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- What do Science World, Microsoft's president, and satellites have in common?
What do Science World, Microsoft's president, and satellites have in common?
They're all headline stories in today's Sunday Briefing. Read on for the week's best tech and innovation news.
Kate Wilson
October 30, 2022
Before I started writing about tech, I worked as a music journalist. And believe me, following a band around the country is as awesome as you think. Multiple dates, new friends, old buddies, the vibe of hanging out with people who are into the same stuff as you…
We wanted to capture that feeling for our readers — but make it Vancouver tech. So, starting on Tuesday, we’re taking our weekly morning coffee on tour.
As usual, you’re invited to join us every Tuesday between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. to connect with the Vancouver tech community in a casual environment. But now, we’ll be switching venues every week, thanks to a roster of outstanding hosts. Check out a new office, discover a new career, find your next co-founder, or learn something new — all while touring the best spaces in the city.
You can register for one (or more) of our upcoming coffee dates now:
- Tuesday, November 1: The Home Key
- Tuesday, November 8: ECOMsquare
Now onto today’s briefing. It’s 1,241 words, a four-minute read.
—Kate Wilson, @KateWilsonSays
P.S. Don’t forget — tomorrow is your last day to claim your 14-day free trial of our VTJ Members’ Club. Want to learn more?
Vancouver would thrive as part of a connected Cascadia region, says Microsoft President Brad Smith
Smith believes that by focusing on climate and clean energy, the Pacific Northwest can become an economic megaregion. Political leaders of B.C., Washington, and Oregon agree. Do you? Start reading »
EarthDaily Analytics is looking down on us from space
The satellite company harnesses breakthroughs in software to help decision-makers solve the Earth’s biggest challenges: from forest fires to leaky pipelines. Start reading »
Science World secures $10M in federal funding, will launch Creative Technology Gallery next year
The funding is being provided through the new regional development agency Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan). Start reading »
"We trust our people to do good work." — How (and why) to get a job at BCLC
Director of people rewards and recruitment Rob Annett talks the crown agency’s tech, province-wide team, and social purpose. Start reading »
Vancouver is ready to foster the next generation of biotech companies
Creative Destruction Lab launches the global Advanced Therapies stream in Vancouver, in partnership with the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine. Start reading »
Watchlist: B.C. women leaders in biotech and life sciences
Meet innovators and change-makers whose work is helping to make life better – and longer. Start reading »
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🤝 Funding and deals
Sparx Technology’s platform for real-time audience engagement will be used by the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers for the 2022-2023 season. Continue »
The Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program invested $1.14 million into Deadwood Innovations and the Nak'azdli Development Corporation (NDC), as well as $4.25 million to Tolko Industries. Details »
The Salish Environmental Group received $2.5 million from Raven Indigenous Capital Partners to create capacity for the next phase of expansion for their composting operations. Continue »
Vicinity Motor Corp., which produces commercial electric vehicles, announced the purchase order of over USD $100 million for a thousand of its VMC 1200 trucks. Continue »
ethos, a newly-launched NFT platform for brands, is partnering with publicly traded company BigCommerce as a Preferred Technology partner to help its customers benefit from the NFT market. Continue »
🎟️ Next week: #vtjtalks: Ecommerce Business Growth & Vancouver’s D2C Ecosystem | Nov 8
Join us next month to learn about the growing community of innovative and world-class D2C companies building in B.C. Speakers include:
- Taran Ghatrora, co-founder and CEO, Blume
- Braden Parker, co-founder and CEO, Casca Designs Inc.
- Rob Fraser, founder and CEO, Outway
🗞️ In other news
🎟️ Vancouver Tech Journal founder William Johnson will give a keynote titled Tech Sector Today: What is the New Normal at the Vancouver Digital Project Managers’ first in-person meetup since 2020. Join him for free beer and pizza at WillowTree on November 2 to learn about Vancouver’s digital and tech trends. Register now »
BCIT Computing has summarized five ways your organization can benefit from connecting with the organization, from early access to talent to upskilling workers. Read on »
The City of Vancouver is seeking innovations within transportation, waste, and the built environment to draw closer to reaching goals related to a zero-carbon smart city. Continue »
Edo De Martin announced that it was his last day at CubicFarms where he served as interim CEO, CTO, and president over the past year and eight months. LinkedIn »
Research-based businesses were recognized at SFU’s i2I Venture Pitch event, with the two winning startups focused on ice-repellant coating and viral detection tech. SFU »
Metaspectral is highlighted as a company that’s using artificial intelligence and machine learning to measure carbon and detect greenhouse gases. Successful Farming »
The Vancouver Economic Commission and Immigrant Employment Council of BC are inviting technology employers to provide feedback to a survey that will help shape a series of “soft skills” bootcamps for newcomers to Canada. Continue »
The Vancouver-based trio of Ainsley Rose and Hannah Todd (Londre Bodywear), and Karen Danudjaja (Blume) was selected for the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women North America Class of 2022. Continue »
💼 Take your career to the next level
Everyone’s talking about hiring. And while some local companies have laid off team members, there are hundreds of other Vancouver tech businesses searching for talent, including AbCellera, Tsunami Solutions, Seaspan ULC, LandSure, Inetco Systems, Tantalus Systems, Withe, and PayPal.
Check out who else is hiring on our Vancouver Tech Journal Job Board »
Growing your team? Post a job with us »
💡 Ideas and insights
Karima Bawa, strategic adviser on intellectual property for the Digital Technology Supercluster, and Peter Cowan, CEO of Intellectual Property Ontario, writing in the Globe and Mail: Without a strategy, Canada can’t sustainably commercialize its intellectual property
Michael Stephens, a partner at Fasken law firm, joined the Afternoon T podcast to discuss the three areas young startups tend to stumble as they go through M&A, among other topics. Listen now »
Zainen Suzuki, a software engineer at ECAD Labs, joined Launch Academy’s Bits and Bytes podcast to explain why he left music for a career in software development, what skills are necessary for coding, and the potential of Web3. Listen now »
Brandon Waselnuk, CEO of Codex, joined The Hard Part podcast to discuss his first venture TattooHero, his product background, and the unique way he and his team created Codex. Listen now »
👋 Before you go…
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