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 Mustard Seed

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Our Tectorian of the Week is: The Mustard Seed! Plus, all our VIATEC Food Bank Challenge participants!

The Mustard Seed Street Church has been essential in fighting hunger and restoring faith to a large portion of people living in poverty, as well as the working poor, in greater Victoria since 1975. The Church ministries are nearly 100 percent community funded and include Vancouver Island’s largest Food Bank, a Family Center, Hospitality programs, and addictions recovery at Hope Farm Healing Centre as well as more traditional Church services.

The Mustard Seed positively impacts, on average 5,000 individuals per month, with more than 50 volunteers keeping things running everyday. However, their shelves have been very bare lately due to more assistance given in 2016 and donations being lower.

Well, in the past 4 weeks, 34 companies have come together for the VIATEC Food Bank Challenge to raise cash and non perishables for the Mustard Seed! Today from 12pm to 3pm, all the participants will drop off their remaining donations to the Mustard Seed for the final tally. If you have anything to donate, please swing by and say hi to the VIATEC team while you’re there OR donate from the comfort of your chair.

A HUGE thank you to all our participants. Winners will be announced soon and many families will have a wonderful holiday season as a result. Well done everyone!

2016 Participants:

  1. Avocette Technologies
  2. AXYS Technologies
  3. BDC
  4. Beanstream
  5. Carmanah Technologies Corp.
  6. Collect! Credit & Debt Collection software
  7. Codan Radio Communications
  8. Complia Health
  9. Crowd Content
  10. CUBE Global Storage
  11. Econics
  12. Flytographer
  13. Frankie’s Modern Diner
  14. FTS Forest Technology Systems
  15. GenoLogics
  16. GlobalWide Media
  17. HP Advanced Solutions
  18. IndyKey Rewards
  19. Latitude Geographics Group
  20. Monk Office
  21. MUSIC Group Innovation CA Inc.
  22. RevenueWire
  23. RingPartner
  24. Schneider Electric
  25. SendtoNews
  26. Smart Dolphins IT Solutions
  27. StarFish Medical
  28. Technology Guys IT Solutions
  29. Tourism Victoria
  30. Vecima Networks
  31. VIATEC & Ground Control Cafe
  32. Victoria Airport Authority
  33. Victoria Flying Club
  34. Vigil Health Solutions Inc.

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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

The Frosty Pop Corps

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Our Tectorian of the Week is: The Frosty Pop Corps!

The Frosty Pop Corps just became a VIATEC Member AND they just launched their new game Walls & Balls! That’s a pretty good week if you ask us.

Their game is a golf-pinball-pong hybrid with a Swiss design aesthetic, available only on the Apple App Store. This is The Frosty Pop Corps’s 10th feature on the App Store, and the first from their new home in Victoria, BC.

“It’s exciting to be living in such a vibrant gaming community here in Victoria, ” said founder Faisal Sethi. “Although I am new on the scene, at some point I hope to represent the Victoria gaming community on a global level with same creative reputation as Kano Apps, Tiny Mob, Codename, and many, many others.”

Walls & Balls can be downloaded at: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/walls-balls/id1083708143

Devan McCannel

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Our Tectoria blog has been leaning more towards featuring companies or organizations lately, but we couldn’t resist featuring one of our very own on his birthday, and a week away from his last day with VIATEC.

You may know Devan McCannel from when he dealt you a hand at a Dawson City casino, from his days at UVic (BCom – Entrepreneurship) or when he attended the City University of Hong Kong. Maybe you crossed paths when he worked for RevenueWire, when you took that random dance class in Vancouver or maybe you commented on his bungee jumping photo saying something like “Nope, no way, never.”

"Nope, no way, never."

“Nope, no way, never.”

Devan has a wealth of life experience for being under 30 and has worn a few hats, including Engagement Concierge (EC) at VIATEC since August 2014. As the EC he’s been responsible for community management, administration, advising and event management for the Venture Acceleration Program. He got to assist start-up technology companies identify viable business models and rapidly grow their revenues, in addition to helping start-ups find funding for their co-op positions through the BC-ISI Program.

He’s also been the lead organizer for VIATEC Peer Roundtables and several VIATEC events including the February 2015 VIATEC Food Bank Challenge (successfully raised over $40,000), and the Pitch Pit and Demo Camp events during Experience Tectoria 2014 and 2015.

Devan has not only proved himself to be a hard worker, but he’s also taken on the role of “office clown” with ease.

Devan’s contract with VIATEC is nearing an end, but his team will still see him half a block up Fort Street where he’ll be working with local startup company, LlamaZOO Interactive.

VIATEC wishes him the best of luck and thanks him for all the dedication he’s shown! Happy Birthday Devan!

 

Video Game Lounge exhibitors!

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Our Tectorian of the Week is an entire force! The following will be exhibiting in Discover Tectoria‘s Video Game Lounge at Crystal Garden on February 19th, 11am to 6pm.

PLUS, the following partners: School District 61, Loading Ready Run, Camosun Graphic Novel Program, IGDA, UVIC Game Dev Club, Agog Labs

Check out the video below for a glimpse into the excitement these companies will bring to this event!

Discover Tectoria 2013 from VIATeC on Vimeo.

Noah Gislason

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Well this is a first on the Tectoria blog… A Tectorian who hasn’t graduated high school yet?!

Noah Gislason is 13 years old, attends Maria Montessori Academy and he just wrapped up a week-long internship with the team at VIATEC, so we thought we’d give him the spotlight!

