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Welcome back to VTJ’s Midweek Memo: the Vancouver tech events and opportunities newsletter you can’t miss. In this week’s edition:
Our favourite Web Summit afterparties
How to meaningfully integrate AI into your business
Stealing the spotlight at Web Summit
Nail down your business model
But first, a question…
Are you headed to Vancouver Startup Week later this month? |
VTJ EVENTS
🗓️ Tuesday, May 13 | 🎟️ Time to shine
Are you a founder prepping for Web Summit? Or just want to sharpen your pitch in front of a crowd? Join us for a fast-paced, no-fluff evening of 1-minute pitches, real-time feedback, and friendly competition—all in front of a live audience.
This isn’t about pitching for funding–this experience is for anyone who wants to refine their startup’s story.
Here’s how it works:
Up to 15 founders take the mic (50% full already!)
1-minute pitch (NO SLIDES) + 3 minutes of feedback from:
Casey Lau, executive vice president, Asia Pacific at Web Summit
Kate Bouchard, CEO & founder of Loba and principal of Armature Collective
Melaniia Volkodav, investor at Panache Ventures
William Johnson, vice president of strategy at Overstory Media Group and founder of Vancouver Tech Journal
Live audience voting and prizes
Sign-up to pitch or support your favourite startups:
🚨 Not yet a member?
Remember: VTJ members get 50% off our #VTJTalks series. Don’t miss out — become a member now.
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OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS
🗓️ Wednesday, May 14 | 🎟️ Register
Part of New Venture BC’s Startup Education series, this session will dig into how artificial intelligence can help you uncover what your customers really need.
Discover how to use ChatGPT to define customer personas, create customized interview scripts, and analyze AI generated transcripts to identify patterns and opportunities.
🗓️ Wednesday, May 14 | 🎟️ Register
Hosted at Convergence, this event brings together top minds who are deep in the trenches of AI implementation.
Whether you’re leading digital transformation or evaluating how AI fits into your roadmap, this event is your chance to hear what’s really working, what’s not, and how to make AI deliver measurable impact.
SPONSORED BY FASKEN
Race to zero with Fasken
As the world races to achieve net-zero carbon emissions, leading Canadian companies are putting their trust in Fasken. As the first Canadian law firm to launch an emerging tech practice over 30 years ago, Fasken is the go-to law firm for those investing in ClimateTech companies or scaling companies in the industry. Learn more.
🗓️ Friday, May 16 | 🎟️ Register
Whether you’re pitching to investors, partners, or customers, your startup’s success depends on how well you tell your story.
With significant tech events like the Web Summit Vancouver and Vancouver Startup Week are right around the corner, this workshop will equip you with the skills to clearly articulate your problem statement, highlight your traction, and avoid funding roadblocks so you stand out in every conversation.
SPONSORED BY INNOVATE BC
Equip your startup for success ahead of Web Summit Vancouver
Is your startup ready to leverage Web Summit Vancouver for success? The Road to Web Summit Vancouver (R2WSV) is here to help you maximize your conference experience with tailored events and programming designed to give you the skills and resources to make impactful connections, share your story and drive growth.
🤝 NEW OPPORTUNITIES
🗓️ Multiple | Apply
If you’re a founder developing a science- or technology-based venture with the potential for massive scale, this is your opportunity to work with world-class mentors, serial entrepreneurs, investors, scientists, and operators who’ve built and backed industry-defining companies.
🗓️ Ongoing | Apply
Submit an expression of interest for Digital’s co-investment program, designed for projects focused on unlocking the opportunities in the mining and energy sectors.
SPONSORED BY INNOVATE BC
Innovate BC's Road to Web Summit Vancouver (R2WSV) initiative is helping B.C. startups maximize their conference experience with tailored events and programming that will give them the skills to make impactful connections, share their story and drive growth.
🗓️ Ongoing | Apply
Apply for Innovate BC’s Venture Acceleration Program, developed to help tech entrepreneurs accelerate the process of defining a proven business model. Whether you’re just starting out or you have already established your business, this program is designed to help growing technology companies.
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👋 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.
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