Creating value at the intersection of business, government, and community
We work alongside our clients to develop, validate, and action strategy using innovation methods and our extensive network
We work alongside our clients to develop, validate, and action strategy using innovation methods and our extensive network
Our story
NorthGuide emerged through a series of Friday afternoon coffee conversations about the power of purposeful organizations, and a desire to build stronger ecosystems and communities through innovation.
As partners, we are experienced CEOs, Deputy Ministers, and innovation strategists. We are also connectors, convenors and practitioners.
We believe in the power of collaboration as a way to build successful organizations, communities, and projects. And we have a bias for action – more than helping people build strategy, we love to build things and see results.
Guiding is part of NorthGuide DNA. We work alongside our clients to help them find their way. We won’t do the hike for you - but we’ll do it with you, and guide your path to success.
At NorthGuide we believe in the power of collaboration to create prosperity. We are passionate about helping communities and organizations to build their own economic success.
We’re a purpose-driven business. We want to work with other purposeful organizations that are focused on doing the right thing and making a difference.
We think differently about problems and opportunities. Sometimes the best solution is one you can borrow from an adjacent sector.
We know that good strategy lives in execution. Moving to action is the most important part of any strategy.
We believe in the power of collaboration and coalition leadership to get things done.
We approach complex problems by looking at the relationships and the systems they inhabit. Systems thinking helps us spot big opportunities and solutions.
NorthGuide partners bring a diverse set of past experience, networks, and expertise specializing in innovation strategy and economic development. Over the last two decades, we have built substantial innovation infrastructure for Canada – in the form of innovations space, programs, policies, and coalitions.
Iain Klugman is a world-leading innovation strategist and ecosystem architect. For nearly two decades he was the CEO of Communitech — one of North America’s leading innovation organizations. Under his leadership, Communitech supported the growth of more than 5,000 small, mid-sized and large technology companies – and over 100 large corporations via innovation programming. Iain believes passionately in the power of an entrepreneur-driven economy, and its ability to deliver big results for any jurisdiction. Iain has been recognized with many awards over his career including: 50 most influential people by Toronto Life, and 50 most powerful business people in Canada by Canadian Business Magazine.
Sarah Mostowich is an expert in innovation design, helping teams use customer insight and data to fully understand problems and develop solutions that delight users. Sarah uses an iterative and agile development process to get early validation around ideas and minimize risk when helping clients deploy new programs, products or services. She has formed and deployed multi-stakeholder innovation strategies for clients such as Health Canada, General Motors, Manulife, and FairFax Holdings. Sarah has also done extensive work to help the Canadian Armed Forces develop strategies on issues such as retention, family support, training, and maintenance planning. Sarah has a background in systems design engineering which led to her holistic and user-centred approach to building strategy and moving to execution.
James Meddings is an expert in global innovation policy, economic development and community sustainability having worked for more than 30 years in the federal Canadian Public Service. James served as President of the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario from October 2016 to August 2021, and held increasingly senior roles at the Canadian Human Rights Commission, the Privy Council Office, Human Resources Development Canada, Environment Canada, the Canada School of Public Service, and Western Economic Diversification. James represented Canada on the OECD Regional Development Policy Committee for many years and Chaired the OECD Expert Meeting on Multi-level Governance and Public Investment in 2021.
Iain Klugman is a world-leading innovation strategist and ecosystem architect. For nearly two decades he was the CEO of Communitech — one of North America’s leading innovation organizations. Under his leadership, Communitech supported the growth of more than 5,000 small, mid-sized and large technology companies – and over 100 large corporations via innovation programming. Iain believes passionately in the power of an entrepreneur-driven economy, and its ability to deliver big results for any jurisdiction. Iain has been recognized with many awards over his career including: 50 most influential people by Toronto Life, and 50 most powerful business people in Canada by Canadian Business Magazine.
