The British Columbia Regional Science & Technology Network
If you’re looking for focused advice on accounting and tax issues as a high-growth tech startup, then you will not want to miss out on our upcoming “Face Time” workshop with Accelerate Okanagan Financial Partner, KPMG, entitled: “The Top 10 Accounting and Tax Considerations for Startups“.
You are invited to join us at this unique and informative event, to be followed by a great networking “cheese and wine” at the KPMG offices in Kelowna (300-1674 Bertram St., Kelowna, V1Y 9G4) on March 1st, 2012.
These interactive workshops are run in conjunction with partners from the Accelerate Okanagan community, all with the specific goal of supporting the growth ambitions of innovators and entrepreneurs and enhancing the skills of early-stage entrepreneurs.
At this particular Face Time session, KPMG will discuss Accounting and Tax Considerations in a highly interactive workshop-style session: walking participants through 10 simple steps to managing their startup company finances.
KPMG is a global network of professional firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services and industry insight to help organizations manage risk and performance in the dynamic and challenging environments in which they do business. KPMG combines a multi-disciplinary approach with deep practical industry knowledge to help clients meet challenges and respond to opportunities.
Face Time with KPMG will take place on March 1st, 2012 from 3:30pm – 5:00pm, with the cheese and wine networking event with KPMG partners to follow. In keeping with the format of the event, space is limited to just 15 slots, so sign up now to avoid disappointment.
Tweet it up at #AOFaceTime
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This is an edited version of a post that was originally featured on the BCIC Blog as part of a series showcasing the finalists in the current BCIC-New Ventures Competition: Regional. Our thanks to BCIC. Please see the BCIC Blog for profiles of all 19 finalists in the competition. The winners will be announced on February 23, 2012 at an awards ceremony in Kelowna.
Accelerate Okanagan Technology Company Premium Member, What the Fast (WTFast) is growing fast and furiously. After taking home first place at Accelerate Okanagan’s first ever Jump:Start Challenge in November 2011, this startup has advanced to the third and final round of the BCIC-New Ventures Competition: Regional and is competing to win one of three cash prizes worth a total of $60,000.
For Rob Bartlett, founder of the WTFast, his passion for gaming began at the young age of six with his Commodore 64 and has since led him to his dream job. Since 2009, Rob has worked persistently to start and grow WTFast, an online game accelerator service which reduces the latency in popular MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) games such as World of Warcraft. WTFast’s software allows users to effectively optimize the game data to experience increased connection speeds by 60-90%.
“Successful video games motivate users by giving them a good mix of challenges and rewards. Generally the bigger the challenge, the bigger the reward,” said Rob. “I see WTFast as my real-life video game. Building WTFast is a much bigger challenge than any video game I have ever played, but it also offers a much bigger reward.”
Motivated to build WTFast into a successful company, Rob is doing all he can to ensure he has the skills and resources to do it. Thanks to the training and mentorship he has received from Accelerate Okanagan, WTFast came out on top at this year’s Jump:Start Challenge – and is now a Top 20 Finalist in the regional venture competition operated by New Ventures BC Society, in partnership with BCIC. As Rob credits, “this is clearly an indication Accelerate Okanagan is doing a great job.”
Over the next month, Rob will absorb all he can from the final mentoring sessions, workshops, pitch practices and networking opportunities offered by the BCIC-New Ventures Competition: Regional. Best of luck to Rob in the last round of the competition!
Winners of the BCIC-New Ventures Competition: Regional will be announced on February 23, 2012 at an awards ceremony in Kelowna, BC. Accelerate Okanagan Premium Members qualify for FREE and priority access to this event: click here to REGISTER for the Awards Ceremony as a Premium Member at no cost! (Please use promo code AOK to register for free. General admission is $20.)
To sign up now as an Accelerate Okanagan Premium Member to qualify immediately for this and numerous other member-only discounts, click here!
Here at Atomic, we were born a little after the hippie era, but some of the sensibilities of the time have stuck with us: we love VW vans, are suckers for rainbows, and find absolutely nothing funny about peace, love and understanding. With that in mind, we think it's absolutely out of sight that we get to be flower children this spring - we have created a new municipal website for our very own city of gardens, the City of Victoria!
Media Contact Name: Dale Campbell Phone: (250) 721-0319 Email: dale@atomiccrayon.comAccelerate Okanagan Premium Members (Technology Companies and Service Providers) are invited to take advantage of a complimentary “Assembly Line Marketing & Selling” Luncheon Seminar with fellow Premium Member, Transamerica Microsearch, and SterlingKlor in Vancouver on Thursday, March 15, 2012.
Since 1987, Transamerica has specialized in alternative business-to-business telephone and database marketing for high technology, education, and medical science companies that target niche markets.
SterlingKlor focuses on integrated B2B marketing, marketing research & analytics, and creative design for technology, e-commerce, hospitality, and transportation.
David McCullough
Accelerate Okanagan Premium Members are invited to take advantage of this free opportunity to meet leading creative business minds such as our old friend (well, not that old!) David McCullough, President of Transamerica Microsearch Inc., and Achim Klor, President of SterlingKlor Communications Inc.
