Industry leaders in mining, technology, venture capital aim to select next big idea eligible for $1 million investment. Goldcorp has announced the five ‘sharks’ who will judge the next #DisruptMining challenge, an event designed to encourage innovators from all sectors to collaborate and accelerate solutions to some of the biggest challenges and opportunities in mining, an industry notoriously slow to innovate.
The event provides an opportunity to showcase exponential technologies and ideas in front of a live audience of over one thousand industry leaders. An international panel of industry leaders representing mining, technology and venture capital will award one of three finalists the opportunity to negotiate a $1 million investment in their technology, company or idea.
Finalists will pitch their disruptive technology or idea “shark-tank” style to:
- Blanca Treviño, President & CEO, Softtek and Director of Goldcorp
- George Salamis, President & CEO, Integra Resources
- Rob McEwen, Founder and CEO, McEwen Mining
- Veronica Knott, University of British Columbia Mining Engineering student and 2017 Engineers Canada Gold Medal Student Award recipient
- Wal van Lierop, President & CEO, Chrysalix Venture Capital
The #DisruptMining innovation accelerator challenge will take place Sunday, March 4, 2018 in Toronto and submissions will be accepted from January 2 to 16, 2018. Additional details can be found on the #DisruptMining website at www.disruptmining.com.
Blanca Treviño, President & CEO, Softtek, the leading information technology services company in Latin America, and a Director of Goldcorp. Named one of the ten most powerful women in Mexico, and widely recognized as one of the most influential executives in Latin America, Blanca is a frequent presenter at international forums related to entrepreneurship, IT and the role of women in business. In addition to Goldcorp, Blanca is a board member of Walmart Mexico, and an independent member to the board of the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE), the Mexican government agency in charge of the national electrical system.
George Salamis, President & CEO, Integra Resources, and past Executive Chairman of Integra Gold where he led the 2016 Integra Gold Rush Challenge and co-hosted last year’s #DisruptMining challenge with Goldcorp. Integra Gold was an early adopter of artificial intelligence to help identify high-value gold exploration targets. According to Salamis, “The mining industry needs to embrace radical new ideas. After doing the same thing for decades and expecting different results, mining needs to consider the opportunities disruption can bring to the industry.”
Rob McEwen, Founder and CEO, McEwen Mining, former CEO of Goldcorp. Rob launched the original crowd-sourced exploration contest in 2000 with the “Goldcorp Challenge”, which led to the discovery of over $6 billion worth of gold in the Red Lake District. Throughout his career, Rob hasn’t been afraid to challenge convention. “Don’t stand in line, as you’ll only get to the front as fast as the person in front of you,” says McEwen. “I have been closely watching what companies like Amazon, Airbnb and Uber are doing, crossing industry lines very quickly. We are seeing the invasion of industries by companies that suddenly appear and I’m waiting for that to happen to mining. We need to keep our eyes open and our heads turning. #DisruptMining allows our industry to embrace new technologies and be experimental, faster. Kudos to Goldcorp for continuing to accelerate the pace of innovation for the benefit of our entire industry.”
Veronica Knott, University of British Columbia Mining Engineering student and winner of the 2017 Engineers Canada Gold Medal Student Award, recognizing her work toward making engineering more inclusive and diverse. “If you want to make change, be ready to put in the time and effort, be prepared to fail, and be okay with criticism,” says Knott. “The faster you eliminate ideas and incorporate key learnings as you go, the closer you’ll get to a breakthrough that makes a big difference.”
Wal van Lierop, President & CEO, Chrysalix Venture Capital, a venture capital company that builds, mentors and connects high-growth companies, bringing disruptive innovation to the world’s largest industries by focusing on where technology meets physical science. The firm is backed by more than 20 international blue-chip industrial and financial investors and was named ‘Financial Investor of the Year’ as part of the 2017 Global Cleantech 100 Awards. Its investments include breakthrough technologies in 3D steel printing, fast charging electric vehicle infrastructure, emissions-free solar steam, smart mining and nuclear fusion. Van Lierop is an advocate for the Canadian government’s innovation agenda to become the No. 1 developer and exporter of sustainable industrial innovations, transforming mining, hydrocarbons and forestry, rather than abandoning these sources of Canadian prosperity.
At a live event taking place March 4, 2018 during the annual Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference, three finalists will have the opportunity to negotiate up to $1 million in investment for a proof of concept at one of Goldcorp’s mines or direct investment in the winning technologies.1 The #DisruptMining challenge seeks innovation in the following categories:
1.Feed the long-term pipeline for metals
2.Enhance productivity, efficiency and automation
3.Improve safety
4.Reduce environmental footprint
5.Facilitate open and transparent markets
6.”Go rogue” wildcard category.
