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

Latitude Geographics

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Our Tectorian of the Week is: Latitude Geographics!

Battery Ventures, a global technology-focused investment firm, announced on Tuesday that it has made a significant investment in Victoria-based Latitude Geographics! Specific terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Latitude develops software called Geocortex that helps customers maximize the potential of their investment in web mapping technology made by Esri, the world leader in GIS whose software is the most powerful mapping and spatial data analytics technology available. Latitude’s business centers on government customers, as well as industry sectors like energy and public safety, and is focused on making it as easy as possible for organizations to deliver mapping and GIS technology to their end users. The company was founded in 1999.

“We are extremely excited to partner with Battery, a firm with a long history of helping software firms like Latitude reach their potential,” said Steven Myhill-Jones, Latitude’s CEO. “Additionally, I think Battery’s interest in the mapping/GIS space through its investment in fellow-Esri partner AED-SICAD in Germany demonstrates the firm’s long-term strategic commitment to the GIS market. Battery’s resources and expertise will help us grow and expand Latitude even more internationally; we look forward to working with their team.”

Congratulations to the entire Latitude team!

Source: BusinessInsider.com

Checkfront

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tectorian of the week

Our Tectorian of the week is Checkfront, a local software startup that  has just secured $1 million in investment funding.

RevenueWire alumnus Jason Morehouse serves as CEO of this SaaS startup that is aimed at taking the hassle out of managing bookings and reservations online.

Morehouse co-founded Checkfront with Grant Jurgeneit in 2010 and the pair has never looked back.

Thanks to the vision and hard work of Jason, Grant and their team, Checkfront has grown to become a powerful cloud-based booking management application and e-commerce platform. The online service is designed specifically for schedule-based businesses that need to manage activity, tours, accommodation, events and rentals.

Checkfront has processed over US$350 million in online bookings in just the past twelve months.

The Victoria startup has also seen a blistering 100% revenue growth year-over-year since launching in 2010.

Victoria’s tech ecosystem reaches critical mass

While securing $1 million in financing is truly something that should be celebrated, Checkfront’s success is just another example of the critical mass that is developing in Victoria’s tech sector.

Just as local adtech company Pretio was able to compete with competitors from outside Victoria to purchase Tap-for-Tap, Checkfront caught the eye of local investors and successful veterans of the startup trenches.

Financing was lead by well-known Tectorian Rasool Rayani and includes a local group of angel investors and successful entrepreneurs who are dedicated to helping grow Victoria’s tech community.

Checkfront, which was named VIATeC’s Emerging Technology Company of the Year in 2011 says it plans to use the funds to accelerate its rapid growth, pursue strategic partnerships and grow the team.

Victoria’s tech industry is blooming with new jobs. The ongoing success of Checkfront, combined with the trust of its newest investors is one reason why.