To sign up now as an Accelerate Okanagan Premium Member to qualify immediately for this and numerous other member-only discounts, click here!
You are invited to join David and Achim at their upcoming “Assembly Line Marketing” & “Assembly Line Selling” Luncheon Seminar, both inspired by the elegant simplicity and efficiency of Henry Ford’s Model T assembly lines.
For more information, please view their Web sites at www.transmicro.com and www.sterlingklor.com. To reserve your seat at this Vancouver event, taking place at BCIT, please contact either David McCullough or Lawrence Liu at (604) 988-5213, Extension 102, or by E-mail: lawrence@transmicro.com.
This marks the first time in history that a Home Care Software company has provided free training for their Canadian clients.
Reliable Controls® is proud to announce the official release of the MACH-ProZone™. Small, durable and packed with flexibility, the MACH-ProZone™ is a fully programmable BACnet® Building Controller (B-BC) with highly scalable I/O in a very small footprint.
Media Contact Name: Reliable Controls Phone: (250) 475-2036 Email: info@reliablecontrols.comBCTIA is expanding a program that helps BC technology entrepreneurs grow their businesses. The program guides small BC tech companies to accelerate their growth into mid- and eventually large-sized companies. The latest expansion adds sector-specific expertise aimed at companies in BC’s growing clean technology field.
Camosun College computer systems technology student Victoria McDonald applied for a job at Victoria, B.C.-based Latitude Geographics Group Ltd. last summer, but was instead offered a paid internship.
Okanagan College is in talks with Capliano University to develop an Animation Fundamentals Program at the College’s Kelowna campus. We are happy to support the College understand the scale of interest in this type of program in Kelowna, and identify potential sign ups…
The initial plan is to have a 160-hour “introduction to animation” program covering the following topics:
The 8 week program will introduce the process for creating traditional and computer animation to students.
Animation Fundamentals is designed for individuals who are seeking a career in the animation industry and would like to further develop their artistic skills and portfolio prior to entering the full time Digital Animation or Commercial Animation programs.
If you are interested, please contact the coordinator for the Animation Fundamentals program: Ms. Jill Panton at 250-762-5445 X 4589 or at jpanton@okanagan.bc.ca.
More information is available at Capliano’s website here.
Projected dates are July 2 – August 24, 2012.
Applications (submission of an online portfolio of five drawings) deadline is May 1, 2012.
Accelerate Okanagan Premium Members (Technology Companies and Service Providers) are invited to take advantage of a Member-only discount for tickets to the upcoming Profit x Design Conference & Workshops at the Emily Carr University of Art + Design on Granville Island from February 24-25, 2012.
Innovation is the key to business success. Profit x Design is bringing together some of the best business minds, designers and investment gurus in the country, to provide the tools, skills and strategies needed to drive an innovative and lucrative enterprises.
At this event, top innovative companies such as RIM, Bombardier and Lululemon will share their processes and strategies.
Accelerate Okanagan Premium Members are invited to take advantage of this opportunity to meet leading creative business minds such as Risky Business TV host, former Dragon’s Den panelist, and popular entrepreneur, W. Brett Wilson; President of Day4 Energy, George Rubin; Wavefront’s Wireless Accelerator Architect, Brad Lowe; and Angel Investor Extraordinaire, Mike Volker.
The aim of the event is to demonstrate to participants:
How top companies drive product innovation;
How to implement best practices in developing an integrated product/service system;
How to build an effective product or service innovation team;
How to apply design thinking to a wide range of business and strategy challenges; and
The leadership methods that catalyze creative thinking;
For full conference schedule, speakers & to register: www.profitbydesign.ca
Please contact Fiona Campbell at fiona@accelerateokanagan.com or at 250.870.9028 to get the exclusive Accelerate Okanagan Premium Member discount code.
Tweet it up at @ProfitByDesign_
TeliaSonera, the international telecommunications company based out of San Diego, California, is looking north of their border for new technology talent.
The 11th largest telecom provider is seeking Canadian companies to pitch to its panel of judges. This is possible because of the support that the Consulate of Canada in San Diego provides to the MarketLink program and to CommNexus (San Diego’s high tech industry organization, and organizers of this event).
This is a fabulous opportunity for the Okanagan’s best to present their tech innovations in the fields of network access and telecommunication services, further accelerate their company’s growth, and maximize exposure for their business.
The selected participants will have the opportunity to meet with the following executive team:
Sverker Hannervall, Senior Vice President and Head of Business Service
Håkan Jansson, Senior Vice President and Head of TS CFO Holding
Priya Sawhney, Vice President and Head of B2B Strategy, Business Services
Mats Hellman, Vice President and Head Product Management, Broadband Services
Magnus Flodin, TS Holding and Senior Investment Manager at TeliaSonera AB
The following are the technology interests of TeliaSoneria:
Mobility: - Services for end-users on 4G networksApplications will be reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis, so apply early. There are up to 18 spots and 4 standby spots available for a 45 minute meeting with TeliaSonera. Applicants will be notified one week prior to the event if accepted. No late applications will be accepted. Opportunities await! Apply now!
