🏙️ Here comes the sun

Generous funding from governments and individuals round out the week. This is your Sunday Briefing.

Author

Allison Gacad
April 30, 2023

There’s a lot to celebrate this weekend in Vancouver. It started off with the massive waves of funding the B.C. government began to allocate earlier this week — a grand total of well over $250 million for the life sciences sector, creative industries, and clean energy tech projects in the province. The spirit of generosity only continued into Thursday night’s charity auction — The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch — where I witnessed someone bid $1,500 for a $60 bottle of champagne (spoiler: The Forum, a national charity supporting women entrepreneurs, went on to raise over $250,000 that night.) And this weekend of summer weather and sunshine? I’m starting to remember why I live in this city in the first place.

Now onto today’s briefing. It’s 1,145 words: a four-minute read.

-Allison, @allisongacad

- P.S As always, we’re meeting this Tuesday for our Vancouver Tech Morning Coffee. See you from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. at The Coffee Bar (10 Water Street, Gastown). It’s free! Register here »

- P.P.S Thanks to our new members David, Rob, and Silvana — and more — who joined us this week. Be like them and enjoy the perks of VTJ membership too. Become a member »

If someone else sent you this, you can subscribe right here, right now. If you’re already subscribed, consider becoming a member:

Subscribe or become a member

Asset Market takes Angels for Climate Solutions crown

The startup’s journey in the investment competition nets it a $150,000 cheque. Start reading »

Creative Destruction Lab’s alumni raise Series A and B capital

Amidst challenging macroeconomic conditions, the mentorship program assembled its network of investors to support burgeoning startups. Start reading »

CEO Raghwa Gopal to leave Innovate BC

The long-time tech industry leader will retire this fall, and will be succeeded by current VP of Operations Tomica Divic as interim CEO. Start reading »

Nine notes: Vancouver as life sciences hub

A new report from Invest Vancouver contextualizes the thriving sector while exploring the ways it can grow. Members only. Start reading »

The B.C. government is on a spending spree

Read our top member briefing from last week. Members only. Get started »

Limited spaces left at these May 4 Business Talks & Socials:

🤝 Funding and deals

  • Pangea Natural Foods entered into a shares exchange agreement that sees it acquire Glory Juice. Learn more »

  • Creative Energy, a local district utilities company, received investment from the Canadian government to begin electrifying its downtown Vancouver steam plant, and driving one of the largest fuel switches in North America. Learn more »

  • The federal government has invested $50 million into six life sciences venture capital funds, including Vancouver-based VCs Pender Ventures and Amplitude Ventures. Continue »

  • Another federal investment will support the electrification of Langley School District’s bus fleet. Learn more »

  • SHARC Energy, a wastewater tech company, has partnered with Subterra Renewables to co-develop up to $200 million of renewable thermal energy transfer projects. Continue »

  • For all the local funding news, become a Vancouver Tech Journal member »

🎁 Featured VTJ Membership Perk

This week: BrainStation

- Vancouver Tech Journal members receive a $500 discount on all BrainStation certificate courses and a $2,500 discount on all BrainStation bootcamps.

Contact [email protected] to redeem your perks or to learn more about VTJ membership.

🗞️ In other news

  • Teck and Glencore are fighting over a $23.2-billion takeover that could rewrite Canada's mining industry, and its role in producing metals for cleantech. Learn more »

  • CyberCatch, a Vancouver-headquartered company with an AI-enabled cybersecurity solution, commenced trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol CYBE. Learn more »

  • UBC students created one of Canada’s first institutional spaces designed to have near-zero embodied carbon with thermal insulation made of “hempcrete” – a mixture of hemp fibres and lime which captures carbon from the atmosphere as it sets. Learn more »

  • Mistywest is looking for nominations for the top 20 individual leaders in intelligent and connected devices, until May 5. Nominate someone today »

  • For all local news and our daily coverage, become a Vancouver Tech Journal member »

💼 Take your career to the next level

Whether you're looking for a dream role or a dream employee, Vancouver Tech Jobs has you covered with a wide selection of tech roles:

Check out who else is hiring on our Vancouver Tech Job Board »

Growing your team? Post a job with us »

Find your perfect office at WeWork

Bring your team together in a WeWork Private Office and get up to 3 months free* of monthly membership fees with a minimum commitment. Terms apply. Collaborate with your team in person, get focused work done, and enjoy professional amenities in your own private space.

Book a tour.

*For full terms visit We.co/MG

💡 Ideas and insights

  • Boris Wertz, founding partner of Version One Ventures, talks on the Web3 Prof podcast with Jarrett Vaughan about the waves of disruption in the crypto industry and the current state of the market. Listen now »

  • Brianne Miller, founder and CEO of grocer Nada, added some further context to the recent announcement about the closure of our physical store location and transition to an online-only delivery model: We’re going online

  • Chris Neumann, general partner at Panache Ventures, writing about how to make the most from mentors »

  • David Tso, growth and customer success manager at Covalent, gives the rundown on zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machines »

  • Hiroki Kudo, founder and CEO of MerryBiz, released the latest video in his Creating a Unicorn series. Watch now »

  • For all local content and our daily coverage, become a Vancouver Tech Journal member »

👋 Before you go…

Today’s one little ask: Vancouver Tech Journal relies on you to fund local journalism and to keep building your community. If you can spare $8.25 — or $7.23, using the “friends of” code for Kate, James, or Allison — please consider becoming a member. (And you’ll also get access to a whole load of exclusive perks!)

Reply

or to participate.