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

The How’s

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Our Tectorians of the Week are: Father and son duo, Colin and Noah How!

You might know Colin How as the Chair of VIATEC’s Board, past Executive in Residence for VIATEC’s Accelerator program, Managing Partner of How Creative or bass player for the elusive “Long Shadows”.

Well, did you know him and his 16 year old son are also quite the hikers? They’re trekking through Peru at this very moment!

Colin and Noah managed to climb the impressive Machu Picchu in the Andes Mountains. They even brought a vintage VIATeC water bottle with them and snapped a few pictures, one at 4200m above sea level!



Just a few months ago we had another Tectorian take their Tectoria poncho from Rifflandia with them as they hiked through the very same spot!

 

There seems to be a trend starting and we’re digging it :). Still have your VIATEC Killer Whale? Take that baby on your next trip and send the pictures to tectoria@viatec.ca.

Thanks for representing Tectoria, all over the world!

RevenueWire

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Our Tectorian of the Week is: RevenueWire!

RevenueWire recently sponsored the UVic Co-op & Career Fair Oct 4-5 that had swarms of students and grads filling the Student Union Building.

A few days later they announced that CEO Bobbi Leach is finalist in the Female Executive of the Year in Canada category for the annual Stevie Awards! She will be named a gold, silver or bronze winner at the awards gala in New York on November 18, 2016. This is the second nomination for Leach, who won silver in the category in 2015. For the full news release, click here.

RevenueWire is a giant supporter of our tech community with constant presence, community outreach and hiring talent from every VIATEC event!

Keep up the great work RevenueWire, and good luck to Bobbi!

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Tectoria

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Our Tectorian of the Week is: All of Tectoria!

Tectoria was on display at its finest from September 15-17 as 37 investors flew in from all over North America, and even Norway! Investors, public and media heard the latest news from local tech companies at the Launch & Learn and saw their products in action at Demo Camp. Investors even got one-on-one time with local entrepreneurs and dove into details during a private “Pitch ‘N Putt the Harbour” event.

In addition to this, over 200 people gathered at Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club for the largest FuckUp Night gathering yet, and there was unlimited networking on rooftops, on the water, in the sky and even at the Rifflandia Music Festival.

LINKS

A huge thanks to the following local tech companies that participated:

And another huge thanks to our Local Hosts and of course, the following Sponsors & Supporters:

Eve Olynyk

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Our Tectorian of the Week is: Eve Olynyk!

Eve has been VIATEC’s Engagement Concierge as a part of her UVic BCom co-op for the past 4 months.

In this short amount of time, she has made VIATEC’s Accelerator Programs run incredibly smooth by giving the Executive in Residences (EiRs) and the Program Director very helpful insight, and gotten to know our local tech stars who help make tech the #1 sector in Victoria.

In addition to mastering the Accelerator Program, Eve has helped VIATEC with monthly networking events and the 2016 VIATEC Technology Awards.

Finally, in her “spare time” she even built a new site for the Accelerator Program!

To really grasp a “week-in-the-life-of”, give Eve’s blog a read. VIATEC sure kept her on her toes!

Eve is on her way to Portugal for a 6 month exchange and we wish her all the best. Who knows what talents she’ll come back with as she has already:

Come bid her farewell at tonight’s Member Appreciation Night and meet the three co-op students auditioning to take her spot!

Oh, and ask her about this photo…

Eve, the Silicon Valley Code Goddess

Eve, the Silicon Valley Code Goddess

Schneider Electric

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Schneider Electric started out with a focus on steel in the 19th century and switched gears to electrical distribution and automation in the 20th. They now specialize in manufacturing, hardware and software R&D, and they are one of the largest technology companies in Greater Victoria.

A small fraction of the very large Schneider Electric team accepted the award for Innovative Excellence at the VIATEC Technology Awards Show on June 26th. Project Manager, David Anderson accepted on behalf of his team for their innovative power quality meter. It was designed to help businesses understand where they are using their power and how to use it more efficiently, and it’s been VERY well received.