Date: March 13 – 14, 2012 Location: San Diego, CA Application deadline: February 24, 2012 Apply here. For further information, please contact Megan at mleonard@commnexus.orgWinner of the ASC contest, sponsored by Tectoria, "MeshMesh" is making waves.
BCIC’s Young Innovator Scholarships Competition available to all schools
Think Communications Inc. today announced that it has signed an agreement with Pearson VUE, the electronic certification and licensure testing business of Pearson, to provide Information Technology certification test delivery using the Pearson VUE® Testing System. The Pearson VUE advanced computer-based testing system administers exams for leading IT certification programs such as Cisco®, CompTIA®, Citrix®, VMWare® and others through a global network of quality test centers.
Media Contact Name: Tammy Markwart Phone: (250) 220-6033 Email: tmarkwart@thinkcommunications.caAccelerate Okanagan is pleased to be a ”Gold Sponsor” of Startup Weekend Okanagan (SWO), which takes place March 2nd - 4th, 2012 at our Kelowna Innovation Centre.
Internationally sponsored by Google, Microsoft and Amazon, Startup Weekends have brought together 45,000 entrepreneurs in over 450 events.
As a Gold level sponsor, Accelerate Okanagan will provide SWO with space, mentors, prizes and organizational support.
Startup Weekend is an intense 54 hour event which focuses on building a web or mobile application which could form the basis of a credible business over the course of a weekend.
The weekend brings together individuals with different skill sets – marketing maestros, design gurus, business development wizards, legal geniuses, and startup specialists - to work together in teams to build applications and develop a commercial case around them.
Beginning with open-mic pitches on Friday, March 2nd, attendees bring their best ideas and inspire others to join their team.
Over the Saturday and Sunday, teams focus on customer development, validating their ideas, and building a minimal viable product.
On the Sunday evening, the teams will pitch and be judged by a panel of distinguished judges, followed by a prize-giving and wrap-up event.
The aim of the weekend is to bring together the knowledge of local entrepreneurs, and help those in need to find their feet in the world of startups.
With a mission to increase the number of technology companies that start and grow in the Okanagan, Accelerate Okanagan is happy to support this initiative and to support the development of local technology entrepreneurs.
Please sign up here if you are interested in getting involved in the Okanagan’s first ever Startup Weekend. It is going to be awesome!
Tweet it up at @SWOkanagan and check out the website here.
Accelerate Okanagan Premium Members (Technology Companies and Service Providers) are invited to join in a ”celebration of tech innovation” at the upcoming BCIC-New Ventures Competition: Regional Awards Ceremony, which is being hosted by the New Ventures BC society at the Laurel Packinghouse in Kelowna on February 23, 2012.
Accelerate Okanagan Premium Members qualify for free access to this event: click here to REGISTER for the Awards Ceremony as a Premium Member at no cost! (Please use promo code “AOK” when registering. General admission is $20.)
To sign up now as an Accelerate Okanagan Premium Member to qualify immediately for this and numerous other member-only discounts, click here!
Offering technology companies and entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn how to develop their idea into a profitable company, the 2nd annual BCIC-New Ventures Competition: Regional received a record 56 applications this year.
Of these, 49 progressed to Round 2. 18 were from the Okanagan. An incredible 11 Finalists in this year’s competition are from the Okanagan!
The Finalists have now all finished pitching to the jury; and there will be a party in their honour, and to award $60,000 in prizes.
February 23 | 5:30pm – 7:30pm Laurel Packinghouse (1304 Ellis St., Kelowna) To REGISTER as a valued Accelerate Okanagan Premium Member, click here! (Please remember to use promo code AOK to register for free. General admission is $20.) Canapés, drinks, and great networking included!What makes Upanup stand out is that although it just started, it is already approaching ten employees and has systems in place to handle large clients. It also has a founder in Peter Knapp who had notable business success elsewhere in Canada prior to arriving in Victoria last year.
Media Contact Name: Peter Knapp Phone: (250) 590-1721 x14 Email: contact@upanupstudios.comKAST and the Selkirk College environmental studies department are very grateful to the amazing Amber Ashenhurst, environmental manager at the Waneta Dam powerhouse project for her fascinating Feb 9 presentation at our first ENSL (environmental networking seminar luncheon) of 2012.
VIATeC is pleased to announce the opening of the nomination period for the 2012 VIATeC Technology Awards, scheduled for May 31st, 2012 at the Victoria Conference Centre.
Media Contact Name: Tessa Cogman, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, VIATeC Phone: (250) 483-3210 Email: tcogman@viatec.ca
BCIC (British Columbia Innovation Council) develops entrepreneurial talent and commercializes technology. BCIC focuses on competitively positioning British Columbia in today's global knowledge economy in order to provide significant employment opportunities and a high standard of living for British Columbians. BCIC is a Crown Agency of the Province of British Columbia.
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