Ask most Vancouver entrepreneurs about the biggest challenge of growing a business, and they’ll give the same answer: early-stage investment.

Nowhere is this truer than for those who work in cutting-edge industries. VR/AR, the metaverse, Web3, and similar breaking technologies have the promise not just to transform products, but computing itself. By integrating across industries, all three can transform how users interact with screens, data, and the internet. But to realize that potential, each needs to prove how it can escape its niche.

It’s a hard sell for the average investor. Companies developing frontier technologies don’t have the quick return on investment that a well-vetted SAAS business might offer. But a bet on new-wave tech is one that can pay off big – and a punt that is required to push computing into a new era.

The Frontier Collective hopes to offer a solution. An organization dedicated to monitoring and advancing a sustainable future of innovation in Vancouver, the Frontier Collective highlights that the city has one of the fastest-growing Web3 clusters in the world, and the second-largest VR/AR and metaverse ecosystem. In order to combat the reticence to invest in frontier technology – and in the Vancouver tech industry in particular – the coalition has organized its flagship Frontier Summit event.

On August 9 and 10, the Frontier Summit will bring more than 30 global leaders and top investors to Vancouver, where they will meet with local founders and companies working in Web3, VR/AR, the metaverse, AI, and creative industries such as VFX and animation. The goal of the Summit, the organization says, is to spark connections and collaborations between global investors and major stakeholders in the Vancouver ecosystem, with the goal of driving innovation forward in the region.

For Frontier Collective co-founder and CEO Dan Burgar, Vancouver is uniquely positioned to take the lead on shaping Web3 and the metaverse globally. As well as blockchain unicorns Dapper Labs – creator of the NFT – and LayerZero Labs, the city boasts some of the world’s premier gaming and VR companies, including EA and Shape Immersive. It is also home to a blossoming startup ecosystem, with thousands of companies in the early stages of product development. Missing out on investment, Burgar says, would squander a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinforce the city’s position as the globe’s foremost Web3 innovation hub.

“Frontier technologies are thriving in this region, and we see a tremendous opportunity to cement Vancouver’s position both nationally and globally,” he said in a statement. “With a recession looming, we want to host the Frontier Summit and advocate for Vancouver’s enormous potential for global players, driving investment and attention. We also want to uncover how the metaverse and Web3 will revolutionize every industry and benefit each and every one of us as we hit the next wave of computing and the internet.”

While most Frontier Collective events are designed to be inclusive for the whole Vancouver startup community, the Frontier Summit is geared towards cutting-edge companies that will benefit most from meetings with investors. Offering a curated program that showcases Vancouver’s lifestyle, food, culture, and more, the Frontier Collective hopes that the positive interactions between its chosen businesses will attract investors back to the region in the future, closing the early-stage investment gap that hampers Vancouver’s innovation. In order to make sure that it selects the most appropriate companies, the Frontier Collective is currently inviting applications from local businesses developing frontier technologies to be part of the Summit.

Attendees can expect a welcome reception on a yacht; networking, hiking, and panels at the top of the Sea to Sky Gondola; curated menus and cuisine from around B.C.; and more. Already confirmed are global leaders from Softbank, the Venture Reality Fund, Endeavor VR, Mitsubishi, Snap, and Unity, among others. The summit will focus on topics and discussions including how the metaverse can be used for good, how Web3 can unlock economic potential in communities, and how frontier technology will continue to transform computing.

“With the right investment and support, Vancouver has an immense opportunity to lead the world in frontier tech, ushering in a new wave of transformation, economic prosperity and high-paying jobs,” Burgar said of the Frontier Collective. “[We are] building a movement that will ensure early-stage companies have a stronger support system, helping Vancouver become the premier destination for bleeding-edge tech.”