Avvey Peters is an innovation ecosystem strategist who excels at putting plans into action. She has led project teams in a diverse range of communities to raise funds, develop strategy, create partnerships, and build innovation infrastructure to support their economic development goals. Avvey has coached the leadership teams of a dozen innovation organizations, helping them to leverage collaboration as a tool for growth. In addition to her leadership roles in strategy development, advocacy, communications and media relations, Avvey has worked as a television news writer for a national Canadian broadcaster, and as the primary speechwriter and communications lead for the President of the University of Waterloo. She is one of the co-founders of Canada’s Tech Network and received the 2021 SAAS NORTH Star Award for her long standing contributions to tech and innovation in Canada.
Sarah Mostowich is an expert in innovation design, helping teams use customer insight and data to fully understand problems and develop solutions that delight users. Sarah uses an iterative and agile development process to get early validation around ideas and minimize risk when helping clients deploy new programs, products or services. She has formed and deployed multi-stakeholder innovation strategies for clients such as Health Canada, General Motors, Manulife, and FairFax Holdings. Sarah has also done extensive work to help the Canadian Armed Forces develop strategies on issues such as retention, family support, training, and maintenance planning. Sarah has a background in systems design engineering which led to her holistic and user-centred approach to building strategy and moving to execution.
Avvey Peters is an innovation ecosystem strategist who excels at putting plans into action. She has led project teams in a diverse range of communities to raise funds, develop strategy, create partnerships, and build innovation infrastructure to support their economic development goals. Avvey has coached the leadership teams of a dozen innovation organizations, helping them to leverage collaboration as a tool for growth. In addition to her leadership roles in strategy development, advocacy, communications and media relations, Avvey has worked as a television news writer for a national Canadian broadcaster, and as the primary speechwriter and communications lead for the President of the University of Waterloo. She is one of the co-founders of Canada’s Tech Network and received the 2021 SAAS NORTH Star Award for her long standing contributions to tech and innovation in Canada.
Sarah Mostowich is an expert in innovation design, helping teams use customer insight and data to fully understand problems and develop solutions that delight users. Sarah uses an iterative and agile development process to get early validation around ideas and minimize risk when helping clients deploy new programs, products or services. She has formed and deployed multi-stakeholder innovation strategies for clients such as Health Canada, General Motors, Manulife, and FairFax Holdings. Sarah has also done extensive work to help the Canadian Armed Forces develop strategies on issues such as retention, family support, training, and maintenance planning. Sarah has a background in systems design engineering which led to her holistic and user-centred approach to building strategy and moving to execution.
Iain Klugman is a world-leading innovation strategist and ecosystem architect. For nearly two decades he was the CEO of Communitech — one of North America’s leading innovation organizations. Under his leadership, Communitech supported the growth of more than 5,000 small, mid-sized and large technology companies – and over 100 large corporations via innovation programming. Iain believes passionately in the power of an entrepreneur-driven economy, and its ability to deliver big results for any jurisdiction. Iain has been recognized with many awards over his career including: 50 most influential people by Toronto Life, and 50 most powerful business people in Canada by Canadian Business Magazine.
James Meddings is an expert in global innovation policy, economic development and community sustainability having worked for more than 30 years in the federal Canadian Public Service. James served as President of the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario from October 2016 to August 2021, and held increasingly senior roles at the Canadian Human Rights Commission, the Privy Council Office, Human Resources Development Canada, Environment Canada, the Canada School of Public Service, and Western Economic Diversification. James represented Canada on the OECD Regional Development Policy Committee for many years and Chaired the OECD Expert Meeting on Multi-level Governance and Public Investment in 2021.
Avvey Peters is an innovation ecosystem strategist who excels at putting plans into action. She has led project teams in a diverse range of communities to raise funds, develop strategy, create partnerships, and build innovation infrastructure to support their economic development goals. Avvey has coached the leadership teams of a dozen innovation organizations, helping them to leverage collaboration as a tool for growth. In addition to her leadership roles in strategy development, advocacy, communications and media relations, Avvey has worked as a television news writer for a national Canadian broadcaster, and as the primary speechwriter and communications lead for the President of the University of Waterloo. She is one of the co-founders of Canada’s Tech Network and received the 2021 SAAS NORTH Star Award for her long standing contributions to tech and innovation in Canada.