Tech hub leader sees big potential in rural Saskatchewan

Posted on February 23, 2026 by Ryan Dahlman

Shaunavon Standard

Gordon More, the head of Southeast Tech Hub Inc. (SETH), recently led a teams (virtual) presentation for a Shaunavon audience to promote the idea of creating technology-based opportunities in rural Saskatchewan.

The event was organized through the Shaunavon Economic Development Committee and Chamber of Commerce.

SETH, launched in Estevan in May 2022, is a collaboration hub that aims to inspire and nurture the growth of innovative and technology-based companies in the southeast. The hub provides new and emerging technology businesses with an environment that supports their start-up phase and increases their chances of success.

The ultimate goal is to help create new business and employment opportunities in the region.

“SETH is using innovation within the tech space to create jobs,” More explained.

As an example of the kind of work it does, More cited the success of several projects that have emerged from the hub, including an app developed by a young woman that targets the Indigenous and Métis population that has generated $150,000 in its first six months of operation. He also cited a SETH sponsored challenge won by two Grade 12 students who developed a portable irrigation system.

More noted that these successes are not isolated incidents and he believes that rural communities have the potential to become hubs for technology and innovation, despite the common perception that young people must leave their communities to pursue tech jobs.

“The point is that, because of the way Canada is set up, we really don’t consider rural communities as a place where we can grow,” he said. “But when you stop and think about where the biggest disruption in technology innovation is, right now, it’s energy. Well, where does energy come from? Rural communities. And the same could be said for agriculture and many other sectors.”

More’s own story is a testament of sorts to the potential of rural communities. He moved to Estevan from Vancouver, where he had worked in the tech industry since 2000. He went on to found a software company in

2006 with two other partners.

More later earned a graduate certificate from MIT in innovation and technology acceleration.

He ended up moving to Estevan after his wife, a doctor, took a job in the community.

More quickly saw the region’s potential and believes that rural communities could provide an essential avenue for innovation and technological growth.

He noted that many rural Saskatchewan youth have gone on to prominent positions in science and high tech, working for major companies and entities worldwide.

Shaunavon’s own Dennis Whyte, the former director of the Plasma Science and Fusion Center at MIT, is an example of this phenomenon.

More cited a statistic in Canada that suggests more than half of all youth in rural communities leave to pursue a job or education in the tech sector. However, he believes that with the right support and infrastructure, many of these young people could stay in their communities and build successful tech careers.

“How do we create a space for them in places like Shaunavon, Estevan or Weyburn,” wondered More.  “So that when they go out in the world, they feel that the new skills that they’ve obtained are valued back in their community?”

While certainly facing its own sets of challenges, More believes that rural Saskatchewan also has a number of advantages over its big city counterparts, including quality of life and cost of living considerations.

“Rural Canada has a lot to offer that make it very appealing to people these days,” said More.

More is eager to help other rural communities establish their own tech hubs.

His visit to Shaunavon served as an opportunity for locals to explore the possibility of creating a similar program in the southwest.

Shaunavon EDC officer Mary Scott expressed interest in partnering with SETH or bringing a similar model to Shaunavon.

“Ultimately, what they’re doing makes sense,” she said. “Innovation has been important throughout history, and it’s getting more and more important. There’s no reason we can’t bring some of that innovation to rural Saskatchewan. By tapping into that, we can definitely help support our own growth and support our youth being able to build their future here in Shaunavon.”

More, who has already been approached by other communities interested in creating entities similar to SETH, would love to help create a network of tech hubs across rural Canada.

SETH will be partnering with other organizations to host Canada’s Rural Innovation Festival and Forum at Estevan in May. The event will bring together innovators, entrepreneurs, and community leaders to share ideas and best practices for building tech ecosystems in rural communities.

You can learn more about the event by visiting https://share.google/KgVHMsxHrOLdMoOln