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:
Tonight: the talent crunch threatening Canada's tech future
How BC is building resilience through technology
Navigating the funding landscape in today's market
UPCOMING EVENTS
🗓 Wednesday, February 18 | Register
Join Vancouver Tech Journal and Northeastern University for a candid discussion on what’s actually happening in the tech talent market—and what needs to change so Canada can keep building world-class companies while maintaining public trust.
We’ll dig into hiring realities across startups and enterprise, the role of post-secondary pathways, and where provincial and federal policy can help (or hinder) outcomes over the next decade.
You’ll hear from:
Steve Eccles, Regional CEO and Dean, Vancouver at Northeastern University
Victoria Brydon, Principal Brydon Strategies; former Chief People Officer, D-Wave Systems
Patrick MacKenzie, CEO, Immigrant Employment Council of BC
Moderator: David FitzGerald, Founder & Principal Technical Recruiter, Starboard Recruitment
SPONSORED BY VRIFY
Applying AI in the Real World: Insights from a Geophysicist
AI is only as powerful as the quality of the data and domain expertise behind it. In high-uncertainty, real-world environments, building reliable machine learning systems means grappling with noisy signals and sparse datasets. In this interview, geophysicist Stanislawa Hickey shares how AI is applied in mineral exploration, where geophysical data must be structured, cleaned, and engineered before models can produce meaningful predictions. She unpacks the technical challenges behind prospectivity modelling and where human judgment still outperforms automation. For engineers and AI practitioners interested in applied ML beyond traditional SaaS use cases, this is a grounded look at deploying AI in complex physical systems. Read more.
🗓 Thursday, February 26 | Register
Join Vancouver Tech Journal and BCIT for an in-depth conversation on how technology is reshaping the way we anticipate, respond to, and recover from disruptions.
From wildfire detection and emergency response to infrastructure modernization, workforce readiness, and data-driven decision-making, this event will explore where BC is leading, where gaps remain, and what it will take to build a truly resilient province.
You’ll hear from:
Sheila Schindel, Managing Director, Commercialization & IP Programs, Innovate BC
Michael Lee, Chief Strategy Officer, UrbanLogiq
Paras Sharma, Principal, InBC
Dr. Michal Aibin, Program Head of the Master of Science in Applied Computing, BCIT
William Johnson, Founder, Vancouver Tech Journal
SPONSORED BY FUTURPRENEUR CANADA
Got a business idea?
Futurpreneur is Canada's leading non-profit helping young entrepreneurs aged 18–39 start, buy or grow a small business. They offer startup loans up to $75,000 with mentorship and resources to help you succeed. Since 1996, they've helped launch more than 14,700 businesses across every province and territory, with tailored programs for Black and Indigenous founders. Get started today at connect.futurpreneur.ca/partner.
🗓 Wednesday, March 18 | Register
Join Vancouver Tech Journal & VanHack for an evening conversation with experienced founders and operators who have scaled products and teams across different stages of growth.
From early-stage scrappiness to global expansion, our panelists will share candid lessons on what worked, what didn’t, and what they wish they knew earlier.
SPONSORED BY FASKEN MARTINEAU
Fasken has supported founders, investors and acquirers in the emerging tech ecosystem for over 30 years. We offer a full suite of services that scale as your needs evolve. Learn more.
🗓 Tuesday, February 24 | Register
Access to capital remains one of the most critical and complex challenges founders face as they build and scale their companies. From early non-dilutive funding through seed and pre-seed rounds to later-stage growth capital, each stage presents distinct expectations, risks, and decision points for founders.
This VEF event brings together investors, founders, and ecosystem partners for a candid, practical conversation about navigating the funding landscape in today’s market, and is a ‘must attend’ if you plan to raise in the next 12 months.*
SPONSORED BY TECHEXIT.IO
TechExit.io Vancouver explores how founders build leverage before a deal begins, sharing real lessons from operators, investors and buyers. Supported by Title Partner Vancouver Tech Journal, attendees can register using promo code VTJ20.
🗓 Tuesday, February 24 | Register
Join Vancouver’s business and tech community for an evening of stand-up comedy, an improv Startup Pitch-Off with surprise decks and prizes, plus networking and drinks.*
Sponsored listing
🤝 NEW OPPORTUNITIES
🗓️ 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.
👋 YOUR COMMUNITY
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🗓️ Vancouver Tech Events Calendar | All local events in one place.
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