“Here in Victoria we have power metering design and manufacturing, all under one roof, and this allows us to optimize the project design life cycle and deliver our product in a timely manner,” commented Anderson. “Our future is going to be exciting because we are uniquely positioned to help customers solve their energy efficiency issues and also provide world-class leading products.”

In addition to this award, they have also earned the following in 2015 alone:

  • World’s most admired companies in 2015 (Fortune Magazine)
  • World’s Most Attractive Employers in 2015 (Universum)
  • Hervé Coureil, CIO of Schneider Electric, Finalist for the 2015 CIO Leadership Award (MIT Sloan CIO Symposium)

On top of their innovative achievements, they continue to have a strong presence in our community. In particular, they are top contributors in the VIATEC Food Bank Challenge for the Mustard Seed year after year, and in 2013 they won first place.

We are very excited to see what this powerhouse team achieves next!

Click below to view the Schneider Electric’s video interview for Innovative Excellence, alongside their tough competition!

Stocksy United

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The stock photo industry has made a huge pivot thanks to local co-operative, Stocksy United, and they just became a finalist for the Innovative Excellence VIATEC Technology Award because of it.

The galleries on stocksy are jaw-dropping. The images are all unique, colourful, full of imagination and something you might rather hang on your wall then put in a brochure.

There are many differences between Stocksy and other stock image companies, one of which is Stocksy’s photographers are invited and curated into the collection. This means you don’t have to search through endless pages of images to find something good, they do that for you.

Stocksy also doesn’t stop at photography.

They feature one-on-one interview pieces, travel stories and even food recipes. All with stunning photos to back-up the well written content, of course. You can spend hours on this website.

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To top it all off, Stocksy United is a multi-stakeholder co-operative, which means all of their photographers are also co-owners of the company.

“Almost every single person who works for Stocksy is also a photographer, from client relations to our lawyer,” commented Brianna Wettlaufer, CEO/Co-Founder. “When we say we love photography, it’s very personal to us.”

They’re collectively driven by their shared vision for creative integrity and sustainable business practices. The community behind Stocksy gains its strength through the open collaboration and support of ideas, experience, and artistic vision.

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The Stocksy team (united)

“Share the wealth” could also be their motto. Their financial structure is designed to pay out the majority of profits, with 50% of the initial royalty ($5-$50) and 75% of every extended license going directly into the photographer’s pockets. At the end of each year, the co-operative’s profits are distributed back to its members, with their membership growing by 500 every year.

“We’ve worked really hard to be where we are today,” commented Breanna. “It’s been two years of grit and sacrifice while being crammed into a small office with workstations on top of each other. We’re just finally coming up for air and are making time for fun together.”

At the end of last year they moved into their new, custom-renovated office in Market Square.

“The transparency of being a co-op definitely shows in our day-to-day business,” commented Breanna. “We have an open floor plan, collaborative workspace, and a fairly flat hierarchy. Everyone knows what every department is doing, and we are accountable to each other and respect each other. And one day soon maybe we’ll get a ping pong table.”

The team is incredibly proud that Stocksy is based in Victoria, BC and they are really excited to see the tech scene taking off here.

“Stocksy isn’t the most ‘out there’ socially, but we are here to support the tech scene any way we can. If you need photos, let us know! Or even stop by Fridays after 3:30 pm to come say hi and have a beer.”

Their office is located in Market Square and their photographers are… everywhere!

www.stocksy.com

Local Start-Up Whips Their Tech Into Shape

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Eco-Fit was one of the first Start-Ups to enter our accelerator program.. They build a custom hardware and software solution that is sold all over the world and employ people right here in Victoria. Their modules combine with the cardio fitness equipment at your local gym to make your workouts fun, social and competitive with people across the globe.

