Each month, the team at Switchboard (an Earnscliffe Strategies company) connects the dots between the trends, headlines and narratives informing the B.C. tech sector.
In January we left off with some VERY exciting news about Switchboard officially joining forces with Earnscliffe Strategies!
For April’s Connecting The Dots, our Founder Kathleen Reid returns from parental leave with some tips and tricks on how to successfully balance business and family life (embrace the ebb and flow), discusses the current momentum of the Life Sciences sector, and highlights B.C.’s growth as a global hub for tech and innovation.
First conversation back from parental leave at the #VTJTalks Panel with Diraj Perkash Goel and Sarah Boland
This event was one of the best panels I’ve done. The audience and the panelists were so engaged and open, we had tears on stage, and in the audience. It was so powerful to hear from others about the personal impact of events like this—and it’s something I often say: “It’s the personal that connects us.” There was great conversation on LinkedIn about the timing of events, and we did a poll in person at the event to see what time would work best for our newer audience members. It turns out late evening + mid-morning/lunch are their preferred times!
Here’s a summary of the key takeaways that I shared:
Lizzy Karp from Brood Care Inc. asked a great question. “What would you title this part of life?” My answer was “Intention”, and it got me thinking further.
- Key takeaways on how to successfully balance business and family life:
- Google sheets with packing lists
- Weekly check-ins with your partner
- Being intentionally present
- Not taking things personally from your partner
And lastly, because we’re all about reading, growing and leveling up at Switchboard and parenting is a skill as Lizzy mentioned, here are my top three books I recommend for anyone planning to bring littles into their lives:
- It Didn’t Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle by Mark Wolynn
- The Happy Sleeper: The Science-Backed Guide to Helping Your Baby Get a Good Night’s Sleep-Newborn to School Age by Heather Turgeon MFT and Julie Wright MFT
- The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
Life Sciences in B.C.
The Short: a new report from Invest Vancouver highlights achievements and identifies key recommendations to further boost growth in B.C.’s life sciences industry; Abdera Therapeutics secures $142 million in combined Series A and B financing; and Aspect Biosystems partners with Novo Nordisk to deliver new treatments for diabetes and obesity.
The Long: B.C.’s life sciences sector has never been more robust. It employs roughly 20,000 people at over 2,000 companies, and is home to several top-tier research institutions and a vibrant startup ecosystem. With advancements in vaccine tech, cancer treatment, gene editing, and antibody discovery, Metro Vancouver has positioned itself at the forefront of cutting-edge research and development.
However, despite many accomplishments and a thriving R&D hub that attracts talent from around the world, Metro Vancouver faces challenges that could hinder its growth—including high operational costs, limited access to wet lab space, and talent acquisition difficulties. The report “Life Sciences in Metro Vancouver: Shaping a Globally Prominent R&D Hub” from Invest Vancouver highlights these challenges and identifies key recommendations to further boost growth.
“Invest Vancouver’s Life Science Report highlights the critical role this industry plays in building a diverse, future-focused, and resilient regional economy for all,” said Linda Buchanan, Chair of Invest Vancouver Management Board. “As the region’s economic development leadership service, this research will inform how we can unlock additional growth and investment opportunities in life sciences across Metro Vancouver.”
Vancouver’s Abdera Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company that utilizes its advanced antibody engineering platform to design and develop precision radiopharmaceuticals for cancer, has announced that it has raised $142 million in combined Series A and B financing.
The Series A round was led by Versant Ventures and Amplitude Ventures with participation from Northview Ventures, adMare BioInnovations, and AbCellera, while the Series B round was led by venBio, as well as new and existing investors including Viking Global Investors, Qiming Venture Partners USA, and RTW Investments. The funds will be used to support continued clinical development of the company’s lead product candidates and commercialization strategy.
UBC spinout Aspect Biosystems has partnered with Novo Nordisk to develop bioprinted tissue therapeutics that can be used to replace, repair, or supplement biological functions inside the body. The companies aim to deliver a new class of truly disease-modifying treatments for diabetes and obesity.
The partnership will leverage Aspect’s proprietary bioprinting technology and Novo Nordisk’s expertise and tech in stem cell differentiation and cell therapy development and manufacturing. As part of the agreement, Novo Nordisk will receive an exclusive, worldwide license to use Aspect’s bioprinting technology to develop up to four products for the treatment of diabetes and/or obesity. In addition, Aspect will receive USD $75 million in initial payments and up to USD $650 million in future milestone payments per product arising from the collaboration, plus tiered royalties.
Vancouver adds Boomi, Rogers adds 3,000 new jobs
The Short: Boomi to establish Centre of Excellence in Vancouver; Rogers Communications announces 3,000 new jobs in Western Canada following the $26-billion acquisition of Shaw Communications.
The Long: Boomi, an intelligent connectivity and automation provider, has announced that it will establish a Centre of Excellence in Vancouver, intended to provide support to its strategic business functions such as sales and business development.
Boomi serves 20,000 customers in 70 countries, including globally recognized brands such as AT&T and LinkedIn. The company also has a significant presence in the Canadian market, with local customers such as Deloitte Canada, Canadian Pacific Railway, and Ritchie Bros Auctioneers.
The new Centre of Excellence will leverage and expand upon its existing executive talent in the region who bring expertise from technology organizations such as Crystal Decisions, Business Objects, SAP, and Google.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Boomi to Vancouver as a new member of our city’s rapidly expanding tech sector,” said Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim. “Boomi’s decision to bring jobs and investment here further demonstrates Vancouver’s growth as a global hub for technology and innovation.”
Rogers Communications Inc. has announced it will create 3,000 new customer-facing jobs in Western Canada as part of a set of conditions Ottawa attached to its approval of the merger with Shaw Communications Inc. The positions will be located in B.C., Alberta and Manitoba, where Rogers has pledged to boost the number of “customer-facing” jobs.
“Bringing these jobs to Canada means all of our customers will be served by a team with deep knowledge of our products and services and roots in the communities where they live and work.” said CEO Tony Staffieri, adding that Rogers would prioritize the creation of digital and technology positions focused on “building networks” in Western Canada.
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