Cloud technologies and community building take center stage in Calgary with Code to Cloud Days

Kevin Evans, cloud native leader at Microsoft. — Photo by Jennifer Friesen,

Kevin Evans started his journey in tech when he was just seven years old. 

Laughing, he recounts taking apart computers in elementary school, saying that was the beginning of his path toward tech.

Now, as the cloudnative leader at Microsoft, Evans launched his brainchild, Code to Cloud Days, on Dec. 17 at Platform Calgary. This new series of events aims to bring people together to explore cloudnative technologies, foster collaboration, and support Alberta’s growing tech ecosystem.

The origins of Code to Cloud, “happened by accident,” said Evans. What began as a YouTube channel and podcast series exploring cloudnative technologies quickly evolved into an online hub, complete with a thriving Discord community. Members from across the globe were engaging, and soon there was a push for something more connected — people wanted to meet in person, share ideas, and build networks offline.

That’s when Evans, fuelled by a vision to “turbocharge Alberta’s tech ecosystem,” decided to create Code to Cloud Days. He saw Western Canada’s rapidly growing tech sector first hand and wanted to elevate it to a global audience and remind developers that they don’t have to go to Toronto or Silicon Valley or Europe for community. 

“I’m Alberta first,” he said. “So for me, it was like, ‘No, people need to come here. It’s amazing here.’”

Fostering collaboration and skill development

Code to Cloud Days aims to address two critical challenges: closing the skills gap in cloudnative technologies and fostering collaboration among Alberta’s diverse tech players.

Evans identifies Alberta’s unique blend of startups, tech companies, and its oil and gas backbone as a fertile ground for growth. But without a unified platform to bring these players together, opportunities remain siloed. 

“We need somewhere to bring that all together,” said Evans. “So if you think about the operators, the implementers, the security folks, the developers — they all need somewhere to go. That’s what we’re trying to build here.”

The launch event tackled this headon with topics designed to bridge gaps between industries and roles. Sessions ranged from adaptive cloud strategies relevant to Alberta’s energy sector to productivity tools like Microsoft Copilot. The fireside chat with Calgarybased Retinalogik highlighted local innovation, demonstrating how cloudpowered VR solutions can deliver eye care to remote communities.

For Evans, the event is about empowering people at all levels of their careers and within their organizations. 

“If you’re late in career, midcareer, early in career, a developer, a student, or just trying to figure out how this all works, that’s what we’re here for,” Evans said. “We’re also here for decisionmakers, because they find it hard to grasp all these new technologies that are coming out, so they can come down here and try to understand things as well.”

Elevating Alberta’s role in cloud innovation

Evans has a vision of elevating Alberta as a destination for cloudnative innovation. With plans for upskilling boot camps starting next year, Code to Cloud Days will not only educate local talent but also attract global attention to the province.

“I just feel like we shouldn’t have to go to them. They should be able to come to us, and I think we’ve got a lot to offer,” Evans said.

The effort also includes breaking down barriers between microcommunities and ensuring longevity for grassroots initiatives. 

“You wouldn’t believe the microcommunities that I’ve discovered here,” Evans said. “Sometimes they’re not able to make it into year two. They launch year one, but can’t keep going for all kinds of reasons. I’m like, whoa, come down to Code to Cloud, we’ll magnify you.”

What’s next?

The next Code to Cloud Days event is already in the works, with as many as four events planned for 2025. Evans also announced the event’s latest partnership with the global tech player HashiCorp, a company he describes as “developer royalty.” 

Future topics are expected to focus on platform engineering and boot camps designed to upskill individuals into roles like cloud architects or engineers, providing a strong foundation to pivot into fields like AI, cybersecurity, or data science.

For Evans, it’s all about authenticity and quality over quantity. 

“We don’t want to overwhelm people with too many events. Each one has to deliver meaningful content and connections,” he said.

With its commitment to fostering community and elevating local success stories, Evans built Code to Cloud Days to go beyond a conference series and into a rallying cry for Alberta’s tech community to step into the global spotlight.

“The vision is to let the world know where Alberta is,” said Evans. “I want tech people from all over the world to come here to Code to Cloud Days. I want them to see everything that we’ve got on offer.”