As the global economy shifts from analog to digital, I’ve been thinking a lot about how I can help others thrive in this digital world and make the transition a success.

There are several ways one can help build a strong tech ecosystem, be it in your city, local region, or country. First, you can serve as a role model and inspire others by doing the best job possible – either by building your own company or by investing in others. You can help shape public policy to create the right type of environment to foster entrepreneurial growth. And, you can also support those organizations that create “bottom up” innovation.

As an investor, the first point is an ongoing project for me. But over the past few years, I’ve increasingly focused on sparking bottom-up innovation. A few years ago, I started supporting Science World here in Vancouver (both as a board member and donor), particularly their Future Science Leaders project.

And, it’s in this spirit, that I am super proud to see Canada Learning Code go live.

Canada Learning Code is a national initiative that works with all sectors to increase access to coding education, computational thinking, and other 21st century skills across Canada.

Launched by the team behind Ladies Learning Code, Canada Learning Code’s mission is to make sure that every Canadian has the opportunity to build technology, not just consume it. By 2027, they will provide 10 million Canadians access to meaningful technology education experiences. Just think about the possibilities.

Tobi Luettke of Shopify and I started looking for a platform to push a national coding initiative for Canada, in the same way that Code.org has taken the lead in the US. We got to know Ladies Learning Code and threw our support, time, and money behind this amazing team.

Technology can level the educational playing field, creating important opportunities for all members of society. As our economy transitions, it’s critical to give everyone access to develop their talents and skills to build our future. I’m so excited to see the impact that Canada Learning Code will have in the coming decade, and hope to see more examples of ambitious bottom-up innovation projects.