stephanie held engineering and management roles in the steel industry and advanced manufacturing funding space.