Category: Tech News

Vantage points: Josh Nilson thinks BC should focus on its sector strengths

Josh Nilson sees BC as Canada’s blind spot: last on the clock, last in line for votes, and until yesterday, without a government. For Nilson, an entrepreneur and angel investor, this sense of being overlooked has given BC founders a unique brand of grit.  “We think pressure makes diamonds, so we have to work with […]

Chris Albinson departs as Communitech CEO but keeps reins of True North Fund

Communitech announced today the departure of Chris Albinson as CEO after three-and-a-half years at the helm of the Kitchener-Waterloo innovation hub. Despite the split, Albinson will continue his efforts to build a True North Fund. Communitech CFO Jennifer Gruber has been tapped to serve as interim CEO, and the organization’s board plans to begin the […]

Shopify combines its financial solutions into one dashboard

With embedded finance projected to hit $230 billion USD next year, Shopify has launched Shopify Finance, a new unified dashboard for its FinTech offerings.  “We’re doubling down on the financial tools we give our merchants to help them win.” As part of the launch, Shopify’s merchants in the United States (US) will gain access to […]

Invest Nova Scotia has recovered most of stolen funds following summer scam

Invest Nova Scotia (Invest NS) is making progress in recouping more than half a million in funds it lost to an email breach and phishing attack this past May. The breach resulted in $573,000 intended for Halifax-based venture capital firm Sandpiper Ventures being transferred to an imposter’s bank account. The incident went undiscovered for two […]

Canadian-founded, YC-backed Revyl closes $1.5 million CAD to help companies catch bugs with AI

San Francisco-based artificial intelligence (AI) startup Revyl has closed $1.1 million USD ($1.5 million CAD) in pre-seeding financing to bring its software bug-catching platform to market. The startup, founded by two Canadians, secured the all-equity round in late September. It was led by Canadian early-stage venture firm Panache Ventures, with participation from Feld Ventures, Y […]

Canadian tech’s lost generation

What a week. I’ve just returned from a very busy seven days in Vancouver, which hosted the Technology Impact Awards (TIAs), Frontier Summit, and our BetaKit Town Hall, among other events. Locals Isabelle Kirkwood covered the Town Hall stage conversation for BetaKit, while James Matthews checked in with an audience eager to reconnect with each […]

Clio’s Jack Newton can build another Shopify without building like Shopify

For BetaKit’s second-ever Town Hall, Clio CEO and co-founder Jack Newton was the perfect guest to carry forward the national conversation on Canadian productivity, innovation, and optimism. With 16 years in the game at Clio, Newton’s perspective on building in Canada is earned. He’s also shown himself to care about the local and national tech […]

BC tech leaders look to reconnect at BetaKit Town Hall: Vancouver

Reconnecting West Coast tech was top of mind at BetaKit Town Hall: Vancouver.  The sold-out event gathered a broad collection of local technology leaders (plus visitors from Seattle and Ottawa) to share their perspectives on the state of BC tech and what the province’s innovation ecosystem needs to succeed. You can read a summary of […]