Vancouver Tech Journal’s Post

Just bought my ticket to Elevate (conf). Anyone else coming? https://lnkd.in/gfGakawg Stoked for these talks: Melissa Allen (Capital M Ventures) Patricia Nielsen (AWS Startups) Rizwan Khalfan (TD Bank) Michele Romanow (Clearco) Sabrina Geremia (Google) Rachael D'Amore (TalkShop) lisa laflamme (Order of Canada, beloved Journalist) Jordan Jacobs (Radical Ventures) Douglas Soltys (Betakit) Sidney Leeder (Air Head, AI short film) Anthony Lacavera (Globalive) Olivia Chow (Mayor of Toronto) Elamin Abdelmahmoud (CBC) Giles Sutherland (Interac) James Hicks (Moneris) Nicole Foster (AWS Global AI Public Policy) Sachin Agarwal (Think Research) Daniel Eberhard (Koho) Aaron Saunders (Boston Dynamics) Julien Brazeau (Department of Finance Canada) Hugo Larochelle (Deepmind) Rachel Tobac (SocialProof Security) Harley Finkelstein (Shopify) That's a full cup, eh???!!! Two observations as I type this out. (1) Canada has so much talent brimming and bristling to the surface that we are no longer just emulating other innovation capitals but starting to form our own unique identity. Still a work-in-progress to be sure. But we have certainly come a heck of a long way forward from our Can Tech Awards in 2012, a time when the demise of Blackberry and Nortel were the only tech headlines on the national news. (2) Next week is going to be busy running around to all these talks. I am definitely getting my 10K steps (nice burn on the hams/glutes) and fill-up a moleskin or two with new ideas. See you all there!

Technology and policy intersect in more ways than you might imagine, influencing everything from startup innovation to global regulation. With the election approaching and big tech under the microscope, the future may seem uncertain. But for savvy founders and investors, this unpredictability leads to opportunity. We're just days away from NY TECH WEEK by a16z! Join Bradley Tusk, Joseph Connor, and Alexandra Sternlicht as they dive into The Politics of Innovation.

You don't need to be in your early twenties to start a tech business. Atomico's 2024 State of European Tech Report (https://lnkd.in/eS5deHg5) shows that 20% of startup founders have had 5+ years of tech experience before deciding to take the leap, a big increase compared to 10 years ago. Doesn't make me feel any younger though, sadly. The report is free to access and has tons of charts detailing the evolution of European tech over the last decade. Shout out to all those who worked on the report, including Hanna-Stina Sonts, Jocelyn Ng, Gareth Carless, Eisha Maharasingam-Shah, Sarah Guemouri, and Tom Wehmeier (among others).

Great article on the capitulation of a big chunk of big tech to the big bad. "Tech is empowered, engorged, and enjoying itself. We can indulge ourselves in the stories that we want to be true—that what is good for technology is good for humanity."

Interesting insight into how we got to this point in the Tech industry https://lnkd.in/g-RVG9en

Armine Galstyan, a Principal at SmartGateVC discusses her journey of a young Armenian woman supporting Deep Tech Founders in the Forbes article by Melissa Houston, CPA. Here are the key takeaways shared by Armine: 1) Pre-seed companies often require mentorship, technical insight, and a clear roadmap. 2) It is important for investors to ask right questions: - Do the founders have the right expertise? - Is the IP and technology meaningful? - Can we add value? 3) The goal to become a partner in their success, not a mere investor. 4) Building ecosystems is critical: - Hero House is the space (Yerevan and in LA) where founders, researchers, and investors exchange ideas and build lasting connections. - The impact lies in the sense of founder community, where challenges are shared, and victories are celebrated. 👉 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dyV4vQGB

Silicon Valley Syndrome: Silicon Valley, synonymous with booming tech and venture capital, isn't just a hub of innovation—it's also a case study in economic impact. A recent study delves deep into how the high-tech sector's growth affects regional economies, echoing phenomena like the Dutch Disease. Key insights include: 1) The influx of venture capital in Silicon Valley often leads to fewer establishments and jobs in traditional sectors. 2) There's a marked increase in non-trade sectors like local services due to higher disposable incomes. 3) Despite economic growth, there's a significant rise in income inequality and living costs. PS. check out 🔔 for a winning pitch deck the template created by Silicon Valley legend, Peter Thiel https://lnkd.in/ejp-Bhnu

Our MD Gerard Grech recently spoke to Jane Wakefield for the UKTN podcast. Here is a flavour of what they discussed: 🎙️ Our mission Founders at the University of Cambridge to create entrepreneurial pathways for the next generation of founders 🔬 The challenges preventing venture scientists from accessing the advice they need to spin out their research into global, impactful businesses and how Founders at the University of Cambridge is solving this 💰 And how the UK can close the gap in later-stage funding so it isn’t only great at starting companies, but supporting them to reach their full potential too 💡 How the UK tech industry has grown 16x and developed over the past 10+ years 🚀 Gerard’s experience supporting thousands of tech startups to scale up and become successful companies Tune in to the episode below! #Podcast #startups #entrepreneurship

📹 Join us today for an insightful conversation with Professor Philippe Tibi, President of the Executive and Technical Committees for the “Financement Scale-UP” project at the French Ministry of Economy, Finance, and Recovery, and Professor of Economics at Ecole Polytechnique. In this interview, conducted by our Chairman Alberto Onetti during the Corporate Startup Stars and Startup Ecosystem Stars Awards in Paris, Philippe Tibi shares his expertise on Europe's challenges in scaling tech innovation and the pivotal role of investment. Highlights of the discussion include: 💡 The "Tibi Initiative," which mobilized €13 billion from institutional investors to fuel French tech growth, supporting over 100 VC funds and aiming to manage €60–70 billion by 2026. 💡 The need for #Europe to foster capital, large VC funds, and a deeper understanding of technology among established companies to break the cycle of underinvestment and drive innovation. 💡 A candid perspective on global competition, emphasizing that the race against the US and China requires bold, large-scale efforts. Discover the actionable steps Europe must take to thrive in the global innovation landscape. 📌 Watch it today 5pm CET and join the conversation on the future of tech innovation in Europe! #MTBCSS24 #MTBSES24 #OpenInnovation #Europe #startups #scaleups

📆 Next week we're hosting 2️⃣ events for founders: Tus 9th of July, 6pm it's Founder2Founder: An evening of networking drinks and learning from other founders. There are 2 parts: 1) 10-minute rapid-fire talks from founders offering practical things for founders to do to level up. 2) YC-style founder office hours where early stage entrepreneurs get public feedback by a group of experienced founders, with that insight often having lots of value for others in the audience. We're announcing the speakers and founders tomorrow! There's limited space, so be sure to register asap. Very kindly sponsored by and hosted at Shepherd and Wedderburn https://lu.ma/y2fxif9z Wed 10th July, 8am it's Pitched your Idea! Designed for early stage founders, this is a relaxed session where you experience your idea pitched to you by other people. If you're working on your pitch, and want to know better what lands and what goes over peoples' heads, this is a great, low stress way to gain valuable insight. Space is very limited, please make sure you register asap if you'd like a spot. Very kindly hosted and sponsored by Johnston Carmichael Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers https://lu.ma/asdef0t8