British Columbia Innovation Council

Earlier this month we announced that CONNECT's keynote speaker is Lane Merrifield of Club Penguin. Last week, CONNECT's conference site went live! Visit www.connectnext.ca to check out the great list of speakers and the sessions you can sign up for. To keep on top of the conference updates and to learn more about who you'll see and what you'll learn at CONNECT, visit often and follow us on Twitter.

Win 2 free tickets to CONNECT

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Last week I had the honour of sitting on the admissions panel for the brand new Entrepreneurship@Wavefront program out of Wavefront AC, the community-based commercialization centre supporting the growth of Canada's wireless and new media development companies. Entrepreneurship@Wavefront, in partnership with BCIC, will support and nurture up to eight early-stage BC wireless companies from concept to commercialization over 12 months.

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BCIC would like to congratulate Patti Leigh, Founder and past Executive Director of Science Fair Foundation of BC, who last week was one of 14 distinguished British Columbians selected to receive the 2010 Order of British Columbia. The Order of British Columbia recognizes the excellence and achievements of our citizens. It is the highest honour we can bestow on individuals in our province.

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With CONNECT just around the corner, we are excited to announce our keynote speaker.

Here's a hint: What BC-based startup attracted Disney's attention by bringing penguins to life for millions of kids to enjoy?

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The BCIC/BCTIA Roadrunners soap box team poses with their car, which will compete in the Vancouver Canary Derby on September 25th to raise funds in support of the early detection of cancer. It's not too late to donate, you can help by purchasing a logo or spot for your signature on the car here!

Are you a UBC student or a recent alumni with a company you would like to present to a panel of VC's and UBC alumni at the Plug and Play Tech Centre in California? entrepreneurship@UBC, a joint program by BCIC and UBC, is looking to send you there.

entrepreneurship@UBC is looking to identify six UBC entrepreneur-founded companies: three founded by students currently enrolled at UBC and three founded by recent UBC alumni (within the last three years) who are interested in profiling their business venture in front of a panel of venture capitalists and distinguished UBC alumni at the Plug and Play Tech Center in Sunnyvale, California on August 31, 2010.

Application Deadline: July 31 - Apply here!
entrepreneurship@UBC will cover travel and accommodation costs for up to two people per company (up to $680, based on flights out of Vancouver)

June's Metabridge 2010 Kelowna event yielded huge successes with not only the highest attendance to date, but also the forging of vital financing and partnership deals between Okanagan startups and Silicon Valley reps.

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From innovative MRI analysis software to mobile-based location discovery to environmental sustainability rating software for consumer products, New Ventures BC (NVBC) mentor panels were well underway again today at the midway point of the 2010 NVBC Competition. As a 3rd year mentor, I'm always amazed by the quality of homegrown innovation growing up right here in BC as well as the enthusiasm of the mentors in taking time out of their busy schedules to help guide these young companies.

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BCTIA's Member Reception took place last night - On the Water. The sun was shining as the mercury sat at a toasty 30 degrees! Almost 150 members of BC's tech community were in high spirits on this incredible evening of West-Coast style networking and delicious appetizers. Last night's boat cruise was the perfect setting for establishing new business connections and catching up with old friends.

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This afternoon, I'm excited to be participating in a roundtable gathering at MITACS with a group of prominent leaders from BC's technology and academic community and two Ministers from the Federal Government - The Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification and The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology.

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