Newfoundland and Labrador launched its fourth annual Innovation Week on Monday with the theme of “innovative thinking”.

The week brings businesses, investors, inventors, youth and other stakeholders together to find ways to grow the province’s key sectors. It is a mix of conferences, start-up workshops, clean and ocean technology events, TEDxYouth, a “Girls Learning Code” workshop, and an R&D tour of some the province’s most innovative companies.

Throughout the week, attendees can collaborate and learn from global innovators about how to infuse innovation into their businesses and communities, said a statement from the organizers. The week features 20 events in venues across St. John’s, with a special healthcare technology session in Grand Falls-Windsor.

On Wednesday, the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Technical Industries will host its Knowledge Summit, followed by an introduction to the Atlantic Canadian nominees for the Manning Innovation Awards.

“Innovation Week is an opportunity to share ideas and learn from a diverse group of stakeholders through innovation-focused activities,” said NATI Chair Ajay Pande. “The events help foster collaboration and drive awareness that innovation is a critical component of a vibrant and sector-diverse economy.”

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Participating experts include:

· Newfoundland and Labrador-born Catherine Courage, VP of Product Design and Experience for Google Ads & Commerce with Google.

· Manifold CEO Jevon MacDonald, who was 29 when he sold his Halifax-based start-up GoInstant to California tech giant, Salesforce.com for $70 million.

· John Risley and Brendan Paddick, who will chart their entrepreneurship paths, building a Caribbean telecommunications company that sold for $1.85 billion.

· Dr. Julielynn Wong, founder and CEO of Medical Makers and 3D4MD. Her drone and 3D printing technology has been used for delivering healthcare in remote communities, including outer space.

· Shelli Baltman, founder of the Idea Suite, a Toronto-based innovation agency, who has worked on over 100 innovation projects around the world.

· Ken Singer, Managing Director of the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology at the University of California, and Chair of the European Innovation Academy.

· Dr. Alice Landis-McGrath, who is with the IBM Watson Health Oncology and Genomics in San Francisco. (Grand Falls-Windsor event)

· Cambridge University’s Dr. Neil Stott and Paul Tracey, experts in creating businesses that drive social change.

· And Duncan Stewart, the Director of Research in Telecoms, Media and Technology at Deloitte Canada.