Welcome back to VTJ’s Midweek Memo: the Vancouver tech events and opportunities newsletter you can’t miss.
And now, in this week’s edition:
The art of the ask
Beyond the pilot trap
Taking stock of the ecosystem
UPCOMING EVENTS
🗓 Wednesday, October 29 | Register
New InBC chief investment officer Thomas Park to speak alongside other investors and founders.
Raising capital is never easy — and in today’s market, founders need more than just a great pitch to secure the right investors. This edition of #VTJTalks brings together experienced Vancouver founders and ecosystem leaders to share their real-world fundraising stories, lessons learned, and practical strategies for success.
SPONSORED BY TAP NETWORK
Navigate Pay Transparency Confidently
With pay transparency legislation now in effect across many Canadian provinces, benchmarking against leading tech employers is more critical than ever.
TAP Network's 2025 Tech Sector Salary and Total Rewards Survey, produced in partnership with Mercer, reveals median salary increases of 3.5% across Canada's tech sector. Product Marketing, Data Science, and UX Research led with the highest year-over-year gains. This comprehensive report analyzes compensation data from 26,000+ incumbents at 206 Canadian tech companies, covering specialized roles in Software, VFX/Animation, Gaming, AI, Quantum, Hardware and more. Plus, gain access to 86 pages of competitive HR policies, turnover and retention data, employee benefits analysis, and long-term incentive trends.
Make data-driven pay decisions with confidence.
🗓 Tuesday, November 25 | Register
According to the MIT State of AI in Business 2025 study, 95% of Generative AI pilots fail. Despite massive investment, most organizations remain stuck in the GenAI Chasm: adoption without transformation, pilots without measurable ROI. Yet, a small group - the 5% who succeed - are showing an emerging path forward.
Join Vancouver Tech Journal and GovAI.fm for an honest conversation about what it really takes to cross — or fall into — the GenAI chasm.
🗓 Wednesday, December 10 | Register
Vancouver’s tech and innovation sector has seen explosive growth over the past decade — from AI and biotech breakthroughs to world‑class climate tech and gaming studios. But as we enter the second half of 2025, the big question is: Are we living up to our potential as a leading innovation hub?
🗓 Thursday, October 23 | Register
This webinar gives founders and business leaders a complete roadmap to securing non-dilutive fundings (e.g. IRAP and SR&ED) 💰, avoiding common costly HR pitfalls 🛡️, and providing competitive tax-efficient health benefits 🏆.
*Sponsored by Eugenie HR
SPONSORED BY FLEXIBLE WORKSPACES. PROVEN RESULTS.
Where Great Teams Do Their Best Work
Flexible workspaces that work harder for your business. WeWork helps companies of all sizes reduce overhead while creating environments where employees love to work. Better spaces, better results, better bottom line. Connect with a WeWork expert today.
🗓 Saturday, October 25 | 🎟 Register
Join us the 2nd annual AWS Community Day Canada — a full day celebration of learning, networking, and innovation with Vancouver’s vibrant cloud community! Following the success of its first year (780 attendees, 13 sponsors, 7 main talks, and a bustling community hall of 20 local groups and businesses), this year’s event is set to be even bigger and better.
SPONSORED BY THE HIGH TECHNOLOGY FACILITIES GROUP
Vancouver's Tech Office Experts
Connect with The High Technology Facilities Group at CBRE Ltd. – leaders in sourcing office space for BC’s startup and unicorn companies. The HTFG excels at helping clients find unique workspaces that drive productivity, reflect values, attract top talent, and fuel workplace culture.
Check out how The HTFG can help, or reach out to Alain, Blair, Kevin or Andre from The HTFG.
🤝 NEW OPPORTUNITIES
🗓️ November 20, 2025 | Apply
Submit an application to the Innovator Skills Initiative, designed to increase diversity in the tech sector and help B.C.-based businesses fill talent shortages and grow. The program provides grants to employers that are hiring for tech or tech-related roles.
🗓️ Ongoing | Apply
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.
SPONSORED BY VRIFY
Kevin Byrne embodies the new geologist: curious and data-driven. After a year at the startup, he’s helping bridge geoscience expertise with AI innovation to redefine how mineral exploration and mining companies make discoveries. Read more.
👋 YOUR COMMUNITY
🗣 VTJ Community Slack | Can’t make it to any in-person events? Network and chat with your friendly neighbourhood tech professionals using our dedicated Slack.
🗓️ Vancouver Tech Events Calendar | All local events in one place.
💪 Become a VTJ Corporate Member | Get your brand in front of thousands of tech professionals, investors, decision makers, and leaders. Get in touch today.
