Building a global household name

The inside scoop of who and what's driving the city's momentum lately

Lisa Tanh
March 17, 2024

👋 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.

Before we get going, we want to know…

Are you a founder?

Now onto today’s briefing. It’s 1,044 words: a four-minute read.

-Lisa

🗞️ FROM VTJ

Simply Sweet Games is shaking up the gaming industry

Tired of the limiting beliefs, the former Electronic Arts developers plan to turn their studio into a global household name

How (and why) to get a job at Hiive

Why Sydnie Hyde left the corporate world for Hiive, the trading platform for ‘unicorns’ — and what to expect next from the fastest-growing company of its kind

How Steve Barker made his mark in auto tech with Autograph Analytics

The journey of Steve Barker's path from burnout to breakthrough, and founding auto tech and data solutions company Autograph Analytics.

See more stories at VanTechJournal.com

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🤝 FUNDING & DEALS

Codezero, a microservices development platform, raised $3.5 million in seed funding led by VC firm, Ballistic Ventures, to grow its sales and marketing teams and expand its partner network.
Mark Trevitt, managing director of Vancouver-based VC firm, Defined, announced plans to invest in early-stage AI and data companies through a USD $15 million fund — which has already secured over a third of its target.
The Canadian Food Innovation Network is awarding $464,518 to six foodtech projects through its Innovation Booster Program — which includes BC-based Jaks Automation’s robotic paneer handling and packaging system.
The Canadian government announced $14M in funding to help seven Vancouver-based businesses and organizations grow locally and compete globally:
- Augurex Life Sciences
- CarboNet Nanotechnologies
- Clarius Mobile Health
- FintelConnect Technologies
- BC Tech Association
- Craver Solutions
- QuantoTech Solutions

Achieving results for climatetech companies

In the Canadian climatetech industry, 2024 will mark a pivotal moment. Fasken has successfully completed over C$400M in venture financings for climatetech companies in the last 12 months. Leveraging our extensive legal expertise in this sector, we are able to navigate the current challenging fundraising environment to structure and close deals. Learn more here: Climate Tech | Fasken.

🗞️ IN OTHER NEWS

Markus Frind is back at the helm of a local tech company

Cymax Group announced Markus Frind as their new CEO.
Floorspace, the digital-first real estate brokerage firm, shared a new milestone marking the company’s growth: moving into an office on 745 Thurlow St.
Jacqueline Jennings, founder of the Fireweed Institute, the first national Indigenous entrepreneurship accelerator program, announced becoming a fellow in the Boston Impact Initiative Emerging Fund Manager 2024 Cohort.
Applications are open for the 2024 BC Tech Impact Awards.
Vancouver Entrepreneurs Forum is now accepting applications from business and technical co-founders and advisors looking to scale their venture for an upcoming ‘speed-dating’ event.
Futurpreneur is recruiting diverse entrepreneurs — between 18 to 39 — to represent Canada at the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance Summit in Goiânia, Brazil.

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💡 IDEAS & INSIGHTS

Josh Gray, CEO of Artemis, a data infrastructure company for startups and mid-size businesses, shared the company’s reflections on recent milestones and noteworthy experiences.
Chris Neumann, general partner at Panache Ventures, wrote about why tech ecosystems need to stop trying to replicate Silicon Valley and the value of sending local entrepreneurs across the border.
Alice Ko from Reframed Coaching for high-growth startup teams, shared the biggest mistakes she made as a new manager and what she would now do differently.
Geena Jackson, executive producer of Bears’ Lair TV, the reality series that follows 18 Indigenous entrepreneurs as they pitch their business plans to win $180K, announced the release of its first podcast episode.
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👀 CAN’T MISS

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Wed March 20 | #VTJTalks: Demystifying tech in Calgary: What’s causing Calgary’s tech boom and why should Vancouverites care? Join us for a candid dialogue about what’s driving the momentum through industry leaders from Fortinet, Showpass, Thin Air Labs, Slalom, and the Calgary Economic Development.

Thu March 21 | #VTJTalks: Engineering A Startup: Looking to start your journey in the startup world as a technical co-founder or developer? Scalar, Platformatic, and Panache Ventures will share key insights, guides, and tips — including approaching investors and securing funding.

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Building a global household name

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