Clark Lai joins Digital Journal’s editorial advisory committee\” />

Clark Lai is the founder and CEO of Motiv, an internationally recognized, award-winning venture builder.
Digital Journal is pleased to welcome Clark Lai, founder and CEO of Motiv, as the newest member of its editorial advisory committee.

The recently announced committee adds depth to Digital Journal’s coverage by connecting stories to the realities of innovation in practice. Members share what they see inside companies, industries and communities, helping identify themes leaders are working through and the ideas that deserve wider attention. The result is coverage that stays grounded in real-world challenges and opportunities.

Lai is a lifelong entrepreneur based in Calgary who founded Motiv in 2015. The venture studio has grown to offices in Calgary and Miami, with expansions underway in Europe and Asia. As a venture studio, Motiv builds new businesses in partnership with large enterprises, startups,  and investors, taking ideas from strategy through product development and market growth.“Canada has all the ingredients for a world-class innovation ecosystem, and there’s no better time than now to prioritize it,” Lai says. “I’m excited to join Digital Journal’s editorial advisory committee to surface real stories — both the wins and the setbacks — so we can build a stronger, more robust innovation economy.”

Lai’s experience is particularly relevant as Canada’s innovation economy works to turn strong research and invention into lasting scale. He has guided ventures from early-stage to billion-dollar outcomes, while building systems that accelerate time to market and connect innovation across borders. His perspective complements the committee’s mandate to ensure coverage reflects the realities innovators face, not just the rhetoric that surrounds them.“Clark brings both a builder’s and an investor’s perspective,” says Chris Hogg, CEO of Digital Journal. “He understands what it takes to move ventures from idea to market, and how commercialization challenges play out inside real companies. His experience in Canada, the U.S. and abroad will add a critical lens to the committee, ensuring our coverage reflects both the opportunities and the obstacles that shape innovation today.”

Lai joins Kamales Lardi, Terry Rock, Kirstine Stewart and Benjamin Bergen on the editorial advisory committee.

Lardi, who serves as Chair, is a digital transformation strategist based in Zurich. She brings two decades of experience helping multinational companies design and execute human-centred change with a global and corporate lens.

Rock is President and CEO of Platform Calgary. His focus is on building strong startup ecosystems and supporting founders with the resources they need to scale, especially across Western Canada.

Stewart, a Canadian media and tech executive now based in Los Angeles, brings a cross-border view shaped by leadership roles at the CBC, Twitter and the World Economic Forum. Her work connects innovation to media, policy and the future of work.

Bergen is President of the Council of Canadian Innovators. He represents the interests of scale-ups and high-growth Canadian companies, bringing a national policy and advocacy perspective to the committee.

The committee continues to expand its range of voices shaping how Digital Journal covers innovation. Together, the members represent expertise across corporate transformation, startup ecosystems, national policy and global leadership, ensuring Digital Journal’s coverage remains connected to the people driving meaningful change.

The group begins meeting this fall, and Digital Journal will share takeaways from those discussions to help shape a more informed national dialogue.