Vancouver Tech Journal

Shaping the future of Canadian finance: data portability and e-KYC 🔐 Canadian investors want secure, seamless access to financial products — and data portability is key. Yet, transferring Know-Your-Client (KYC) data between firms remains a challenge due to the lack of widespread data portability laws. To address this, the CSA Collaboratory has launched its first initiative focused on data portability and e-KYC. The BC Securities Commission is now inviting industry stakeholders to provide feedback on this critical theme. 📣 Comments are open until May 19, 2025. #Fintech #DataPortability #eKYC #OpenBanking #InvestorProtection #CSA #CanadianMarkets #partnercontent

🏡 Vancouver-based addy, a platform that allows Canadians to invest in real estate for as little as $1, has paid a $100,000 settlement to the BC Securities Commission after admitting to trading securities without being registered. 📊 Key details: Between 2018 and 2025, Addy facilitated approximately $26 million in securities trades from various issuers, with an average investment of $700 per investor. The BCSC found that Addy was required to register as a securities dealer due to its role in soliciting investments through its platform, acting as an intermediary for trades of the issuers' securities, and compensation in the form of fees for its services. ✅ Cooperation and next steps: Addy voluntarily provided information to the BCSC and acknowledged its misconduct before a hearing notice was issued. The company has since applied to register as an exempt market dealer to continue its operations while ensuring compliance with securities laws moving forward.

💡 InBC Investment Corp. is doubling down on intellectual property. The province’s $500M strategic investment fund has signed a memorandum of understanding with Innovation Asset Collective to help local companies develop, protect, and leverage their IP. 🚀🔬 Why does it matter? IP helps create competitive advantage for Vancouver companies, yet over half of Canadian IP is foreign-owned. InBC is the latest crown agency to ramp up focus on intellectual property, following a string of announcements since late 2023. As Jill Earthy, CEO of InBC, puts it: “A strong IP strategy is paramount to securing market position.”

🚀 This year has been jam-packed with incredible events at Vancouver Tech Journal—and we’re just getting started! Here’s what’s coming up: - March 19 | Tech Industry Social By Vancouver Tech Journal x CBRE The High Technology Facilities Group 📍https://lu.ma/8crz81mv | Alain Rivère, Amber Sandhu P.S. 250+ people have already registered, and your first drink is on us, thanks to The High Technology Facilities Group & Hudson Pacific Properties. 😉 - March 26 | #VTJTalks: SaaS 101: Boosting Revenue at Seed, Scale and Beyond featuring: ❗ Brianna Blaney, Co-founder & CEO, Pocketed Grant Platform (recently acquired by Deloitte) ❗ Serge Salager, CEO, Visualping ❗ Moderated by William Johnson, Founder, Vancouver Tech Journal 📍 https://lu.ma/3qkt4st0 - April 3 | Things You Didn’t Know You Can Do With AI A hands-on workshop with Kushank Aggarwal—creator entrepreneur (1M+ followers), AI SaaS founder & consultant. 📍https://lu.ma/mbu1v4bx

🌱🏆 The finalists for the 2025 BC Cleantech Awards are here! Foresight Canada has announced the innovators, leaders, and changemakers shaping B.C.’s cleantech future. From groundbreaking startups to industry giants, these finalists are driving sustainability, economic growth, and Canada’s transition to net zero. This year's categories are: 🌍 Venture of the Year – Startup 🚀 Venture of the Year – Scaleup 🔋 Adopter of the Year 🤝 Cleantech Supporter of the Year 💰 Funder of the Year On March 26, the winners will be revealed at a public ceremony in Vancouver. Will your favorites take home top honors? 🏅 🔗 Check out the full list of finalists. Green Manganese | Lite-1 | SkyAcres Agrotechnologies Inc. | TreeTrack | Veritree Inc | Arbios Biotech | Lucent Bio | Mangrove Lithium | Moment Energy | pH7 Technologies | City of Vancouver | City of Vernon | Wheaton Precious Metals | Vancouver International Airport - YVR | BC Hydro | City of Quesnel | Diana Gibson 🇨🇦 | Jill Earthy | Zero Emissions Innovation Centre | Active Impact Investments | National Research Council Canada / Conseil national de recherches Canada | Evok Innovations | Pacific Economic Development Canada | Développement économique Canada pour le Pacifique #BCCleantech #Sustainability #Innovation #NetZero #Cleantech #BCtech

Clio - Cloud-Based Legal Technology has acquired ShareDo, and has entered the enterprise legal market. The move will allow Vancouver’s legaltech giant to serve law firms of all sizes, and expand its global footprint.

Several of Garmin Canada's 200 full-time, highly skilled employees have chosen to move to its Alberta office and leave B.C. Senior mechanical engineer Garett Favero is one of the Cochrane employees who left the western province for the Albertan town. After completing his undergraduate degree at UBC, he looked east for places he could expand his career. Favero is not alone in making that decision. B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad ran on a platform last election cycle that stated that one in three people are thinking about leaving the province, and that the number increases to one in two for youths. In November, Invest Alberta set up a new remote office in Vancouver with the message that the province is “open and ready for business.” The following month, the Business Council of British Columbia launched an awareness campaign to counter the province's rising outward migration to Alberta, called “Stay with B.C.” 

🚀 Scaling a SaaS company? Let’s talk revenue growth! 🚀 Join us for #VTJTalks: SaaS 101 – Boosting Revenue at Seed, Scale & Beyond on March 26 at Northeastern University - Vancouver. Whether you're proving product-market fit, refining pricing & sales, or scaling sustainably, this event will equip you with actionable strategies. Expect a high-impact discussion on: - Landing your first paying customers & proving product-market fit - Pricing & monetization strategies that fuel growth - Scaling sales & marketing through outbound, PLG, and partnerships - Retention & expansion strategies to increase LTV - Bootstrapping tactics for sustainable, capital-efficient scaling - What investors look for in SaaS startups at different stages Speakers: - Serge Salager, CEO, Visualping - Brianna Blaney, Co-Founder & CEO, Pocketed Grant Platform Moderator: - William Johnson, Founder, Vancouver Tech Journal 📅 March 26 | 5:00-7:00 PM 📍 Northeastern University Vancouver 🔗 Register Now: https://lu.ma/3qkt4st0 A special thanks to our core sponsors: SaaS Wealth Insurance, Segev LLP, Fasken, CBRE The High Technology Facilities Group, Starboard Recruitment, Float, & Foresight Canada - your support makes these conversations possible! #VTJTalks #SaaS #StartupGrowth #VancouverTech #TechEvents

At a time of economic uncertainty, shifting government policies, and rapidly evolving technology, how should startups and investors navigate the future? Founders, funders, and PR professionals discuss how to weather the current risk and opportunities for Vancouver companies. Pieter Dorsman | Luisa Alvarez | Mark Bakker | Nicole Brassard | William Johnson

Pocketed Grant Platform — a four-year-old company that helps North American businesses identify, apply for, and secure funding — has been acquired by Deloitte Canada. Brianna Blaney | Aria Hahn, PhD