Retail
Will online stores take over the physical stores?
What lessons have retailers learned over the past year?
What key aspects changed for retailers during COVID-19 and after?
How are retailers scaling their business for future crisis situations?
Which trends and channels have been most successful and how are they preparing for the future?
How will the retail landscape respond to broader social and economic changes?
Is China’s growing regulatory environment a big plus or a challenge?
How can businesses adapt to a post-pandemic retail landscape?
Technology
How has the pandemic impacted cyber security solutions?
What are emerging threats such as those created by the expansion of 5G technology and AI?
What are some challenges to AI security and privacy protection?
What are the risks associated with the technologies being developed and deployed to help contain the pandemic?
Given that private information is routinely used by state and corporate actors, can we really claim to own our data? And if not, who does?
Is an encroachment on privacy a necessary trade-off for increased connectivity? Or can we create privacy-respecting and privacy-enhancing policies?
What are the most critical gaps that must be filled to streamline edge AI development and deployment?
How do we build high resilience in network deployment?
How will the internet of things change the way we work and live?
What are some trends to look out for in 2021?
International Relations
How has the geopolitical and geoeconomic conflict between the United States and China
affected Canada?
What are the opportunities and challenges that Canada faces in its current engagement with both the U.S. and China?
What are the potential bright spots in looking to improve Canada’s relationship with China?
What are the best Canadian strategies to China in order to preserve Canadian national interests and rule of laws?
How can Ottawa reboot the conversation with China in light of a major falling-out in recent years?
How can Canada expand the space for a healthy and nonpartisan debate?
How can Canada up its game on China and chart a strategy to move ahead?
What’s next in Canada’s bilateral relations with China?
Ventures
How does the current crisis compare to previous economic downturns?
What is the state of venture capital portfolio companies at the moment and how is the current situation changing the dynamic of the startup ecosystem?
How are venture capital investors performing due diligence when they can not meet startups in person?
How did venture capital investors support their portfolio companies through COVID-19?
Are venture capital investors shifting their interest away from direct-to-consumer businesses to business-to-business enterprises?
What is the extent and magnitude of the longer-term ripple effects on the venture capital environment?
What is the current state of venture capital funds in Canada? Is there a gap?
What sectors are hot in 2021?