👋 Good morning, and welcome to (or welcome back to) VTJ’s Sunday Briefing: your weekly digest of the city’s innovation news, deals, insights, and more.
By now, you’ve likely heard the news that Vancouver dropped four places in Startup Genome’s 2024 global startup ecosystem ranking — sliding from 30th to 34th globally.
With the announcement of Vancouver hosting the rebranded Collision and more meetups hosted on how to make Vancouver a better tech hub, I’m confident that we can expect a positive change in our ranking in future reports.
Keen to join these conversations? Don’t miss out on the many events we’re hosting in the coming weeks.
Now onto today’s briefing. It’s 1,020 words: a four-minute read.
-Lisa
P.S. We’re trying a new look and would love to know what you think! Take our poll at the bottom so we can make your experience even better.
🗞️ FROM VTJ
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🤝 FUNDING & DEALS
Apollo Insurance, an online insurance platform, secured $18.5 million to launch FinShore, which will allow customers to defer payments on their insurance premiums.
Kardium, which develops a system for atrial fibrillation, raised USD $104 million to complete its PULSAR clinical study, grow the manufacturing team and capacity, and build a clinical support and commercial team.
Copperleaf, a provider of enterprise decision analytics software solutions, is being acquired by Industrial and Financial Systems, a leading tech innovator in cloud and industrial AI software.
Innovate BC put out a reminder that applications remain open for their Ignite program, which awards up to $300K to fund B.C.-based research and development projects that are innovating in natural resources, engineering, and applied sciences.
Get the latest funding and deals announcements and stories curated in our Members-only Morning Report.
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🗞 IN OTHER NEWS
Web Summit, the global tech events company, announced the launch of Web Summit Vancouver as its new North American flagship event — succeeding Collision in Toronto — for 2025 and beyond.
Innovate BC’s On-Farm Technology Adoption Program is helping farmers adopt automation, robotics and innovative growing, packing and storage solutions to increase food production and combat labour challenges.
Convergence, which creates award-winning digital products for public and private sector clients, launched its Spaces program, offering dedicated workstations, premiere corporate facilities and advisory support to a select cohort of entrepreneurs.
💡 IDEAS & INSIGHTS
Minister Brenda Bailey highlighted why Web Summit Vancouver is a major deal for our tech sector and why she’s been supporting the deal from the beginning — from BC having the second largest startup community in Canada and more.
Mehrsa Raeiszadeh, co-founder of MintList, an online marketplace that allows consumers to buy and sell their cars for the best value directly from and to dealers, shared reflections about failure from
Vancouver Startup Week and Cold Tea Collective’s #AsianFails panel.
Peter Smyrniotis, executive operator and VC, shared what’s overlooked in building high-performance teams and how he’s helped teams transform to exceed expectations, and ultimately, secure substantial institutional funding.
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👀 CAN’T MISS
June 18 | Vancouver Tech Morning Coffee (new location: FUNK coffee bar): Ease into the week with new connections and fresh ideas and inspiration by meeting the VTJ team and tech community through our weekly meetup series. And if you’re looking to collaborate or partner with the VTJ, be sure to find Nicole to talk ideas!
➡️ Register
June 19 | VTJ Members Only Social: Join us and MindMeld PR for happy hour at a swanky restaurant to connect with fellow founders and other VTJ members. MindMeld PR is the go-to agency for innovative tech companies in Canada, U.S., and beyond. The agency will be covering attendee’s first drink but spots are limited to 15 people, so be sure to register quickly!
Not a member? Sign up here and get access to this event and more.
➡️ Buy tickets
June 27 | #VTJTalks: The Year in Vancouver Tech — So Far: Hear from local leaders about what's going right and wrong for Vancouver's innovation ecosystem so far in 2024. Panelists include our very own, William Johnson, VC Chris Neumann, and Fasken partner Ally Bharmal.
➡️ Buy tickets
June 29 | Vancouver Business Networking Party: Internet Masterminds is teaming up with Bootleggers Cocktail and the Vancouver Club to bring the biggest Vancouver business networking party of the summer — featuring four floors of music, art, and entertainment across eight rooms within the exclusive Vancouver Club. Use ‘VTJcode’ for 15% off tickets.
➡️ Buy tickets
VTJ Members get early access and discounts to all our events. Don’t miss out.
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🗓 In real life
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