Today, we’re excited to launch the VTJ community Slack!
You told us you wanted an online hub for the Vancouver tech industry, and we listened.
Get advice from your community at #ask-vtj-hivemind, talk about your future in #career-chat, learn about Vancouver-based #events, get notified about #must-read-stories in local innovation, and hang out at the #watercooler for all the tech-related GIFs you can't share anywhere else.
Oh, and to make it even more exciting, the first 100 people to join our new Slack community will be entered into a draw to win one of 10 tickets to our next #vtjtalks event, AI: where are we now? That’s worth $30!
Can’t wait to see you online!
Now onto today’s briefing. It’s 1,214 words: a four-minute read.
-Kate, @KateWilsonSays
P.S. We’re on tour with our Tuesday Morning Tech Coffee at Entuitive Compliance! Join us this week from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at #420 - 1040 West Georgia Street. It’s free as always, but please register so our hosts know how many to expect.
VanHack CEO Ilya Brotzky reflects on Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship's announcements from centre stage at Collision conference.
The climatetech startup is figuring out how to both create a company and create a market for its product.
In the last of a three-part series on circular economy technologies, we find out how a startup produces tabletops, homewares, and art from disposable wood.
The company, an alumnus of the TiE Incubation Lab, is using AI to provide early detection of wildfires.
More than 50 percent of Canadians lack knowledge about the term "tech sector" — and that's a problem, says Kathleen Reid and Megan Shay.
Innovative Blue Tech Solutions Solve Ocean Challenges
The latest COAST Talks panel discussion features a non-profit organization disrupting traditional approaches to ecosystem restoration, a startup whose innovations provide transformative tools for marine conservation, and another whose bioplastic solution harnesses the ocean’s bounty to grow the circular economy and lessen ocean pollution. Watch on YouTube »
To learn more about COAST’s work building Pacific Canada's hub for the sustainable blue economy, visit canadacoast.ca.
🤝 Funding and deals
WonderFi has officially merged with Coinsquare and CoinSmart to form one of the largest regulated crypto investing ecosystems in Canada, with over 1.6 million registered users.
Pulse AI Compute Solutions, a subsidiary of GenAI, was approved to join the NVIDIA Inception program and initiated a purchase of USD $1.8 million of NVIDIA AI compute hardware.
Tribe Property Technologies has partnered with OctoAI to support condominium boards and strata councils with tools to better understand their building’s operational and financial health.
TGS Esports announced a strategic partnership with Toronto-based esports and media company, Rumble Gaming.
For all the local funding news, become a Vancouver Tech Journal member »
Helping innovators and changemakers tell their stories
As the country’s leading tech PR firm, Switchboard – an Earnscliffe Strategies company helps innovators create positive change by driving communication strategies that get results. Whether you need brand positioning, media relations, issues management or content creation, see how they’ll get you real results.
🗞️ In other news
Life Sciences BC just announced the winners of its 25th annual Life Sciences BC Awards, including a number of Vancouver-based innovators.
Zafin has won another accolade from Microsoft: the ISV Impact Award.
Flutter Care, a perinatal healthtech venture, is the sole B.C. venture to join the Hardware Catalyst Initiative, Canada’s only hardware and semiconductor-focused lab and incubator.
Vancouver fintech startups Blossom and Yield Exchange have made the top-25 finalists for the Digital Commerce Calgary Fintech Award.
Spring Activator launched its BC Nimbus Synergies Health Impact Investor Challenge and is looking for impact-curious angel investors.
For all local news and our daily coverage, become a Vancouver Tech Journal member »
Attend Vancouver's digital marketing showdown at Internet Masterminds! Six speakers, six strategies. Launch foam balls to crown the winner. Free pizza and Coco vodka/rum. Act now: it's almost sold out!
Get your company in front of 24,000+ Vancouver tech professionals
Advertise with Vancouver Tech Journal to get your brand seen by the heavy-hitters of Vancouver innovation. Learn more or get in touch today.
💡 Ideas and insights
Kate Wilson, managing editor of Vancouver Tech Journal, was featured on Erin Gee’s Alt-Text podcast, talking about Vancouver’s tech ecosystem and Canada’s place on the global stage.
VTJ staffer James Matthews’ panel at Motivate Vancouver featuring Diana Zhou, Sara Jones, and Geordan Hankinson is now available to watch on YouTube.
Dhawal Sharma, senior director of institutional legal at Coinbase, talks with Jarrett Vaughan on the Web3 Prof podcast about navigating the industry’s regulations.
Rithu Jagannath, content marketer at Spring Activator, shares six strategies to attract top tech talent in Canada.
Jeanette Jackson, CEO of Foresight Canada, speaks on the Cleantech Forward podcast with Allan Edwards — senior trade commissioner at the High Commission of Canada’s Trade office in Johannesburg, South Africa — and Lynn Cote, national lead of cleantech ecosystems and market intelligence at Export Development Canada.
👋 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!)