Their first major hurdle was simple; how do they demonstrate that their fitness modules, which attach to things like treadmills and stationary bikes, can work on a large scale in a massive gym? The challenge – the interference caused by so many wireless transmitters & receivers all in one place operating at the same time. The solution – building a custom wireless protocol designed to eliminate the wireless interference issue.

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What you are seeing in the above picture is their testing boards that prove, unequivocally, that their modules operate at 100% efficiency even when in extremely close proximity to one another. All together you are looking at 149 modules, all powered and all sending and receiving data effortlessly. Admittedly the VIATeC Accelerator community wasn’t entirely pleased with this solution. We wanted to see a ‘testing facility’ with 149 pieces of exercise equipment, sauna, steam room, roman bath, massage room, etc.

While we didn’t quite get what we wanted, Eco-Fit did set up a gym of sorts that is being enthusiastically used by ‘beta-testers’.

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Food Bank Challenge Winners

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While every company involved deserves a solid pat on the back, special congratulations go out to the five companies that made the 2013 Food Bank Challenge Podium. As previously mentioned, the names we announced as the winners last Friday night were, shall we say, less than correct. For this we truly apologize.

Now, we present to you THE REAL WINNERS of the

2013 VIATeC Food Bank Challenge:

Greatest Overall Contributor

1) Schneider Electric

2) Helm Operations

3) Seeker Solutions

Greatest per Employee Contributor

1) Quimper Consulting

2) Smart Dolphins

3) Helm Operations

Their creativity and dedication have truly made a difference in the lives of their Victoria neighbours, and they’ve once again proven how vital the tech sector is to our city.  Well done folks, well done!

A Look Back at Discover Tectoria

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Discover Tectoria

We were aiming for a big crowd but were blown away by the 4,500 people that came through the doors at Discover Tectoria 2013. The event was a massive success no matter which way you measure it, and it’s a testament to the profile the sector now enjoys and how fascinating the services and products created here really are.

With so much to do and see, chances are you weren’t able to see everything Discover Tectoria 2013 had to offer. So here are some of the top recaps of what turned out to be an iconic day in Tectoria history……

Official Recap by UberVideo

Discover Tectoria Recap Video

A selection of photos from the event:

Discover Tectoria Photo Album

Prefer a written recap? No problem, among many others, both TechVibes and the Times Colonist published articles about the event.

Thanks again to all of our sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, organizers, and volunteers. You’ve set a very high standard for Discover Tectoria 2015.

Discover Tectoria 2013 – Your Insider’s Guide

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Discover Tectoria

Ladies and Gentlemen: Start your Engines…… and robots, and video games, and smoke shows, and………. Oh man this is gonna be epic.

Pay attention and we’ll give you a heads up, an insider’s scoop, if you will, on what to expect, when to be where, what not to miss, and how to win some PRIZES!

Where is this event anyway?

Discover Tectoria is happening at The Crystal Gardens at 713 Douglas St.

What do I need to bring?

We’re raising money for the VIATeC Food Bank Challenge in support of Victoria’s Mustard Seed, so this is how it works.  Everyone falls into one of the following categories.

  • You’re in the know, and you, therefore, downloaded a free ticket.  Great! Please bring your ticket, on paper or your phone, and one non-perishable food item with you.
  • Unfortunately, you missed the download, and don’t have a free ticket. Please bring two non perishable food items with you, then sign up for our newsletter so you don’t miss the next one. http://eepurl.com/Jlq99
  • Unfortunately, you missed the download, don’t have a free ticket, and didn’t bring a food item or cash to donate. Come on people! #TechFansGiveCans. But yah, you’re probably still a good person, so we’ll let you in anyway.  Or, you could sing us a song? It’s just a suggestion.

Anyway, moving on:

When should I show up?

