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- Clio's $4B secret
🗞️ Big moves in startup land this week: Vancouver Startup Week is nearly here, and Clio—the city’s $4B legaltech unicorn—is taking the spotlight. We’ve got the full scoop on who else is involved, including how to get discounted tickets. Plus: UBC’s Investor Showcase reveals 17 rising ventures, a major biotech merger takes flight, and UniUni brings robots into the last-mile delivery game. Also inside: a new leader at Alacrity, national expansion from Molecular You, and a reminder to stop overthinking AI.
Let’s get into it.
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🗞️ FROM VTJ
Clio, the Vancouver legaltech unicorn valued at more than $4B, will be front and centre at the upcoming Vancouver Startup Week, set to take place from May 20-23, 2025. Other participating organizations include Innovate BC, New Ventures BC, RBCx, Techstars, Boast, Google Cloud, Futurpreneur, and Creative Destruction Lab, among many more. VTJ readers get 20% off their tickets. Learn more.
Meet Vancouver’s next wave of innovators.
Innovate BC’s platform offers users customized support.
Carbon-negative materials, clean hydrogen, and CO2-to-energy breakthroughs land CICE support.
What BC founders need to know before stepping into the global spotlight.
In case you missed it…
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💸 FUNDING & DEALS
Jade Biosciences merges with Aerovate Therapeutics: Vancouver’s Jade Biosciences has closed a merger with U.S.-based Aerovate Therapeutics, combining their pulmonary hypertension programs and moving closer to clinical trials under a newly unified biotech banner.
UniUni partners with UK robotics firm to streamline last-mile delivery: Richmond-based delivery startup UniUni has teamed up with Global Robotics Services to bring robotic sortation technology to its Canadian logistics network, aiming to increase speed and efficiency for e-commerce clients.
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📰 IN OTHER NEWS
A new leader at Alacrity: Golriz Fattahi was named chief executive officer at Alacrity, which provides service to entrepreneurs. Fattahi was previously COO at the organization.
Why Alberta is becoming Canada’s food innovation hub: A wave of food and beverage brands are expanding or relocating to Alberta, drawn by lower costs, new government incentives, and easier access to U.S. markets, according to Fraser Valley Current.
Jane Software wins international award for customer service: Vancouver’s Jane Software earned a Stevie Award for Excellence in Customer Service, recognizing the company’s investment in fast, friendly support across its allied health practitioner platform.
KPMG’s Marc Low: Stop waiting and start using AI: At a recent AI Summit, Marc Low, a director at KPMG Canada, argues that Canadian leaders are over-indexing on AI anxiety and missing real productivity gains by waiting too long to act.
Molecular You expands predictive health testing across Canada: Vancouver-based Molecular You has launched nationwide access to its personalized health insights platform, offering users lab-based testing combined with AI-powered predictions on chronic disease risks.
Plus…
🚨 VTJ members got more stories like these in their Morning Report newsletter. If you’re not already a member, fix that now.
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