VANCOUVER – British Columbia’s first-ever #BCTECH Summit was a true celebration of technology and innovation, and an important step in the evolution of the tech industry throughout the province.   

Premier Christy Clark opened the summit by unveiling a comprehensive tech strategy that builds on a solid foundation – and will help diversify B.C.’s knowledge-based economy. The event also provided an opportunity for business leaders, tech companies, entrepreneurs, academics and students to network, share ideas and forge relationships that will ensure new and exciting opportunities.

More than 250 scheduled business-to-business meetings, 40 venture capital presentations and a technology showcase were featured at the summit. Participants were provided with thought-provoking panels and keynotes about the changing landscape of technology and provided insight into harnessing business opportunities.  

Some highlights from the summit include:

• More than 2,800 participants.
• More than 600 students took part in a Career Showcase, many of whom took part in a two-hour coding workshop.
• A total of 40 pre-selected B.C. tech companies pitched to more than 100 international and local investors at venture capital presentations.
• More than 250 facilitated business-to-business (B2B) meetings were scheduled during the conference, connecting B.C. tech companies with potential clients and partners from the private and public sectors.
• More than 30 B.C. companies displayed their innovations – including electric vehicles, drones, robots, holograms and 3D printing – in the Technology Showcase.

Quotes:

Amrik Virk, Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services –

“The success of the summit is in the business connections that were made over the past two days. It brought a diverse group of students and professionals together in one venue and the energy and innovative ideas that resulted will further ignite our economy and create jobs for British Columbians. The summit was such a success, we look forward to making it bigger and better next year.”

Greg Caws, president and CEO, BC Innovation Council –

“The #BCTECH Summit has been very exciting for me because I can see new connections developing between innovation and opportunity. It has created momentum by bringing the tech sector together with the broader business community, investors, academics, students and government. It’s particularly satisfying to me as a father to see so many youth discovering opportunities for their future.”

Learn More:

To learn more about the #BCTECH Strategy and B.C. tech companies, go to: https://bctechstrategy.gov.bc.ca/

To view the #BCTECH Summit video, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2CiVcZgBn4