The event runs from 11am – 6pm, but if you’d like to be a wee bit more strategic, pay attention to the following:

  • The Keynote speeches by Bob McDonald and Ann Makosinski begin at 3:15pm. If you’ve registered for these speeches, you’ll want to arrive a few hours before that to ensure you see all of the exhibitors as well.
  • Camosun College Presents Mr. Wizard Rocketsauce Show – 11:15am, 12:45pm, 2:00pm
  • Coding for Kids by Mozilla – 12:00pm, 1:15pm
  • If you don’t have tickets to the keynote speeches, I’d highly recommend heading to the event around 2:30pm. You know, ’cause the lines might be a little shorter.

What’s there to do besides the scheduled presentations above?

There’s absolutely nothing to do or see besides the above events.  ARE YOU CRAZY?? There’s so much to do and see:

  • More than 70 exhibitors
  • The Innovation Showcase (all the big, shiny, cool stuff that can’t fit in a booth)
  • Tectoria Video Game Lounge – 19 Victoria gaming companies set to blow your mind
  • and SO MUCH MORE – Check it all out here, if you actually need more motivation

Post, Tweet, Click, and Sign Up your way to Prizes

Here are the keys to walking away a winner:

  • Our social media accounts are going to be in full force, tweeting, posting, tagging, Instagramming and much more. For the latest, up to the second info, and to see what everyone at the event is talking about, log in often, and contribute to the #DiscoverTectoria conversation.  And please, please, please, take a ton of ridiculous, off the wall, insane pics to share with us.
  • To win any of the prizes, you must have signed up for the This Week in Tectoria Newsletter. 
  • Today is the launch of @Tectoriagram – our new Instagram account.  To celebrate, we’re giving away a prize for Best Tectoriagram photo at the event.  Don’t forget to mention us!
  • The hashtag for today’s event is #DiscoverTectoria and we’re giving away a prize for most creative tweet.  Don’t forget to mention us (@VIATeC) and include the hashtag!

Keynote Speakers:

Bob McDonald

Loved by audiences across Canada for making complex scientific issues understandable, meaningful, and fun, Bob McDonald is in high demand. A fixture in broadcasting for more than 30 years, he is currently the host of CBC Radio’s Quirks & Quarks, the award-winning science program that is heard by 500,000 people each week. He is the author of numerous bestselling books, and a member of the Order of Canada.

In addition to hosting Quirks & Quarks, McDonald is a regular reporter for CBC TV’s The National. As a writer, he has authored three science books, and contributed to numerous science textbooks, magazines, and newspapers, including The Globe and Mail. His latest book is Measuring the Earth with a Stick.

McDonald has been honoured for his outstanding contribution to the promotion of science within Canada. He is a recipient of the “Michael Smith Award” from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council; the “Sir Sanford Fleming Medal” from the Royal Canadian Institute; and the “McNeil Medal” from The Royal Society of Canada. He also won a 2008 Gemini Award for “Best Host in a Pre-School, Children’s or Youth Program or Series.” He holds six honorary doctorates from Canadian universities.

Ann Makosinski

You may recognize Ann as the 15-year-old Victoria student who won top prize in Google’s annual global science fair this year. Makosinski, whose entry was chosen from among thousands to represent Canada at Google’s global fair in California, created what she dubbed ‘The Hollow Flashlight,’ to show how humans can be a source of thermal energy.

Just last week Ann was also chosen by Time Magazine as one of the 30 People Under 30 Changing the World. She’s only half way to 30 years old!

Ann will speak about her experience at Google’s science fair and how she first came up with the idea of making the flashlight. There will also be a Q&A period where members of the audience can ask Ann their questions.

Food, Glorious Food

A great event needs great food. We’ve got not one, not two, but three of Victoria’s most popular food trucks parking right out front of the Crystal Gardens.

Leave your lunch at home.

Are you coming to Discover Tectoria Today? What are you most excited for? Do you have any questions?

Post your comments, questions, and concerns below.

And if you’re at the event, swing by and visit us at the VIATeC table.

by Steve Hof