It's big time for the Littles NFT project
It's big time for the Littles NFT project
Meet the local Web3 project that's racked up $40 million in secondary sales—and inked a lucrative deal with TIME Studios.
Good morning! This week we’re looking forward to hosting VTJ Talks: Bootstrapping Startups & Secrets in partnership with Segev LLP and TIMIA Capital at The Home Key co-working space. Although it’s now sold-out, there’s a chance we’ll release some last minute tickets. Add yourself to the waitlist for first dibs and early access to our next event. » You can do that here. Now, onto today’s newsletter. It’s 1,171 words, a 4-minute read. Enjoy!
How Wilson Lee and Cass Chan turned an interest in NFTs into an empire
The Vancouver duo are doing big things with the Littles. » Start reading.
Science World to expand tech literacy training for youth with new funding
Tech-Up program prepares children for the jobs of the future. » Read more.
Digital effects giant Wētā FX opens Vancouver office, welcomes expressions of interest
The New Zealand outfit was bought last year by Unity Technologies. » Start reading.
Circular Rubber Technologies completes the circuit
With Angels for Climate Solutions win, the Vancouver-based startup takes home $122k in its quest to recycle rubber. » Start reading.
Miranda Alldritt joins Bioform as chief business officer
The ex-Copperleaf exec brings vast experience to the cleantech startup at a time of imminent growth. » Get the full story.
Ad Auris selected for Google’s Cloud Accelerator Canada program
The audio creation platform joins 10 other Canadian startups in Google’s second inaugural cohort. » Start reading.
Be ambitious: Applications for the 2022 Technology Impact Awards are now open
The Technology Impact Awards, organized by the BC Tech Association, celebrate outstanding companies and individuals who have made a significant impact on the B.C. tech industry. Each year, the Technology Impact Awards connects to a theme that reflects the industry at that point in time. » The 2022 theme is Ambition.
Thinkific CEO Greg Smith reflects on layoffs, the year ahead in BC Tech call
The edtech exec spoke honestly about the challenges and triumphs during COVID and beyond. » Start reading.
🤝 Funding and deals
Good Chemistry Company lands seed funding from Green Sands Equity. The startup recently spun out of Vancouver-based 1QBit. » Get the full story.
Vancouver-based MeetAmi Innovations closed a $29M seed round. With funding secured, U.S. expansion is now underway. » Get the full story.
Vancouver marketing platform Wishpond has acquired the assets of London, England-based Viral Loops Limited, a referral marketing services provider. » Continue.
Comalatech, a software company with a Vancouver office, was acquired by Boston-based Appfire. » Continue.
Vancouver companies raised $3.48 billion in 2021 according to CPE Analytics. » More details.
Budget 2022 contains a number of commitments for the Canadian tech and innovation sector, including a Canada Growth Fund, a Canadian Innovation and Investment Agency and $45 million for the semiconductor industry. » BetaKit.
Qase, a legaltech startup, secured investment from First Fund. » Continue.
That’s a wrap for the 2022 Acetech Leadership Summit!
If you weren’t amongst the 130 attendees celebrating 30 years of Acetech at this year’s signature 3-day Summit event in Whistler, you really missed out! From tech outlooks, ESG and CEO war stories to driving sales, metronomics, and a Harvard case study, it was an event to remember.
Don’t miss out on next year’s celebrations! Save the date now for the 2023 Summit: April 19-21.
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🗞️ In other news…
How blockchain is helping to secure Indigenous art and health data in B.C. » CBC.
Are you B.C.’s hottest startup? Apply to win $250,000 in cash and prizes in the New Ventures BC Competition. » Deadline is April 11.
SoleSavy will drop their next custom sneaker, the SS4, as both a physical shoe and an NFT » Continue.
A Q&A with Naynika Chaubey, a partner with Vancouver-based cleantech-focused venture capital firm Evok Innovations. » Geekwire.
Another Q&A, this one with Spark Real Estate Software co-founder and CEO Simeon Garratt. » CanadianSME Small Business Magazine.
CyberCatch developed a solution that helps SMBs get at the root causes of data breaches and ransomware attacks. » BC Business.
TAP Network’s DE&I Tech Project identifies a need to increase diversity, inclusion and reconciliation in Canada’s tech sector. » Continue.
Zygg, a Toronto-founded subscription ebike service has officially launched in Vancouver. » Continue.
Darrell Kopke was appointed Director of Creative Destruction Lab Vancouver. » Continue.
Dawn Crew was named chief marketing officer of Vancouver unicorn Trulioo. » Find Biometrics.
Vancouver-based Legible, an e-reading service startup announced plans to layoff 23 members of its 60-person staff. » BetaKit.
A new 3D immersive VR system allows ship designers at shipping giant Seaspan to explore their plans in virtual reality. » Business in Vancouver.
Visual Capitalist launched the Creator Program, an initiative to spotlight the best visual creators from around the world. » Continue.
Genome BC and the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC are partnering to co-create and deliver the Genomic Innovation for Regenerative Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Program that will invest in projects to provide genomic solutions that enhance the agriculture, food and fisheries sectors, increasing resiliency and sustainability in BC. » Continue.
Optical, a new customizable font for people with low vision was created by Emily Carr student Tyler Hawkins. » Continue.
Segev LLP, the local tech and business-focused law firm, elevated three lawyers to bolster its tech, securities and corporate finance services. » Start reading.
💡 Ideas and insights
Dan Millar, Chief Revenue Officer at MistyWest, writing on LinkedIn: Cultivating the Future of Agriculture & Technology
Michael Gilbert, CEO at Semios, writing in Entrepreneur: Farmers Have Trust Issues With Big Data — For The Same Reasons We All Do
Carmilla Sumantry, an NFT artist and NFT creative strategy advisor, writing on Twitter: NFTLA was such an eye-opening experience for me, for so many reasons. I had to make a thread about it
Sushant Trivedi, Fresh Tracks Canada CEO, speaking to the Globe and Mail: “When people think about talent management, people should be looking at how can we develop skill sets, develop experiences and not silo people into particular categories.”
Sean Tyson, CEO of Quietly, joined the What’s Working in Marketing podcast to discuss how audience content expectations are at an all-time high and what that means for brands. » Listen now.