Noah enjoys swimming, reading, writing and his favourite subject is Literature and English.

“You get to read interesting books and write about whatever you want, as long as it’s the correct format; like an essay on the best invention or a second person debate speech,” commented Noah.

Noah’s school is unique in that every grade eight student needs to complete an internship around communities or a business hub in Greater Victoria. The school motto is “Education for Life” so they encourage their students to experience essential life skills to prepare them for life beyond school.

Noah hard at work on the 4th floor of Fort Tectoria.

Noah hard at work on the 4th floor of Fort Tectoria.

“I selected VIATEC as my ideal internship option because it was an interesting, progressive non-profit tech association,” explained Noah. “I thought they would be perfect for my interests and getting to see all the new and growing tech companies.”

Noah impressed the team with his knowledge of Excel by organizing files for the Fiscal Year and he bounced around Fort Tectoria pitching in wherever he could. He assisted the Facilities Manager, worked at the Ground Control Café, helped with event summarization, and completed inventory on the room full of VIATEC swag. During his experience at Ground Control Cafe, customers and staff quickly noticed his large vocabulary and knew he was a bright kid.

“What I really like about Victoria is that it is a strong, robust economy with varied job options in tech, business, and researching all in one city,” commented Noah. “When the older generations start leaving the workplace right around the time my generation will be entering the workplace, there will be even more job options… Minus a bit of the competition found among the millennial’s.”

When asked what Noah wants to be when he grows up…

“I have some more grounded ideas like being a doctor, lawyer, researcher or somewhere like VIATEC, but then I also have crazy ideas like solving crimes from a desk over at INTERPOL.”

What ever his path, we’re confident Noah Gislason has a bright future ahead of him and he may just end up being your boss one day.

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Red Brick Media

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They’re zany and creative, they jump into the cold waters of the Gorge and organize arm wrestling competitions to raise money for the VIATEC Food Bank Challenge, and they just happen to be one of Victoria’s fastest growing tech start-ups.

Red Brick Media focuses on innovative software development and advertising in the heart of downtown Victoria, and they have a blast doing it.

They are your one-stop-shop to simplify and scale. Their technology (web-based apps and downloadable programs), are built and managed in house with a mandate to eliminate clutter with cutting edge solutions. They bring intuitive products to users for a seamless browsing experience.

Red Brick Media worked with a Ph.D to create an advanced algorithm that determines the best advertising offers to show their users – processing millions of permutations in just a few seconds. They also built a geo-redirect, so their users can decide where they want specific offers to be sent. All of this means less wasted impressions and more time to relax.

Starting as a company of two in 2011, Red Brick Media now has over 36 employees in four different offices and is owned and operated by Victoria locals and UVic Alumni. They are constantly hiring and make an effort to adopt co-op students into their happy work-fam.

Red Brick Media’s arm wrestling competition fundraiser

They recently earned 2nd place in the VIATEC Food Bank Challenge for Greatest per Employee Contributor and they took home the “Freddy” robot trophy at last year’s VIATEC Technology Awards for Emerging Tech Company of the Year.

Red Brick Media has deep roots in Victoria. This was proved once again with the recent news of Co-Founder Tobyn Sowden investing in local tech company, Checkfront, along with 17 other investors, leaving Checkfront with a nice $1 Million in funding.

Red Brick Media has taken off and there are no signs of them slowing down. One thing’s for sure, they seem to always carve out time to give back to the community and work on building strong employee relationships that keep their business so solid.

If you come across this team at a future event, you’ve been warned NOT to challenge them at a Smirnoff Ice chugging contest… you’ll lose…

Jake West

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Jake West is the epitome of a triple threat: He’s an innovative educator, an entrepreneur and a performer… with a specialty in circus acts (you’ve probably seen him down at the Inner Harbour). He’s someone you’d want at your cocktail party, someone you’d want to shape the minds of future generations AND someone you’d want to do business with.

Jake is an educator at the Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry, the leading school for change and innovation in the entire province. It’s a one-room school house exploding with 3D printers, LEDs and eager youth.

“We are doing amazing things. I am trying to provide kids with the same level of freedom and opportunity to pursue their own personal learning, as the most innovative companies in the world currently do like Pixar and Google,” commented Jake. “Everyday for me is about creation with the kids and the ‘whoa, we are making some awesome stuff.’”

For $10 you can see what Jake and his students have been up to on April 18th at their Theatre Show at Berwick House.

As an entrepreneur, Jake fuses everything he does and everything he teaches. He’s a Monetary Historian, Salesman and Analyst with a particular focus on the technology sector and commodities.

“One thing that I would like to highlight is that Dan Gunn has given us tremendous support to develop cutting edge products for VIATEC,” commented Jake. “We are working furiously to get them done for Dan by the VIATEC Awards, so everyone can see an example of what happens when you enable super talented teenagers to shoot for the moon. We have been getting mentored by engineers from Limbic Media and the kids are actually getting a real experience of what it means to develop a startup and how to work as a team to get things done. I can’t think of a more relevant learning experience for the times we live in.”

Jake has only lived in Victoria for two years and last year he earned himself the VIATEC Technology Award for Education Champion. Now that’s impressive.
(Nominations are still open for this year’s champions).

“I am never leaving this town. I love the fact that I can hang out with incredibly creative people downtown, go to delicious restaurants and then it is only a 10 minute drive to swim in the lake.  Not many cities have that.”

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