The Sunday Briefing | #99

"You won’t know who can help and how until you create the dialogue." - Patrick Lor, Managing Partner of Panache Ventures

Apr 26, 2020

The Vancouver Tech Journal brings you news, insight, opinions, and the lesser-known stories from Vancouver's innovation ecosystem. This is The Sunday Briefing. Enjoy.

Food-X Technologies, a SaaS startup, has received $250,000 from the Digital Technology Supercluster to lead a new collaboration aimed to develop an e-grocery management system for the government and health authorities in B.C. Per Isabelle Kirkwood in Betakit:

The initiative is aimed to deliver groceries to essential workers, non-pandemic patients, and citizens in quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Other companies that are collaborating on the project include Spud, Adaptech, 1QBit, ETG, and Microsoft.

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Patrick Lor of Panache Ventures—based in Calgary but with 9 portfolio companies in B.C.—says founders must lean on each other to stay afloat.

The mental stress of being a founder has always been intense, and very few people understand what it’s like, because there can only be so many CEOs or founders. This crisis has amplified the stress; that’s the downside. The upside is that we’re all experiencing the same crisis, so it feels like a great opportunity for CEOs to lean on each other for help.

Read his other tips for founders in this short Q&A we did in the Calgary Venture vertical of Daily Hive. /more

Eventbrite’s Canadian team has been let go—including everyone in the Vancouver office, which includes Jayesh Parmar who founded and sold Picatic to Eventbrite two years ago. Parmar confirmed the news on LinkedIn and Rob Lewis retells the incredible Picatic story over at Techcouver. “These are people that are loyal, smart and ridiculously talented,” writes Parmar. “If you know someone in Canada that is looking for serious talent, please let me know as it would be a pleasure to connect you with them.” /more

Newly minted Trulioo CEO Steve Munford dishes on taking the reins during a pandemic and the company’s future. “Getting the company to the first $100 million in sales, the second and third $100 million in sales, and the chance to help the company through those stages,” he explains to BCBusiness’ editor Nick Rockel. “I think I can add value there.” /more

Three new UBER/Lyft competitors have been approved to operate in B.C: LTG Technologies Ltd., Metro Burnaby Rides Inc. and Hich Ride Sharing Corp. The three companies are the ninth, tenth and 11th operators, respectively, to be granted approvals to offer ride-hailing services in B.C. The PTB has received 35 ride-hailing applications to date, issuing decisions on 28 of them since September. /more

Vancouver’s whatifi.io launched on Product Hunt. whatifi.io provides families and individuals with the peace-of-mind that their financial decisions will be successful, long-term. Using to the tool, users visually create multiple personal scenarios and calculate the best path through those results. /more

Discovery Parks announced the winners of its Generator Challenge 10.0 Competition. The competition awards premium, turn-key workspace for 12 months to early-stage technology companies that demonstrate a high likelihood of success. There are 7 winners, including Vancouver’s Inverted AI (UBC spin out) and Medimap. /more

Danny Halarewich, who became the Vancouver-based head of e-commerce at Mailchimp (after they acquired his company LemonStand) said he has left the company. Read the full announcement thread on Twitter:

Danny Halarewich @halarewich

So, I have some news 👋 I’ve decided to move on from Mailchimp. They acquired LemonStand about 14 months ago. I’m really grateful for the experience, and VERY proud of what our team has accomplished. Going to miss everyone a lot. Will be cheering them on from the bleachers! 💛

IDEAS

Shahrzad Rafati, founder and CEO of BroadbandTV Corp, writing on LinkedIn: How Can We Support Our Essential Service Workers?

Manoj Singh, founder and CEO of Acuva Technologies, writing on LinkedIn: My Personal Experience with COVID-19 as CEO of Acuva Technologies

Shafin Tejani, CEO of Victory Square Technologies, writing on Forbes: The Cybersecurity Gap Hidden In The Background

David Gens, founder and CEO of Merchant Growth, writing in the Vancouver Sun: Canadian small businesses need a rent subsidy in our COVID-19 times

Gregory Smith, co-founder and advisor at TIMIA Capital, writing on his firm’s blog: As Over-Funded Unicorns Lose Their Shine, Is Bootstrapping Finally Becoming Newsworthy?

Gordon Patrick Newell, partner and executive coach at Bond & Borne Leadership: How to Succeed in a Rapidly Changing Environment

Jeanette Jackson, CEO of Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre and Barnabe Geis, director of programs and climate ventures, at the Centre for Social Innovation, writing at the National Observer: Don't let COVID-19 take down our clean tech sector

Vishesh Raisinghani, business writer and technology investment analyst, writing on The Motley Fool: Why I Invested $2,000 in This Unknown Tech Stock [VTJ note: It’s Vancouver’s WELL Health Technologies]

Karn Manhas, founder and CEO at Terramera, writing on LinkedIn: How the COVID-19 reset points to a way forward for climate change