Office hours next Monday—open conversation at the bar

Building in the defence tech economy

Web Summit year two: what will we learn?

If you didn’t make it in time for this sold out event, read on for our next defence tech event on March 31.

​​​​Canada is modernizing defence procurement. Innovation programs are expanding. The question is: how can BC founders win in this new landscape?

​As geopolitical tensions reshape global supply chains and domestic capacity becomes a national priority, Canada is rethinking how it works with innovators—particularly in areas like advanced manufacturing, AI, cybersecurity, sensors, and dual-use technologies. For founders in British Columbia, that creates both opportunity and complexity. New funding streams are emerging. Procurement pathways are evolving. But translating early innovation support into long-term, revenue-generating government contracts remains a challenge.

We get a lot of requests for coffee meetings, quick drinks, and “can I pick your brain?” chats about Vancouver tech. We love the curiosity—but we can’t meet one-on-one with everyone.

​So we host open office hours.

​Every couple of weeks, we post up at a bar or café for informal, no-agenda conversation. Grab a beer, coffee, or tea and come talk to us about whatever’s on your mind—fundraising, storytelling, media, community building, where the ecosystem is heading, or something totally different.

​Canada's defence and security landscape is shifting — and for early-stage founders, the window to position early is now.

​We're hosting hosting a small, high-signal conversation for founders, operators, and investors who want to understand what's actually changing — and what it means for building companies at the intersection of deep tech and defence.

​We'll get into the policy shifts driving the opportunity: how Canada's defence industrial strategy is being rewritten, what programs like the Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) policy mean in practice, and where early-stage companies can genuinely compete. We'll also be direct about the friction — long procurement cycles, prime contractor dynamics, dual-use positioning challenges, and what it takes to move from pilot to contract.

​Looking to fill out your calendar ahead of time? Pop into our office hours on April 6.

​There’s no programming, no panel, no pitch stage. Just open time to connect, ask questions, share ideas, and meet other thoughtful people who care about building in Vancouver.

​​​​Four days. Thousands of attendees. A global spotlight on Vancouver. Again. Round two is officially over.

Now that the dust has settled, we’re bringing together local leaders from the worlds of tech, startups, and government to unpack year two of Web Summit Vancouver.

What’s top of mind today for leaders in Vancouver’s tech community? Join TAP and UBC Sauder as local leaders in analytics and AI share their thoughts. They’ll provide insights on how AI is augmenting business analytics functions — and what this means for companies in the analytics space.

They'll be discussing the impact of AI on early-career talent, particularly in analytics. Find out how their approach to hiring early-career talent has changed (or not!), and their thoughts on how to prepare for careers in the tech sector.

Apply for this cost-sharing grant program that funds small, medium and large enterprises to support skills training for their workforces, including prospective new hires.