We’re still on a high this week after our #vtjtalks event with Later co-founder Ian MacKinnon and MyFo-Tech’s CEO Simran Kang — we hope you are too. Good news, though: your next chance to cut loose with your Vancouver Tech Journal community is coming up fast. Catch us, and your friends in the tech industry, at all three of these events next week. (Oh — and did I mention that your first drink is free at our July 29 social?)
July 26: Vancouver Tech Morning Coffee
July 27: Almost sold-out Web3 & NFTs mixer at The Home Key
July 29: Monthly Tech Industry Drinks Social | Compliments of CBRE
Alrighty, now onto today’s briefing. It’s 737 words; a 3-minute read.
-Kate Wilson, @KateWilsonSays

How to build a company with an exit in mind

Geoff Dittrich, founder and managing partner of Ink LLP, gives Vancouver businesses advice on endgames. » Start reading.

Curtis Wong and Trendi want you to stop wasting so much food

At times Amazing Race and at times romantic comedy, VTJ staffer James Matthews’ week with Trendi’s partnership director at the Swiss Tech Experience opened his eyes to food waste. » Start reading.

Running a decentralized organization just got easier

Utopia Labs brings payroll and payment-management tools to crypto-native DAOs. » Start reading.

Future Capital and BDC Capital partner on an angel investing program for 150 Canadian women

The initiative kicks off in British Columbia before making its way to the Atlantic provinces and the Prairies. » Get the full story.

Traction Conference to feature founders and leaders from Silicon Valley’s fastest-growing companies

Vancouver Tech Journal readers get 50% off tickets with code VANTECH50. » Learn more.

🤝 Funding and deals

SafeDigit raises $1.2M in pre-seed funding. Founded by two logistics tech leaders, the startup is after the $363.8 billion delivery services market. » Get the full story.
In Q2, British Columbia’s tech ecosystem had 21 investments totalling $204.3M CAD. British Columbia saw a 62% decrease in total investment and a 28% decrease in the number of deals compared to last quarter. » briefed.in.
Intelligent City raised $30 million to advance its mass timber, automation, and robotics tech to drive sustainability in urban housing. » Continue.
The Province has provided Alacrity Canada with $1.5 million to continue to run a digital marketing bootcamp program for small businesses. » Continue.
The Province is investing as much as $6.5 million over three years into a new B.C. Centre for Agritech Innovation. » Continue.
Hydra Energy-powered hydrogen-converted trucks are taking another step towards becoming a reality in Prince George. » My PG Now.

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🗞️ In other news

Netflix has acquired visual effects studio Animal Logic, giving it an office in Vancouver. » The Hollywood Reporter.
Fenix Advanced Materials is contributing $1 million over the next year to establish a Pouch Cell Facility at UBC Okanagan. » Continue.
B.C. tech companies are getting into the U.S. sports economy. » Business in Vancouver.
Squamish-based electric vehicle startup Lyric Cycles has launched an e-bike-motorcycle crossover. » Vancouver Is Awesome.
UNCONTAINED, a hyper-immersive VR experience, is now officially live at Vancouver's PNE amusement park. » Continue.
Life Sciences BC has launched a Labour Market Study of jobs and skills needed for the province’s growing biotech sector. » Continue.
TELUS International’s AI data solutions division opened a high-tech site in Ireland. » Continue.
Made-in-B.C. tech is headed for the International Space Station next year. » Business in Vancouver.

💡 Ideas and insights

Karn Manhas, founder and CEO of Terramera, in conversation with Brandon Hunnicutt: Meet the fifth-generation farmer who is doubling down on soil health to grow better crops
Dave Dinesen, CEO of CubicFarms, writing in AgFunder: Why indoor farming needs to seize the energy-efficiency opportunity
Michael Cheng, CEO of Lumen5, writing on LinkedIn: How bootstrapping is helping us navigate this recession
Taylor Cooper, CEO of MistyWest, writing on his firm’s blog: Embedded Vision: trends in batteries, compute, and connectivity
Roger Patterson, co-founder and CEO of Later.com, writing in Fast Company: How to make yourself indispensable at work in a recession
Joanna Buczkowska-McCumber, founder at Ideas for Impact, on LinkedIn: Billionaires, metaverse, climate tech - who will save the world?
Calvin McDonald, CEO of Lululemon, writing on LinkedIn: Expanding our footprint and realizing our vision for growth
Ganesh Swami, CEO of Covalent, joined CNBC to explain what inflation and rising interest rates could mean for crypto. » Watch.
Michael Gilbert, CEO of Semios, writing in Newsweek: Here's how farmers can take advantage of the deflationary power of data

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💰 How will you exit your company?