About Silicon Halton

What Is Silicon Halton?

We are a grassroots, industry-led, technology focused community of Freelancers, Solopreneurs, Entrepreneurs, IT Professionals, and Students committed to:

  • Technology. Our members are passionate about technology and sharing new ideas, innovative products, productive methodologies, and creative approaches to using technology to make our lives more meaningful.
  • Community. Our members connect often both in person and online to help each other make our community, our region, and our planet better.
  • Growth. Our members are focused on helping people, companies, and the tech industry grow – and have Halton become known globally as the best place for people in technology to live, work and play.

Our History - in case you're interested ...

Silicon Halton was co-founded by Chris Herbert, Rick Stomphorst, and Reema Duggal. They believed that there was a need for a grassroots community that connected people and companies in the tech industry together.

They believed:

  • That a thriving tech industry in Halton was critical to the economic success of the region and the quality of life of its citizens
  • That no one was as passionate as they were about technology and the Halton Region, eventually discovering many more who are equally passionate.
  • That building a community was needed, not building an association that depended on dues and government funding.
  • There existed hundreds of tech companies and entrepreneurs in the area, doing amazing things, but not enough people knew about it.
  • They knew that thousands of people are commuting to tech companies in Toronto or KW but secretly wishing they could work and live in Halton.

They dreamed:

  • That it would be cool if Halton Region was creating the next RIM, Facebook, Google and Cisco.
  • That people knew that the chances of having a successful tech company were high if they were in located in Halton.
  • That there was a great chance that at the local coffee shop you could bump into a person in tech. That you could point to a young woman in that same shop and say “she started the next RIM” – and both she and I are members of Silicon Halton…and she’s my client!
  • That high tech professionals were able to work, live and play in Halton region. Making it possible for them and their families to have a great quality of life and reduce the impacts on our environment by working and living close together.
  • That the next generation high tech products, professionals, leaders, and companies all came from Halton – Silicon Halton that is.

Their initial short-term goal was to build a strong and engaged network to help everyone realize and promote how important and vibrant the tech community is in our neighbourhood. They succeeded.

Chris Herbert, Rick Stomphorst, and Reema Duggal
Co-Founders, Silicon Halton

Learn More

Who Are Our Members?

We are hi-tech entrepreneurs, serial entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, students and professionals (in the beginning, middle and later stages of their career) that live and/or work in Halton Region [map]. We are four communities 20-30 minutes west of Toronto, Canada, part of the Toronto-Waterloo Tech Corridor, #TOWRCorridor.

We own or work in businesses of all sizes, startups, small business, SME, and multi-national corporations and do business anywhere around the globe.  We are committed to creating a vibrant hi-tech community in Halton Region. We are all volunteers.

What Do We Do?

We create programs to help members connect with technology ecosystem and create opportunities for business growth, professional growth, and partnerships. We have become the platform for Halton tech companies to dream, discuss, develop, test, and launch their business ideas. We’ve watched members become empowered and launch new companies. At present we run:

  • Monthly Meetups / Workshops / Pitch Nights – focused on topics related to technology – in the following areas: business growth, business optimization, technology innovation, networking.  Check out our meetups >
  • Peer2Peer Groups – focused on taking deeper dives into subjects of interest to the Peer Group.  Check out our Peer2Peer groups >
  • Silicon Halton Collaboration Days at co-working partner locations – a chance for Silicon Halton members to work together. Check out our co-working days >
  • Tech Under Twenty – for youth exploring, or already passionate about technology. Learn more about Tech Under Twenty >
  • Community Portal – siliconhalton.com community portal / linkedin group / facebook group / email newsletter.  Stay engaged.

The Silicon Halton Team

Reema Duggal

Reema Duggal

Co-Founder

Reema Duggal is passionate about connecting Silicon Halton members to learn, grow, and network – to drive their ventures forward. In her professional life, she helps Technology, Manufacturing, and Distribution companies drive revenue, reduce costs, and optimize business processes with innovative digital business channels.  Her ventures / projects include:

  

Rick Stomphorst

Rick Stomphorst

Co-Founder

Rick Stomphorst is passionate about technology and is a community leader and adviser connecting talent to employers, people to people, and business to business.  In his professional life, he provides recruitment services to technology companies, non-technology companies, and start-ups to identify and acquire high-value tech staff. His ventures include:

  

Chris Herbert

Chris Herbert

Co-Founder

Chris Herbert is passionate about re-inventing how people can help each other and exchange meaningful value in their professional and personal lives.  In his professional life, he helps technology entrepreneurs and technology companies, of all sizes, start and grow through his growing portfolio of ventures. His ventures include:

  

Lisa Denis

Lisa Denis

Co-Lead – Marketing & Sales Peer2Peer

Lisa’s passion lies in leveraging today’s technology to create, support and engage communities and drive measurable economic growth.

Her ventures include: Partner at Mi6 Agency and Founder at Emoggo Inc.

  

Hazel van der Werken

Hazel van der Werken

Co-Lead – Women In Tech Peer2Peer

Her ventures include: Customer Success Manager
at RedBit Development.

  

Denys Linkov

Denys Linkov

Lead - Tech Under Twenty

Denys is passionate about solving real world problems with technology, including making work and education more enjoyable, productive and easier to access. He is a third year student at the University of Toronto studying Computer Science and Employment Relations. His ventures include:

  

Dave Ashton

Dave Ashton

Lead - Software Peer2Peer

Dave is passionate about software architecture, solutions that solve real world problems, and building up our local tech community.  In his professional life, he is a Software Architect & Technical Lead, Associate at IBI Group. 

  

Jean Nickerson

Jean Nickerson

Lead - Internet of Things Peer2Peer

Jean Nickerson, CSP is passionate about helping small businesses to adopt technology to secure sustainable results by strengthening their competitive advantage and helping to deliver a consistent customer experience. In her professional life, she is a growth-minded B2B marketing strategist and sales practitioner. She is the founder of Purposeful Selling, which helps clients succeed through customer value creation and revenue-generation execution. 

  

Dave Truman

Dave Truman

Member Welcome / Onboarding

Dave is passionate about figuring out complex technology and explaining how to use it clearly and compellingly. In his professional life he has been a Content Project Manager, Information Architect, and Technical Writer working on enterprise IT software products. He is currently a Technical Project Coordinator with VL OMNI in Halton. 

  

Discover Silicon Halton. LEARN. NETWORK. GROW.

Join The Silicon Halton Community Today!

Pin It on Pinterest