On May 31 and June 1, Traction Conference is back to fulfill its mission of insightful fireside chats and networking opportunities with global talent.
Hosted by Launch Academy and Boast Capital, Traction is bringing in names like Jyoti Bansal, founder of AppDynamics; Sarah Bird, CEO at Moz; Michael Pryor, CEO of Trello; Elena Verma, SVP at SurveyMonkey; and Uber VP of product and growth Ed Baker.
“Content is typically practical tips and case studies that the audience can apply to their own business the very next day.”
“Traction has quickly become a conduit for Canadian companies to the top performers from Silicon Valley,” said Ray Walia, CEO of Launch Academy. “Our lineup of speakers consistently has featured not only C-Suite leaders from companies with valuations of a billion plus, but growth experts from those firms as well. All sharing tips and techniques they themselves have proven successful in not only acquiring users, but also retention and monetization.”
While Walia has told BetaKit in the past that Traction is another conference, its value-add seems to be an emphasis on helping the startups learn actionable ways to accelerate their businesses.
“Content shared with attendees is typically practical tips, techniques, and case studies that the audience can turn around and apply to their own business the very next day,” said Walia. “By keeping the focus on user acquisition, retention, and monetization, attendees know what to expect. The limited seats and fun networking events create far more effective networking opportunities with speakers, thought leaders and fellow attendees.”
In the past, the event has attracted execs like former Slack CMO Bill Macaitis, and execs from Y Combinator and Hootsuite.
“The speakers providing this information are typically leaders and growth experts from unicorn companies that have proven their ability to gain traction, and willing to share their knowledge and experience with their peers,” said Walia. “Another unique element is that Traction is actually a fundraiser for Launch Academy, which is a not-for-profit. All proceeds from the conference go back into building the Canadian tech community.”