THIS WEEK IN TECTORIA

A community blog celebrating Victoria's booming tech sector

CONTACT THE TECTORIA BLOG

Got a cool story about technology and creativity in Victoria? Email stories, tips, pictures, links and anything of interest to Tessa Bousfield at: tectoria@viatec.ca

Tech community rallies for Food Bank Challenge

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It was great to hear Victoria’s tech community being acclaimed on CBC radio this morning. On The Island interviewed VIATeC’s Dan Gunn about how the association’s members raised more than $80,000 for the Mustard Seed Food Bank.

Since its creation 10 years ago, the ‘Food Bank Challenge’ has raised $1.5 million for  Mustard Seed and more than 35 companies were involved this year.

The most chilling fundraising venture had to be the ‘Harbour Hop’ – the simple but brave act of jumping into the harbour downtown in late November – which was led by the folks from Contech.

Workshop on PR basics on October 25

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I’m going to be speaking at a VIATEC event next week called ‘The Story of You.’ It’s a PR workshop designed for technology start-ups looking to win positive media coverage.

I will be presenting along with Robyn Quinn, from Big Bang Communications and Priologic Software, and outlining what is needed for a basic PR tool kit and sharing strategies to win positive media coverage in the technology sector.  Essentially, we’ll be teaching people how to tell stories about their business.

The event takes place on October 25 between 2pm and 3:30pm in the VIATEC boardroom. It’s free for VIATEC members and you can email Robyn, for more details or to reserve a spot, on robynquinn@shaw.ca.

Find VIATeC on the 2nd floor, 2659 Douglas St. Victoria, BC V8T 5M2.

So I’m the PR person at AbeBooks.com and have been either a PR person or journalist since 1990. Aside from my work at AbeBooks.com, my technology PR experience includes promoting British Telecom and BT Cellnet in the UK. I have also worked in PR for the National Football League and been at AbeBooks since 2005. I hope to see you there.

Attendance up at small tech startup group

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There’s an interesting post on the Techvibes blog about Jesse Learmonth, founder of Bet Smart Media, who runs a group on Meetup.com targeting Victoria’s small technology entrepreneurs and tech businesses with ambitions to expand.

“I wanted to create something that gives us a chance to get together without any agenda or membership fees,” explains Learmonth. “A way to meet people like myself.”

A meeting last month was attended by around 85 people. The group has been going for 12 months and is going from strength to strength. Victoria is a town full of tech startups so this makes sense. The group can be found on Meetup.com under Technology Startups in Victoria. They meet once a month.

German marine systems company opens for business in Victoria

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The lovely Carla Wilson reports in the Times Colonist that a German company specializing in high-tech marine systems has opened an office in Greater Victoria to win contracts from the lucrative Canadian maritime sector.

Rick Gerbrecht is running the newly incorporated Atlas Elektronik Canada Ltd, and he’s hiring now. The parent company, Atlas Elektronik Group, is headquartered in Bremen and is affiliated to the massive ThyssenKrupp.

The Canadian government has $35 million budget put aside for non-combat vessels so Atlas Elektronik Canada is well placed for orders for British Columbia shipyards.

Experience Tectoria off and running

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Andrew Duffy previews Experience Tectoria – the three-day conference and networking event that brings together high tech leaders from way beyond Victoria – in today’s Times Colonist.

Experience Tectoria offers a variety of seminars, workshops and pitch opportunities for local companies to strut their stuff, while visiting VIPs personally invited to Victoria for a high-tech familiarization tour will get a peak behind the scenes of the $2.5-billion sector.

Microsoft files US patent for new gaming system

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The BBC reports on a Microsoft patent in the US related to a new video gaming system that projects images of the game’s environment around a player’s room.

Microsoft’s patent suggests that current games console systems are constrained by their reliance on a single screen.

“Such displays are typically the only source of visual content, so that the media experience is bounded by the bezel of the display,” it said. “Even when focused on the display, the user may perceive architectural and decorative feature of the room the display is in… such features are typically out of context with respect to the displayed image, muting the entertainment potential.”

And what’s this got to do with the technology sector in Victoria? Earlier this year, Microsoft opened a game design studio in downtown Victoria, so I’m putting one and one together to make two. I have been told by one of the new hires that it’s an excellent place to work.

Experience Tectoria coming soon

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The broad scope of technology in Victoria is going to be showcased by an exciting event called Experience Tectoria, organized by VIATeC, that takes place from September 13 to 16.

Folks involved in the Victoria technology scene are being joined by experts and gurus from out of town for a series of seminars, workshops and events that include tours and music. It’s not going to be all tech talk as the booking of comedian/entertainer Reggie Watts (pictured) shows.

Technologists, start-ups, established firms, venture capitalists, M&A firms, angel investors and tech bloggers and journalists will be present. Here is the line-up of speakers, which includes Hootesuite, Q5, Telus, Acetech, Terapeak, ChatterBlock and Nokia.  Here is the schedule of events.

Q5’s ‘multi-billion-dollar’ camera

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Andrew Duffy wrote in the Times Colonist over the week about Q5 and its “real-time polarization difference imaging camera” called Detect POL, which is designed to enhance images captured in challenging environments like smoke, fog and dirty water.

(CEO Sage) Baker says matter-of-factly that the camera has multi-billion-dollar market potential, likening it to the impact thermal imaging had on a number of sectors.

Seaworthy design software from ShipConstructor

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This is a mean looking ship. It’s actually a “Littoral Combat Ship”, the USS Independence. And what’s that got to do with Victoria, BC? Well, this state-of-the-art US Naval craft was designed with ShipConstructor software.

The Independence is designed to handle submarine, surface and mine threats in the 21st century. It has a crew of 40, three helicopters and carries armoured Humvees and troops below deck.

ShipConstructor is a Victoria firm that offers shipbuilding software that provides design and modeling tools for building marine structures, so that includes oil rigs and platforms as well as a whole range of marine craft from tugs to massive cargo ships. This page offers examples of what the software can be used to design. I also found a YouTube tutorial video of the software in action.

Visual effects from Victoria’s RaceRocks 3D

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[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/35586501 w=550&h=300]

One of the most interesting technology companies in Victoria is RaceRocks 3D, which specializes in creating high-end 3D imagery and models. RaceRooks build impressive products for the gaming, film and television industries as well as the business and defence sectors. Clients include Fox, ABC, Warner Brother and the US Army.

On the video above you can see Scott Dewis from RaceRocks talking about the company’s move into defense simulations and its expectations for growth.

You might be unfamiliar with this company but you have probably seen its visual effects on Lost, Pushing Daisies, FlashForward, and Fringe.  Take a look at the RaceRocks’ show reels.